Wojciech Zajac — Engineering lead

Tell me more about your role within StepStone?

I guess that there are different takes on the engineering lead role but basically, I am responsible for a team of developers. I think my main task is to make sure of the success of the team and individuals. Helping them to increase their skills and remove any hurdles in their work. There are of course other tasks that I do but the development of the team and individual developers are my main task. Besides that, I also try to code now and then to keep up to date.

Can you walk me through it from the moment you wake up until you are at the office?
I wake up around 7:30 and have a quick shower. I don’t eat breakfast. Get my kids ready and walk with them to the kindergarten. From kindergarten, I go to the subway station and go to the office. I normally spend my 1-hour ride listening to audiobooks. I arrive at the office around 9:00 am and we have a daily meeting at 9:15 so I make sure I am there before. The first thing I do when I arrive is to get some coffee.

What is your favorite thing about being a developer?
The creative part. I like it when I am given a high-level task and not a complete solution. I like to find a solution and propose it to the stakeholders. I mean there are so many approaches you can take to a problem and the journey to the solution is what I really like.

What would be the one piece of advice you would give yourself when you first became a developer?
I have thought about this recently. I think having a personal blog would be great. Even if no one reads it.
I mean trying to explain concepts to someone else is a good tool to really understand something better. When you try to explain something in detail you will also learn.

What are your productivity hacks?
I really like the concept of focus rooms that we have at the office. A space where you can go to focus. Perhaps put your headphones on with some music in them and turn off notifications.

What is the best advice someone has given you?

I do not remember who it was, but someone once told me when I was working hard towards a deadline. If you don’t deliver today, what will happen? Will someone die? I know it is a little harsh, but it really helps me to relax a little and focus better. So, always try to put perspective into what you are working on.

What was the last thing you ate? Pork chop with potatoes and sliced cucumbers in sour cream

Windows Mac or Linux? Mac

Coffee soft drink or tea? Coffee

Summer or winter? Summer

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