Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager

The Zone of Proximal Development

So, we’ve had a look at the needs of humans, both inside and outside of work. You can make a lasting difference by helping your staff achieve their higher-level needs. They’ll remember that time you were their manager. At the top of Maslow’s pyramid is self-actualization: your staff want to define and achieve goals, advance their careers, improve their skills, and become renowned experts in their chosen field. But rather than helping your staff set goals and then leaving it up to chance for them to get there, is it possible to define an incremental path for them to follow? Is there a framework that can guide them on their journey?

We’re going to dip into learning theory to see whether we can find out more. Notably, ...