For myself, I have found it helpful to make a conscious effort to stay hands-on and maintain my technical skills. One way I have done this is by regularly sharing short videos introducing sample python code with the public through a YouTube playlist.
Not only does this help me stay up-to-date with new developments in the field, but it also allows me to stay creative and challenge myself to think about problems in new ways.
In addition to the personal benefits of keeping my technical skills sharp, there are also practical advantages to being able to “ride the horse” as a leader. Having a strong foundation in the technical aspects of my work allows me to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing my team, and to effectively communicate with and support them. It also allows me to be a more credible and effective leader, as I am able to directly contribute to the work being done rather than just overseeing it from a distance.
In conclusion, it is important for leaders to remember the importance of maintaining hands-on skills and not becoming too removed from the practical aspects of their work. As the saying goes, “don’t be a cavalry captain who can’t ride a horse.” By staying grounded in the technical skills that got us to where we are today, we can better understand and support our teams, and continue to be effective and credible leaders in our field.
머리에는 다저스 모자 눌려있고
가슴에는 아이팟을 걸고 있으며
별다방이나 던킨에서 모여 앉아
외국생활 경험을 이야기하거나
외국말을 얼마쯤 지껄이는 자가
어찌 글로벌시대의 인재라 할 수 있겠는가
이는 글로벌시대의 실패작도 아니고
글로벌시대의 쓰레기도 아니다
Globalization이란 헛바람에 날려서 마음속에
주견도 없는 한낱 글로벌시대의 병신이다.
- 2007/05/18 17:37 <이재왕의 디지털 錄> 중에서
For startups, interviewing software engineers is as hard for hiring managers as it is for jobseekers. That is because it is a two-way street. Startups are looking for a very particular type of talent. On the other side, there are specific elements that lead talent to want to work for a startup in the first place. Engineers interviewing with startups are often looking for a particular type of organization, role, and workplace culture. However, a lack of clear information often makes this process more complicated than necessary. The more startups understand what drives candidates to consider this type of employment, the better chance they will have to find the right fit.
My view on building the right team and a thriving company have changed over time. That has been due to multiple failures and a few lucky wins. I recently had a chance to reflect on all this with other startup leaders.
"Build the best team possible."
I recently received an invitation to join a Clubhouse event focused on the topic of
startups and hiring. Over 250 people listened in with speakers including early days
ex-Uber launchers and a friend of mine who created the very first AT&T developer
relations program. When the floor was opened for discussion, we all got to hear
several different views on hiring from the perspective of candidates.
There was much reflection on the question of what a candidate looks for when
choosing a startup to interview with and eventually work for. Several factors were
mentioned that potential recruits look at. They included the TC (total compensation),
company culture, and the background of the founders. Following that, some of the
event's speakers and audience members who were hiring managers shared from the
other perspective. What became clear is that finding better ways to communicate the
right information between candidates and hiring managers may better bridge the gap
in the interview and hiring process.
"How far does a startup go to hire top talent?"
Obviously, not all startups are funded with venture capital. So not every hiring manager has access to an unlimited expense account or the backing of a People and Talent team. Not every recruitment effort needs that level of finance and effort. Still, are startups doing the right things to find the right fit?
Andrew Kim shared a fascinating statistic with the audience. When searching for
new talent, it takes approximately 3-5 seconds for someone from the HR team to
screen the first batch of resumes. That is a cursory look compared to the time that
some candidates put into perfecting them. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if fellow
software engineers spend about the same amount of time skimming through each
job opening on LinkedIn. Touché.
What does all this mean?
The two-way street of hiring comes down to communications. Perhaps, for hiring
managers, taking the time to draft a unique and personalized job description would
go a long way for a startup. Maybe candidates would take more than a few seconds
to review it if they believed it wasn't another carbon-copied template. As for the job
seeker, making their resume more useful to the hiring manager by highlighting
specific problems and challenges one has solved in her/his career could help.
Apparently, video resumes are becoming more popular and can add a new
dimension to the review process.
Alex Donn reminded the audience of something that goes easily forgotten for
candidates: know what you value. This is critical before beginning the search
process, and it is vital throughout the hiring process. Your values are quite different
from your market value. Ironically, I believe the latter is more spoken about and
discussed. Understanding your own values prepares you to make a better decision
about the jobs you seek to pursue. Also, candidates with clear values make the role
of the hiring manager a lot clearer, especially for startups.
Great opportunities find top talent - and vice versa. When these two meet, I believe it
is due to the alignment of vision, value, and priorities. Startups and engineers need
to understand their own unique values. Startups are relatively risky, but candidates
know that. They also know that startups create a unique opportunity for growth.
Great startups need the talent to get things done and also to make critical decisions.
As a result, top talent is given a chance to make complex and mission-critical
decisions and grow at a rate not always possible at an established organization.
Yes, startups have risks, but they can also provide comparable rewards, and
candidates know that risks also apply to joining a corporation if you are not clear
about what you are seeking. Still, if candidates are simply focused on finding a job
with better pay and more flexible office hours, they may not find their home with a
startup.
Find your rocket ship.
The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business --by Erin Meyer
How Asia Works Success and Failure in the World's Most Dynamic Region --by Joe Studwell
Caste The Lies That Divide Us --by Isabel Wilkerson
The Rules of Contagion Why Things Spread - and Why They Stop --by Adam Kucharski
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power --by Shoshana Zuboff
Weapons of Math Destruction How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy --by Cathy O'Neil
The Four Steps to the Epiphany --by Steve Blank
The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success --by William N. Thorndike
"I'm talking about the greenkeeper, the owners, about the board, about the coach, the assistant coach, the players, the guy who's washing the clothes. If you want to reach something, if you want to have success in this club, and this is all we want to have. We all have to stick together and go in the same direction."
Stay in the deep end.
]]>
I started learning Taekwondo (a Korean martial art) at an early age. Taekwondo had taught me numerous amount of lessons as a competitive athlete but also those applicable to my life in general. And now that I look back - as I celebrated my 40th last week - it wasn't the gold medals that helped mold and shape me into the person I am today.
In 1992, I received an invitation to the USA Taekwondo Junior State Championship held in Ohio. Even before arriving at the arena, I felt confident that my competitions were no match for me. My games were in Sparring and Poomsae (also referred to as "forms") during the event. Without a doubt, Sparring was my thing even though I was a light kid back then. So I competed in the FIN weight class, which is for those not exceeding 54kg. As one can imagine, height and reach are crucial in Sparring matches. Unfortunately, I was not only light but also very small in stature. That didn't bother me because I knew I had speed.
Then came the gold medal match. My final opponent was a tall skinny white kid. From the beginning of the gold medal match, my opponent was utilizing his long legs to block and cut away most of my attacks. I was frustrated and felt the opponent was playing dirty. I eventually lost the match due to the mercy rule. I cried my way home and cried even more after returning. I ended up taking two silver medals that year, but I was neither satisfied nor happy with my results. What made it even sadder was the fact that I didn't realize who my real opponent was.
The following year, I was fortunate enough to receive yet another invitation to the same event. Long story short - I took home two gold medals during the 1993 USA Taekwondo Junior State Championship. What was the difference? Ego. I destroyed my ego before getting killed by my opponent on the other side of the floor. I was more self-aware. I knew what I was able to do, but more importantly, I didn't guess what I did not know.
Most of my repeated mistakes or failures probably occurred due to my ego and lack of self-awareness, which applies to my entrepreneurial journey. In 2013, when I moved to Austin Texas to start my next startup company, a mentor and now a good friend had asked me an important question which I will carry with me for the rest of my life on this planet.
"Why are you here?"
I ask myself this question even today. Do I know why I am doing the thing that I am about to do? Am I going to regret my decision today when I look back after another 40 years?
Keeping myself self-aware has brought me more joy, happiness, and satisfaction than any success on the surface. And I believe as long as I can continue to ask myself that simple question, I should be good to go.
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art, a competitive sport, and a method of maintaining all-around fitness, including mental well-being. And this sport has not only disciplined me physically but also brought me down to earth to keep my ego at bay.
Be the humble beast.
The Austrian Regionalliga (which means Regional League) is the third-highest division in Austrian football, after the Austrian Bundesliga and the Second League. It is divided into three groups: East (Ost), covering the states of Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland; Central (Mitte), covering the states of Styria, Carinthia, Upper Austria and the exclave of East Tyrol; and Eliteliga West, covering the states of Salzburg, Tyrol (with the exception of East Tyrol) and Vorarlberg.
--from Wikipedia
Here's a data visualization demo of Regionalliga division leaders from 2019/2020 season.
초라한 일상에 한편에 단편의 단상을 마치네
For those who follow Major League Baseball, some of you might have heard the news that the Toronto Blue Jays have signed left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu to a four-year, $80 million contract. This contract is one of the biggest ever inked by the organization.
Back in March 2019, there was an article on bleacherreport.com ranking the top starting pitchers. However, Hyun-Jin Ryu was not mentioned in this article amongst the top 25 pitchers heading into the 2019 season.
So... I wanted to visualize the outcome of 2019 season and see if the data could possibly tell us a different story. This blog post is by-no-means an attempt to prove a point or to defend the quality of Hyun-Jin Ryu's contract.
Hyun-Jin Ryu's 2019 season data was added to a graphical chart along with the other top 25 pitchers mentioned from the bleacherreport.com article.
That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea by Marc Randolph
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson
The Manual: A Philosopher's Guide to Life by Epictetus
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell
What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture by Ben Horowitz
Company of One: Why Staying Small Is the Next Big Thing for Business by Paul Jarvis
Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense by Rory Sutherland
The Future of Management by Gary Hamel
Do Better Work: Finding Clarity, Camaraderie, and Progress in Work and Life by Max Yoder
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller
Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers, and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, Kevin Maney
Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation by Blake J. Harris
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters Most by Hendrie Weisinger
Scale: The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies by Geoffrey B. West
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team A Leadership by Patrick M. Lencioni
The Messy Middle: Finding Your Way Through the Hardest and Most Crucial Part of Any Bold Venture by Scott Belsky
Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People by Vanessa Van Edwards
The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone
The Airbnb Story: How Three Ordinary Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions . . . and Created Plenty of Controversy by Leigh Gallagher
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Day 1 of 2019
Kicked off the new year hiking and spending quality time at the beach with my girls.
"A hawker centre or cooked food centre is an open-air complex in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the Riau Islands housing many stalls that sell a variety of inexpensive food. They are typically found in city centres, near public housing estates or transport hubs (such as bus interchanges or train stations)."
Since moving to Singapore last July, hawker centers (or hawker centres; depending on where you are from) have been one unique part of my daily life. Due to working in the central business district area aka CBD of Singapore it wasn't difficult to become a fan of few nearby hawker centers. Maxwell Food Centre and Amoy Street Food Centre are my personal favorites.
And I decided to create a simple API that would store (hopefully) the entire list of hawker centers in Singapore. I was able to find public data through local government websites such as data.gov.sg and www.nea.gov.sg which allowed the data set to be created fairly at ease. The Hawker API data set includes names of the hawkers, number of stalls at each location and their addresses along with GPS coordinates.
So here's the Hawker API endpoint:
https://api.jael.ee/datasets/hawker
Also, authentication is not required for this API. Which means that the API is completely public and can be anonymously accessed. The Hawker API has two parameters to filter the results returned - "name", "postalcode".
The "name" parameter supports partial filtering by adding an asterisk symbol(*) on both ends of the string being searched. Here's a sample name search result https://api.jael.ee/datasets/hawker?name=*amoy*
The "postalcode" parameter can be filtered by range, supported for double types. Search results for a particular region can be performed by adding two periods in between the range values. Here's a sample postalcode search result https://api.jael.ee/datasets/hawker?postalcode=069000..069999
Lastly, this is a personal project for the purpose of demonstrating a sample use case, not intended for commercial use. For more details on the Hawker API please refer to the readme file available at https://github.com/leejaew/api.jael.ee/blob/master/hawker.md
]]>The Early Years
Born in Busan, South Korea, I had been on planet Earth for just three days when the Gwangju Uprising took place. Although the final figures are still debated to this day, the known death toll was 26 (22 troops and four police). Additionally, the injured included 144 police, 127 civilians, and 109 troops.
In 1987, my parents, a welding engineering lecturer and resident physician, decided to move to the United States; this was just two years before the overseas travel ban started to lift in Korea. Just one day after celebrating my birthday, we boarded an American Airlines flight and travelled from Gimpo to Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
At the time, my parents were graduate students at the Ohio State University when the campus didn’t have many Asian students (let alone Korean). With two young boys in tow and around $70 in their pocket, it was the start of our story.
While at a gas station, I had my first interaction with an American. As my dad filled up our beaten Dodge Aspen, a man dropped a quarter and it rolled towards me. As I reached down to pick it up for him, I felt the man place his foot on my hand while telling me to move away. Later that day, I remember my dad explaining the journey we would face from that moment. He knew that this wasn’t going to be a given paradise and thrived on the idea of fighting for the so-called ‘American Dream’ and earning respect in our new country.
Life in America
From the first day, we went to public elementary schools. We were guarded from MTV, but school and street violence were present on an almost daily basis. Fortunately, lunch money was never an issue for my brother and me. At times, I would even invest my lunch money and then buy/trade baseball cards.
Even while we were young, we realized the opportunity that we had in the United States. For those that have been through the experience, even my family, I think it’s tough to explain. Essentially, we had reached a land where ANYONE could be ANYTHING. At times, being an honor roll student wasn’t enough. Winning a gold medal in state didn’t bring me or my family good luck. Receiving an award from the president was a particular highlight, but it didn’t offer a path to follow for my adult life.
This being said, learning new things and working on my craft did help me to progress. In 1987, after landing in America, I saw a personal computer up close for the first time. One year later, I was learning BASIC programming language (while I wasn’t playing Robotron, of course!). Around this time, I knew I wanted to create a business that sold code and it started with handwritten, college-ruled paper on the streets of Buckeye Village.
As soon as school was over, I would stand out in the street and try to sell code. After a number of weeks, standing in the street every single day, I had sold absolutely nothing.
Returning to Korea
In 1993, our family reached a giant fork in the road. While my dad received an offer that he couldn’t refuse in Korea, my mom received what I believe to this day to be an even better offer from a well known hospital in the US; the hospital itself was located in one of the most dangerous city in North America. Eventually, we moved back to Korea and my mom decided to volunteer and work pro bono. Strangely, it was difficult adjusting to the new culture.
Even after a few years, the Korean language wasn’t my forte. However, I was freelancing by creating ANSI pages for bulletin board system (BBS) communities living on virtual terminal (VT) mode terminals. Every so often, I was lucky enough to develop homepages where I was able to earn nearly $300 per HTML page.
Entering the World of Work
Soon enough, I launched a computer club with some friends from the same school. As well as having some fun, we also developed and released the first ever high school website in Korea. Sadly, one the school’s donors (a private company) took the credit for our hard work. It wasn’t for nothing, however, and the same group launched a web agency in 1999; this became my first full-time job and first startup I founded.
Ever since this first launch, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some of the most talented and down to earth entrepreneurs in the world. Through these meetings, I learned from their skill and experience. Of course, it wasn’t an easy path and I made many mistakes from which I had to learn too. Sometimes, I think back to that first plane ride the day after my birthday and I find myself doing it right now as I enjoy my 38th birthday in Singapore.
About Me
I realize that you might be reading this wondering why my ‘About Me’ page is a short tale of my past. In truth, I am only who I am today because of my upbringing and the values I learned as a child both in Korea and America. I’m incredibly proud of my achievements in recent years, but these achievements (and the shenanigans I had to endure) don’t really define who I am today.
Since I don’t know when my time on this beautiful planet will come to an end, I can only hope to live the rest of my time with integrity, grace, and courage.
'None but the brave deserve the fair’
I'm starting my personal blog, again.
Perhaps I'll keep this one.
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