Pro Developer - Creating Your Dream Project

You need to commit this question to memory, and then learn to apply it from everyone's perspective but your own. Even though there are people who make money and get by in life by scamming and ripping off others, in the long run the only path to true success is that of offering true value to the people you work with. Approaching life from a purely self centered perspective is like standing on one edge of a very small boat. Such an unbalanced scenario will rarely bring good things, and you'll be all wet before you know it. Besides, nobody gives a rat's patootie what you want. They're too busy focusing on what they want. Learn to help them fulfill their own desires and they'll pave your way with gold as you help them. As an added extra bonus, you get to sleep well at night, knowing you're living with honor. You can't put a price on that.

So, having adjusted your point of view to recognize what's important to others, look around your organization. What truly needs doing that would bring value to the party? Are there obvious processes in your business that could be automated? Don't forget to check those areas that have already seen technical enhancements. Are there areas in the current software systems that could be improved? Remember, too, that programmers cost money. That time to market is always a crucial issue, even if the market is just other departments within the company. If you can improve developer productivity with better custom tools, application generators, class libraries, extensions to the development environment and so on, you're bringing a tangible benefit to the party that management will relate to.

There's no such thing as a business with no room for improvement. The important thing, however, is to always focus on what constitutes improvement in management's eyes, not your own. These may be two entirely different things, but there's only one perspective that counts in this regard, and that's management's. If you offer something that they perceive as having value, you're in the game. Talk in terms of what makes your life better and you've lost them in the first sentence. That's not really unfair, either. They pay you to make their life better, not yours. That's why you have a job.

Now that you have a list of ideas that would add value (you are taking notes, aren't you?), let's get a little more specific. What are the actual benefits that each idea brings to the company? Dust off that old Business 101 book you got in college while you're at it, just to remind you that companies are in business to make a profit. That's why they exist, and you must list your benefits within that context if you want to speak management's language. Here's a few ideas to get you started.

• Increased profitability
• Reduced cost of goods
• Improved productivity
• Better time to market (for software or products)
• Greater sales through enhanced tools
• Business agility from flexible reporting
• Reduced technical support costs
• Improved revenues customer satisfaction
• Reduced labor costs

Get the picture? All of these items are things that help your business make more profit, either directly or indirectly. However, it's important to realize that not everyone really cares about how profitable the company is, even if they're in management. In many cases, all that the decision makers truly cares about is furthering their own personal career and agenda. They will nod with approval over all the points in our previous list, but this list will fail to motivate them. Consequently, you need to look at what will bring value to them personally and professionally. Here's another list that speaks to this particular issue.

• Increasing the budget they control
• Improved status among their superiors
• Anything that strokes the ego
• Expanded control (more turf)
• Salary and bonus increases
• Reduced personal workload
• Better path to promotion
• Larger staff
• More company perks (office, equipment, expense accounts)