These might help!

As a software engineer you must have read many articles, books, and been to courses that describe technical aspects of software development but it is also crucial to understand non-technical concepts which can be equally as important. These concepts might also help you in getting better with how to effectively deal with situations and be better prepared. I am not saying that this topic is new or revolutionary, and that no one has written about it before; it is an effort to specifically help new software engineers with their journey.

Although these aspects are discussed in the professional context, I have adopted most of these in my personal life and it has really helped a lot. I have tried to write these concepts in order but they could be applied differently according to the situation.

Further down the article, I am writing about your perception of non-technical concepts that can substantially benefit you throughout your career. It has the potential to turn a programmers’ stressful job to an exciting working environment where you enjoy every bit of it and you are always keen to make a difference. In the section below, I am writing on some of these behavioural approaches.

1.      It takes time so don’t rush

If you are new software developer then it is very important to know that writing a program logic can be difficult. Sometimes, you just have to leave the stuff for a while and try after taking a break. Also, do not panic if you are not getting the answer straight away. You should get better with time.

2.      Always prepare yourself

Generally, it would be expected to do the necessary preparation prior to any academic event such as attending a conference or teaching class. Similarly, the same tactic should apply for any business meeting or discussion you are planning to attend. Always, try to check the agenda beforehand and you should know what you want to achieve from the given event.

3.      One thing at a time

Thanks to Matt Kimber for teaching me to make one change at a time. This technique means that when you are writing when you are writing programs

 you should try not to make too many changes at the same time and keep them to minimum to give you the context that what is working and what’s not.

4.      We are all there to learn and there is nothing personal

This point is more in the context of being able to digest criticism. I think if you approach tasks with the mind set of willingness to learn, sharing thoughts and knowledge, and listening and respecting other people’s opinions it helps to develop your own knowledge and be the better version of yourself.  

5.      Continuous Development and Self Improvement

I am not sure it is me or the people around me. But, I have seen this quite a lot in our community that when we do things we will do it round the clock for few days and once done then will hardly think about it. What I mean by that is, we will study for couple of months before the exams and rest throughout the year. That is studying for exams.

It really helps, if we make learning and personal development as habit. We should always be looking for self-improvement and regularly spend some time for personal development.

6.      Being Proactive

This one point made a huge difference to the way I used to think and react to the things e.g. as a software developer I used to get the list of bugs and used to resolve the issues and this seemed like never ending process. Also, sometimes I was not in a mindset to solve the bug and I could not leave it for longer as it was already too late causing a lot of frustration.

Rather than being notified for bugs or tasks, I changed the mindset to look for things that could possibly go wrong and be prepared to deal with them. In the initial approach, if I had saw a bug there was a very good chance that I would have ignored it. Whereas in the latter approach I will attempt to solve the bug proactively, and if I can’t solve it

7.      Nothing wrong in getting help

I have seen a lot of new programmers, spending time and trying to find a solution. But there are times, when you should get the opinion about the solution. It has happened many times that as soon as I start describing the problem to a colleague, without realizing I get the solution.

8.      Listen to others and appreciate their perspective

Listening to others and getting their perspective is an art that comes with time. Generally, we have got different solutions and different situations usually have different solutions. Therefore, it is very important to know others perspective and being able to differentiate between applicable solutions.

9.      Communicate where necessary

Effective communication is the key during the software development and can save a lot of development time if communicated effectively. It is very important that you not only communicate to the right audience but also on time. You should always be thinking about potential knowledge share or risk someone needs to be aware. It can also be that you are expecting someone to deliver a component while working on a deadline and they are not aware of your expectations.

Also, you should consider the scenarios where you should not be communicating to particular individuals. If you are not sure it is always good to ask.