Do you add value to your business, as a software developer? How is value measured in business? My talk explains why you are not a resource or an asset. This talk explains what is needed from you and from the business to unlock the value of the investment in you and your career.
1. (Being + Doing)^Mastery * Authenticity
= Keeping it Real
Software Developer:
What is your value
to an employer?
By
Anujah Bosman
CEO (EMBA, BSc.Eng)
2. Who am I?
@AnujahP
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gritngrace/
• Entrepreneur
• Sense maker of being human in the
corporate world
• Mom, CEO(Chillisoft), wife,
researcher
My interests and lenses are
Systems Theory, Systems Psychology,
Cybernetics, & CAS
3. Business Value added by software
developers
•Why should you care?
•How is business value
measured?
•What should you do to
add value?
4. Why ? Software Developer Business
Value
Cognition
Sense Making
Core Identity, sense of
self
Self Protection
Activation
Emotions
Values
Relationships
Surviving Relating Thinking
5. Frustration
Perception of
coders not
developers
Observed a
chasm between
business value,
people first
practices,
craftsmanship
Threat to
Survival
Market –
customers drive
lowest price, but
skill shortage =
high salaries
How do you
incorporate
knowledge work
practices into
software practices
AND be able to see
the link to business
value
Why ? Software Developer Business
Value
6. Why ? Should you care about business
value?
• Gives you a voice
• Unlocks opportunities for growth and increases
• Gives you filters so that you focus on the aspects that adds value
Value is the language of business
Without it –
You will rise to your highest level of
incompetence
7. TOOLS: Start thinking of yourself as a
business….
Head
HeartGut
Clarity
Connection
Conviction
Why am I here?
What are my values and
am I living them here?
What do I do?
How will I progress?
What should I focus on
NOW?
What must I do?
Do I add more value than
my costs?
Adapted from
Patrick Lencioni: The
advantage: Why
Organisations Health
Trumps Everything Else in
I am worth more than I am paid,
My work is meaningful
I have strong convictions, but they are
held loosely
I trust my team, my
company
I relate to my
customer, the
business, my team
because of ?
8. What is business value?
…informal term that includes all forms of
value that determine the health and well-
being of the firm in the long run.
Includes -
• economic profit, economic value added
• and shareholder value, employee value,
customer value, supplier value, channel
partner value, managerial value, societal
value.
• Intellectual capital
But outcome of Value is
measured by money
9. What is business value?
Net Asset Value
Assets are inert. They require people to generate value.
The key to sustaining a profitable company is the productivity of the
workforce, our human capital.
BUT HUMAN CAPITAL IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE
BALANCE SHEET
11. Understanding your business value..
A measurement of
one investment relative to
another's.
Price vs Value Relative Value
Context and
Expectations
“Bozo
Consulting
Bums on seats
Cult Personality
Consulting
Fear
Consulting
Push the SKU “
The Nomadic Developer – Aaron Erickson
12. Understanding your business value..
Context and
Expectations
…Interpreted
Value Metrics are measured
…sometimes
Metrics are not aligned to value
contribution Or
Overly aligned ..short term
Ask me more later!
15. Understanding your business value..
Your Salary based on
-technical skills,
-diversity of projects and
technology used,
-alignment to company
culture and values,
-salary affordability
Current Value to company
based on
- Consistency of delivery
- Software Quality
- Problem Solving Skills
- Understanding of the
business domain
- Soft Skills and attitude
- Ability to work in a
team
16. What do you do to increase business
value….
(x% Current Value + y% Future potential) *
Factor ^ Net effect of Emotional
Investment)
18. Knowing how to apply levers to amplify business value
Understand the Why
Authenticity = Do what you say
Manage Internal Environment
i.e. Mood and Attitude
Learn deliberately or “Deliberate Practice”
Build Habits
Builds Trust
collaboration
Intrinsic
Motivation+
Autonomy
Learning,
Mastery
19. Levers to amplify Value
Learn to communicate effectively, considering
Multiple perspectives, scenarios, for action
Manage External Environment
Respond early to signals
Embedded
Practices
e.g.DevOPS
Belonging,
shared purpose
Look for
signals
Network with a
purpose
21. Summary
Build your practioner
skill & competency
contribution to align
with and generate
Business Value:
• x% Now
• Y % Future
Value is relative
Choose your
company carefully
Value must be
reflected on the
balance sheet
Measured
and
perceived
measured
Resources
allocated
Value Generated
Business Value is a common term that we all use it.
Yes, as software developers, we understand that we write software to add business value. So what is it?
Its difficult to articulate…
So, lets start with Simon’s Sinek’s Golden Circle model…starting with Why.
It is easy to explain what you do. But lets start with why should you care about business value?
Without the gut, you don’t pay attention to risk, or there is no will to act. If we believe in knowledge work and its drivers, intrinsic motivation is key.
Without the heart, there is no relatedness, agile says people first , so this is a critical consideration
Without the brain, the how and why of the solution are not properly worked through, therefore limiting your ability to act.
Software development is usually a lever of change. It is for this reason that I have used the three brains of leadership to discuss why business value is important to me.
The three brains is anew form of leadership that is based on neurosciences findings of the neural pathway connection between the gut, heart and head. This model is used for generative and adaptive ways of thinking…new forms of thinking.
So, without the gut, you don’t pay attention to risk, or there is no will to act. If we believe in knowledge work and its drivers, intrinsic motivation is key, and therefore the ability to act is key.
Without the heart, there is no relatedness, agile says people first , so this is a critical consideration, since you are working with and for people.
Without the brain, the how and why of the solution are not properly worked through, therefore limiting your ability to act.
In thinking about the why? Why do I care about business value, use all 3 brains.
Known as the Peter Principle.
The areas of overlap are head and gut resulting in clarity, the gut and heart resulting in conviction and the head and heart resulting in connection.
John Sonmez and several other authors advocates thinking about yourself as a business. In order to succeed, you need clarity, conviction and connection to effectively develop a set of filters that shapes your decision making and actions.
Without the gut, you don’t pay attention to risk, or there is no will to act. If we believe in knowledge work and its drivers, intrinsic motivation is key.
Without the heart, there is no relatedness, agile says people first , so this is a critical consideration
Without the brain, the how and why of the solution are not properly worked through, therefore limiting your ability to act.
Software is about people, people are the highest cost for software companies. We train, invest in and develop skillsets, yet these are sunk costs, according to standard accounting.
If software developers are human capital, why are there no metrics and mechanisms to reflect the value in the financials?
Without the gut, you don’t pay attention to risk, or there is no will to act. If we believe in knowledge work and its drivers, intrinsic motivation is key.
Without the heart, there is no relatedness, agile says people first , so this is a critical consideration
Without the brain, the how and why of the solution are not properly worked through, therefore limiting your ability to act.
If you are in consulting, then you are the product. What is your value proposition to your current company?
Understand that:
price is not the same as value
Value is not objective, it is relative
Value is perceived. Understand the context of your environment. What does management of your company value?
Are you working on software, services and or products that directly brings in revenue?
If you are not, are you working on software, services and or products that creates future value?
Is future value valued at your business?
If you are in consulting, then you are the product
There are models to explain organisational behaviour and the agency that you have in an organisation.
We don’t have the time to discuss this, but you are welcome to chat to me later.
Working in the same tech or domain for a number of years = does not increase experience or value
Working in the same tech or domain for a number of years = does not increase experience or value
If you are in consulting, then you are the product
If you are in consulting, then you are the product
If you are in consulting, then you are the product
If you are in consulting, then you are the product
If you are in consulting, then you are the product