Hi ,
One of my proudest moments as a data science manager was starting a team coding club.
As a data science manager in the early days of Python adoption, I faced a practical
dilemma: my team needed coding skills, but nobody could face another mandatory training session.
So I tried something different.
Project Euler coding problems.
One challenge per week.
Solve it first individually, then we'd share solutions as a group.
We took turns to bring along snacks.
What happened next was a huge surprise.
Our weekly meetings - filled with equal parts coding breakthroughs and chocolate biscuits - became the highlight of everyone's schedule.
The coding skills came naturally. The team dynamics was the real prize.
Here's the thing...
Sometimes the fastest way to increase your impact and influence is through building the kind of team culture that gets noticed by senior leadership.
Whether you're managing people now or aspire to later, creating shared learning experiences can become your secret weapon for career advancement.
By the time I left that role, my team was legendary for their collaboration.
All because we chose to learn together, one chocolate biscuit at a time.
Talk again soon,
Dr Genevieve Hayes.
