Fourteen ways it takes courage to be a good tester

by Jennifer Lent

Courage may be an unlikely topic to come up at a testing conference. But in a Lightning Strikes the Keynotes session at STARWEST, Bob Galen, of RGalen Consulting, talked about the ways in which courage should guide the work of test professionals.

1. The courage to try new things. You might fail, but go for it anyway.
2. The courage to slow down. Experiment with a different approach to a test project. It will slow you down in the short run but it might be more efficient for the long haul.
3. The courage to listen to your customer. Be willing to make changes.
4. The courage to engage in reality during retrospectives. Tell the truth – not want people want to hear.
5. The courage to challenge silo thinking. Encourage “swarming” around tasks instead of going it alone.
6. The courage to apply craftsmanship to everything you do.
7. The courage to push back on leadership and negotiate. Under what conditions would you say no to a project?
8. The courage to give yourself a break. Take some slack time to think.
9. The courage to be totally transparent.
10. The courage to change. Don’t be stuck in your ways.
11. The courage to build quality into your work.
12. The courage to trust your team, trust your leaders, trust yourself.
13.  The courage to allow others to shine. Give them the spotlight. It’s not about you.
14. The courage to deliver courage in a graceful way so that you are effective. Courage needs grace.