I'm a software architect with 15 years of software engineering practices. I'm an engineer at heart, with extensive experience building engineering and senior leadership teams, launching strategic product lines, managing large project initiatives, organizational changes, and of course leadership. I'm happy to exchange on your topics with a free agenda, or use my usual mentoring approach: 1. understand your goals or support formulating them 2. design a clear path to achieving them 3. make sure that you will enjoy not only achieving goals, but also the journey to them
My Mentoring Topics
- Technology
- Technical Decision Making
- Personal professional development
- Team professional development (building a trajectory for your team)
- Application / Cloud / Solution / Enterprise Architecture
A.
25.January 2024I really enjoyed my session with Denis. Denis was detailed and passionate in answering the questions I had about EA. The session was packed with loads of relevant information. I will definitely have another session with them. I highly recommend, 100%!
M.
25.October 2023I had a friendly conversation with Denis. He has shared plenty of things with me about career goals, behavioral questions, effective job search strategy, etc. He gave some tips to improve my interview skills as well. Also He has shared about work culture in Germany. I'm really really glad to be connected with him. Thanks Denis.
F.
12.June 2023How to Lead Smart People - Leadership for Professionals
Mike Mister, Arun Singh
Key Facts and Insights from "How to Lead Smart People - Leadership for Professionals" Leadership is a skill that can be learned: The authors argue that leadership is not an inherent trait but a skill that can be developed and honed. Emotional intelligence is crucial: The book emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership, including understanding one’s own emotions and those of others. Understanding individual strengths: The book emphasizes the importance of understanding the strengths of each team member and leveraging them for team success. Communication is key: Clear, concise, and effective communication is highlighted as being paramount to successful leadership. Leading by example: The authors emphasize leading by example to inspire and motivate team members. Continuous learning and development: The book stresses the need for continuous learning and development as a leader. Managing conflict: The book provides strategies for managing conflict within a team or organization. Building trust: Building and maintaining trust within a team is a key theme of the book. Adaptability: The authors highlight the importance of adaptability in leadership, given the ever-changing business landscape. Setting clear expectations: The book emphasizes the need for leaders to set clear expectations and goals for their teams. Empowerment and delegation: The authors argue that empowering team members and delegating tasks effectively is a critical component of leadership. In-depth Summary and Analysis "How to Lead Smart People - Leadership for Professionals" by Mike Mister and Arun Singh is an insightful and thought-provoking book that offers valuable leadership lessons for professionals. The authors posit that leadership is a skill that can be learned, rather than an inherent trait. This is a significant departure from the 'born leader' theory and provides hope and motivation for individuals aspiring to become effective leaders. The book places great emphasis on emotional intelligence, a concept first popularized by psychologist Daniel Goleman. Emotional intelligence, as outlined in the book, includes understanding one’s own emotions and those of others, and using this understanding to manage behavior and relationships effectively. This underscores its importance in leadership, as leaders with high emotional intelligence can better navigate interpersonal relationships, manage conflict, and inspire and motivate their teams. The authors also highlight the importance of understanding individual strengths within a team. This is reminiscent of the Strengths-Based Leadership theory, which asserts that effective leaders understand their own strengths and weaknesses and those of their team members, and leverage these strengths towards achieving common goals. Communication is another key theme in the book. The authors argue that effective communication is integral to successful leadership. This includes being able to articulate goals and expectations clearly, providing constructive feedback, and fostering an environment where open communication is encouraged. The book also underscores the importance of leading by example. The authors posit that leaders can inspire and motivate their teams by demonstrating the behaviors and attitudes they expect from their team members. This aligns with the concept of transformational leadership, where leaders inspire their followers through their actions and behaviors. The authors emphasize the need for continuous learning and development as a leader, highlighting the importance of being open to feedback, learning from mistakes, and continuously seeking to improve. This aligns with the concept of the learning organization, where individuals and organizations continuously learn and adapt to change. The book provides strategies for managing conflict, building trust, and setting clear expectations - all critical components of effective leadership. It also highlights the importance of adaptability in leadership, given the ever-changing business landscape. Finally, the authors argue that effective leaders empower their team members and delegate tasks effectively. This is in line with the concept of distributed leadership, where leadership responsibilities are shared among team members, fostering empowerment, engagement, and a sense of ownership. In conclusion, "How to Lead Smart People - Leadership for Professionals" is a comprehensive guide that offers valuable insights and practical strategies for effective leadership. It aligns with several established leadership theories and contributes to the ongoing discourse on leadership for professionals. As such, it is a valuable resource for both aspiring leaders and seasoned professionals seeking to hone their leadership skills.
ViewHarvard Business Review Leader's Handbook - Make an Impact, Inspire Your Organization, and Get to the Next Level
Ronald N. Ashkenas, Brook Manville
Key Facts or Insights from the Book: Leadership is a continual learning process: The book emphasizes that being a leader is not a finite achievement but a constant journey of learning and improvement. Importance of clear communication: Effective leadership relies heavily on the ability to clearly and convincingly convey your ideas and expectations to your team. Value of feedback: Regular feedback, both receiving and giving, is integral to leadership growth and team development. Building trust: The book underscores the importance of creating a culture of trust within an organization for effective leadership. Adaptability and change management: The ability to adapt to changing circumstances and lead others through changes is a vital leadership skill. Role of a leader in strategy creation: Leaders are not just executors of strategy, they play a crucial role in its formulation and alignment with organizational goals. Dealing with complexities: The book provides insights on how leaders can navigate through complexities and ambiguities in the business environment. Importance of empowering others: Leadership is about enabling others to contribute and reach their full potential. Leadership attributes: The book identifies the key attributes that effective leaders possess and how they can be developed. Leadership development: The book offers practical tips and advice for personal leadership development. Leadership and innovation: The book highlights how leaders can foster a culture of innovation in their organizations. An In-Depth Analysis of the Book: The "Harvard Business Review Leader's Handbook - Make an Impact, Inspire Your Organization, and Get to the Next Level" by Ronald N. Ashkenas and Brook Manville provides a comprehensive guide to effective leadership. The authors bring together their vast experience and knowledge in the field of leadership and management to deliver a book that is not only practical but also highly insightful. One of the key insights in the book is the idea that leadership is a continual learning process. This concept resonates with the notion of lifelong learning, a popular idea in modern education theory. The authors argue that effective leaders are those who continuously seek to improve their skills and knowledge, and are open to new experiences and ideas. Clear communication is another essential element for effective leadership according to the authors. They assert that leaders should be able to articulate their ideas and expectations in a way that is easily understood by their teams. This aligns with the communication theory, which suggests that effective communication is vital for any successful interaction. Moreover, the authors emphasize the value of feedback in leadership development. They propose that leaders should not only be open to receiving feedback but should also provide constructive feedback to their team members. This supports the feedback intervention theory, which suggests that feedback can significantly improve performance. The importance of trust in leadership is another key insight from the book. The authors argue that leaders should strive to foster a culture of trust within their organizations. This is consistent with the psychological contract theory, which posits that trust is a critical factor in maintaining positive employee-employer relationships. The book also stresses the importance of adaptability and change management in leadership. The authors suggest that leaders should be able to adapt to changing circumstances and guide their teams through changes effectively. This corresponds with the change management theory, which proposes that managing change effectively is crucial for organizational success. Furthermore, the authors discuss the role of a leader in strategy creation. They maintain that leaders are not just executors of strategy, but they also play a crucial role in its formulation and alignment with organizational goals. This aligns with the strategic leadership theory, which suggests that strategic leadership is essential for organizational effectiveness. Additionally, the book provides insights on how leaders can navigate through complexities and ambiguities in the business environment. The authors argue that leaders should be comfortable dealing with uncertainties and complexities. This echoes the complexity leadership theory, which suggests that effective leadership involves managing complex organizational dynamics. The authors also highlight the importance of empowering others. They maintain that leadership is about enabling others to contribute and reach their full potential. This aligns with the empowerment theory, which suggests that empowering employees can lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity. Moreover, the book identifies the key attributes that effective leaders possess and how they can be developed. This supports the trait theory of leadership, which proposes that certain personality traits are associated with effective leadership. The authors also offer practical tips and advice for personal leadership development. They suggest that leaders should actively seek opportunities for growth and development. This supports the self-directed learning theory, which proposes that individuals are capable of directing their own learning. Lastly, the book highlights how leaders can foster a culture of innovation in their organizations. The authors argue that leaders should encourage creativity and innovation among their teams. This aligns with the innovation leadership theory, which suggests that leadership plays a crucial role in fostering innovation in organizations. In conclusion, the "Harvard Business Review Leader's Handbook - Make an Impact, Inspire Your Organization, and Get to the Next Level" is a comprehensive guide that provides valuable insights into effective leadership. The authors combine their vast experience and knowledge in the field of leadership and management to deliver a book that is both practical and insightful. The insights from the book align with various leadership and management theories, making it a valuable resource for those seeking to enhance their leadership skills.
ViewAccelerate - The Science of Lean Software and DevOps: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations
Nicole Forsgren PhD, Jez Humble, Gene Kim
Key Facts or Insights from the book Lean Software Development and DevOps practices have a direct impact on IT performance and organizational performance. Building quality into products is more efficient than inspecting at the end of production. High-performing organizations decisively outperform their lower-performing peers. They have more frequent code deployments, faster lead time from commit to deploy, faster time to recover from downtime, and lower change failure rate. The right culture is a critical aspect of IT performance. The book introduces the concept of a generative culture, which emphasizes learning and continuous improvement. Automation is a key factor in improving both deployment frequency and lead time for changes. Continuous delivery and lean management practices drive higher IT and organizational performance. Measurement and monitoring are crucial for improving performance. The book introduces four key metrics that matter for DevOps: lead time, deployment frequency, mean time to restore (MTTR), and change fail percentage. Transformational leadership is essential for achieving high performance in technology organizations. DevOps is not just for startups or tech companies - it can generate significant value in large, complex organizations. High performers make use of loosely coupled architectures and teams, enabling them to make changes more effectively and efficiently. Investing in DevOps capabilities can deliver powerful competitive advantage. Summary and Analysis The book, co-authored by Nicole Forsgren PhD, Jez Humble, and Gene Kim, is an invaluable resource for understanding the principles and practices that drive high performance in technology organizations. It presents a rigorous, data-driven argument for why DevOps and Lean principles matter, backed by four years of research and data from more than 2000 data points. Lean Software Development and DevOps are presented as vital methodologies for any organization that seeks to improve its performance and competitiveness through software. The authors argue that software development should not be seen as a cost center but as a strategic capability that can provide a competitive advantage. One of the key insights from the book is the importance of building quality into products rather than inspecting at the end of production. This is a core principle of Lean Manufacturing, applied here to software development. The authors argue that this approach reduces waste, speeds up delivery, and leads to better products. The book makes a compelling case that high-performing organizations significantly outperform their lower-performing peers, with more frequent code deployments, faster lead times, lower change failure rates, and quicker recovery from downtime. These performance advantages translate to organizational benefits, such as increased profitability, market share, and customer satisfaction. A central theme is the role of culture in IT performance. The authors introduce the concept of a generative culture, which values learning and continuous improvement. Such cultures foster innovation, collaboration, and high performance. Automation is another key factor in improving performance. The authors demonstrate how automation in testing, deployment, and other areas can improve deployment frequency and lead time for changes. The book emphasizes the importance of continuous delivery and lean management practices. Continuous delivery enables organizations to get changes of all types into production safely and quickly in a sustainable way. Lean management practices, such as visual management and a culture of continuous improvement, contribute to higher IT and organizational performance. Measurement and monitoring are identified as crucial for improving performance. The authors propose four key metrics that matter for DevOps: lead time, deployment frequency, mean time to restore (MTTR), and change fail percentage. By focusing on these four metrics, organizations can drive improvements in their DevOps practices. The book stresses the importance of transformational leadership in achieving high performance in technology organizations. Leaders must inspire and motivate their teams, promote a clear vision, intellectually stimulate their followers, and provide supportive leadership. Finally, the authors dispel the myth that DevOps is only for startups or tech companies. They argue that DevOps can generate significant value in large, complex organizations. They also point out the benefits of loosely coupled architectures and teams, which enable organizations to make changes more effectively and efficiently. In conclusion, the book provides a comprehensive and evidence-based guide to the principles and practices that drive high performance in technology organizations. It makes a compelling case that investing in DevOps capabilities can deliver powerful competitive advantage. The book's insights and recommendations align well with my own experience and observations as a professor dealing with these topics. I believe it is an essential read for anyone involved in software development or IT operations.
ViewThe Software Architect Elevator - Redefining the Architect's Role in the Digital Enterprise
Gregor Hohpe
Key Insights from "The Software Architect Elevator" Role of a Software Architect: The book redefines the role of a software architect, emphasizing the importance of bridging the gap between high-level business strategies and low-level IT operations. Architect Elevator: The concept of the 'Architect Elevator' is introduced as the ability to move between different levels of the business and IT structure, enabling effective communication and decision-making across the enterprise. Value of IT: IT is no longer a mere supporting function, but a strategic driver that can add significant value to the business. This transformation requires a new perspective on software architecture and the role of the architect. Communication and Collaboration: The book underscores the importance of communication and collaboration skills for a software architect, who must often negotiate between business and IT stakeholders. Technical Competence: While strategic vision and communication skills are crucial, the architect must also possess a deep technical understanding of systems, coding, and infrastructure. Organizational Design: The author highlights the interplay between IT architecture and organizational design, suggesting that both must evolve in tandem for a digital enterprise to succeed. Case Studies: The book is rich in case studies and practical examples, which provide valuable, real-world context to the theoretical concepts. Emerging Trends: The book touches upon key trends in the technology landscape, such as cloud computing, microservices, DevOps, and digital transformation, and how they influence software architecture. Enterprise Integration Patterns: The author draws upon his previous work on enterprise integration patterns, applying these concepts to the broader context of software architecture in a digital enterprise. Continuous Learning: The book emphasizes the need for continuous learning and adaptation in the face of technological change. Analysis of the Book's Content The book "The Software Architect Elevator" by Gregor Hohpe is a thought-provoking exploration of the role of a software architect in today's digital enterprises. It challenges conventional notions and offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be a software architect in the modern era. One of the key insights from the book is the concept of the 'Architect Elevator'. The author analogizes the role of the software architect to an elevator moving between the boardroom at the top and the engine room at the bottom. This encapsulates the architect’s ability to understand and translate high-level business strategies into actionable IT operations, and vice versa. This notion underscores the importance of effective communication and collaboration in the role of a software architect. As the bridge between business and IT, the architect must possess the ability to negotiate, persuade, and build consensus across diverse stakeholders. However, Hohpe cautions against overlooking the technical aspects of the job. He emphasizes that a software architect must have a hands-on understanding of systems, coding, and infrastructure. This technical competence is vital to make informed decisions and provide effective leadership. A notable aspect of Hohpe's work is his exploration of the interplay between IT architecture and organizational design. He argues that the structure of the organization and its IT architecture are intimately linked and must evolve together. This insight resonates with Conway's Law, which posits that the design of a system reflects the design of the organization that produced it. Throughout the book, Hohpe draws upon his previous work on enterprise integration patterns. He applies these patterns to the broader context of software architecture, demonstrating their relevance in the era of cloud computing, microservices, and DevOps. The book is enriched by a wealth of case studies and practical examples. These offer concrete illustrations of the theoretical concepts, providing readers with valuable insights into the real-world challenges and opportunities faced by software architects. Finally, the book emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptation. In the rapidly changing technology landscape, the software architect must stay abreast of emerging trends and adapt their strategies and tactics accordingly. In conclusion, "The Software Architect Elevator" is a comprehensive guide for anyone aspiring to become a software architect. It offers a blend of theoretical insights, practical advice, and real-world examples, making it a valuable resource for both novices and seasoned professionals.
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E.
20.February 2024I really appreciate that Denis firstly tried to understand the situation I'm in, before offering advices. I was able to get the catered answers that I sought to have and something actionable to work on.