nathan holland

My career in software development grew from a hobby into a profession. I have always loved the process of building things and the satisfaction of completing a project. Through software I got to experience an additional sense of accomplishment through sharing the things I created. Building and publishing android applications for fun evolved into a career spanning many industries, technologies, countries and cultures.

I started out as a developer,I enjoyed and continue to enjoy coding, but along the way I was afforded other opportunities. Scrum mastering, project management, recruiting, team leading. I excelled in these roles and so I was interested to learn and develop more of those skills.

Scott Galloway gave a talk that really resonated with me. He spoke about how when you find something you are good at, and you put the work into it, you will become passionate about it. I was already experiencing this phenomenon and having it unconsciously inform my work. Consciously acknowledging what I was really good at gave me a clarity to pursue those areas.

I was good at matching teams and projects with processes that would help them succeed.
So I dove head first into learning about development processes, reading books and articles, listening to podcasts and interviews, and applying that new knowledge to my teams. This led to more successes, sometimes failure and learning, but always increasing my passion. I get excited discovering new approaches now, even publishing articles myself.

I was a good communicator, and this skill led to my becoming a line manager.
But management is more than just communication. Again, I put in the time to read, listen, and attend courses. Learning to become a better manager.

From managing teams, I advanced to managing departments, bringing new challenges and new skills to learn, broadening out from the development side of things. I developed a better understanding of company strategies, and the roles of sales and business. I have been involved in defining HR policies, looking at the development of not only individuals but the organisation as a whole. By working more closely with prospects at the presales phase, customers in projects, and partners in various forms I have observed the nuances in how communication and processes differ.

As a ‘head of development’ I have a broad remit, and scope of responsibilities, with a wide array of knowledge and skills needed from day to day and week to week. I will continue to grow and to learn because I am passionate about what I do, and I will never stop wanting to get better at it. Through mentorship I get to learn, by engaging with other peoples journeys, and helping problem solve the things in their paths which are often different to my own. I also feel that I am paying forward the good fortune I have had with my own mentors through my career.