The Developer Skill Tree: Growing Beyond the Code

Being great at JavaScript gets you in the room, but soft skills determine how far you grow once you’re there. In fast-paced, collaborative environments, developers are expected to write excellent code and navigate communication, feedback, conflict, and change. But we rarely get formal training on how to do that well. In this talk, we’ll explore the most underrated branches of the developer skill tree, empathy, communication, and adaptability, and how strengthening them can level up your impact, your team dynamics, and your career. You’ll walk away with practical strategies for having better 1:1s, asking smarter questions, staying flexible when requirements shift, and building a reputation as someone who makes teams better, not just codebases. Whether you're mentoring, contributing to open source, or navigating your next role, this talk will give you the tools to grow in the places your IDE can’t see.