How curiosity can accelerate your career in tech

Coding Chats episode 42 - Joe Woodhouse shares his journey with John Crickett - from a young software enthusiast to a non-executive director. He discusses the importance of customer engagement in software development, the balance between customer needs and technical solutions, and how he navigated his career without traditional management titles. Joe emphasizes the value of diversity in boards and the 'jobs to be done' theory, illustrating how understanding the underlying needs of customers can lead to better solutions and business outcomes.

Chapters

00:00 Journey into Software Development

05:55 Customer-Facing Roles and Solution Architecture

11:56 Soft Skills in Tech

17:52 Transitioning to Non-Executive Director

37:36 The Impact of Diversity on Board Performance

41:44 Disagree and Commit: A Misunderstood Concept

47:09 The Importance of Being Heard and Understood

52:56 Building Trust Through Authenticity

Joe's Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joewoodhouseengineer/

John's Links:

John's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncrickett/

John’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johncrickett

John's Twitter: https://x.com/johncrickett

John's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/johncrickett.bsky.social

Check out John's software engineering related newsletters:

Coding Challenges: https://codingchallenges.substack.com/ which shares real-world project ideas that you can use to level up your coding skills.

Developing Skills: https://read.developingskills.fyi/ covering everything from system design to soft skills, helping them progress their career from junior to staff+ or for those that want onto a management track.

Takeaways

Joe's passion for software began in primary school.

He transitioned from individual contributor to non-executive director through diverse experiences.

Customer engagement is crucial for effective software solutions.

Balancing customer needs with technical capabilities is essential.

Management roles are not the only path to leadership.

Diversity in boards can enhance company performance.

Understanding the 'jobs to be done' theory is vital for effective sales and marketing.

Soft skills are critical for success in technical roles.

Curiosity and understanding others can lead to better collaboration.

Disagreeing constructively can foster innovation and trust.