Makonnen

(Life) 2023 Reflections

The Highlights Reel

Little stuff

New understandings in my career

I think since the start of my career I had this ideal image of what a great software engineer looked like. That image, I’ve realized, was based on a narrow romanticization of the role. Now it’s beginning to fall, or better yet, to transform.

Sure, being able to execute, answer questions quickly, and write efficient code is important. Suggesting clever hacks, fighting fires, etc. But there are many other characteristics that separate great software engineers from the rest. (And realistically, 99% of us are not Bjarne Stroustrup or Linus Torvalds.)

It’s not only about execution. Are you writing code that the next person can pick up easily, or are you leaving behind a mess? It’s not only about efficiency, can the next person understand it or will they struggle to maintain it? We don’t write code in isolation.. our work is always with and for other people.

Does this great engineer uplift others as much as they can, or are they often the common denominator in problems and drama? If they are mentors (officially or simply by seniority..note on this below), are they helping others grow, or leaving them directionless? Do they teach people to fish, or just hand out answers every time? When they are in the wrong, do they react with humility, or with defensiveness? When someone else is wrong, do they deliver feedback with care and guidance, or in a way that fosters discouragement?

Greatness, then, isn’t just in technical heroics. It’s in how we code, how we collaborate, and how we cultivate the culture around us. It took me a while to see and I don’t think I still see it fully yet, but I’m catching a glimpse of it from afar. Hoping to develop this philosophy more in the upcoming year.

Note on “seniority” from above. While it’s very possible that someone at a lower level may know more than someone higher, hierarchy still carries weight. It has psychological effects whether we like it or not. And if someone respects a senior as a “good” engineer, by default they carry a responsibility to them to be a good mentor. If you wanna argue this with me, buy me a coffee or dinner.

General new understandings

I think in my youth my tolerance of people and things wasting my time (in my definition, anything that doesn’t bear fruit) was quite high, but that’s dropped quite a bit as I’ve aged. The moment I recognize something belonging in this category, my tolerance for it drops to near zero.

The Road Ahead

We’ll see, I’m kind of excited since I’m switching to focus on more of a developer experience role next. Within the same company.

I do think I overemphasized work a bit and that has affected my religious life. I’m hoping to put in more effort here in the upcoming year.

As this year wraps up, I’m just grateful for the amazing family and friends in my life. Here’s to carrying these memories into the new year and striding forward with determination. What is meant to stay, let it root deep. What is poison, may the Lord expose and remove it.

Waiting for other’s to post theirs …

Yonathan’s article will be dropped here once it’s in my inbox… any moment now… Still waiting… Month into 2024, still waiting… Three months into 2024, waiting… December 2024, I’ve given up…

(Don’t hold your breath, folks. Yonathan’s wisdom might arrive sometime between now and the heat death of the universe. In the meantime, feel free to admire this blank space and imagine all the profound thoughts that could potentially fill it. He’s too cool 4 school)