TechBrain Review Newsletter 2024-02

Hey there ??

?? Welcome to TechBrain Review newsletter, Issue No. 2, February 2024! ??

As in the recent issue, I would like to focus mainly on those three areas:

#Technology

Why it is hard to become an IT Architect?

In this short section, I don't want to distinguish different types of IT Architects but rather want to show what they have in common. The answer is multi-skills from various technical and managerial areas.

The architect must have not only deep knowledge and hands-on experience in the selected technological domain that is his/her area of specialization (e.g. AWS cloud, Java development, etc.) but must also have a broad understanding of the accompanying technical areas (e.g. SDLC, testing, application design, patterns, and models, working with debt technology, automation, containerization, etc.), as well as in topics requiring soft skills and knowledge of team and project management (singular and sometimes plural). This is not an easy task, especially if you have been dealing with purely technical tasks for years and have been away from the business perspective. It is worth adding that, in addition to the above, the architect must also have a developed ability to plan tasks for himself and the design team members, as well as some imagination and artistic skills so that the architectural diagrams he prepares for clients are not only functional but also aesthetic.

For more please visit my TechBrain.one blog about this topic ??????

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#Management

Why do we fail even if we really want to change?

Finally, I would feel defeated and quit trying. It seemed I had the desire to change, but not the power to change. You’ve been there, right?

(The Power to Change by Craig Groeschel, Introduction)

The lack of success in implementing change is not the lack of willingness to change or "hidden sabotaging" the change, but the attempt to "treat the symptoms" instead of the root cause. Craig Groeschel repeats the words like a mantra:

(...) you do what you do because of what you think of you

That is exactly the biggest issue. We are trying to make a superficial change, which will probably collapse like a house of cards when met with the first obstacle. Its chances of perpetuation are poor. Craig continues:

If you try to change your behavior without changing your identity, you’re pulling up a weed without getting to the root

So what to do next? The key is to change the way you think about yourself and your own agency (but realistically!), and then implement the ideal we strive for using small, atomic steps.

For more ?? listen to Craig's Leadership Podcast (episode 125).

#(Self)Development

A journaling routine as powerful tool for practicing mindfulness

In the Stoic perspective, the prosochē (gr. προσοχ?) plays a very important role. It is an attitude to practice attention and be mindful. The Stoics encouraged us to look at ourselves every day as part of a practice called "examination of conscience" or "self-examination" (the name borrowed from the contemporary Stoic Dr. Tomasz Mazur), which they recommended doing at least once a day, or even twice a day: in the morning before starting tasks and in the evening as an ex-post analysis. During the review, you should focus on the goals set for the day and prepare (remind) for the fact that not everything will necessarily succeed because our sphere of influence is limited. In the evening, in turn, you should "settle with myself" and think about when my reactions were properly balanced and where we still have areas to work on.

(Self)Development and changing habits are those areas that need to be first confronted with the truth about yourself. Like it was in Eisbrecher's song:

Ich diene nur der Wissenschaft. Bald wird sich alles fügen

(Prototyp by Eisbrecher from album Die H?lle muss warten, link)

The honest examination of your current state is definitely a needed element to move forward ??

#Misc

?? As an active pexels.com user, I wanted as well to contribute to spreading beautiful images and encapsulated moments. Encourage you to visit my profile at Pexels! As a #community, we can make the world a better place to live ??

Thanks for reading this newsletter! I hope it was useful and you enjoyed it ?? I'm going to share more content related to Multi-Cloud Architecture (Azure, AWS, GCP, Alibaba and Oracle), DevSecOps transformation, Productivity tips and Education (5x University graduate in IT, Philosophy, Cognitive Science, Sociology and Education; getting more fluency in 5x languages ????????????????????).

Dr Przemys?aw Chmielecki

I encourage you to subscribe to this newsletter ?? and my podcast ?? and stay tune for new technical and productivity content ??