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Healthy Developer's avatar

Fantastic insights, Wes! Your breakdown on navigating the delicate dance of discussing deadlines is incredibly valuable. The emphasis on intellectual honesty and open communication in both parts for direct reports and managers is spot on. It's refreshing to see a nuanced approach that acknowledges the complexities of managing timelines. Your actionable scripts provide a practical guide, making it easier for individuals to express their challenges without unnecessary stress. Looking forward to more of your thoughtful perspectives

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Caleb Mellas's avatar

Communicating proactively is huge, Wes!

As I high performer I used to do the same - go heads down and try to work overtime to get a project back on track.

I realized it was hurting me and my team and my boss.

For me I wasn’t my best self because I was stressed and not sleeping as much. For my team I was rushing them to review my code, and shipping code that wasn’t quite as good. For my boss they didn’t know, and so they couldn’t pull any levers to help me, and were kept out of the loop.

Now I share at the first sign something might be off, or even if it’s on track to build trust. Doing both builds huge trust with my managers.

I become known for being reliable, even if sometimes I’m pushing back on deadlines, they know they can count on me, either way.

And because I bring both blockers and ideas, I’m a trusted partner in delivering value to our users and meeting our shared business goals.

So important. And has been so huge for my career growth. Thanks for sharing.

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