Forget Learning To Code, Bosses Value Collaboration and Communication (fastcompany.com)

The top priority for developing talent is to train for soft skills, according to LinkedIn's 2018 Workplace Learning Report which surveyed more than 4,000 professionals. From a report: The report found that while automation is requiring workers to maintain technical fluency across roles, the rise of machine-led tasks makes it necessary for them to do what machines can't, which is to be adaptable, critical thinkers who can lead and communicate well.

Comments

Re:Should do the trick, based on my experience

[crgrace]

I know it's frustrating to be the strongest technically and not get promoted, but the strongest technical contributor isn't necessarily the best manager.

I lead a hardware development group and I don't do that much development myself anymore these days. What I spend my time on is:

1. Setting development priorities (we don't have enough resources, so I need to find the least-bad solution)

2. Hand-holding engineers having interpersonal problems

3. Shielding my team from organizational politics

4. Fighting my peer managers to get development resources for my team's projects

5. Promoting our group and our development ideas to upper management

6. Evaluating the contributions of the various technical folks on my team and trying to fairly distribute my (very) limited raise pool.

7. Doing hands-on hardware development.

As you can see, this isn't necessarily a good for the best technical engineer. Soft skills go a long, long way.

Re:No shit Sherlock

[sfcat]

The Divas are not team players either and if they won't follow the direction SET by the manager, then they are definitely not worth the trouble that they create.

Its likely that you are the real problem. If the divas are the top devs (and likely they are, otherwise they wouldn't be divas) then they likely should be the ones setting the technical direction of the project and not you. You are likely setting a bad course and won't take a hint when they tell you so. So instead of saying, "maybe I'm in the wrong here", you label them "assholes". Perhaps you are the real problem and not the divas. Perhaps they are only divas when a manager without their technical skills tries to "set the direction" in the wrong way. Just a thought...