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There Are Two Types of Developers — Those Who Get Blocked and Those Who Don’t
Good developers find a way or a make a way but refuse to be blocked
A good programmer is someone who always looks both ways before crossing a one-way street. — Doug Linder
There are two types of developers — those who get blocked and those who find solutions. The developers who get blocked pass the responsibility of someone else to find a solution. When development gets difficult and their skills, creativity and experience are needed most, they quit.
Good developers find a solution or make a solution, they refuse to get blocked. Being blocked and giving up is a mindset, a vulnerability that causes problems and dissolves confidence in the development team. People don’t like to be led by experts, who suddenly admit to being lost and give the map to someone else.
Your first solution might not work, but part of being a developer is you try, try and try again.
The difference between being blocked and finding a solution is to keep trying different solutions without losing enthusiasm.
Blocked mindset
I am often the escalation point for blocked developers. This is part of the role of senior developer. Senior developers lead the team with standards, processes, good practices and decision making. They help the development team avoid mistakes and help them get out of mistakes.
The role of the senior developer is to help, coach and unblock developers. Keep the momentum moving forward and stop the development team from getting stuck.
Junior developers have to find the right balance from asking for help when you are stuck, but not asking for help too soon without having tried to unblock yourself first.
To improve as a developer, you need to increase your knowledge, experience and skills. You improve skills by creating software, making mistakes and fixing them (e.g. you improve by doing). You learn from doing, but try not to waste time with dead ends. Never suffer in silence…
