I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about values since my last attempt to write down who I am as a tester. I did listen to the Brené Brown podcast. I went through the exercise, and I was really surprised by my findings.

In short, Brené says we really only have two core values, and all other values stem from those. I decided to test that theory and see if that thinking fits for me as well. I read through the list, paying attention to the words that tugged on my insides. Some words, I was surprised, didn’t move me at all. There was one word that I had a gut reaction to: “Yeah, no, I don’t want that one”. Authenticity. If there is any word that is overused, it is authenticity. It’s annoying mostly because the people who use it, mostly, don’t seem to be acting very authentic. I did not linger on that word.

One word did stand out. Time. I hadn’t thought of time as a value, but it rang my bell. I listened. Time. Isn’t that the thing none of us feel like we have? That we are constantly running out of? If I think of time, initially, I think of the lack of it in my life. And, the more I sat with this word, I thought of how when I take the time, I make better decisions, I’m able to ask better questions. I feel healthier overall when I slow down, or even stop, let everything go, and trust that I have enough time. When I embrace the time I have, I’m a better human being. When I give of my time and use it wisely, slowing down to answer a question, allowing for real and useful thoughts to bubble up to the surface, I have more to give. Time is my friend. It was the first value that rang true.

I continued perusing through this list. Dang it, it was authenticity that kept coming up for me. But I didn’t want that to be my value. Instead, I decided to take advantage of the little box at the end of the list. I didn’t like the word authenticity. Maybe I could find a close cousin?

I did some thesauras-ing and found the word genuine. This, too, rang clear for me. When I am not genuine, I am not myself. I will tell you when I’m well and when I’m not. You’ll know when I’m nervous, happy, grumpy, or unsure. Thankfully, I’ve learned that I can still be scared and do something brave, though I’ll go ahead and tell you that I’m nervous about what I’m about to do. If I can’t do something, I’ll tell you. I live by the maxim of disappoint now and surprise later. I don’t like over-committing and under-delivering. And, if I can’t be honest about how things are going, in my work, or in a relationship, that’s not a good sign. Either something needs to be fixed, or I’ll need to figure out how to walk away. And, in a world with AI, where everything is increasingly questionable, I think it’s important to be the person who speaks the truth, even if it goes against what someone is hoping to hear. That doesn’t mean I’m not a hopeful person, but I’m not going to gloss over something that isn’t going to be helpful. Thank goodness for the Thesaurus. Genuine works.

So, with two core values picked, what does that mean in terms of my career? Let’s try to summarize.

Time:

As a QA Engineer, I take the time to assess the state of an application or functionality, with the necessary tools at my disposal, to provide an accurate and actionable snapshot of its current state, and how it can move forward.

As a communicator, I will take the time necessary to speak in ways that uplift the team, helping to identify gaps or missteps, and operate out of curiosity to help unearth and pinpoint better ways of working together for the health and good of the business.

Genuine:

As a QA Engineer, I will provide true and extensive information to the best of my current understanding and depth of knowledge. If asked a question, I will find the answer. If I don’t know, I will say so. If I can’t find the answer, I will reach out for help. When assessing the application or functionality, I will provide reports that are clear and understandable. I will offer feedback that is genuine and expect the same in return.

As a communicator, psychological safety is key to discussing issues and struggles that prevent the team from thriving. Refusing to blame, being willing to speak up and own mistakes, and assessing weaknesses without judgment are things I choose to practice to create an environment that benefits everyone.

This is who I am as a tester. There is plenty of room for growth. I will make mistakes. And, there will be successes. I believe that leaning on these values will get me where I need to go.

Where that is, I have no idea.

I’m excited to find out.

Till next time…

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