Data Driven

In this episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Nickolas Means, the VP of software development at Sym. Nickolas shares his insights on software engineering, data liability, and of course, good coffee.Nickolas starts off by sharing his love for audiobooks, particularly those narrated by the talented Wil Wheaton. He also recommends a management book called "Turn the Ship Around" by Admiral David Marche, which explores the importance of autonomy and ownership in improving performance.The conversation then turns to the topic of shame in the software engineering industry. Nickolas emphasizes the impact of shame on silencing voices and discouraging vulnerability within teams. They discuss imposter syndrome and the subjective nature of judging someone's skills, delving into the Dunning Kruger effect.Drawing lessons from physical engineering disasters, Nickolas shares the importance of early recognition and admission of mistakes, highlighting the need for a blameless mindset in software engineering. They als