Running an engineering organization is not simple or easy. Even experienced leaders can find it overwhelming, stressful, or taxing. However, we sometimes make it even harder on ourselves than it has to be. Thatâs because we donât get help. How many times have you helped a struggling engineer get better by learning how to ask […]
Leading an engineering team comes with lots of decisions. Those concerning the structure of the team and the people in it are usually the most challenging: they concern people we care about, arenât easy to undo, and can be costly. You might be spending too much time on these, looking for the right answer, or […]
Some of the best leaders Iâve worked with told me theyâve spent years observing things in their work. As part of their growth, they were mindful and took notes. Specifically, notes of the kind of âthings not to do when Iâm in charge.â I realized that I have a few good examples to share. Letâs […]
Many engineering organizations find it challenging to keep delivering value faster as they grow and mature. Some people take that for granted. I object. There are common pitfalls that we can learn to notice. One is the utter lack of focus, especially across the organization. When the team doesnât know what itâs trying to achieve, […]
How much of your current work life is something that you can genuinely describe as being purposeful? Can you honestly say that what you are doing is the right thing for you and that you are fulfilling yourself? This isnât about woo-woo career advice but about the importance of not wasting the most precious asset […]
Continuing on the thread of local maxima in careers, I realized that people donât consider their growth in relation to the organization around them. Growth is relative. You might be constantly growing and learning, but if youâre falling behind and not adapting as fast as the company needs you toâyouâre not doing well enough. Are […]
As with any craft, itâs healthy and expected to consider from time to time how good you actually are in your role. I vividly remember the first couple of times when I received such feedback. Two people who were my seniors told me I was doing great or better than expected, and the moments are […]
You know those engineers who, in the name of preferring âbest practices,â copy things automatically? You can probably spot that going on in your teams and avoid people implementing the same infrastructure and processes that work for a Fortune 100 company but would cripple your startup. Great. How about when youâre doing the equivalent as […]
Thereâs not a week that goes by without an executive or leader who tells me about a very unpleasant situation. They feel like the company they joined doesnât (or no longer) match their preferences, habits, culture, etc. Sometimes this comes as an immediate revelation after joining a company, other times you realize it after months […]
Youâve heard the adage about some people having ten years of experience, whereas others have the same year repeated ten times. Regular growth is easier to do as an individual contributor, but how do you maximize your growth as a leader? How can you accelerate your âseniorificationâ? Letâs consider deliberate practice for leaders. Experience Basics […]