.NET
Random Finally Gets Its Missing Methods in .NET 8 (via Nick Chapsas)
Currently .NET has Random.Shared for non-critical random numbers, and RandomNumberGenerator for secure operations. The latter is about 7x slower. .NET 8 brings in Random.Shared.Shuffle() and Random.Shared.GetItems(source, number of things you want). We also get RandomNumberGenerator.GetString() and .GetHexString(). Be wary of using .GetString() to generate passwords because it just picks (secure) random locations in a character array, rather than meeting certain requirements (e.g., at least one letter, at least one symbol).
Stop using async void in C#! Do this instead. (via Nick Chapsas)
If an exception is thrown from an async void method (which isn’t awaited — fire and forget), the application can crash. Call Task.Run() for small bits of work.
Career
5 Essential Soft Skills to Develop in Any Job (via HBR)
- Effective communication
- Teamwork
- Influencing without authority
- Problem solving
- Leadership
Communication
Why You Should Send a Weekly Summary Email (via SWLW)
I do (and have done) variations on this, as it helps make work visible and rises to a different summary level than a daily standup. Writing down accomplishments is useful for performance reviews. The area I struggle with is that I work across several areas, making the list long.
Leadership
Leading with Compassion Has Research-Backed Benefits (via HBR)
- “Loyalty is not something you can buy; it is a deep connection in which you feel valued and supported.”
- There are numerous benefits to the compassionate giver as well as to the one receiving it.
- Start small, be thankful, be purposeful (ask “what” not “if”), find common ground, see it, elevate it, and know your power.
Management
How to Equip Your Team to Problem Solve Without You (via HBR)
It’s noble to shield your team from making decisions. However, you’ll gradually be overwhelmed with even more decisions, making you a bottleneck and also getting your team to become passive/complacent in their own decision making. Your team needs to learn how you navigate the storm. Without the ability to make decisions locally, productivity and creativity is lower.
Managing yourself
How to Become More Adaptable in Challenging Situations (via HBR)
“…adaptability paradox: When we most need to learn, change, and adapt, we are most likely to react with old approaches that aren’t suited to our new situation, leading to poorer decisions and ineffective solutions.”