A Meeting Across Continents

The Story Behind “I am a Software Engineer and I am in Charge”

In the heart of Paris, a city known for its rich history and culture, we, Alexis Monville and Michael Doyle, finally met in person after months of remote collaboration. The occasion? The launch of our book, “I am a Software Engineer and I am in Charge”.

Our journey to this point was not a typical one. When we embarked on this project, we were separated by oceans, with Alexis in Boston, Massachusetts, and Michael in Brisbane, Australia. Despite the geographical distance, we found a way to work together, synchronizing our schedules and doing most of the work asynchronously. The result of our collaboration is a book that aims to empower software engineers and increase their impact and satisfaction at work.

We had originally planned to meet in Paris and organize events for the book’s launch. However, the pandemic had other plans, and Michael had to postpone his travel with his family. But as they say, good things come to those who wait. Our long-awaited meeting finally took place in June, with us signing copies of our book in the city of lights.

In a previous crossed interview, we shared our hopes for the book and its readers. We hope that readers will increase their impact and satisfaction at work and realize their power in shaping the future of software engineering.

Stay tuned for more updates and insights from us as we continue our journey with “I am a Software Engineer and I am in Charge”.

Author

  • Alexis Monville

    Alexis Monville worked in multicultural and distributed environments for years, coming back from the US and now based in the southwest of France. When asked if he misses the work in the office, he usually answers that he spent half of his 30 years of management experience in diverse sectors outside of the office and a lot of that working from home. Alexis is Chief of Staff to the CTO at Red Hat, a long-time hybrid open-source software company with more than 100 office locations in 40 countries, where half of the 20,000 people work remotely. Alexis is a firm believer that change starts with the self. He is the author of two books: Changing Your Team From The Inside and I am a Software Engineer and I am in Charge. Alexis facilitates successful playful collaborations. He designs and builds sustainable and high-impact teams and organizations.

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