Lessons from my early Transformative Experiences in IT journey

Throughout my 2 decades plus journey as an Software engineer, several key experiences have shaped my career and personal growth. These formative moments have taught me valuable lessons about initiative, accountability, problem-solving, and the importance of technical expertise. Here are four pivotal incidents specially in the early part of my IT formative years that had a lasting impact on my professional & personal development:

1. Embracing the Unknown: The Volunteer Spirit

In my first job as a junior developer working with Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), a library for creating Windows applications, I was six months into my career when I volunteered for an unfamiliar challenge. My manager was looking for someone to learn Rational ClearCase, a complex software configuration management tool, to help streamline our build and release processes. Despite not knowing what ClearCase entailed, I raised my hand, eager to expand my skill set.

Learning: This experience taught me the value of initiative and the willingness to dive into unknown territories. Embracing new challenges can significantly open doors in your career. Don't be afraid to step up for opportunities, even if you're not fully prepared.

2. The Power of Accountability: The Deployment Debacle

As a DevOps lead, I was responsible for ensuring smooth deployments. One day, a critical deployment failed, halting the testing efforts of about 50 team members. Under pressure, I was interrogated by directors and architects until I was left to debug alone. After identifying a missing table in the deployment, I fixed the issue, and the application finally worked. However, I had to stand before the team to apologise for the delay, an act that initially left me angry. Later, I understood the importance of accountability.

Learning: Taking responsibility for mistakes, even when they're not entirely your fault, builds trust and respect within a team. Apologising doesn't diminish your worth; it demonstrates maturity and professionalism.

3. Visualising Solutions: The Design Lead Challenge

When I stepped into the role of design lead while my architect was on PTO, I was tasked with designing a system to process events from an MQ server using a rules engine. Not fully understanding the theoretical approach, I decided to build a Proof of Concept (POC) over the weekend. This hands-on experiment helped me visualise the solution, leading to a more effective design.

Learning: Sometimes, the best way to approach a complex problem is to create a tangible representation. Visualisation and practical experimentation can lead to more effective designs and solutions.

4. The Value of Technical Leadership

Early in my career, contemplating a shift from Tech Lead to Project Lead, I sought advice from my mentor. He emphasised the strategic importance of staying deeply connected with technology, which helped me appreciate the unique contributions of a Tech Lead role, especially in an era where tools like ClearCase were being phased out for more agile systems like Git.

Learning: Technical expertise is a valuable asset in leadership roles. Balancing technical knowledge with leadership skills can make you a more effective and respected leader in the IT industry.

These experiences have taught me the importance of continuous learning, accountability, practical problem-solving, and the value of technical expertise in leadership roles. They've shaped my approach to challenges and helped me grow both professionally and personally throughout my two decade plus long journey in IT engineering, from the complexities of MFC and ClearCase to the modern demands of software development.

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