You might be surprised at how easy it is to help your software engineers improve their work.
Programming requires many different skills. You not only have to solve problems, but also think ahead, work behind your back, meet deadlines, constantly learn new methods, and always have management breathing down your neck to get things done.
Anyone who has worked in the programming world long enough will tell you how challenging it can be. They will also remind you that a requirement is to always find ways to improve your skills. Everything is fine until the usual learning methods fail.
This happens more often than you think. And when this eventuality happens to your developers, your business can stagnate. How do you avoid such an outcome? You don't criticize your developers (at least you don't expect to maintain their services). Instead, you approach this problem with a different tactic.
There are many unique ways for your developers to improve their skills. If you find that they are struggling, here are some possible options you can share to overcome them.
Teach Programming
Nothing improves a person's skills more effectively than when we are forced to face the reality of having to teach them. To teach something effectively, you need to fundamentally understand how it works.
You might suggest that your developers do a series of talks on a specific skill, do a Ted Talk, or even teach kids the basics of programming. One issue we constantly neglect is going back to basics. When you do this, you often discover that you are doing something wrong or have strayed from best practices. When your developers retrain themselves to adhere to these correct methods, something will click and the floodgates for improvement will open.
Even if this doesn't translate into immediate returns of improvement, it could (at least) reignite the fire in your engineers' bellies (which, in turn, could lead to improvement).
Find a podcast
People love a good podcast. They are easy to consume, often educational and sometimes fun. You may want to curate a list of developer-related podcasts and suggest that your developers listen to them on their breaks or time off.
By listening to a podcast, your engineers can discover a new way to tackle an old task, learn about some new language or feature in their current language, see how technology is advancing (and which of these advances can help your company).
If you (or your developers) can't find a suitable podcast, ask them to start one. Hosting a podcast is a great way to force yourself to understand what you're talking about.
Get involved with the community
There is a vast community of developers to interact with, many of whom will have great tips to share. When you encourage your software engineers to get involved with the broader development community, you not only help them find ways to improve their skills, but you also get the added benefit of those employees interacting with other developers. So not only could you help these engineers improve their work, but you could also end up with potential new hires.
Because the development community is so vast, this can be a great way for your developers to connect with offshore engineers you may not have previously met. This is a win-win situation.
Working puzzles
This may sound silly, but puzzles are a great way to improve memory, problem-solving skills, visual-spatial reasoning, increase IQ, increase attention to detail, and decrease stress. All of these things are fundamental to improving the skills needed for programming.
If you have in-house developers, keep puzzles of all kinds in the office and encourage them to dedicate time and work on them.
Revisit previous failures
Most people view failure the wrong way. Failure is not a reminder of something not achieved, but rather a possibility to learn. You should encourage your developers to revisit failed projects. With fresh eyes, they can not only realize why they weren't successful, but also discover a way to make them successful.
This type of education is priceless. Not only does this give you the opportunity to resurrect an old project, but it also gives your developers a huge boost of confidence that can propel them into a bright future.
Read other developers' code
Sometimes developers can bury their heads in the sand of their own code so that they only understand how they do things. There is a lot of value in learning how other people approach the same type of task. So why not encourage your developers to find other projects and other developers to study with? As they dig through code written by someone else, they will have many “Ah-ha” moments where they learn how (or not) to do something new. This is an invaluable means of improvement.
Do the Impossible
Challenge your developers to start a project that you are sure they won't be able to complete. It's important that this type of project is not something your business depends on, but rather a pet project that can serve as a distraction from the grind of never-ending deadlines.
Developers often thrive within a challenge. And when you tell them something can't be done, you can be sure they will do their best to prove you wrong. Maybe this is an AI project you'd like to add to your current business pipeline, so it would be a great way to start.
Stay zen
Finally, growth rarely happens when our minds or hearts are clogged with stress and pressure. You should always encourage your developers to “go zen”. There are many books on the subject, such as “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” that can help its developers at least learn the concept of “Zen” and what it can do to the mind and body.
Once your developers are able to free their minds from some of the clutter of everyday life, they will find that existence and growth will be much easier.
Conclusion
It is essential that your developers improve their skills. If your programmers become complacent, so will your company's growth. Don't let that happen. With just a little encouragement, you can help your development team dramatically improve their skills, which in turn will benefit your company in ways you may not have dreamed of yet.
