There is a site I commonly read called Worse Than Failure (WTF – they redefined what WTF meant to them a while back to make the site more palatable to people – perhaps when they started taking ads).  The site publishes programming horror stories and frequently has very funny stories to brighten the day.  A recent article departed from the norm and was more serious in nature.  In it the author made the comment that

Learn Off The Job. Self-improvement is a tenet of every profession, but the place to do that is “off the job,” i.e. not while developing information systems. Instead, learn by creating applications for yourself, your team, or perhaps even some open source project.

  I disagree with that statement.  Our world is filled with professionals that get paid to maintain and enhance their skills.  Doctors, educators, and accountants are expected to take classes and attend seminars to maintain their certifications.  Compensation is often tied to increasing their knowledge.  The same goes for many factory workers.  They are sent to classes to certify them in safety, new equipment, and many other things.  Why would software development and software developers be any different.  Now the author is a single voice and represents just one viewpoint, but I do see this sentiment echoed in the behavior of other organizations though (just not spelled out as clearly). 

  There needs to be a balance in all things.  A software developers main job is not to just learn new technology, but as part of their job they need to be constantly learning and growing.  They should be paid for that time and have their company pay for the training.  Many developers program as a hobby as well and will undoubtedly learn valuable things through their personal activities that can be applied at work.  It is not appropriate though for companies to depend on people using their personal time to advance their skills.

I have read LDS Gems since somewhere right around 1999/2000 when I first developed an “online presence”.  It has morphed over the years before finally falling into the Church’s hands to administer.  It is full of great quotes an insights.  Here is one from today that resonated with me!

Lifelong Missionaries

"We properly pray for the safety and success of the full-time missionaries throughout the world. And a common element in many of our prayers is a request that the missionaries will be led to individuals and families who are prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. But ultimately it is my responsibility and your responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach. Missionaries are full-time teachers; you and I are full-time finders. And you and I as lifelong missionaries should not be praying for the full-time missionaries to do our work!

"If you and I would truly pray and ask in faith, as did Joseph Smith—if we would pray with the expectation to act and not just to express—then the work of proclaiming the gospel would move forward in a remarkable way."

David A. Bednar, "Ask in Faith," Ensign, May 2008, 95

“If you and I would be good leaders, we should reflect periodically on the qualities of those who have served, led, and taught us… Most often someone has served and helped us by giving us love and understanding, by taking time to assist us, and by showing us the way through the light of his own example.

I cannot stress enough, therefore, the importance of our doing these same things for those who now depend upon us, just as we have depended upon others to serve us in the past.“

—Spencer W. Kimball, “There Is Purpose in Life,” New Era, Sep 1974,  4

We would all do well to remember this – while looking at ourselves in the mirror and assessing ourselves is vital – doing so while reflecting on those that have come before us can likewise be very instructive.

I ran across these in an online training class that I was reviewing at work and wanted to capture them.  I haven’t read the article, but the bullet points here capture the 12 questions to ask of employees to assess management performance based on Gallup’s research.  

http://gmj.gallup.com/content/811/feedback-real.aspx