Solution to a Stalled Technical Career

Really enjoyed listening to your

Really enjoyed listening to your podcast about the relationship building in the workplace. Thanks!

Anand- Glad you enjoyed the 'cast

Anand-

Glad you enjoyed the 'cast and it was helpful to you. Mike and I hear about situations all the time, and having worked in IT/tech orgs for a long time, it bugs us that more folks who could become even more effective just don't know how.'

Feel free to ask us for recommendations in general or on specific situations. There's so much more that we just can't get to in our casts.

Mark

Mike and Mark, Just listened the

Mike and Mark,

Just listened the stalled technical career podcast from last June and thought it was wonderful. Bridging the gap between the technical staff and the rest of the organization is all too often overlooked and your discussion hits some great points about solutions to the issue.

The one thing I would comment on is the importance of sincerity in the actions you suggest. Yes, ask the questions about the other person's weekend, but also remember to listen for the answer. You have to ACTIVELY engage the other person in a sincere manner or you can end up doing more harm than good.

I really enjoy the material from your podcasts, thank you so much for taking the time and effort to produce quality content on a regular basis.

Thanks,

Matt

Matt- Thanks for your kind remarks.

Matt-

Thanks for your kind remarks. Glad the cast brought you some ideas.

I think you're right about sincerity. Alas, if we addressed every assumption we had for each cast, we'd never get any further than that. We also assume integrity, and managerial professionalism. I think at least a couple of times that we've actually said that if you use some of our tools in certain ways, we ask that you NOT say you learned it from us. ;-)

And, I still think you're right about doing this stuff mechanically. The quote that comes to mind is "if you can fake sincerity, you've got it made." It's not possible, and it violates Horstman's Third Law.

Thanks again - glad we're helping.

Mark

Thank you for your podcast. I recently

Thank you for your podcast. I recently dropped out of a PhD program (and joining another) because of bad relationship with supervisor. I am learning a lot from your site and learning how to develop and maintain good relationship with supervisor and other students. I really appreciate that it is free because I could not afford it otherwise.

Rishikesh- Thank you for your kind

Rishikesh-

Thank you for your kind note. Sorry to hear about your challenges, and hope our recommendations help.

There will always be free content on Manager Tools...for situations just like yours, and because we like being helpful.

Mark

[...] Particularly poignant to our

[...] Particularly poignant to our profession is this episode: Solution to a Stalled Technical Career [...]

Mike and Mark, This is Karthik from

Mike and Mark,

This is Karthik from Bangalore, India. I got the manager tools podcast link through I tunes about 3 weeks back, this is a wonderful and very professional show. I am trying to find time to download the podcasts and listen to them over when I get time during my daily morning walks as well as during Sunday afternoons to keep the Siesta away. The podcasts are great. I feel, While some of the approach you suggest is more common to the logical thinking, that is done by people in this part of the world. (Like How to do Resignation, 3 podcasts, I had followed mostly the same steps. I had changed jobs 6 times in 22 year career, always thinking thats those are the right steps to do) But still it is good to hear from experts, the endorsement, that What I did was the right thing. Your show is great and I look forward to listen to your valuable thoughts in times to come.
Regards
Karthik.
Bangalore, India.

Karthik- Thanks for your kind words,

Karthik-

Thanks for your kind words, and glad you're with us!

Mark

I am looking for advice on a related

I am looking for advice on a related subject. Altough I have now been 10 years in my industry, within my curent technical organization I only seem to get credit from the moment I entered the organization. I have pretty good relationship skills which I have exercised outside of my department and with senior management and know once I break through the current ceiling I could make a greater contribution to the organization. Should I move to another department or is there a way I can gain the credibility I deserve within the technical organization.

Catherine- First of all, one rarely

Catherine-

First of all, one rarely gets a lot of credit for things done outside the organization unless your firm was well known and acquired or you are an industry star.

It is hard to say what you might do. Your "seem" concerns me - do you or don't you? I do think relationships with others in other orgs would help - some of those whom you get to know may give you some sense of what you see as your predicament.

If there is no obvious lack of respect or direct "snubbing", I wouldn't say you have to move. But pay more attention, and cultivate those relationships.

Mark

Mike & Mark, Thank you for

Mike & Mark,

Thank you for invaluable resource. I have just purchased premium content subscription as I feel I own that to you

I have been promoted from technical to managerial role 1,5 year ago. I have never planned managerial career. Always seen myself becoming an expert (C type personality as you may guess). So what was my answer to the new challange? Acquire managerial knowledge: read books. You may smile now as that should be frequent pattern for tech folks. I completely underestimated relations. I was building my authority as a boss for my former colleagues as an expert and forgiving person (ok, you may come later to work, if your family responsibilities require that).
And disasters came vary quickly. The top performer has left my team. Results were poor. I had to put off ambitious engineering undertaking to fix current projects. I was struggling a lot. Every two months some crisis.

I have discovered MT somwhere in Nov 2007. Simplicity and immediate implementability of your advise struck me.
I have started doing one-on-ones and regained commitment of team members. And that made me regain self confidence as well.
I have prepared yearly reviews using your guidance and got great feedback from some directs (nobody ever gave me such a thorough and helpful review), and my boss shared them as an example for other managers (this was the time when I have done some marketing of your site internally).
I have started coaching and literally see some of my directs changing.
I am delegating much more, have time for more strategic work.
I am trying with feedback, however here I need to find some smart way to adjust wording and a way of delivery to Polish culture and language.
I am improving my meetings, relations with my boss, communication.

When I was assessed above average during yearly review, I immediately knew, I owe quite a lot to you for improving my results. Therefore I have decided to share some small part of my bonus and purchase MT premium content.
Thanks guys for your great contribution for better world around the globe.

PS. I have found that many things you talk about were in the books I was reading. Yet I was not applying that book knowledge. While hearing you persuading I got really motivated to do those things. The difference is impact. With two engaged persons who talk basic principles, mixing it with life examples and refreshing humor , it moves. And the format of wekly single theme how-to-do-it bullet points, encourages for continuous small improvements. Step by step, week by week.