Wednesday Wisdom

Wednesday Wisdom is a reflective Substack focusing on work-related themes, emphasizing personal development, the critique of office culture, and the intersection of technology and work life. It addresses job satisfaction, management interactions, the value of experience, career advice, and the impact of automation and AI, advocating for balance, continuous learning, and kindness.

Workplace Culture Personal Development Career Advice Technology and Work Management and Leadership Software Engineering Mental Health in the Workplace Work-life Balance Automation and AI

The hottest Substack posts of Wednesday Wisdom

And their main takeaways

The devil is old

113 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming Mathematics Physics Concurrency Software Development
  1. Experience and age often bring wisdom, knowledge, and a unique perspective.
  2. In technology, while tools and capabilities have evolved, fundamental principles like people dynamics, math, and physics remain constant.
  3. Despite advancements, people still struggle with basic math, concurrent programming, and effective communication in group settings.

Stop the cringe!

217 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
  1. Don't feel pressured to be a 'thought leader' or bring your whole self to work.
  2. It's okay to not give 100% all the time and to share 'lessons' instead of 'learnings'.
  3. Avoid trendy jargon and terms like 'self-care' or 'boss babe'.

How to beat the critical path

47 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Project management Planning
  1. To beat the critical path, the first step is to acknowledge its existence.
  2. Effective project planning, like utilizing the Critical Path Method (CPM), can prevent delays and ensure timely project completion.
  3. Maintaining a Directed Acyclic Graph of project activities with expected durations is crucial in project management to identify critical paths and manage dependencies effectively.

Ode to Tuckman

47 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
💼 Business Team Management Leadership Team Dynamics
  1. High performing teams are not just a group of senior rockstars; diversity in levels, skills, and personalities leads to better outcomes.
  2. High performing teams need to go through Tuckman's stages of Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing to establish trust, norms, and identity before delivering quality work.
  3. Leadership is about adapting to team needs - understanding team diversity and dynamics is key for team success.

The need for beautiful code

56 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Code Quality Maintenance Team Collaboration
  1. Investing time in writing beautiful code is crucial for code longevity and maintainability.
  2. Code that 'mostly works' is not the standard to aim for; focus on creating code that is always functional and meets significant requirements.
  3. Developing a culture of producing beautiful code in a team requires more than guidelines and prizes; it involves a collective shift in mindset and commitment.
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What we lose through job hopping

104 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
  1. Life has different phases with clear goals, but work often lacks that structure.
  2. Short-term job hopping can hinder deep expertise development.
  3. Staying power and experience in a single domain are valuable for expertise.

Of course, again

56 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
  1. The phrase 'Of course, again' signifies the expectation of repeated mistakes.
  2. Launching before a weekend is a common mistake despite knowing it's a bad idea.
  3. Neglecting to set up proper alarms and testing in production are recurring errors, highlighting the importance of attention to detail.

Throwing blood against metal

94 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
  1. Manual work leads to mistakes and delays
  2. Automation is key for scalability and efficiency in engineering work
  3. Avoid relying on manual operations to solve problems; aim to automate tasks

Software engineers and the law

47 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
  1. Law and computer science have similarities and differences.
  2. Software engineers can struggle with the open and vague nature of laws.
  3. When seeking legal advice, avoid asking lawyers yes/no questions but rather present your action and ask them to make it legal.

The agile waterfall

66 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
  1. Traditional waterfall software development involves sequential stages without starting a new stage until the previous one is complete.
  2. Fixed requirements, time, and money in software development means one dimension must be variable, leading to challenges in delivering projects on time and within budget.
  3. Agile methodologies emphasize iterative cycles and collaboration with clients, but require senior engineers to make informed decisions on design choices that may be difficult to change.

On writing promotion documents

56 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
  1. Focus on showcasing key accomplishments concisely in promotion documents.
  2. Provide clear explanations and context in promotion documents for better understanding.
  3. Support statements in promotion documents with quantifiable data, links, and evidence.

Try harder to suck less

132 implied HN points • 04 Oct 23
  1. Improvement comes from continuous effort and practice.
  2. Becoming good at something takes years of dedication.
  3. There are no shortcuts to expertise; it requires consistent hard work.

Stop glorifying startups

56 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
  1. Smaller startups are not always better to work for.
  2. Many startups are not amazing places to work and most fail.
  3. There is no need to glorify startups over big companies - they are just different.

Don’t build engines

56 implied HN points • 13 Dec 23
  1. Focus on solving problems instead of creating engines.
  2. Be cautious of overcomplicating solutions with generic software components.
  3. Prioritize practical, applicable solutions over theoretical, intricate systems.

Anxiety in the workplace

85 implied HN points • 18 Oct 23
  1. Opting out of workplace anxiety-inducing processes can be a valid choice.
  2. The pressure to perform at high levels can lead to a negative impact on work-life balance and mental health.
  3. Creating boundaries and not succumbing to the fear of being indispensable can help reduce workplace anxiety.

Be happy about your journey

160 implied HN points • 19 Jul 23
  1. Be happy with your journey, not sad about what you haven't achieved compared to others.
  2. Insecurities about achievements don't always hold up to rational analysis.
  3. Focus on your personal progress and accomplishments, not constant comparisons with others.

Nobody is indispensable

113 implied HN points • 23 Aug 23
  1. Nobody is indispensable, even in the workplace.
  2. Being considered indispensable can lead to imbalance and stress.
  3. Family is where you may be truly indispensable.

Everything that is worth it, is difficult

94 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
  1. Having a dream and working towards it can be difficult but rewarding.
  2. Failure is a part of the process when trying to achieve something ambitious.
  3. Despite challenges, attempting interesting things can lead to significant personal growth and exciting opportunities.

In Defense of Return to the Office

56 implied HN points • 01 Nov 23
  1. Hybrid work is seen as the best approach by many.
  2. Remote work during the pandemic revealed the possibility and effectiveness of working from home.
  3. Being in the office provides access to valuable informal information and networking opportunities.

Be in a business

85 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
  1. To be successful in business, understand the core problems customers face.
  2. Tech should support the business, not overshadow it.
  3. Identify real problems people have and provide solutions they will pay for.

Normalization of deviance

37 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
  1. Normalization of deviance is dangerous - don't ignore recurring problems in systems.
  2. Addressing deviant situations is important to prevent serious consequences.
  3. Letting bad situations persist leads to them becoming the new normal - tackle them to avoid normalization of deviance.

Velocity is an attitude

56 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
  1. Velocity is more than just speed, it's speed with direction.
  2. Low velocity in projects is caused by complexities, ambitions, and difficulties in planning.
  3. To overcome low velocity, simplify, set modest goals, and invest energy in countering problems.

About losers, clueless, and sociopaths

37 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
  1. Companies often lose focus on customers when they 'go corporate.'
  2. Internal processes in corporate environments can become disconnected from their original goals.
  3. There is a hierarchy in corporations: losers give more than they get, clueless believe in the company, and sociopaths benefit the most.

That's just what we do around here...

75 implied HN points • 30 Aug 23
  1. In organizations, people often do things without knowing why, just because 'that's what we do around here'.
  2. Checklists are useful but need regular maintenance to remove unnecessary items accumulated over time.
  3. Questioning why things are done a certain way can lead to improvements and reveal unnecessary practices.

Move the needle!

47 implied HN points • 25 Oct 23
  1. Focus on activities that add value to the business.
  2. Consider the correlation between costs and value brought to the organization.
  3. Make decisions by comparing everything to a single unit, typically money, for better clarity and effectiveness.

Wait! What now?

37 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
  1. Focus on preventing classes of problems, not just specific incidents.
  2. Good postmortem lessons should reveal things you truly did not know.
  3. Lessons should prompt hard questions and lead to actual improvements.

Culture is what you do

56 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
  1. Culture is defined by actions, not words.
  2. Behaviors within a system are shaped by the system itself.
  3. Calls for cultural change must be accompanied by changes in the existing system.

Winner Takes Most

104 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
  1. The rat race requires a serious investment in time and effort, often leading to exhaustion.
  2. The pressure to constantly improve and succeed is driven by the 'Winner Takes Most' mentality.
  3. The economic landscape promotes intense competition and exhaustion, especially at the top of the pyramid.

Noblesse oblige

56 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
  1. Measuring programmer productivity is complex and challenging.
  2. Non-techies struggle to understand the complexity of software engineering tasks.
  3. Effective communication in technical projects is crucial for bridging the gap between techies and non-techies.

It is important whom you report to!

123 implied HN points • 10 May 23
  1. Your immediate experience at a company is heavily influenced by your manager.
  2. Reporting to the right person can impact your career progression and access to opportunities.
  3. Being assertive in seeking the right reporting structure is important for your career development.

It is not cool to be unkind!

94 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
  1. Being unkind is not cool, so it's important to treat others with kindness and respect.
  2. Proud and knowledgeable individuals may come across as dismissive when asked simple or basic questions, which can be off-putting to others.
  3. Unkind behavior, stemming from stress, frustration, or status thinking, is counterproductive and it's better to communicate with empathy and kindness.

Senior engineers who don’t code

24 HN points • 06 Dec 23
  1. Senior engineers should practice coding for interviews even if they have years of experience.
  2. Maintaining coding skills is essential for senior engineers to understand and contribute effectively in the workplace.
  3. Senior engineers should code because it is fun and helps them stay engaged and effective in their roles.

Small blessings

28 implied HN points • 08 Nov 23
  1. Small decisions in code can impact robustness and effectiveness.
  2. Design data structures carefully to minimize errors and edge cases.
  3. Attention to detail in coding like date formats can prevent bugs and improve code quality.

Why Python is terrible...

58 HN points • 02 Aug 23
  1. Python is criticized for being unsuitable for professional purposes
  2. Python's dynamic and duck typing can lead to difficulties in controlling code execution
  3. Performance issues and lack of strict typing contribute to Python's drawbacks

The unloved relational database

66 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
  1. Relational databases allow for decoupling of data modeling and querying, providing flexibility for new features.
  2. Distributed key/value stores became popular for scalability but lack features like joins and transactions, leading to workarounds.
  3. Using a distributed key/value store without upfront schema planning can lead to inefficiencies and challenges in data management.

On Raising Flagpoles

75 implied HN points • 31 May 23
  1. Know when to care about details and which details to care about.
  2. It's important to get crucial details right, like API specifications.
  3. Don't get lost in unimportant details; focus on what truly matters.

Software engineering in the time of AI

56 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23
  1. Expect AI to impact job roles in software engineering
  2. AI coding tools will improve over time, affecting how software engineers work
  3. Successful software engineers will be those who know how to effectively use AI tools

If you do something, say something!

75 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23
  1. If you accomplish something, make sure to talk about it so others are aware of your achievements.
  2. Self-promotion is important in showcasing your skills and capabilities, especially in competitive environments.
  3. Communication about your accomplishments should be timely, impactful, and consistent to maintain visibility and recognition.

Do not forget to have fun with computers!

75 implied HN points • 03 May 23
  1. Playing with computers was a hobby before it became a profession.
  2. Having fun was the primary goal as a hobbyist.
  3. It's important to stay connected to the fun side of computers to avoid losing a hobby.