Blog

April 17, 2016

Greg Thomas

And the Experiment Continues…

It’s 9 months into my year long goal of trying to become a better drawer.  I can’t use the term artist at this point in time. I’ve taken to calling the moments that I sit down to draw that oh so humbling moment where I close my eyes and see incredibly sketches in my head, only to see them not turn out like that on paper. I haven’t thrown anything out, I’m almost through my first sketchbook, but still nothing that stops someone in their tracks to go – “You killed it.”. What have I done? I’ve bought books on

April 16, 2016

Greg Thomas

That Conversation Touch

Do you send out generic group invites inviting friends over for a BBQ? Do you have a robotic voice when calling a co-worker asking them for an update along with a generic question template? When you meet someone for the first time do you greet them with the same facial expression as anyone else? Never done any of this? So why do it in a text or email?  Why engage with someone in differently then you would in person? Oh wait, I know – because it’s synchronous, it’s a conversation, it requires a back and forth. And that’s what our interactions have been

April 15, 2016

Greg Thomas

The Developer Office Essential

Here it is, the definitive list of what a developer needs to get by in their career… A Whiteboard. That’s it, that’s all. What can a developer do with a whiteboard? Map out ideas. Collaborate with team members. Reduce confusion. Direct conversation. Learn patience by watching others “drive”. Layout their priorities. Plan release cycles. Do something funky with sprints and iterations and boards and scrums and product managers. Design a user interface Keep the list of the best takeout places in the area Guide your day. Sure I need a laptop or desktop or dual screens and keyboard or a pretty mouse and

April 14, 2016

Greg Thomas

Take a Step Back

How many times has the resolution to a problem come to you when you stepped back from a problem? Perhaps you did something else? Maybe you talked to someone about it? Or maybe it just sat there for 2 weeks until you went back to it? Did it work? So why not do it more often? Oh that’s right, the time crunch, where everything needs to be fixed yesterday and you don’t have time to Step Back and think about it. Or do you? We’re not saying months, weeks, days, hours because we don’t know.  Maybe stepping back is still within

April 13, 2016

Greg Thomas

Rapid Burnout

Definition the point at which your internal tank is empty and has nothing left to give.  No matter how much caffeine you put into your body, there is nothing left to give. Symptoms You find yourself unable to put in extra hours to accomplishing a particular task, diminishing returns is rampant in everything you are doing. Your Passion has drifted from where you could think of all the new things you wanted to do, to simply thinking about how you are going to get through this week. Nothing phases you – this is not the same as being calm, cool and collected, this