As a team lead, I was tasked with managing a team of engineers building a product according to the sponsor's wishes, despite the team's skepticism. To keep the team motivated, I asked the sponsor to set clear objectives, answered all questions, and encouraged the team to document their work. I also took the blame for delays to protect the team from disciplinary action. Ultimately, I learned that it is important to set objectives, explain the value of the work, and not overload the team.

Plato

Pooria Kaviani

SVP at Cafe Bazaar

Building a Startup Within a Large Corporation

This article discusses the steps taken by a large corporation to set up a startup within its organization. The corporation identified two main sets of activities to set up for success: defining a business model and attracting the top talent. The business model was based on the company's strengths and weaknesses, and the talent was sourced from universities and a high school teacher's network. The company sought risk-takers who were willing to experiment with new technologies and embrace a fast-fail startup mentality.

Plato

Chien Kuo

Sr Director of Engineering at Oscar Health

Why One-On-One Conversations Are Important and How to Make Them Efficient

One-on-one meetings are an effective way of communication between managers and their direct reports. Managers should come prepared and set a framework for the meeting, beginning with a positive note and asking how far the direct report has come with their goals. Additionally, managers should understand their team members' needs and what makes them happy to get the total productivity of the group.

Plato

Damian Schenkelman

Principal Engineer at Auth0

Balancing Multiple Assignments: Determine What Is "Important" in Each of Them

As a senior engineer, the author was tasked with leading a large initiative while managing their regular day-to-day responsibilities. To ensure the success of the project, the author identified the skills and competencies of the team members, identified the critical things to get right, and worked closely with the Product Manager. The author also selectively attended meetings and worked on writing the design doc and reviewing the implementation. Through this process, the author learned to prioritize their time and be available for the team, while also ensuring that the most complex parts of the project were solved correctly.

Plato

Giorgos Ampavis

VP of Engineering at Tide

Being a Manager Who Can Retain People

Many managers think they are great leaders, but people on their teams are leaving and those who stay are unhappy and unproductive. A good manager should create a working environment that encourages their team members to contribute and thrive. This can be done by recognizing that every engineer is an individual with different needs, establishing a personal and caring approach, being transparent, building trust, leading by example, understanding people's limitations, and having a vision. Retention should be taken as seriously as hiring, and proactive action should be taken at the slightest notion of churn.

Plato

Naveen Veeravalli

Engineering Manager at Uber

A Lack of Clear Vision and the Team Morale

A team had built an in-house product that was launched globally, but had insufficient global coverage and quality issues. An external company released a third-party solution that could replace the in-house product, and the team feared they would be downsized or disbanded. The manager had to balance between what was best for the team and the company, and ultimately decided on a hybrid solution that combined the best of both worlds. The team was encouraged to think from a customer perspective, and transparency and trust were key to motivating the team to work on improvements.

Plato

Arzumy MD

CTO at Fave

Leading as an Introvert

An introverted engineer found himself in a new role as CTO, having to talk more often to people outside his team. He focused on one-on-one conversations to build relationships and channeled his energy by taking breaks between meetings. He learned that awkward conversations will be awkward until they are not anymore and that his main strength as an introvert is his thinking. As a leader, he should acknowledge that everyone can have something to say and provide them with the encouragement and opportunity to speak up.

Plato

Praveen Cheruvu

Engineering Leadership at Anaplan

Mindsets of High Performance team

High performing teams prioritize team interest over self interest, hold each other accountable for behaviors and delivery commitments, and acquire and use the right set of skills. They are open to different viewpoints, accountable for results and behaviors, and don't triangulate or accuse. They depersonalize feedback, structure decision making, and are on time. These eleven behavioral attributes create a culture of accountability and team first mentality that leads to success.

Plato

Who to follow

Jose Ciccio

Sr. Engineering Manager | Software Engineering Lead | Game Developer | University Teacher

Kyle Lamy

ex-RedHat | Engineering Leader | Mentor

Anand Safi

Senior Engineering Leader | Board Member & Mentor | CREA Global Award Recipient | 10x Manager/ Leader of the Year Award 2023

Shannon Vettes

My >20yrs in product and tech have created enough trial-by-fire experiences to fill several books.

Bala Muthiah

Startup Advisor | Founder | Non Profit Board Member | Speaker

Kent Wills

10+ years leading high performing, cross functional groups

Connect and Learn with the Best Eng Leaders

We will send you a weekly newsletter with new mentors, circles, peer groups, content, webinars,bounties and free events.

Latest Stories

Daniel Woolfson

Senior Engineering Manager at The Engineer Experience

Achieving "Peak Collaboration" in outcome oriented Engineering Teams

This article discusses the challenges of achieving "Peak Collaboration" in outcome-oriented engineering teams. The conversation between two engineers highlights the struggle of balancing collaboration and individual/team outcomes in a results-driven culture. The importance of collaboration is acknowledged, with an emphasis on breaking down silos and sharing knowledge and resources. The engineers also discuss the need to find a balance between collaboration and the company's focus on 100% utilization. Different leadership styles and the impact of the company's functional structure on collaboration are explored. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of finding a balance and considering the potential for a middle interface layer between a group think approach and an outcome-based culture.

Plato

Limor Bergman Gross

Executive Coach at LBG Consulting Service Ltd

Building Trust and Credibility in Remote Engineering Teams

In today's remote work environment, it is crucial to build trust and credibility within engineering teams. This can be achieved through strategies such as building relationships, promoting transparency, embracing vulnerability, maintaining consistency, and practicing effective communication. Building personal connections, being open and honest, sharing failures, keeping commitments, and fostering clear and transparent communication are all essential for creating a culture of trust and credibility within remote engineering teams.

Plato

Limor Bergman Gross

Executive Coach at LBG Consulting Service Ltd

Managing Team Tensions: Strategies for Engineering Leaders

This article explores effective strategies for engineering leaders to address and resolve conflicts among team members. Using a real-life scenario as a case study, the article highlights the tension between two senior staff engineers, Daniel and Sean, who have different approaches to a project. The goal is to find a way to utilize both of their strengths and align their approaches to ensure the success of the project. The article suggests understanding the situation, identifying the conflict, leveraging different perspectives, mediating the discussion, encouraging collaboration, involving distinguished engineers if necessary, leading by influence, and dealing with defensive reactions. By following these strategies, engineering leaders can manage team tensions and create a more productive work environment.

Plato

Limor Bergman Gross

Executive Coach at LBG Consulting Service Ltd

Navigating the Challenges of Transitioning to an Engineering Manager Role

Transitioning to an engineering manager role comes with its own set of challenges, but by being strategic, building relationships, and advocating for oneself, success can be achieved. It is important to proactively plan one's career and advocate for personal growth and development. Building relationships with key stakeholders and finding allies within the organization can greatly help in advocating for oneself and influencing change. Understanding the motivations of others and aligning interests can also aid in gaining support for ideas. If promotion opportunities are limited, focusing on expanding responsibilities and taking on more challenging tasks can showcase potential for future growth. Seeking out mentors within the organization can provide guidance and support throughout the career transition process. Overall, being proactive, building relationships, and advocating for oneself are key to navigating the challenges of transitioning to an engineering manager role.

Plato

Hakim Hanif

Sr Software Engineer at Amazon Web Services

Top 7 software bloggers to follow

This blog highlights the top 7 bloggers in the field of software engineering and product development. These bloggers provide valuable insights and ideas on software design, processes, and methodologies. The list includes Martin Fowler, known for his expertise in software patterns; Kent Beck, the creator of Extreme Programming and Test Driven Development; Paul Graham, co-founder of Y Combinator and an expert on startups and entrepreneurship; Jeff Atwood, co-founder of Stack Overflow; Andy Hunt, founder of the Pragmatic Programmer series; Joel Spolsky, a blogger who offers both sensible and surprising perspectives; and Steve Yegge, known for his entertaining content. Following these bloggers can help software engineers improve their skills and gain knowledge from the best in the field.

Plato

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