Laurent Parenteau

The Tragic Tale of King Han: The Consequences of Ignored Counsel

Mar, 2024

Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Wisdom Peak, there reigned a king known for his wisdom and prudence. This king, by the name of Han, dwelled in a magnificent palace nestled atop the tallest mountain in the realm. To reach his palace, one had to navigate a treacherous path that wound its way up the steep slopes.

Accompanying King Han on his journey were his two trusted advisors: the elder sage, Master Li, and the younger scholar, Apprentice Zhou. As they began their ascent, …

Decoding Success and Failure: A Rational Approach

Nov, 2023

In the ever-evolving world of software engineering, we are often presented with the challenge of assessing successes and failures. When evaluating our own performance, we frequently attribute our successes to our skills and our failures to bad luck. However, when it comes to evaluating the results of our competitors, the tendency is quite the opposite: we tend to ascribe their failures to a lack of skill and their successes to sheer luck. These cognitive biases significantly …

Embracing the Grey: A Probabilistic Approach to Engineering Decision-Making

Oct, 2023

I’ve seen my fair share of successes and failures in the world of technology. Throughout the years, I’ve come across various approaches to decision-making and problem-solving, each with its own set of principles and methodologies. However, one idea that recently struck a chord with me is the concept of “thinking in bets” as outlined by Annie Duke in her book of the same name.

I’d like to explore how this concept can revolutionize the way we make …

Leadership Lessons from Parenting

May, 2019

Learning comes from all activities, and interacting with children actually teach you many great lessons applicable to leadership. Or is it the other way around? That’s a debate for another day. Whether you have kids or not, those lessons are relevant for anyone in a leadership position or looking for it.

When you say you’ll do something, do it.

Best way to gain trust, respect and credibility is to do what you’ve told you’ll do. Even if it’s a small thing, or you think it …