Absentee leaders are managers who are physically present but psychologically absent. They are incompetent and disengaged, to the extent that they don't support their teams adequately. If you have an absentee manager (and don’t have the luxury of seeking another position), here's how you can try to handle the situation.

Releasing untested defect fixes into production is a real possibility. Being aware of how this can occur may help reduce the possibility of it happening. Let’s explore the common reasons defect fixes go untested—insufficient testing or resources, and undocumented fixes—as well as the steps we can take to prevent them.

Critical thinking is a core trait a software tester needs to succeed, and asking questions is a great skill to help. Questioning brings out the required information, breaks assumptions, and enables everyone on the team to give their perspectives. But there's an art to asking the right question at the right time.