Developer Tea - podcast cover

Developer Tea

Jonathan Cutrellwww.developertea.com
Developer Tea exists to help driven developers connect to their ultimate purpose and excel at their work so that they can positively impact the people they influence. With over 13 million downloads to date, Developer Tea is a short podcast hosted by Jonathan Cutrell (@jcutrell), co-founder of Spec and Director of Engineering at PBS. We hope you'll take the topics from this podcast and continue the conversation, either online or in person with your peers. Twitter: @developertea :: Email: [email protected]

Episodes

Misjudging Others Attention On Us

We imagine others are more interested in our mistakes or self-conscious areas than they are. We also imagine they pay little to no attention to us at most other times. Both of these are errors in judgment. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve their lives and ca...

Nov 28, 20225 minEp. 1128

An Outsider Exercise in Gratitude

We adapt to our circumstances. This dampens our capacity for gratitude, as we become less aware of what we are experiencing the longer we have the same experiences. In today's episode, we use a version of an exercise from Julia Galef's excellent book, The Scout Mindset, to help us break out of our status quo thinking and recognize what is in front of us. ## 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: [developer...

Nov 24, 20229 minEp. 1127

You Know The Right Decision, Now Reduce The Friction

You know how to determine what would be a good decision. You have the tools and the reasoning; if you find yourself still not making the right decision, you may be tempted to focus on the "left side" - increasing the energy, gumption, reasoning, or motivation. Instead, focus on the barriers - the friction. ## 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: [developertea.com.](https://www.developertea.com/contact) #...

Nov 21, 202210 minEp. 1126

Using Observational Techniques to Find Your Personal Values

Determining your values isn't just about fluff. This is what you personally care about. In this episode, we talk about two ways to use direct observation as a tool for determining your values, and why those values are not just buzzwords. ## 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: [Split](https://split.io/DeveloperTea) This podcast is powered by Split. The Feature Management & Experimentation Platform that reimagines software delivery. By attaching insightful data to feature flags, Split frees y...

Nov 16, 202219 minEp. 1125

Avoid Defining Success Outside Your Locus of Control

Focus on what you can control. Create incentives and language and internal narrative that produces the right actions within your locus of control. Avoid attaching your definition of success to things outside of your control. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Square Square has APIs for almost every aspect of running a business from employee management, to order creation and tracking, to inventory synchronization. Square’s APIs also integrate with software business owners already use like t...

Nov 14, 202213 minEp. 1124

The Toxic Laziness of Overwork Culture

Don't buy in to the lie that you have to overwork to succeed. Not only is it not true, it's also dangerous - and the opposite is more accurate. ## 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: [developertea.com.](https://www.developertea.com/contact) ## 📮 Join the [Discord](https://developertea.com/discord) If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improv...

Nov 10, 202218 minEp. 1123

Start With Precise Communication

In today's episode, I provide a simple coaching tip on improved communication for software engineers. It's simple: always make precision explicit, and layer context. Start with precision, then create meaning on top. ## 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: [developertea.com.](https://www.developertea.com/contact) ## 📮 Join the [Discord](https://developertea.com/discord) If you want to be a part of a supp...

Nov 07, 202210 minEp. 1122

The Error of Discounting the Unexpected

We don't think about the unexpected as a category of possible outcomes. This leads us to assign overestimated probabilities to things that are front of mind, and discount the likelihood of things we don't expect. This may lead us to prepare for expected events without consideration for what we'll do in the face of the unexpected. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Square Square has APIs for almost every aspect of running a business from employee management, to order creation and tracking, ...

Nov 02, 202213 minEp. 1121

Looking at What Wasn't Done

Look closer at the things that don't happen. Evaluate the options you never considered. When you are looking back, don't just judge based on actions and outcomes - look at the quality of decisions through the lens of information, and wonder: was there a better decision? Was there an option that was nearly as good, but this one was better? ## 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: [Split](https://split.io/DeveloperTea) This podcast is powered by Split. The Feature Management & Experimentation P...

Oct 31, 20229 minEp. 1120

Success is Born From Luck and Action

You can't wait for luck to strike, but you also won't always get what you deserve. Both of these are true - so, go make luck happen for you! ## 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: [developertea.com.](https://www.developertea.com/contact) ## 📮 Join the [Discord](https://developertea.com/discord) If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve t...

Oct 26, 20227 minEp. 1119

Build Environments That Produce Habits

Habits aren't built on their own. They are the result of environments. Reduce friction and create a positive reinforcement loop, and the habits will follow. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve their lives and careers, join us on the Developer Tea Discord commu...

Oct 24, 20229 minEp. 1118

Design Your Low Stakes Environment As A Mirror of Your High Stakes Environment

What happens in high-stakes environments? Is the learning you do in your low-stakes environment actually helping you when you have skin in the game? ## 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: [Split](https://split.io/DeveloperTea) This podcast is powered by Split. The Feature Management & Experimentation Platform that reimagines software delivery. By attaching insightful data to feature flags, Split frees you to quickly deploy, measure, and learn the impact of every feature you release. So you ...

Oct 20, 202212 minEp. 1117

Better Goals - Deriving Values from Personal Investment and Risk Tolerance

Having trouble setting goals? Take a look at a different angle with the guided exercise in today's episode. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Square Square has APIs for almost every aspect of running a business from employee management, to order creation and tracking, to inventory synchronization. Square’s APIs also integrate with software business owners already use like tax and bookings. so business owners can have an integrated software stack that empowers them to achieve their goals. ...

Oct 18, 202211 minEp. 1116

Better Goals - Finding Cohesion Between Your Long and Short Term Goals

Our goals usually take two forms: what we want to accomplish, and who we want to be. When we can align these things, we find cohesion in our goals, giving us more clarity and purpose. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Square Square has APIs for almost every aspect of running a business from employee management, to order creation and tracking, to inventory synchronization. Square’s APIs also integrate with software business owners already use like tax and bookings. so business owners can h...

Oct 12, 202212 minEp. 1115

Better Goals - Two Guidelines for Better Outcomes

Two guidelines for better goal setting. First, goals don't stand alone. Second, ranges often beat arbitrary points. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve their lives and careers, join us on the Developer Tea Discord community by visiting https://developertea.com...

Oct 10, 202211 minEp. 1114

5 Powerful Questions To Design Your Time More Effectively

Stop and think about how you are spending your time. Time is constantly moving, whether we stop to recognize it or not. How will you spend it? These five powerful questions will help you reconfigure your time today. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Split This podcast is powered by Split. The Feature Management & Experimentation Platform that reimagines software delivery. By attaching insightful data to feature flags, Split frees you to quickly deploy, measure, and learn the impact of eve...

Oct 05, 202211 minEp. 1113

Short Term Tactics, Long Term Principles

A short term mindset will focus on different things than a long term mindset. Neither is right or wrong, but what are you optimizing for? Once you answer this question, you can start to work towards finding a solution that balances both. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Square Square has APIs for almost every aspect of running a business from employee management, to order creation and tracking, to inventory synchronization. Square’s APIs also integrate with software business owners alrea...

Oct 04, 20228 minEp. 1112

Revolutionize Your Most Important Meetings with Powerful Questions

Your best tool is your next question. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Square Square has APIs for almost every aspect of running a business from employee management, to order creation and tracking, to inventory synchronization. Square’s APIs also integrate with software business owners already use like tax and bookings. so business owners can have an integrated software stack that empowers them to achieve their goals. To get started building remarkable business applications, visit https:...

Sep 28, 202212 minEp. 1111

Diffuse and Focused Thinking

Diffuse thinking produces options and draws connections. Focused thinking narrows things down to a specific path. Use them both, and watch for when they collide. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve their lives and careers, join us on the Developer Tea Discord ...

Sep 26, 20227 minEp. 1110

Why It's Hard to Do Nothing

Doing nothing seems like it would be easy... But it seems that action is often easier than doing nothing. Sometimes, perhaps often, action is the right choice. However, if there is no reason to believe one action over another would be better, or action over inaction for that matter - why are we taking action at all? If we think about our efforts as spending time and energy, we can more adequately understand that inaction may be a valuable skill, rather than a risk. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoy...

Sep 21, 20226 minEp. 1109

Demystifying Decision-Making - Success is Not Just About Making Good Decisions

You are not the sum of your decisions. Making better decisions often relies on having a long list of mistakes to learn from. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve their lives and careers, join us on the Developer Tea Discord community by visiting https://develop...

Sep 19, 20229 minEp. 1108

What You Have In Common With the Smartest Person In the World

How does the smartest person in the world solve the most complex problems that most mathemeticians can't even understand? The same way you write code and build features at your job. The principles always apply. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Square Square has APIs for almost every aspect of running a business from employee management, to order creation and tracking, to inventory synchronization. Square’s APIs also integrate with software business owners already use like tax and booking...

Sep 15, 20229 minEp. 1107

A Way Out of Overwhelm

Choose one thing. Only one important thing. Do that over and over. That's your way out of overwhelm. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve their lives and careers, join us on the Developer Tea Discord community by visiting https://developertea.com/discord today!...

Sep 12, 202210 minEp. 1106

Understand Position and Interest To Make Better Collaborative Decisions

What people ask for is not the same as why they ask for it. What people want isn't as simple as what they say they want. Understanding the why is critical - the interest is just as important as the position. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve their lives and ...

Sep 09, 20228 minEp. 1105

Future Thinking Is Not Planning For A Single Course of Events

People often erroneously plan for specific futures. This leads down a pathway to failure most times. This is because the future is rarely what we expect it to be. We can think in terms of multiple possible futures, and prepare for most of them. This leads us towards flexibility and adaptabiity. 🙏 Today's Episode is Brought To you by: Square Square has APIs for almost every aspect of running a business from employee management, to order creation and tracking, to inventory synchronization. Square...

Sep 05, 20227 minEp. 1104

Balancing Decision Frames

Making good decisions is about tuning context. If you can't determine the context that matters, the decision itself is impossible to measure against. All decisions can be framed within a context with other decisions; choosing those decisions in concert is often the best strategy. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community ...

Aug 31, 202210 minEp. 1103

Copy of How Feedback Loops Shape Our World (Fixed Audio)

Feedback loops shape everything around us. We make a change or adjustment, watch for what happens, and repeat. This happens with people in the most unexpected ways. Tuning in to this adjustment loop can help us use it as a tool, rather than reacting to it. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engine...

Aug 31, 20229 minEp. 1100

Reframing Every Decision As A Tradeoff

Every decision is a tradeoff. If you are looking for the "right" decision, you can reframe this to the "optimal decision based on my desired outcome." This could have the effect of aligning your biases to work in your favor. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve...

Aug 29, 20226 minEp. 1102

Judging Quality of Decisions Instead of Outcomes in Performance Reviews

Is your performance review judging the luck or random events of a person's career? What about the times they made the right decision in a bad situation? The outcome may not be desirable every time, even with good decision-making. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to im...

Aug 27, 202212 minEp. 1101

How Feedback Loops Shape Our World

Feedback loops shape everything around us. We make a change or adjustment, watch for what happens, and repeat. This happens with people in the most unexpected ways. Tuning in to this adjustment loop can help us use it as a tool, rather than reacting to it. 📮 Ask a Question If you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com. 📮 Join the Discord If you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engine...

Aug 22, 20229 minEp. 1100