Thoughts & Insights
Exploring leadership, technology, and personal growth
Welcome to My Digital Home
I'm Derek Neighbors, a technology leader, mentor, and community builder passionate about creating high-performing teams and innovative products.
Here you'll find my thoughts on software development, leadership, personal growth, and building strong communities. I share insights from my experiences as a serial entrepreneur, software executive, and angel investor.
Whether you're interested in technology trends, team dynamics, or personal development, I hope you'll find something valuable to take away from these posts. Feel free to reach out if you have thoughts to share.
The Faux-Aligned Manipulator: When Theater Replaces Execution
They're relentlessly positive. They say yes to everything. They talk about collaboration constantly. But underneath the performance, real execution never happens.
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Guard the Circle: Why Leaders Must Invite Dissent to Stay Effective
In fast-moving tech cultures, dissent feels like friction. And friction feels like delay. But a team that agrees too easily is already halfway to failure.
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😵 When ActiveRecord::Relation Fails You (and Your Test Isn't Broken... Until It Is)
Your test looks fine. The records match. But sometimes it passes, sometimes it fails. Uncover the hidden gotchas of comparing ActiveRecord Relations in Rails tests.
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Protect Your Spark: Beat the Idea Assassins
Your best ideas are vulnerable to creativity hit jobs. Learn to guard your spark, select the right team, and keep innovation flowing despite the critics.
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Unleashing Innovation: A Leader's Guide to First Principles Thinking
First principles thinking strips away the bullshit and starts with what's undeniably true. It's how leaders transform organizations and build the future.
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