What is an "architect" anyway?
August 31, 2016 6:34A little break from the series of posts on Pumpkin. Today I had to explain what I do for a living, and it was longer then I expected. But it gave me the time and opportunity to think about what I really do.
I always pause a second when people ask me "what is your job?"
I usually go for a very simple "software developer" or "programmer". After all if it is good enough for Scott Hanselman, I should be fine with it.
Since I have some experience, I sometimes may add "Senior" to it. But I don't feel that "Senior" anyway: I feel young, and I feel like I have always something new to learn, something new to do. "Senior" seems a little too accomplished to me.
Unfortunately, if you speak to people in the same or in a related field, this is rarely enough.
"But which is you role?" "Don't you manage a team of 7?" yes I do, but "manager" is way too nontechnical; "managing" the team, for me, is a mix of architectural and code reviews, coaching, mentoring, everything necessary to ensure the team delivers great things and customers are happy.
"So you are a tech lead!"
Well... I love the technical side of my job. I turned down good offers in the past because the "step-up" role was a pure management one, a common evil in Italy - management is the only "way up".
But my current role is made from pure technical parts (code, design, run sanity check -check the proper patterns are used and anti-patterns avoided, for example-) and also "soft" parts (be a bridge between customers and tech-speaking people, talk to upper management, customers and stakeholders, present figures and help making informed decision, advocate for my team).
This is why my "official" title of "Software architect" at my current job is kind of OK. It is technical, but not purely technical.
But what is an "architect", or a "team lead", anyway?
IMO, or at least in my case, it means being "Primus inter pares" and a "Servant leader".
"Primus inter pares" is a latin expression which roughly translates to "first among equals". It does not really matters if your leadership is sanctioned by the corporate ladder, or if it is an honorary title and you are formally equal to other members of their group. You act as a member of the group; you keep coding and share chores (debugging, bug fixing), otherwise you will lose what it really matters among developer: (unofficial) respect for your skills and knowledge.
Keep your hands dirty is key for me. I try to keep the balance between the technical and soft side of my job 50/50, and I code whenever I can. Because I like it (I think I will never give up coding, even if I win a billion euros and I can retire), and because I need it. It is like physical exercise, or training for a sport: both you and your body know when you need it, that you need it.
Robert K. Greenleaf first coined the phrase "servant leadership" in his 1970 essay, "The Servant as a Leader."
As a servant leader, you are a "servant first".
In practice, I try to focus on the needs my team mates, before considering my own. I acknowledge other people's perspectives, give them the support they need to meet their work and personal goals, involve them in decisions where appropriate, and build a sense of community. I still call the shots (design-by-committee does not really work), but I listen before speaking, and use persuasion over authority.
A great side effect from acting in this way is that it gives you the necessary skills to deal with people "above" you: the ones you cannot use your authority upon, either because they are your boss, or because they are your peers (customers, for example). Your persuasion and reasoning skills are honed, and you are in a fantastic shape to be able to make your point, make your message pass, make them listen and consider what you say.
I always pause a second when people ask me "what is your job?"
I usually go for a very simple "software developer" or "programmer". After all if it is good enough for Scott Hanselman, I should be fine with it.
Since I have some experience, I sometimes may add "Senior" to it. But I don't feel that "Senior" anyway: I feel young, and I feel like I have always something new to learn, something new to do. "Senior" seems a little too accomplished to me.
Unfortunately, if you speak to people in the same or in a related field, this is rarely enough.
"But which is you role?" "Don't you manage a team of 7?" yes I do, but "manager" is way too nontechnical; "managing" the team, for me, is a mix of architectural and code reviews, coaching, mentoring, everything necessary to ensure the team delivers great things and customers are happy.
"So you are a tech lead!"
Well... I love the technical side of my job. I turned down good offers in the past because the "step-up" role was a pure management one, a common evil in Italy - management is the only "way up".
But my current role is made from pure technical parts (code, design, run sanity check -check the proper patterns are used and anti-patterns avoided, for example-) and also "soft" parts (be a bridge between customers and tech-speaking people, talk to upper management, customers and stakeholders, present figures and help making informed decision, advocate for my team).
This is why my "official" title of "Software architect" at my current job is kind of OK. It is technical, but not purely technical.
But what is an "architect", or a "team lead", anyway?
IMO, or at least in my case, it means being "Primus inter pares" and a "Servant leader".
"Primus inter pares" is a latin expression which roughly translates to "first among equals". It does not really matters if your leadership is sanctioned by the corporate ladder, or if it is an honorary title and you are formally equal to other members of their group. You act as a member of the group; you keep coding and share chores (debugging, bug fixing), otherwise you will lose what it really matters among developer: (unofficial) respect for your skills and knowledge.
Keep your hands dirty is key for me. I try to keep the balance between the technical and soft side of my job 50/50, and I code whenever I can. Because I like it (I think I will never give up coding, even if I win a billion euros and I can retire), and because I need it. It is like physical exercise, or training for a sport: both you and your body know when you need it, that you need it.
A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better.
– Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur.
Robert K. Greenleaf first coined the phrase "servant leadership" in his 1970 essay, "The Servant as a Leader."
As a servant leader, you are a "servant first".
In practice, I try to focus on the needs my team mates, before considering my own. I acknowledge other people's perspectives, give them the support they need to meet their work and personal goals, involve them in decisions where appropriate, and build a sense of community. I still call the shots (design-by-committee does not really work), but I listen before speaking, and use persuasion over authority.
A great side effect from acting in this way is that it gives you the necessary skills to deal with people "above" you: the ones you cannot use your authority upon, either because they are your boss, or because they are your peers (customers, for example). Your persuasion and reasoning skills are honed, and you are in a fantastic shape to be able to make your point, make your message pass, make them listen and consider what you say.