How to Shine Bright: Strategies for Developers to Amplify Visibility with Senior Leadership
Overview
As someone deeply involved in managing technology teams and conducting interviews for key roles like Technology Manager and Lead Developer, I’ve recently interacted with individuals aiming for leadership positions in these fields. A common theme among these skilled engineers has surfaced — the importance of not just improving their leadership skills, but also actively building visibility.
Following these discussions, a skilled engineer approached me seeking advice on how to enhance their visibility with the senior leadership team. This inquiry, driven by the realization that reaching leadership positions goes beyond technical expertise and requires a deliberate effort to stand out, prompted me to explore this topic further.
In crafting effective strategies for developers to amplify their visibility with senior leadership, I’ve condensed these approaches into a memorable and actionable method: SHINE. Each letter in SHINE represents a key strategy that developers can adopt to shine brightly in their professional journey. From sharing knowledge and highlighting problem-solving skills to volunteering for challenging tasks, networking within and beyond the organization, and providing evidence of achievements, the SHINE method encapsulates a holistic approach to professional growth. By incorporating these strategies, developers can illuminate their path, fostering both personal and career development, and ensuring their brilliance is noticed by senior leadership.
The SHINE Method
Increasing your visibility as a software engineer doesn’t imply putting individual recognition above teamwork. It’s about highlighting the success of the entire team while acknowledging your own contributions. Effectively communicating your role in the team’s achievements to both your manager and senior leadership is crucial.
So, what exactly are these contributions? How can you distinguish yourself within your team and catch the attention of the leadership?
Share Your Knowledge: Take part in knowledge-sharing sessions within your team or even beyond it. You don’t need to give a grand talk or presentation like at TechFest — begin with something small. Volunteer to share insights, discuss recent learnings, or recommend interesting articles. Use Slack channels to reach a wider audience and welcome diverse perspectives. Whether it’s a casual discussion about your latest discovery, a short snippet during your team’s virtual coffee break, or a post in a dedicated Slack channel, sharing your expertise not only boosts your visibility but also showcases your leadership qualities.
Highlight Your Problem-Solving Skills: Engage actively in discussions centered around problem-solving and suggest innovative solutions. Highlight your capacity to analyze intricate issues and provide valuable insights during team meetings or discussions with management. Collaborate with team members beyond your immediate area, like working with the Quality Engineering (QE) team, product managers, or even other development teams. Feel free to pose questions that stimulate critical thinking and promote collaborative problem-solving. This not only showcases your problem-solving abilities but also nurtures a culture of ongoing improvement within both the team and the organization.
(I) Volunteer for Challenging Tasks: Take the initiative to step up for challenging tasks or projects that align with your interests and strengths. Whether it’s getting involved in Innovation Initiatives, Hackathons, or by proactively fulfilling responsibilities expected from the ‘next’ position. Demonstrating this proactive mindset not only emphasizes your skills but also underscores your dedication to the overall success of the team. It contributes to expanding your circle of influence and enhancing visibility.
Network within the organization and beyond: Participate actively in company-wide events and social gatherings, fostering meaningful conversations with colleagues across different departments and levels, including senior leadership. To proactively broaden your perspective, consider setting up company-level 1x1s with senior leaders. These meetings offer a unique opportunity to understand diverse areas and senior-level perspectives, enabling you to start exploring the bigger picture and analyzing challenges from different angles. Remember, networking doesn’t stop at the organization’s boundaries; extend your connections to the broader community and bring in fresh perspectives and new ideas. Finding a mentor within this network can offer valuable guidance for advancing in your career. These are not only beneficial for personal growth but also a strategic move to amplify your visibility.
Evidence Your Achievements: Maintain a record of your accomplishments, successful projects, and the positive influence your work has had on the team or organization. This documentation can be valuable evidence during performance reviews or when discussing your contributions with senior leadership. Utilizing the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) framework is an excellent method for documenting your achievements and contributions. Situation describes the context in which your achievement took place; Behavior highlights your contributions, problem-solving skills, and any leadership qualities you demonstrated to address the situation; Impact clearly articulates the positive impact of your actions on the project, team, or organization.
Now, let’s delve into some examples derived from real-life cases collected here at JET to illustrate the application of the SBI framework.
Tackling a technical complexity scenario:
Situation: Our project codebase lacked sufficient unit tests, and we
consistently faced challenges in delivering them due to our time-to-market
commitments. Recognizing the need for improvement, especially in an
innovation project, I explored the potential of utilizing Copilot to
enhance our unit testing capabilities.
Behavior: Driven by the need to strengthen our unit testing practices,
I took charge by thoroughly examining Copilot and presenting its potential
to fast-track our testing efforts to the team. Over the next quarter,
I led the team in expanding meaningful unit test coverage, addressing
specific challenges tied to improving the testability of our legacy code.
Additionally, I prompted the review of pull requests related to unit tests
and provided hands-on guidance during code reviews, ensuring seamless
integration of Copilot-generated tests and upholding best practices. I
enhanced our documentation by describing the improvements made to our
unit testing practices, promoting transparency, and encouraging knowledge
sharing among team members.
Impact: By integrating Copilot into our unit testing practices, we achieved
a significant 30% increase in meaningful test coverage, leading to a
notable 15% reduction in post-release defects and enhancing overall code
quality. This initiative not only met delivery commitments but also made
our legacy code more testable. Additionally, the proactive review of
pull requests and hands-on guidance during code reviews streamlined our
development process, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and
demonstrating the effectiveness of AI tools in software development
outcomes.Navigating a strategic management scenario:
Situation: When our manager took a short break, there was a need for
smooth project management and team continuity – think of a project we had
where delays meant trouble.
Behavior: Stepping up, I went beyond the usual Scrum framework routine.
Taking inspiration from a similar project, I ensured we weren’t just
hitting deadlines. With a clear focus on the importance of customer
experience, my role became crucial in weaving comprehensive
considerations of customer interaction into the project. Going beyond
the immediate scope, I paid close attention to details like refining
customer notifications and engagement strategies. Throughout, I
consistently proposed and strongly advocated for solutions that didn’t
just address the urgency of the project but aimed to enhance overall
customer experiences. It was a balancing act – meeting immediate project
deadlines while also boosting customer interaction with our products.
Toward the end of the project, I introduced comprehensive documentation
to disseminate these considerations, not only benefiting the immediate
team but providing valuable insights applicable across our broader domain.
Impact: My contribution and leadership not only addressed the immediate
project urgency but also left a lasting positive mark on our customer
interactions, aligning seamlessly with our overarching goal of
delivering not just projects but enhanced experiences for our users.
This success resonated within the team, leading to formal recognition
upon our manager's return, showcasing the collective effort in
maintaining project momentum and elevating our commitment to
exceptional user experiences.Conclusion
In this article, the journey toward increased visibility within the senior leadership team is illuminated by the SHINE method — a strategic approach that encourages proactive engagement, effective communication, and unwavering commitment to problem-solving. As you tread this path, remember that individual success is inextricably linked to the triumphs of the collective team. Embrace the SHINE method by generously sharing your knowledge, actively participating in problem-solving discussions, volunteering for challenging tasks, and expanding your professional network within and beyond the organization.
Documenting your achievements through the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) framework offers a clear and compelling account of your contributions. This method not only allows you to showcase your proactive efforts but also enables senior leadership to comprehend and appreciate your leadership qualities based on tangible impacts.
Acknowledgments
I want to extend a sincere thank you to my colleagues Derek Boutang and Richard Thomas for their insightful perspectives, and to Derek Boutang, Felipe Bonfim, and Petterson Andrade for taking the time to review the draft of this article. Their valuable suggestions have significantly enriched the piece, lifting its overall quality. Together, we demonstrate the power of collaboration and shared expertise in our pursuit of professional brilliance.
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