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The Challenge of Saying “I Don’t Know” There’s a certain power in saying “I don’t know,” simply because it’s the truth. It can also be an opportunity to learn something new. But if the question is one you should have an answer to, those three words alone may not be enough. Naomi Karten gives some helpful alternatives to just saying "I don't know." |
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Making Time for Reflection How often do you reflect on your career or life? It can be difficult to examine how you work and live to confirm that you are where you want to be. But using some of the same questions and techniques employed in agile retrospectives can help you evaluate your personal choices, too—and brainstorm ideas. |
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No Joke: You Should Be Laughing More How often do you truly laugh? Probably not nearly enough. Laughter relaxes the whole body, boosts the immune system, and relieves stress. It also lowers blood pressure, exercises several muscles, and increases the response of disease-killing cells. That’s a pretty good case for laughing as often as possible. |
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Where Are All the Great Software Testers? It can be difficult to find great software testers for senior roles; often, the people you want to hire are the ones who are already gainfully employed. Michael Sowers gives his suggestions for identifying qualified and experienced software engineers who can deliver on senior testing role accountabilities. |
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How Can We Get More Business Value Out of Software Development? CIOs and software development managers can tell you what the budget is for a particular project. But what about the value delivered by a software project? Does your organization make that consideration? The Value Visualization Framework can help you define and track that important factor. |
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Make Your Customers Feel the Wait Was Worth It Sometimes the only way you can give customers adequate attention is to make other customers wait. In this age of impatience, some people won't like to hear that. But the way you treat those who have had to wait can make a big difference in how satisfied they are with your services. Read on for some advice. |
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How to Listen Actively (or At Least Seem Like You Are) Let's be honest; some people are boring to listen to. Still, when you give someone the impression that you're not listening, to that person, you're not listening. Here are some tips that can help you—both in actual listening, and in just conveying that impression (even if you’re not hanging onto every word). |
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Do You Understand the Risk of Yes/No Questions? Language is ambiguous in the best of cases, but the risk of miscommunication soars if someone answers a question with only "yes" or "no." However, it can be awkward to ask “Can you repeat what I said?” or “Are you sure you understand?” Naomi Karten has some suggestions for communicating beyond. |
