Setting expectations is the one core goal of clear communication. From the perspective of a manager to a direct report, it’s about “what I expect from you” and “what you can expect from me”. And...
It’s my first engineering staff meeting. I am presenting a new sprint planning process. The small engineering team looks at me for direction. I have a vision on how to plan engineering work. However, whether...
In a small startup, everyone is wearing multiple hats. On a typical working day, I have many tasks. Some require coding; others require writing or having meetings and take actions item. In the beginning, my...
Learning is important, and if we find effective ways to learn, learning becomes fun. In addition to a common, solitary perception where learning involves us sitting in a library cafe thinking alone, learning can be...
Chinese characters are expressive and composite. There are 3000 plus characters, and much of those characters come from the composition of other characters. The way some characters are composed serves as an elegant, small lesson...
In any startups we have too many things that need to get done. Whenever we take on a task, we do the best we can to accomplish that task, and we embed repeatable, best practices...
The success of a startup depends on its people, culture, and product-market fit. As a startup grows, culture evolves. At an early stage of a startup, it’s vital to have a strong cultural foundation and...
The mind is like a telescope. It can zoom in to an idea for details or zoom out and see a big picture. We unconsciously do these two actions all the time, and our quality...
Tight timelines are common in the technology industry. In a world where technology is everywhere, speed and quality are essential elements of a successful company. Delivering sophisticated products with speed and quality requires collaboration and...
Comedy improvisation (improv) is a popular art form in Chicago. During an improv show, actors take a random suggestion and develop a story on the spot. A master improviser has an extraordinary ability to listen...
