The Importance of Mastering

Why should you deeply understand what you do?

I have had in my mind an article for the last months. But I felt myself uncomfortable with the idea to write it. I was not finding real cases and the right words. Until I found the article here in the first comment (LinkedIn tends to hide from timelines posts with links). This article has a subtle meaning that all of us should know: the importance to really understand things.

In the past, I've found myself doing things in the rush, without having time to get the great picture. Often because there was no time, or better: someone said that. Basically, if you are aware that for the most you're forced to do things that you don't have time to study: quit as soon as possible from that situation!

In the long term, this situation will get you in the dust

Because you will not have any real knowledge.

That situation could be dictated by different reasons:

• Lack of organisation: everything is urgent.
• Lack of attention on technical grow: study is considered a waste of time.
• People around you won't let you more knowledgeable.
• No one wants to really mentor others: no, half an hour of brief explanation is not mentoring. Don't get played. Pair programming, for example, is.
• Many more other reasons that are bad enough to ruin your career.

Master the technologies you work with is a basic need, just as having a comfortable seat. I get a clear sight on the importance of having mindmaps now that I'm working on a spike with the possibility to evaluate the technologies I'll work with. So I've touched both situations.

As aforementioned you, as an IT worker, have the right to broaden your knowledge. In the meanwhile, the company has the possibility to expand its available skills. I think that all the companies are interested in making their employee growing. You have also the right to say "I don't know this" followed by "I'll take time to study" and if the people around you start to make you feel dumb talk with your manager and, if necessary, go with escalation! You'll find someone that cares about technical grows. If not, in the end, this is a good reason to leave.

To sum up I'd like to left you with a quote:

Before start feeling of yourself inadequate verify if people around you are not aiming to that

(In Italy we say that with colourful language)