I really laughed hard.

For the first time I think that devs get a fair warning: you work together with the customer and you are accountable and responsible for where it evolves from there.

Social skills and likability, not being shy and actually enjoy being in the spotlight as well as putting the customer in the spotlight aka selling: this is really a tough call.

I know from having had to translate between business and developers for years in order to keep my developers busy with what they wanted: developing without interference.

Scrum failed so hard in this regard.

Big 5 was always funny to meet. Body selling is the term they use internally and since devs are focused on other things, they always meet me as a tandem: manager as spokesperson plus developer.

I cut the managers off, I speak developer perfectly, and yes, they are socially awkward but technical prowess was the only thing I cared. From their perspective business dudes are weird.

So yes, this won’t take long to either receive tons of money as a - pun intended - full stack forward deployed sales professional who codes or it will evolve into the common shit show consisting of a clueless sales guy and a decent developer having to do as told.

Nevertheless I like the term insofar as it is really a warning sign.

Social skills are the hardest to learn and adapt to.

Brutal, and I mean it.

I essentially did this together with at least one lead developer for years: advertising for our platform.

I went from solo contributor to sales and marketing in 5 years.

But alone? You miss so much.

At least we know that AI didn’t destroy any of the Big 5 and the customers learned nothing. No AI was harmed to get rid of PowerPoint consultants.

Sad…