I heard this story before:

Two people in the forest, met A big tiger, A quickly from the back to take A pair of more light sports shoes on. B is anxious dead, scold a way: “you why, change shoes again also run but tiger!” A said, “I just have to run faster than you.”

What did you learn from the story? Maybe everyone’s perception is different. What I see most here is: the law of the jungle, the sense of crisis, the absence of crisis would be our greatest crisis

Especially these days, people often talk about the 35-year-old crisis. Have you ever thought about the nature of the 35-year-old crisis? I think the essence of the 35-year-old crisis is the lack of core competitiveness. So how to deal with this crisis, especially as a technical manager, with the increase of age, more and more “old color”, physical strength and energy may be a little behind, so as to show the lack of competitiveness, how do we break this situation?

You won’t have a 35-year-old crisis if you follow these five principles.

1. Be an adult

The origin of the term “adult” was introduced in two Netflix books, “The Netflix Culture Handbook” and “No Strings Attached: Netflix’s Free and Responsible Work Act.” The first rule of Netflix culture is “adults only.” Real adults are an organic whole at Netflix. There are four characteristics of adults:

1. Ability to manage your time well;
2. Don’t just complain about problems, solve them;
3. Understand the importance of discipline and rules;
4. Faced with a huge difficulty, to be able to solve it with the right group of colleagues, success is the best motivation;

In addition, our adults also include the following characteristics:

1. Of course, emotional stability does not mean that there is no emotion. When you are angry, you should be angry. You need to be angry with a purpose.
2. Something can carry things, he is not afraid of things, is a responsible person, can be relied on by everyone, when things happen, superiors can think of you for the first time, subordinates encounter problems, can also think of you;
3. Don’t rush for fame and wealth, play steadily and move forward step by step, don’t ask in the process: I should have what kind of fame and wealth, what kind of treatment, what kind of status. “But when you do good, don’t ask about your future.”
4. Have your own brand, deliberately establish your own professional brand in the workplace, for example, when talking about you, people will say, technology expert, business expert, good temper, can solve problems and so on?

2. Strong execution

When it comes to executive power is strong, when I think of 18 years of constitutive LYY boss recommended me for the stressed that “a letter to Garcia”, although the book sales is amazing, but mixed, to me, the book master rowan’s mission will be up to the most is moved, but for some before the execution of the plan, there’s no point to in the book there is (). So in the workplace, what should a student with strong executive ability look like?

1. Before implementation, there are goals, plans and programs;
2. There’s feedback, there’s rhythm, there’s persistence;
3. There is a result, there is thinking, there is precipitation.

2.1 There are goals, plans and plans before implementation

The simplest is to see whether A person’s executive power is strong or not. For example, when we go for A trip together and meet at 10 o ‘clock, A is in A hurry and everyone is waiting for him. Finally, he explains the reason for being late with various reasons. B arrived early, may also slow to eat breakfast, ask him what time to, to the 9 o ‘clock, why so early, he said that this point is the peak work, in the middle will not traffic jam, is likely to encounter some anomalies, such as these will affect the final result, plan ahead of schedule, arrive early, things will be down a lot.

In the above example, student B has plans and rules, and most likely is a student with strong execution ability. He has a goal before he executes it, meets at 10, has a plan, starts early. In the workplace, the first step is to find out what the boss wants and needs when he or she is assigned a task, rather than just doing it stupidly. Here is a common thinking: the golden circle thinking, as shown in the picture:

The golden circle of thinking is divided into three dimensions. The outermost layer is “what layer”, that is, what to do, which refers to the appearance of things. In the middle is the “how layer”, that is, the how layer, which is some way to achieve the goal; At the bottom is the “why layer”, which is why you are doing something.

Some tasks are more about “what layer”, for example, we are given a plan. At this time, we need to ask more why, find out the core demand, and what it ultimately wants. In this way, we often get twice the result with half the effort. A similar PROBLEM “X-y PROBLEM” was specifically mentioned in an early article of “Uncle Mouse”, which roughly means: someone who wants to solve PROBLEM X does not ask how to solve PROBLEM X, but how to realize and operate solution Y. We often make similar mistakes in execution.

When we need to solve a problem or get something done, we can ask ourselves three questions:

1. Is this the core appeal or the root cause?
2. Have you figured out how to do it? Have you analyzed anyone in the industry who has faced a similar problem, and if so, what did they do?
3. Have combined with their own actual situation to think? Is there an executable plan?

2.2 There is feedback, rhythm and persistence in execution

When we confirm the goal, plan, the next step is the actual operation, this time may be asked by some students, this is not the implementation? Anything else? Doing it all the time with your head covered is a way of execution, but it’s not a good way. We need constant feedback during execution, especially when it takes a certain amount of time.

For example, if you are the head of a commercial team with dozens of people, you have confirmed your goals with your boss at the beginning of a quarter, and you should report to your boss when you have some good breakthroughs in the execution process. Or there are problems, take the problem and plan to communicate with the boss; Or your performance may be flat, but you can report back to your boss on a regular basis to let him know everything is ok, so that your superiors feel that things are under control.

In the process of implementation, we often encounter difficulties. For a person with strong executive ability, difficulties will only be potholes on the road. There is no difficulty but to pass. As for the feedback, control and persistence in the implementation process, what impressed me most was the video of Yu Shiwei’s lecture shown to us by the teacher of the elective course in college. I don’t remember which training it was, but he gave an example of his work in Japan Airlines, and the story was like this:

Once, four jAL chiefs (equivalent to regional leaders) went to Nanyu, a small island east of Taiwan, for a holiday. Nanyu island is small, with only two hotels on it, and the company asked for four linked suites facing the Pacific Ocean for the four headquarters.

Yu shiwei immediately called, the hotel replied that there was no room. He telegraphed Tokyo at once (the telegraph was the quickest means of communication at the time) to say that none was available, but that he would try to find one. Tokyo’s answer is two words: yes.

Yu Shiwei continue to find, and later found two, a hotel a. He immediately called Tokyo: Now found two rooms, unfortunately not in the same hotel, but I will continue to try to find. The reply from Tokyo was still two words: understood.

Yu Shiwei continue to coordinate the search, finally found 3, in the same hotel. He sent a message to Tokyo, and the answer was the same. After the report, Yu shiwei flew to Nanyu island by small plane. Ask the waiter: Who lives in the next room?

The attendant said, “That’s a couple coming on vacation and checking in this afternoon.”

Yu Shiwei sat in the hotel and waited. The couple arrived with a child. “I’m from Japan Airlines. I like your room very much. Can you spare it for me?”

The gentleman said, “Why should I give it to you?” “You are right. However, I have booked you a suite next door, facing the Pacific Ocean, with a view of the evening sun, the waves surging under your window, and a thousand sails in the distance. The point is, I’ve already paid for the room, so you can stay for free.” Yu Shiwei put forward his own conditions. The gentleman was doubtful. “Is that really the case?” After making sure, the couple took the baby and went to the next room.

Yu Shiwei immediately to Tokyo telegram: 4 suites all found in the south island of the green island restaurant on the third floor, 4 suites connected together, facing the Pacific Ocean.

This time, Tokyo called back with two more words – “thank you”.

Before long, the four chiefs arrived on leave. They patted Yu shiwei on the shoulder and said, “Yu Sang, you work like us Japanese.”

Yu shiwei does not feel that “like Japanese” is how glorious things. But in The Eyes of the Japanese, it is extremely high praise, is a great honor. Mr. Yu telegraphed Tokyo seven times to report the progress of his work. The free room came out of his own pocket and cost him half a month’s salary. Tokyo does not understand the hardships involved. But his conscientiousness and willingness to report impressed jAL executives, and he was soon offered a promotion.

2.3 After execution, there are results, reflections and precipitation

We often say, “Everything has an answer, everything has an answer, everything has an echo.” This means that we need to have results in everything we do. There are two kinds of results:

1. The end result, such as reaching the target within the agreed time, or being delayed, needs to tell each other the reason, the solution and the final delay date, or not being able to complete at all. This should be told early, especially to the boss, so as not to let the result become a shock;
2. Intermediate results, this is the feedback we talked about during execution, but it is also a kind of result: phased results.

At the end of a thing, especially a slightly larger thing, we need to analyse this one thing, open mind, to analyse of the process and results of the whole thing that I see where, where is bad, help yourself and perform together friend found problems in the process, and find behind the cause of the problem, make the improvement plan, By solving problems and ultimately improving everyone’s ability. If you can, refine the methodology or solidified mechanism for doing things and deposit the experience.

A good implementation is basically a “PDCA loop”. A brief introduction to PDCA cycle, PDCA was first proposed by Walter A. Shewhart, an American quality management expert, and adopted, publicized and popularized by Deming, also known as Deming ring. The PDCA cycle consists of four stages: Plan, Do, Check, and Act. In management activities, the requirements of the work in accordance with the plan to make, plan implementation, check the implementation effect, and then successful into the standard and solidified as a mechanism, unsuccessful left to the next cycle to solve. As shown in the figure:

3. Problem buster

Technical management is usually around the “problem solving” and launched, from the discovery of problems, understanding of problems, analysis of problems, and finally solve the problem, this is what we often say “finding problems to solve problems”.

3.1 Discovering Faults

As a manager, keep your head up when everyone else is walking. One is strategic planning, the other is identifying problems. So where can we find problems? Our common ways or places to find problems are as follows:

1. Complaints or feedbacks from external users and internal employees
2. 1v1 chat, performance chat, daily, weekly and other communication channels feedback problems;
3. Self-built some quality control reports, automatic test reports, automatic construction results, etc.
4. System alarms and online accidents;
5. Regularly observe business data and find differences in data analysis. The differences may be differences in time, between departments, and between business and friends, etc., and find problems from these differences. The process of finding problems can rely on the big data platform to make some observation indicators. ,
6. Work atmosphere related issues, this is biased to the personal experience of the site;

In the process of finding problems above, we need to use systematic thinking, ask more why, and always keep awe and sense of crisis.

3.2 Troubleshooting

Problem solving generally includes understanding, analyzing and solving problems, which are mainly divided into six steps:

1. Understanding and analyzing problems is not just about what the problems are. Sometimes the problems we find are just the symptoms. Use the previous “golden circle thinking” to ask more why, find the real problems hidden under the iceberg, and look at the problems comprehensively and objectively. And to find the background and source of the problem, what is the environment, what are the interests, what is the value of solving the problem and so on.
2. Brainstorm solutions you can find.
3. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the solution, the necessary items, options and their weight, score the options, quantify, weight summary, select the best solution.
4. Conduct a comprehensive risk analysis on the optimized scheme and formulate risk response measures for possible risks.
5. Implement solutions and solve problems.
6. Evaluate the results of the problem solving and review the entire process.

As a problem terminator, we should be able to quickly discover the problem, discover the essence of the problem, solve the problem fundamentally in a systematic way, and form a certain mechanism to ensure that the problem will not occur again. Solve short term problems quickly and long term problems in a planned way.

4. Bow down

Bowing into the game is a story luo Peng told in his 2019 New Year’s Eve speech, which was originally told by Zeng Guofan. The story goes like this:

Two farmers, carrying a heavy burden, meet in the narrow ridge between the fields. Neither of them was willing to concede, for that would have required the one to step into a muddy paddy and get his feet wet. They just took over. They wouldn’t let anyone.

How can you, as a spectator, advise? All we can think of is: compromise, or we can’t go. Most of us, at some point, think, “Why should I let you? If it’s the worst, we’ll stay and see who’s obstinate enough! ‘

Mr Zeng’s solution, from another Angle, is to be a player: bystanders jump into the paddy field, take over the burden of one of them and let him go first. So, problem solved.

This is exactly what Mr. Zeng said: “The so-called world affairs, Shouting and talking from the outside is always useless, we must bow into the game, full of responsibility, there is a chance to succeed. “

What is a man of action?

It’s not about standing out and pointing the finger. It’s about getting down in the game, putting yourself in the game, making yourself the one to solve the problem.

Bowing into the game is the basic requirement of a manager, is the requirement of its executive power. The real executive power is to go deep into business scenarios and work with product, operation and development partners to solve problems, overcome difficulties, face challenges and shoulder responsibilities together. Defeat is desperate rescue, victory is toast. Always think about the core question of “what role do you play in the development process of the team”, and how to put the conclusion of in-depth thinking into action, continuous iteration.

A manager with a team should always consider the following three aspects:

1. Team change
   • Set challenging goals and lead the team to achieve them?
   • Have you helped other brother departments to achieve relevant goals?
   • Do you help subordinates solve problems when they have problems?
   • Have you helped your subordinates grow and brought good changes to the team?
2. Technological change
   • What changes have been brought to the technology architecture?
   • Does it improve the efficiency and quality of r&d?
   • Do you think about technical architecture challenges and solve them?
3. The business value
   • What value does it bring to the business?
   • Is there anything you can do differently?

5. Lifelong learning

Zeng Guofan once wrote: “To cover the world reading, the first must be ambitious, the second must have knowledge, the third must be persistent. Ambition is broken unwilling to be dirty; Knowledge is the knowledge of the endless, dare not to be self-sufficient, such as he bo view of the sea, such as the frog of the well peeping into the sky, all have no knowledge also; Constant is broken all things. All three are indispensable.”

Up to now, we should have three points in reading:

1. To have a direction, upward direction, not content to fall behind others;
2. To have insight, vision, to have their own independent thinking and independent judgment ability;
3. Stick to it, the halfway point of the journey.

Lifelong learning, as I understand it, is an attitude that keeps natural awe and humility for knowledge and keeps learning with an open mind. Is a kind of value, adhere to the long-term, do the friend of time; It’s a way of being alive.

What lifelong learning wants us to do is not to be inscrutable, but to be curious and know that we don’t know. Curiosity gives us a strong motivation to ask for truth about the world.

Afterword.

So much for the ramble, back to the beginning of the story, we also see from the story: opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared. Are you ready?

Hello, MY name is Pan Jin. I have more than 10 years of experience in R&D management and technical architecture. I have published books, started businesses and led A team of more than 100 people. I worked as NOI and ACM in my early years, and I always keep a strong interest in front-end architecture, cross-end architecture, back-end architecture, cloud native, DevOps and other technologies. I like reading and thinking in daily life, and I welcome you to exchange and learn with me. Wechat official account: Architecture and Distance, blog: www.phppan.com