5 Soft Skills That Made Me a Better Developer

When I started as a software developer, I was obsessed with technical skills. I wanted to master every programming language, crack every LeetCode problem, and become the best coder in the room. Soft skills? Those were for HR interviews and class presentations—things I thought had no real impact on my career.

But as I progressed in the industry, I realized something important: writing great code is not enough. My technical skills were solid, but my lack of soft skills was holding me back.

Over the years, I worked on improving my soft skills, and the results were game-changing. Here are five soft skills that made me a better developer and, ultimately, a better professional.

1. Thinking Beyond The Code

In the early days of my career, I approached coding as a series of problems to be solved—fixing bugs, writing new features, and debugging errors. What I didn’t realize was that software development is not just about writing code; it’s about solving real-world problems.

I often jumped straight into coding without fully understanding the bigger picture. I would focus on immediate solutions without considering how my changes impacted the product, the user experience, or the business as a whole. That small shift in perspective changed everything.

How I Leveled Up:

• I started using the 5 Whys Method, drilling down to the root cause of every issue instead of just applying band-aid fixes.

• I broke problems into smaller, manageable pieces, thinking about their long-term impact rather than just short-term patches.

• I began asking better questions—not just "How do I fix this bug?" but "Why does this bug exist in the first place? What’s the bigger user pain point? How can we eliminate this class of issues entirely?"

  
  

A Game-Changing Experience:

I recently worked on a tool designed to improve the user experience across all web pages in my organization. Initially, I treated it as just another UI enhancement—something small and routine, just another feature request. But the more I worked on it, the more I realized its massive potential:

• It would improved cognitive effort and ease of access for users.

• It enhanced the way information was displayed, making it easier to comprehend.

• The tool could be integrated in the entire Software Development Lifecycle making it easier for everyone right from designers to developers to create better designs, and write better code.

• The improved user experience would lead to better engagement, increased satisfaction, and customer loyalty.

• Over time, these small improvements would boosted customer lifetime value, directly increasing business revenue.

  
  

Think of the chain reaction this small initiative could have on the business. If I had simply implemented the request and moved on, I would have never seen the bigger impact. That’s when I truly learned that every line of code can be a catalyst for something much bigger. Thinking beyond the code made me more than just a developer—it turned me into a problem solver, a strategic thinker, and someone who could drive real change.

2. Time Management and Prioritization

As developers, we juggle multiple responsibilities—meetings, deadlines, bug fixes, and learning new technologies. Early on, I struggled to manage my time effectively. I often found myself overwhelmed, spending too much time on minor tasks while neglecting important ones.

How I Improved:

• I started using time-blocking to dedicate focused periods for deep work, meetings, and learning.

• I applied the 80/20 rule—spending 80% of my time on the most impactful 20% of tasks.

• While we leverage automation tools like Jira to track progress within our organization, I created a personal tracker using a simple combination of Google Sheets and a customized habit tracker template to monitor my learning and productivity.

The Game Changer:

At first, I thought time management was just about making a to-do list. But I quickly realized that productivity isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right things efficiently. Before implementing time-blocking, I would spend hours firefighting bugs leaving no time for meaningful deep work. Once I dedicated specific slots for different tasks, my efficiency skyrocketed.

The Struggle With Letting Go:

I’ve lost count of the times I kept hammering away at an issue for hours, convinced that I was just one step away from solving it—only to make zero progress.

It took me a long time to accept that sometimes, the best thing you can do is step away. I’ve had bugs that seemed unsolvable, only to find the solution instantly after a good night’s sleep or a break. Our brains need time to process problems in the background. Taking breaks, switching contexts, or even sleeping on a problem can often lead to that much-needed Eureka! moment.

Making Time for Upskilling:

In tech, if you're not learning, you're falling behind. But between deadlines and meetings, it’s easy to push learning to the back burner. That’s why I started blocking dedicated learning time every week. Whether it was reading articles, taking online courses, or working on side projects, this time ensured I stayed ahead without feeling guilty about it.

3. Documenting My Work

Early in my career, I underestimated the importance of documentation. I thought my code should "speak for itself." But as projects scaled and teams changed, I realized that good documentation is just as important as good code.

How I Improved:

• I started writing detailed documentation for every project, covering everything from initial ideas to final implementation.

• I began maintaining a personal knowledge base of solutions, debugging steps, and technical notes.

• I started writing technical blogs, which helped me articulate my work clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

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Recently, our team had to hand over five years' worth of work to a new team due to an organizational restructure. Long story short, our team was retained by our org leader as we had delivered some of the best projects within our organization. But the new changes required all the customer surveys at a single place, to be managed within a single organization, which is why the restructure took place.

Without proper documentation, this handover would have been a nightmare. Fortunately, our extensive documentation on Confluence and personal drives saved us. It ensured a smooth transition, preventing the loss of critical knowledge.

We had years of bug fixes, optimizations, and feature enhancements that were scattered across multiple repositories. Because we had maintained detailed documentation—from system architecture diagrams to deployment guides—the new team could onboard quickly without breaking existing functionality. From that experience, I learned that documenting my work is not just for others—it’s for my future self too.

4. Cross Collaboration

Collaboration isn’t just about working with your immediate team—it extends across the entire organization. In the early days, I stuck to my team and rarely interacted with developers outside my project. Over time, I realized that some of the best learning experiences came from cross-functional collaboration.

How I Improved:

• I started asking questions on company-wide team channels instead of struggling alone.

• I participated in code reviews and actively gave and received feedback.

• I worked with designers, data scientists, behavioral scientists, and product managers, learning from their expertise.

  
  

A Game-Changing Experience:

Working with different teams helped me understand how technology fits into the bigger picture. A front-end tweak might impact user engagement. A backend optimization could reduce infrastructure costs. The more I collaborated, the more I saw my code in a broader context. 

Cross-team collaboration made me a better coder, a better teammate, and a better problem solver.

5. Taking Initiative & Ownership

Early in my career, I stuck to my assigned tasks and waited for instructions. But I soon realized that developers who take initiative stand out.

How I Improved:

• I started mentoring junior developers, helping them debug issues and navigate projects.

• I proactively took ownership of features, instead of waiting for someone to assign them to me.

• I made decisions confidently, even in uncertain situations.

Impact:

Taking ownership made me more valuable to my team and visible to leadership. Now, I don’t just complete tasks—I drive projects forward, making me a trusted developer in my organization.