Speak up and share your insights!

What’s your best advice on how to make an impact?

This tweet from Una Kravets got me thinking: how do you make an impact?

I work as a lead front end developer, have been working in the field of web development for more than 10 years and act as an external assessor for graduating students.

To answer Unas question, (this advice goes particularly well for starters):

The one quality that stands out the most to me is the ability think critical and to speak your mind.

In this industry, we are the experts, we are up to speed with the guidelines and best practices. We know the limits and capabilities of tools and techniques. You can’t, and shouldn’t have to, expect this from your clients. They hire you and pay good money for your expertise!

I have seen colleagues with great expertise work against their own vision, simply because a client asked to do something in a specific way.

Stop doing that. You are not a human Dreamweaver or Wix interface. You are the expert. It is your job to realise goals. It is your job to ask questions. It is your job to share your insights with your customer. It is easy to meet your clients needs directly, with short term solutions. In most cases however, the short term solution conflicts with long term goals.

It might take some courage and a bit of support and explaining, but rest assured, if you manage to identify the goals of your client, your advice will offer so much more value than mindlessly following orders. You’re worth more than that.

Stay up to speed with the industry, think further and beyond. And deliver the most valuable asset money can buy: your insight, knowledge and expertise.

Go do that. Go make an impact!