Find a way

Find a way
7 minutes by Cate Hall

Most people have an inner voice that pushes them toward safe, average solutions rather than real ones. This voice avoids blame and embarrassment but quietly sabotages meaningful goals. Cate suggests the fix is simple: assume you will find a way, treat obstacles as puzzles, and keep trying past the first failure. Reality is more flexible than fear makes it seem.

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Compensation bands and promotions
9 minutes by Philip Su

Early career pay differences matter far less than mid-career compensation, so new engineers shouldn't stress too much over starting offers. Instead focus on building rare and valuable skills, since pay grows geometrically and some promotions bring huge jumps. Consistently exceeding expectations at your current level often earns more than rushing to the next one, as companies reward strong performers and give them better growth opportunities.

Reorgs happen
7 minutes by Ben Balter

Ben argues that reorgs in tech are routine, not disasters and treating them as normal operating conditions removes much of the stress. The real assets to build are portable relationships, documented work, and a strong reputation, since none of those live on an org chart. When a reorg hits, he suggests to let the dust settle, re-onboard deliberately, and use the reset to reshape your role and story.

Speak in the affirmative: "Do this" versus "Don't do that"
6 minutes by Wes Kao

Saying things in the affirmative rather than the negative makes communication clearer and easier to understand. When you tell someone what to do instead of what not to do, they skip a mental step and absorb your message faster. It also sounds less critical, so people stay open rather than defensive. If you must mention a negative, always follow it with the positive action you want.

How to overcome confirmation bias
11 minutes by Phil McKinney

Confirmation bias makes people favor information that supports what they already believe, and it gets worse the smarter you are. Algorithms and social media amplify it by constantly feeding you content that matches your existing views. Phil offers three practices that help: arguing the opposing side of your own decisions out loud, watching for rooms that refuse to debate the other side, and asking trusted outsiders what you might be missing.

And the most popular article from the last issue was:

• On mid-career satisfaction