Abstract

In this talk, I will share an experience story where Erik Brickarp and I set up regular Skype sessions for discussing and analyzing testing problems and challenges, tried coaching each other, etc, and how this helped fuel our professional development.

*Set up a session with someone you’ve chatted with (at a conference, meetup, online event, etc)
* a goal helps to keep you focused; it doesn’t have to be very specific but both need to understand it
*regular sessions – get boosted every week, specific focus on you and your development (and the peers)
* brainstorming and inspiration that can be useful with someone outside your company (+ they will learn your context over time)
* practice listening
* practice being more coach-like – coaching is a useful skill and a one on one session is a great place where to practice
* feedback – both offering and receiving feedback is something that we practised during the sessions
* retrospectives are necessary to keep focus and keep the sessions valuable

Top Takeaways:

• How to stay connected to other professionals in a deep and meaningful way that benefits everyone involved

• How to create a process for professional development that evolves and can be tailored over time