Why you need 10x developers in your team?
- Can having a rockstar engineer in your team take you over the edge of competition?
- Can they bring out better results than a team of average engineers?
- Is possessing exceptional technical ability enough to bring success to your company?
If you are all set to hire the best for your team, then you need to hire more than one. Because having one superstar engineer amongst your midst will not get you anywhere. It may not be possible for 9 superwomen to deliver a single baby in a month, but it is possible for several super engineers to deliver a project ahead of time. This is the reason why you need 10x developers in your team.
The quest for the best developer is always a hot story, and the scent is always fresh. If you have information about a particular rockstar developer , then he/she would most likely be taken by the time you reach there.
But then, can it be real? Is it possible for everyone to become super developers? If so how can companies looking for only super developers be satisfied? A 10x developer will always have the best job offer in the world, and several people consistently hog them with the best salaries. If you are also looking for a 10x developer, here are certain things to keep in mind.
1.Hire slowly
Patience is the key. If you are looking for A-level developers, then you probably have to wait for the right person to come along. If you hire second best people, they would probably recommend more second-level or third-level people and that would not be good for you. A rockstar engineer with technical alacrity and excellent interpersonal skills would just be the answer.
Perhaps you can go through a rigorous screening process before you hire. For example, you can give them a consulting contract to evaluate their performance. If you already have a staff of competent developers, you can get them to vote for the best developer applicants at the end of the consulting contract. Yes, it is a slow process, but it will give you the best too.
2.Aim for the Avengers, not the superhuman superstar
It is not possible to hire a team of super developers until you want to blow your resources within the next 6 months. So get one super developer, and a team of really talented developers, which is what most people do these days. Of course, some people are dead against it. But you can make it work if you make all the right moves. A software is not the sweat of one person, but a team. When there is a 10x developer leading the team, it would be inspirational for the others, with each of them drawing out their own strengths for the development of the project. Eventually, you will have everyone rising to the superstar level.
3.To spread a sense of positivity
When you have a 10x developer in your team it means you have someone who knows the job. A great developer will be concerned about your business goals as well, not just his tasks; they have this sense of ownership that will make them care about the product’s outcome. A positive person will be able to spread positivity to all around him. Even when under pressure, he will be able to spread the message of goodwill and complete his tasks, and motivate others to do the same.
4.Superb time and task management skills
A 10x developer will have developed time and task management skill. With his/her experience, he/she will be able to calculate the time required to complete a project. He/She will also exhibit great ethics, and guide the rest of the team. The programmer must be able to spot the strengths and weakness of the team and work accordingly. In order to hire a programmer who can do this, you can enter into a short contract, and watch how he/she guides the team. At the end of the contract, you can collect everyone’s opinion regarding the performance of the programmer.
5.Excellent communication skills
In every job, having excellent communication skills is so important. The success of the project will depend on how well the programmer communicates the requirements of the project successfully to the team. If you have someone who has excellent language skills, and can communicate well to the stakeholder as well as the client, he will definitely be able to erase any miscommunication. Even if the project runs into any glitches, he would be able to present his solutions well, so everyone understands how to get out of it. In order to evaluate the communication skill of a programmer before you actually hire him/her, you can conduct a mock scrum meeting and observe their skills. Throw them an imaginary problem and see how they work a solution around it.
Conclusion
The bone of contention is always whether the 10x developer is a myth or not. It is not a myth; there are 10x developers who will be an asset to the company. If you are just a startup, or cannot afford to have a team of 10x developers, then don’t panic, you can always concentrate on building a team of 10x developers. Give them the opportunity to grow and develop their skills, and they will be able to bring success to the company. In certain cases, not having a shared culture turns out to be an issue. Hence it is important for everyone to be on the same page so everyone communicates naturally. This way, there will be no friction and you will be able to end up with someone who drives everyone in his team. In fact, that’s exactly what you want.
It is not that having a 10x developer will bring instant success to the company, when the developer possess all the skills that we mentioned above, then it will definitely work towards the progress of your company. On the other hand, if you have a 10x developer (minus the above mentioned skills) with a team of mediocre or average engineers, you might not get further than that. This proves that there is something beyond the technical ability.
Flickr//Les Roches Global Hospitality Education, JD Hancock, Garfield Anderssen
About the author: Reema works as Thought Leader at PHPBabu.
