It’s Not Just About The Testing!

by Teri Charles

There are many aspects of being a Tester, and for me, not all of them are about doing the actual testing. One of those aspects is mentoring. There is no better feeling for me than to know I’m helping someone. We all know something, have learned something new, and have a passion for something that we can pass along to someone else. We all have the capacity to listen to someone, to be empathetic, to guide, and to pass along our experiences (some that we have learned the hard way). To me, it’s a waste of being a human being on this planet if I’m not passing along what I’ve learned in my life to someone else. And I think most mentors feel that way.

I am thinking about all of this right now because I just finished a wonderful mentoring session with my Per Scholas mentee this fine Sunday morning. Watching her journey, not just as a Tester, but as person who’s wants to grow, has been one of the most satisfying things I’ve done. She touches my heart with her integrity and spirit. She’s new in this field of ours and that’s not always easy. But watching and listening to her perseverance is powerful. And knowing I can be there for her is powerful for me.

This morning she told me that she has started her own local Meetup for new Testers. She had the first meeting yesterday and 10 people showed up! I am beyond proud of her. Here is a new Tester that wants to now start paying it forward herself. She wants to help others with what she’s experienced and learned!

She tells me I inspire her to be better. Well, let me tell you how this works. She inspires me to be better as well. Pretty cool how that happens, isn’t it?

So for me, it’s not just about testing that’s part of our job. It’s all the good juicy stuff like mentoring and helping others that’s some of the best stuff. Try it out and see where it takes YOU!

Be the Leader You Want in Your Life

Wishing is not a strategy

Have you ever spent time in your career and life wishing there were more great leaders in your life? I'm not talking about a title someone may have. A title does not make you a leader. I am talking about true leadership.

Perhaps it's time to stop looking around for others to lead and decide to be the leader you want in your life. Be that leader for yourself. Be that leader for others.

Simple first steps

1. Give away what you know. If you have an expertise, share it. If you learn something new, teach others. If you see someone struggling, help them out. There is only an upside strengthening others knowledge. And it not only feels really good, but you will endear yourself to those you have helped.

2. Praise others. It sounds so simple and obvious, but many only hear what they are doing wrong, not what they're doing right. Next time you see one of your co-workers doing something great, no matter how big or how small, say something to them. It takes only a minute. Isn't one minute worth the possible change you could make in one's life?

3. Learn what NOT to do. Some of your best teachers can be people in "leadership" positions that have a negative impact on you or others. When you see this happening, take notes. Remember it. Know how it makes you feel. Because then when similar situations arise and you're in a position of leadership, do the opposite. Don't do what they did, do what you know the right thing is.

4. Choose kindness. Enough said.

So be the leader you want in your life. Not for a promotion or for recognition but because it's who you want to be in your life and those around you. Inspire yourself. Trust me, you will also inspire others.

Testing Resources

I recently gave a presentation to my local testing Meetup, Boulder QA Meetup.  This presentation came out of several conversations I've had recently with different Testers that weren't aware of a lot of the different resources available to Testers.  So, I decided to do my part and pass along some of the things I've been fortunate to find out and learn about.

I believe that when you learn something, give it away.  It can only make others (and you) better.

Here is my presentation on different resources. It's a way to help anyone to start towards a list of their own set of resources.  It's by no means everything.  How could it be?  There's so many sites, trainings, people, blogs, articles, tools, books…it could go on and on.  But one has to start somewhere.

I hope some of these things can help you as much as they've helped and continue to help and enrich me. I know my list will continue to grow!


I've also put the information (plus more) from my slides into a mind map below. You can go directly to Mindmeister to get a closer view.