# index.html.md # Concepts Ideas I refer to and appreciate: * [Cheeseburger Ethics](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-01-17-09:02.html) - some things are bad, without it being a big deal - it’s still good to try to do them less, but you shouldn’t consider yourself morally obliged to eliminate them entirely * [The Galahad Principle](https://notes.jml.io/posts/2019-10-31-07:48.html) - sometimes getting to 100% yields disproportionate value over being at 99% * [The Starfish Principle](https://blog.doismellburning.co.uk/the-starfish-principle-every-little-bit-helps/) - every little bit helps, and while you may barely make a dent in something on a macro level, you can still have a huge impact for some individuals * [Universal Greeting Time](http://www.total-knowledge.com/~ilya/mips/ugt.html) - it’s always morning when someone says hello online, and always late night when they leave - instead of spending time figuring out what time it is for someone, you can now spend time explaining Universal Greeting Time instead * [Goodhart’s Law Isn’t as Useful as You Might Think](https://commoncog.com/goodharts-law-not-useful/) - Goodhart’s law (“when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure”) is pithy but overly simple - when people are pressured to meet a target, they can work to improve the system, or distort the system or data - you need to make things hard to distort, and give people space to improve the system. * [The Cube Rule of Food](https://cuberule.com/) - food can be classified based on the location of structural starch # index.html.md # Office Hours I’m offering open weekly “Office Hours”, for anyone who thinks talking to me could help them. These will be sessions of 30 minutes up to an hour over Google Meet, where I’ll try to answer your questions and/or offer coaching, feedback, or whatever else might be of assistance. ## Why am I doing this? Shameless self interest: I really enjoy helping people. I’m taking a break between jobs right now and it’s great, but I’ve got a bit of time while our 2yo is at nursery and I wanted to use it to help other folks. I’ve also just benefitted a lot from talking with other people over the years and want to pay it forwards! ## What sort of things? Try me? I’m a lapsed software engineer who has spent the last decade growing and running internationally-distributed tech organisations, so I have opinions on feedback, career growth, hiring processes, architecture, etc - and some of that will probably still be useful even if you’re not in tech. But I’ve also helped run conferences, trusteed a charity, done security research and hardware hacking, managed GDPR and PCI compliance and audits and more. I don’t necessarily know how I can help but I’m certainly willing to try! ## How to sign up? Drop me an email at `officehours@d*is****b******.co.uk` with a few sentences on what you’d like to talk about, and if I think I can be of assistance then we’ll get something scheduled. **If you’re currently unemployed and actively job hunting and think I can help with CV/interview feedback or similar then I especially encourage you to get in touch and will prioritise you - I’m conscious that there’s a bunch of folks who’ve been on the receiving end of layoffs etc. recently and are looking for their next thing ASAP** ## Thanks [Thanks to Robert Heaton for the prompt and a bunch of wording and framing inspiration](https://robertheaton.com/2019/12/05/why-i-have-office-hours-and-you-should-too/). # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Aider > Aider lets you pair program with LLMs, to edit code in your local git repository. Start a new project or work with an existing code base. > [https://aider.chat/](https://aider.chat/) Thanks to [Mark Wotton](http://shimweasel.com/)’s recommendation, I’ve been playing around a bunch with Aider - “AI pair programming in your terminal” - using Anthropic’s Claude as a backend. So far I’m impressed. In [Drew Breunig’s model of AI use cases (gods, interns, and cogs)](https://www.dbreunig.com/2024/10/18/the-3-ai-use-cases-gods-interns-and-cogs.html) it’s an intern, but it’s a pretty good one at that. And that makes it a hugely powerful partner. I’ve been building user-facing production software for about 20 years now, I like to think of myself as a reasonably proficient software engineer. But I’ve also spent the last 10 years in management and leadership roles, where the only code I’ve actually written myself has been for personal or professional side-projects. So there are areas where I’m rusty - I’ve lost track of the latest way to write an `__init__` method in modern Python, or the right syntax for labelling a form field in HTML. I can go look them up, but Aider (plus good linting and testing setups) takes so much of the effort away, so I can focus on what matters. It gets things wrong, but the things it gets wrong tend to be higher-level conceptual issues - problems with the approach, rather than details of the code itself. For example, forms that `GET` when they should `POST`, HTTP status codes that don’t quite represent the right meaning, etc. And these are the things that I can easily notice and fix - they’re fundamental (if sometimes subtle) pieces of knowledge about the systems as a whole. It’s not “writing code for me”, but it has been a huge force-multiplier on the code I’ve used it with. ## Concerns I have some concerns. They’re general AI-usage-shaped ones, rather than specific to Aider, but this is the primary place I’ve actually had to face them. They concern me enough to want to mention them alongside my recommendation, but not enough to make me want to stop using it. ### Training Data I’m concerned about the training data used, the appropriateness of the usage, and the ethics of using the output of that. But I trust Anthropic to do reasonable and sensible things, even if I’ve not got much more than vibes (not entirely baselessly - they do seem to be the most thoughtful of the big players, e.g. [https://privacy.anthropic.com/en/articles/10023555-how-do-you-use-personal-data-in-model-training](https://privacy.anthropic.com/en/articles/10023555-how-do-you-use-personal-data-in-model-training)), and [this doesn’t feel materially ethically worse than eating a cheeseburger](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-01-17-09:02.html) - not necessarily great, but not fundamentally terrible. ### Skill Atrophy I’m concerned it might be making my development skills atrophy, as I rely on it to handle things for me. But just as I’m ok with the iOS Contacts app meaning I have no memory for phone numbers any more, or Google Maps meaning I never improved my terrible sense of geography, I think this is a tradeoff I’m happy to make. (Plus arguably those skills were decaying a little for me already…) ## Config My Aider config is simple - at the time of writing it’s as below (live version at [https://github.com/doismellburning/dotfiles/blob/master/aider/aider.conf.yml.symlink](https://github.com/doismellburning/dotfiles/blob/master/aider/aider.conf.yml.symlink)): ```yaml architect: true # Run in architect mode - propose solutions but ask me before doing anything auto-commits: false # Don't commit for me - I want to tidy things first lint-cmd: make fix # Use my conventional setup for code cleanup tools test-cmd: make test # Use my conventional setup for running tests ``` I generally try not to customise things too heavily, and with Aider I really didn’t feel much need. ## Backends I use Aider with Claude Sonnet because I like Anthropic and because Claude worked well for me. Note that you’ll need [Anthropic API credits, which aren’t the same as Claude Pro](https://support.anthropic.com/en/articles/9876003-i-subscribe-to-claude-pro-why-do-i-have-to-pay-separately-for-api-usage-on-console). I’ve known folks use it fine with OpenAI o1 and DeepSeek R1. My brief experiments with local models didn’t go so well. ## So I like Aider, I expect to continue using it, and if you know what you’re doing, I recommend giving it a try. # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Art We have a bunch of beautiful artwork at home, and I wanted to catalog it. ## “High Kickin’” by Gary Hodges High Kickin’ ## “Balancing Act” by Gary Hodges Balancing Act ## “Tiny Hippo And The Tiny Train” by Reza Farazmand [https://poorlydrawnlines.com/comic/tiny-hippo-and-the-tiny-train/](https://poorlydrawnlines.com/comic/tiny-hippo-and-the-tiny-train/) Tiny Hippo And The Tiny Train ## “Jackass Penguin Group” by Gary Hodges Jackass Penguin Group ## “Her Majesty’s Theatre” by Peter Hannah [https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PeterHannahArt](https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PeterHannahArt) Untitled ## “Emperor Penguins” by Gary Hodges Emperor Penguins ## “Swimming Polar Bear” by Gary Hodges Swimming Polar Bear ## “Tropical Slumber” by Gary Hodges Tropical Slumber ## Untitled Fish by Unknown Untitled ## “God Rest You Little Porcupine” by Chicken Scratch [https://www.chickenscratch.co.uk/shop/god-rest-you-little-porcupine-print](https://www.chickenscratch.co.uk/shop/god-rest-you-little-porcupine-print) Untitled ## “Preening Partners” by Gary Hodges Preening Partners ## “Polar Bears” by Gary Hodges Polar Bears ## Unknown Lakehouse by Unknown Untitled ## “Tweet, tweet, tweet” by Kathryn Callaghan Bought on our wedding day from the art gallery on King’s Parade, Cambridge [https://irishartplus.com/products/tweet-tweet-tweet](https://irishartplus.com/products/tweet-tweet-tweet) Tweet, tweet, tweet ## “Sleepyhead” by Gary Hodges Sleepyhead ## “The Winnies” by A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard Including quotes I used in my wedding vows Untitled Untitled Untitled Untitled # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Factorio The Factory Must Grow Currently I’m in the middle of a fun Space Exploration run, though that’s on a slightly-enforced hiatus because SE doesn’t run on the latest Factorio release, and while I could roll back, a break is probably no bad thing… ## General [https://www.factorio.school/](https://www.factorio.school/) ## Space Exploration [https://spaceexploration.miraheze.org/wiki/Main_Page](https://spaceexploration.miraheze.org/wiki/Main_Page) * [Space Exploration - Compact Tileable Core Processing v1.0](https://factorioprints.com/view/-NKiitLoRCmNn5RJ5rtK) * [Space Exploration - All Inserters](https://factorioprints.com/view/-NDGQrho_vXEOu2Jn1I-) * [Paul’s Complete Space Exploration Compendium](https://factorioprints.com/view/-NFgIBhjyU6kZqvtX-7M) * [Space Exploration Early BP Book](https://factorioprints.com/view/-LoHWqGBTpKPrH0r_KVV) ## Misc * [Factorio Learning Environment](https://jackhopkins.github.io/factorio-learning-environment/) # index.html.md # Dota [https://blog.doismellburning.co.uk/och-spelar-lite-dota/](https://blog.doismellburning.co.uk/och-spelar-lite-dota/) I played original DotA a little bit after hearing about it through [Basshunter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi_sitter_i_Ventrilo_och_spelar_DotA), though I was terrible at it. I’m far from great at [Dota 2](https://www.dota2.com/home), but I’ve been playing it since the beta and really enjoy it. * [DoISmellBurning on Dotabuff](https://www.dotabuff.com/players/14812871) # index.html.md # Minecraft * [https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/681186942267883520/minecraft-post-scarcity-survival-multiplayer](https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/681186942267883520/minecraft-post-scarcity-survival-multiplayer) * [https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/681690287567945729/minecraft-why-composters-on-top-of-hoppers-are](https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/681690287567945729/minecraft-why-composters-on-top-of-hoppers-are) * [https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/682991746498560000/minecraft-the-dirt-yurt-our-first-silo](https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/682991746498560000/minecraft-the-dirt-yurt-our-first-silo) * [https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/682996716817055744/minecraft-ikea-interior-design-builds](https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/682996716817055744/minecraft-ikea-interior-design-builds) * [https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/693934344858992640/minecraft-mr-pointy](https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/693934344858992640/minecraft-mr-pointy) ## Mods I play a vanilla game, *but* I’m a big fan of quality-of-life / tooling mods, though I find the lack of native mod support frustrating and tedious, with every version update needing a bunch of manual faff. I use: * [Litematica](https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/litematica) > * Super helpful when building (or scaling) farms! * [MiniHUD](https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/minihud) > * I love having a bit more info on the screen - `F3` is a bit too detailed, but MiniHUD gives me what I need > * The Light Level overlay is also super useful because I play in Survival - helps spot any bits I missed! * [Inventory Profiles Next](https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/inventory-profiles-next) > * I feel like I only use a small part of this, but it’s great for sorting and grouping the contents of chests, and making sure my tools are auto-replaced and that I’m warned when they’re near breaking # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Skyrim ## House Comparison I love a good home base. [https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Houses](https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Houses) is a great and detailed overview, but I have my own assessment criteria: * Travellable? Can you fast travel to it directly (e.g. Tundra Homestead) or is it “travel and walk” * All in one? Are all the amenities in one location or do you have to move between them, incurring loading screens and times etc. * Ease of acquisition? Do you just hand over some gold, or is there a quest to complete, or lots of gathering and building? * Displays? Can you show off all the fancy gear you’ve looted or is it just going to sit in a Safe? (TODO Write up paper notes) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Technical Debt I have a lot of feelings about this term. In short, I think it’s an incredibly loaded term with a huge range of interpretations and understandings, which can make it dangerous to use. But it’s a valuable concept, and comes up a lot. ## Metrics and categories and approaches * [A Taxonomy of Tech Debt](https://engineering.riotgames.com/news/taxonomy-tech-debt) > * Identifies three metrics - “impact”, “fix cost”, and “contagion” - for better evaluation > * Identifies four non-exhaustive categories - “local debt” (a well-contained hack), “MacGyver debt” (two distinct systems bodged together), “foundational debt” (historical decisions you’re tied to that don’t really make sense today), and “data debt” (I struggle to summarise this well, but essentially the kind of issues that come from historical decisions around data and algorithms and meaning) * [Anything But Tech Debt | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/anything-but-tech-debt) > * Calls out that “tech debt” could mean any one of a large number of things, and amount to more than two thirds of the types of work an engineer might touch > * Points out that if you’re struggling to negotiate time for “technical debt”, improving how you communicate and talk about it could help * [As a metaphor and practice, technical debt is holding us back](https://computersandpeople.com/technical-debt-is-holding-us-back/) * [How Google Measures and Manages Tech Debt](https://newsletter.techworld-with-milan.com/p/how-google-measures-and-manages-tech) > * Categories (“Migration needed or in progress”, “Poor or missing documentation”, “Inadequate testing”, “Bad code quality”, “Dead code”, “Code degradation”, “Knowledge gaps”, “Problematic dependencies”, “Failed migrations”, “Outdated release process”) > * Found that “No metric predicted engineer-reported technical debt” > * Tech Debt Maturity Model (“Reactive”, “Proactive”, “Strategic”, “Structural”) > * Balance, practical takeaways, and culture * [If you want to address tech debt, quantify it first - Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.blog/2023/08/24/if-you-want-to-address-tech-debt-quantify-it-first/) * [Your software is rotting | Terminal](https://terminal.ahumanfuture.co/posts/2025-04-19/your-software-is-rotting/) * [Ingineering.IT — DevOps, Technical Debt, and Adaptive Organizations](https://web.archive.org/web/20160418235955/https://blog.ingineering.it/post/21311393348/tech-debt) * [On technical debt](https://medium.com/@MostlyHarmlessD/on-technical-debt-7bac65edf349) > * Covers a number of impacts (“Time is wasted”, “Estimates are less reliable”, “It gets worse”, “It’s boring and frustrating”) > * Provides assorted approaches for addressing it (“Just accept it and move on”, “Be strict”, “Borrow responsibly”) * [Stop saying “technical debt”](https://stackoverflow.blog/2023/12/27/stop-saying-technical-debt/) * [Tech debt - the plague of digital businesses that never seems to go away - part 1 | CTO Craft](https://ctocraft.com/blog/tech-debt-the-plague-of-digital-businesses-that-never-seems-to-go-away-part-1/) * [Tech debt is not a burden, it’s a strategic lever for success — Reforge](https://www.reforge.com/blog/managing-tech-debt) > * In a similar vein to “not all debt is bad debt”, dives into nuance > * Identifies six types of “technical debt” (“Maintenance”, “Developer Efficiency”, “Stability”, “Security”, “Technical Product”, “Decision”) > * Provides suggestions for sizing and prioritising and leveraging * [Technical debt: Can investing in it unlock 2x team impact?](https://unferled.substack.com/p/can-investing-technical-debt-2x-team-impact) > * [Betteridge might say no](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge's_law_of_headlines) but this piece actually says “maybe” > * Calls out the problems of the term, and the value of prioritisation and evaluation * [Technical Debt: How much is a good thing? | CTO Craft](https://ctocraft.com/blog/technical-debt-how-much-is-a-good-thing/) * [Towards an understanding of technical debt](https://kellanem.com/notes/towards-an-understanding-of-technical-debt) > * Identifies five (non-exhaustive) categories (“Maintenance work”, “Features of the codebase that resist change”, “Operability choices that resist change”, “Code choices that suck the will to live”, “Dependencies that resist upgrading”) * [What is Technical Debt?](https://lauratacho.com/blog/what-is-technical-debt) ## Financial Analogies Lots of folks like to lean in to the “debt” part to varying degrees: * [Bad code isn’t Technical Debt, it’s an unhedged Call Option](https://higherorderlogic.com/programming/2023/10/06/bad-code-isnt-technical-debt-its-an-unhedged-call-option.html) * [Similarities Between Tech Debt and ‘Money’ Debt](https://marcgg.com/blog/2025/02/20/tech-debt/) > * (“Allows you to move faster”, “You have to pay it back”, “It costs more to reimburse”, “Left unchecked, it can be disastrous”, “There are cases where you shouldn’t do it”, “Limits your ability to seize new opportunities”) * [Tech debt metaphor maximalism - apenwarr](https://apenwarr.ca/log/20230605#) ## Other Debts Adjacent to “technical debt”, there’s also: * [Conceptual Debt is Worse than Technical Debt](https://medium.com/@nicolaerusan/conceptual-debt-is-worse-than-technical-debt-5b65a910fd46) > * Others would call this simply another type of technical debt, but there’s value in discussing it with specificity * [How to Address Tech Debt vs. Product Debt vs. Business Debt | by Julius Uy | Big O(n) Development | Medium](https://medium.com/big-on-development/how-to-address-tech-debt-vs-product-debt-vs-business-debt-42d43d5f768c) * [Intellectual debt](http://blog.ucant.org/?p=519) * [Management Debt | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2023/01/12/management-debt.html) * [Start-ups and Emotional Debt](http://www.evanmiller.org/start-ups-and-emotional-debt.html) ## See Also * [Justin Blank’s Characterizing Tech Debt](https://justinblank.com/notebooks/characterizingtechdebt.html) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # 2025-07-23 \_FORTIFY_SOURCE Published on *2025-07-23* As a software engineer and operator, I really like it when computers automagically help me find problems. But sometimes it can be a bit surprising when you’re not expecting it, and when it’s not clear that has happened! [I’m currently porting a ~50kloc codebase from C to Go](https://github.com/doismellburning/samoyed). It’s a great piece of software, but it’s a little light on automated testing and test infrastructure. [When porting a recent set of tests](https://github.com/doismellburning/samoyed/pull/72), everything was absolutely fine on my local machine, but my GitHub Actions tests failed with a slightly enigmatic `*** buffer overflow detected ***: terminated`. Unfortunately, searching online for that message led to a series of false leads, until I finally discovered `_FORTIFY_SOURCE`! From [https://www.gnu.org/software/libc/manual/html_node/Source-Fortification.html](https://www.gnu.org/software/libc/manual/html_node/Source-Fortification.html): ```none When the _FORTIFY_SOURCE macro is defined, it enables code that validates inputs passed to some functions in the GNU C Library to determine if they are safe. [..] At runtime, if any of those safety checks fail, the program will terminate with a SIGABRT signal. ``` It turns out that [Ubuntu 24.04 LTS started using FORTIFY_SOURCE=3](https://ubuntu.com/blog/whats-new-in-security-for-ubuntu-24-04-lts) while [Debian is still using 2](https://wiki.debian.org/Hardening#DEB_BUILD_HARDENING_FORTIFY_.28gcc.2Fg.2B-.2B-_-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE.3D2.29). And my local machine (where I saw no issue) runs Debian, while my GitHub Actions run on Ubuntu latest. Digging into the traceback led me to some slightly suspicious-looking C code that was called by some of the code I’d ported: ```c strlcpy (suffix, "000", 5); // TODO: should have proper size ``` and indeed, it turned out what was being passed as `suffix` was: ```c char digit_suffix[3+1]; /* Suffix abbreviation as 3 digits. */ ``` So although the hardcoded string being passed was only 4 bytes (length 3 plus terminating null) and would fit, giving `strlcpy` a `dstsize` of 5 and a `dst` of size 4 was enough to trigger the enhanced `_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3` checks. [One (somewhat inelegant, but adequate) patch later to pass a proper destination size](https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf/pull/582) and [all was resolved](https://github.com/doismellburning/samoyed/commit/1d69ab131ee91ab0ebd3e3134e913e0f46fa9df6)! It is nice to spend most of my time with languages where details like this are handled for me, but it’s great to learn about the evolving protections for when they’re not! # index.html.md # 2025-04-02 Mentoring vs Coaching Published on *2025-04-02* I think mentoring is valuable, I think coaching is valuable, and I think they’re two different things, though I often see them conflated. Roughly put, I’d say: - Mentoring - “I’ve done Things Like This before, let me share my experience and knowledge and thoughts” - Coaching - “I see you’re trying to do a Thing, let me help you work through that with questions and reflections and facilitation” That is, you need to have relevant experience in the area to *mentor* someone on it, whereas anyone basically competent can coach. And I absolutely do not mean to be dismissive or downplay anything there - being a *good* coach is a real skill and I’ve had the fortune to know and work with some truly fantastic coaches. But I think you could pluck a random person off the street and give them a print-out of [the GROW model](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GROW_model) and they could help someone, because coaching is primarily about the person being coached, while mentoring is about both mentee and mentor and requires that the mentor have at least *some* relevant experience. In a more concrete example - I expect Engineering Managers in my organisation to act as *coaches* for Engineers reporting to them, but I don’t expect them to act as *mentors* - this is where other (usually senior) Engineers come in. And this comes from me not expecting Engineering Managers to be Engineers - I expect them to be *technical*, just not necessarily actually engineers (former or otherwise) - hence I don’t expect them to necessarily be in a position to mentor another engineer. ## So [Language prescriptivism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistic_prescription) has its problems and I’m certainly not trying to claim this as some universal truth - but I think folks who conflate the two terms aren’t necessarily doing so consciously or knowingly. I think both techniques are valuable, and maintaining a clear distinction avoids losing sight of one or both. # index.html.md # 2025-04-02 Data Informed, not Data Driven Published on *2025-04-02* I really dislike the phrase “data driven”. I want **people** “driving” - I want them making the key decisions that move things forwards. And I want those people to be **informed** by data - where they can be, and where it makes sense. But the most meaningful decisions involve unknowns, and ultimately someone needs to make a call. And equipping them with data is valuable, but ultimately it’s down to them, and I want to use a term that reflects that. I want data to **inform** actions, not to drive them. (In my more cynical moments I think some folks use “data driven” as a kind of [accountability sink](https://aworkinglibrary.com/writing/accountability-sinks) - “It’s not my fault, the data said so”) ## See Also

Always seek data; never act on data alone. Because not looking at the data is just ignorance, but believing that all important things are in the data, or that the data are measuring what you think they're measuring, is also folly.

— Jason Cohen (@asmartbear.com) 3 April 2025 at 23:07
# index.html.md # 2025-04-18 “Process” is not a dirty word Published on *2025-04-18* I run into a lot of folks who have a very negative reaction to the term “process”. I think that’s a very legitimate response to experience of Bad Process, and there’s a lot of Bad Process out there. But I think there’s also a lot of Good Process and that’s under-represented and Good Process can be hugely valuable. [If by “Process” you mean](https://blog.doismellburning.co.uk/if-by-whiskey/) long rigid documents that are tedious to read, tedious to follow, often just aren’t read or followed at all, bear little resemblance to reality, or are used as a stick to punish folks? Yeah that’s Bad Process and it can get in the sea. [If by “Process” you mean](https://blog.doismellburning.co.uk/if-by-whiskey/) agreed-upon conventions that help folks be clear and consistent in their approaches, increase alignment, make things smoother and faster with shared understanding, help newcomers get up to speed faster, save folks from reinventing the wheel or working things out from first principles repeatedly, and help surface disagreements and gaps and misunderstandings? Gimme gimme gimme. And a lot of the time Bad Process is what gets called “process” while Good Process ends up as “agreements” or “ways of working” or a tonne of other names that obfuscate it slightly. I firmly believe that **Good Process will make things faster and smoother and easier and clearer** and shying away from anything “process” because you only think of Bad Process means giving up a lot of value. ## Avoiding Bad Process I think there’s so much Bad Process because it’s really easy to create. Some ways to avoid going wrong: ### Don’t try to cover every possibility It’s really tempting to want to get stuck in and try to define every scenario, every possibility, every exception. Don’t - start with what you’re clearest about, iterate from there. Fundamentally this increases the likelihood you’ll actually ship something - perfect is the enemy of good after all. But also by definition exceptions are exceptional - give people space and tools to work things out in the field as they need to. If something turns out to be a more common occurrence, sure, incorporate it later. ### Don’t go too deep If it’s important someone cuts the wires in colour order with number three cutters, say so. If someone just needs to cut the wires, just say that. There are places where it’s valuable to be consistent (often at interaction points), but there are places where it’s valuable to give folks space to act as they see fit. The deeper you go, the more possibilities you encounter - see “Don’t try to cover every possibility”. ### Involve stakeholders An all-too-common scenario is someone (usually with a title like “Manager”) goes away and Writes A Process but it’s for Other People to follow and so they hand it off and then the folks actually on the receiving end find it’s irrelevant or stifling or otherwise unhelpful. As with so many things, feedback loops are important, handoffs can be harmful. [The IKEA effect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA_effect) is real - people have more attachment to things they have a hand in - they’re more inclined to follow a process they helped create. ### Treat it as an ongoing living thing You will not get things right the first time, and even if you do, things change and evolve. If your policies aren’t updated to reflect changing realities, they’ll become stale and irrelevant, and people will begin to distrust and ignore them. Per the IKEA effect, this is another opportunity for folks to become attached and invested as they contribute to updates and changes. ### Understand that reality is messy Sometimes people won’t follow the process. There’s a whole host of reasons why, and it can be tempting to write this off as “laziness” or “human error”. But sometimes there’s an ongoing emergency, sometimes things didn’t go to plan, sometimes there’s circumstances the process didn’t envision, and sure sometimes people just simply forget stuff or get it wrong. Be clear about why the process says what it does. This is of the most important parts of documentation in general - context and understanding - see [https://blog.doismellburning.co.uk/document-all-the-things/](https://blog.doismellburning.co.uk/document-all-the-things/). If people miss something, enable them to understand the consequences. Maybe part of a process is safety critical, or has implications you might miss - the clearer this is, the better. If people need to adapt something, they can do so better the more they understand it. ## Creating Good Process There’s a lot to be said for just writing down the briefest version of what already happens / what you want to happen, and iterating on that - incremental improvement etc. ### Documenting Minimal Viable Process Several years ago, I was working with an organisation and wanted to bring in another contractor to help with some specific challenges they had. I had management approval, I knew someone good, they were well within the org’s budget, I thought this would be straightforward. The exact circumstances are a bit of a blur but roughly speaking I approached Legal first to get a head start on any potential contract issues - they told me I needed approval from HR first because this was a people topic, HR told me I needed to talk to Purchasing first because this was a purchasing engagement, and Purchasing told me I needed to get Legal’s signoff on the contract first. This was somewhat frustrating. And along the way, I got pointed at assorted process and policy documentation that generally seemed either outdated, irrelevant, or both. Ultimately it turned out there was a combination of some changed processes, misunderstandings about what I wanted, and general confusion, and I figured out the way forward. So then **I wrote down what I did** in a document called something like “My Process For Engaging A Contractor”. It was about five bullet points of “this is what I eventually did that worked for me”, with an introduction that was much longer and provided context and disclaimers, but **it helped the next person with the problem**. And they were able to improve it and help the next person after them. They had work to do to fill in the gaps, to figure out the answers to questions etc., but the process document gave them a framework and guidance and direction that got them to a solution much faster than if they’d had to figure it out from scratch. ## So I think it’s valuable to differentiate between Good Process and Bad Process, and I think Good Process is super valuable. I want folks to know that “process” can mean good things, and there’s value in investing in the right kind. ## See Also - [Jonathan Lange on process](https://notes.jml.io/2021-07-10-14-04/) # index.html.md # 2020-06-20 Capital Letters Considered Harmful Published on *2020-06-20* I have a theory that you can often tell scamminess/sincerity by whether someone is capitalising concepts and using them as Very Definite Terms or not. When you see people talking about lower-case-a “agile”, they’re often discussing the ideas in the original [agile manifesto](https://agilemanifesto.org/)- people over process, customer collaboration, responding to change. When people talk about capitalised “Agile” there’s all too often a rigid process (that they’re selling you) with certification (that they’re selling you) that will totally solve all your problems, honest guv. When you see people talking about lower-case “devops”, they’re often discussing breaking down silos, encouraging collaboration, empowering others to do things and achieving a common goal. When people talk about capitalised “DevOps” then all too often they mean “we bought this tool / renamed our sysadmins / fired our technical operations team / gave all the developers root”. Artificial Intelligence, Cloud, Big Data, Machine Learning, and more - so often when I see them capitalised, someone doesn’t really know what they’re talking about, is jumping on a buzzword bandwagon, and/or is trying to sell me something counter to my interests. # index.html.md # 2025-12-19 Throw Away Your Organisation’s Chat History Published on *2025-12-19* I’ve spent a lot of time at distributed / “remote first” orgs, where IRC / Slack has been “the office”. One advantage of having so much chat being written is that you can retain it for search. Want to revisit the conversation you had yesterday with someone? It’s right there! However I’m a big believer in culling history after some time - specifically **dropping chat history after 18 months**. **Why drop the history?** First and foremost, **to keep it from being used as a primary knowledge base**. When your chat history is persistent and linkable, it’s all too easy to get sloppy and instead of writing up decision logs, documentation, resolutions, notes etc., just link to the section of chat. That’s not so bad for something low-effort and transient (“what were we talking about last week”) but you want proper records of anything important - knowing that your chat is transient helps encourage good behaviour there. I think there’s also a more human aspect to it. While I believe in the wisdom of “**dance like nobody’s watching, write like \`disclosure counsel \`_\_ are reading everything you’ve ever committed to text**”, when text-based chat is folks’ primary means of communication, you want them to feel at ease, be open and transparent etc. - and knowing that the joke they made, the quip they fired off, or the disagreement they had, won’t be Archived In Perpetuity can help people open up and engage a little more than they might otherwise. Finally there’s a risk mitigation aspect. Sometimes people inadvertently share things they shouldn’t, sometimes people get access they shouldn’t, sometimes (especially when it’s the modal form of communication) people type rashly. Timeboxing history can help limit damage and concerns. **Why 18 months?** As much as you want folks to proactively take notes and document things, people are human and fallible - and especially when it comes to things like annual processes or other things you don’t do hugely often, it can be valuable to say “uh, let’s look at what we were doing last year”. Because things often don’t recur on an exactly-12-months schedule, and because sometimes you want a bit of extra context, 18 months gives you an extra 6 months of buffer. If you’re in a particularly regulated environment, this may all be moot and retention is decided for you. But for the many folks who aren’t, I’d definitely encourage replacing perpetual chat retention with an 18 month cutoff. # index.html.md # 2025-04-03 Pragmatic Idealist Published on *2025-04-03* I sometimes describe myself as a “pragmatic idealist”. That is to say, I like to spend the first half of a discussion talking about ideals, visions, what we’d like to do if we could, if unconstrained, if only. But I want to spend the second half talking about what we’re actually going to do with what we’ve got. I think it’s important to do both. It’s so valuable to take some time to (re-)align on big-picture goals and hopes and dreams, remind ourselves of what we’re aiming for and where we want to be. But it’s essential to not get lost in that, and remember the reality of where we are, and be sure to make real concrete progress. ## See Also * [“The Great Balance - Do I Smell Burning?”](https://doismellburning.tumblr.com/post/674179383513268224/the-great-balance) # index.html.md # 2025-03-24 Professional Skills Matter Published on *2025-03-24* There’s a bunch of skills that are essentially valuable whatever your job, whatever your industry - hugely transferable, hugely important, all too frequently overlooked. Everything from communication, giving feedback, fixing small frictions, understanding problems, effective summarisation, meeting new people, and more. Sometimes these get called “soft skills”. I hate this term - I think it contributes to them being undervalued. I like to call them **professional skills** because fundamentally I think they’re core to being any kind of professional in any domain. “Technical skills” - skills specific to the given job (I don’t just mean “tech”) - are obviously important too. You want your teacher to be good at teaching, you want your salesperson to be good at selling. But the two go hand in hand. And professional skills, like technical skills, are things you can learn - cf. [Meri Williams’ “Rejecting the Soft Skills Fairy”](http://blog.geekmanager.co.uk/2013/11/17/rejecting-the-soft-skills-fairy/) and similar. Yes there’s going to be people with different degrees of natural talent or who are starting from different baselines, but you can still practice and improve. If your engineering/design/trading/whatever skills are off the chart, but you can’t effectively communicate your insights, or nobody can learn from you because you can’t give useful feedback, or nobody wants to work with you because you don’t collaborate well, then maybe you should look at working on those. They’ll be good for you in more than just the day-job. And if you run an organisation, make sure professional skills feature in your career framework - I’m a fan of [Circle CI’s Engineering Competency Matrix](https://progression.fyi/f/circle-ci) and the [Dropbox Engineering Career Framework](https://dropbox.github.io/dbx-career-framework/) if you’re looking for inspiration. # index.html.md # 2025-08-06 Gimber, the alcohol-free drink with a bite Published on *2025-08-06* > Gimber is a versatile and alcohol-free drink made from premium ginger, lemon, herbs and spices. It has a kick and a quirk that lets you create your own flavours and personality. I enjoy drinking alcohol, but between parenting, driving, and just getting older, I enjoy interesting non-alcoholic drinks more and more. I never really enjoyed any of the alcohol-free “spirits” I found - but then [Francis](https://www.flourish.org/) told me about [Gimber](https://amzn.to/4fvVbdk) [1](#disclosure). “Functionally”, it’s much like a (slightly thick) whisky - a straight measure in a glass (with ice to cut through it slightly) is a punchy sippable drink with a great depth of flavour - alternatively mix it with soda or tonic or something for an enjoyable long drink. If you don’t like ginger, it’s probably not for you - otherwise, I’d definitely recommend it! * **[1]** As per [Disclosures](../disclosures/index.md), as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, but I do so on the basis that if I’m going to recommend something and you buy it, I might as well make some money from that. I’m not in the business of professionally reviewing things, nor am I recommending things *because* of the (relatively small) amount of money I make from it. # index.html.md # 2025-06-20 On LLMs and Exobrains Published on *2025-06-20* I like the concept of an “exobrain” - a brain-like thing outside of my human brain that augments it - whether that be a calculator, address book, Wikipedia, Google Maps or an LLM Exobrains provide value. They let me do things faster/better/more than I could without. They have a cost, yes - I’m sacrificing some independent self-contained skill at a given thing - but in general this is worth it because I can use my brainpower for more valuable things. A pocket calculator - the thing that 90s teachers were adamant you wouldn’t always have with you - is a form of exobrain. I could multiply 3824 by 8274 in my head or on paper, but if I use a calculator it is faster and easier and with a lower chance of error, so I can get on with more important things. There is still value in being able to do it myself, but in general it’s better offloaded to an exobrain. Google Maps - or Citymapper or TomTom or whatever - is a form of exobrain. I could navigate from A to B based on a combination of memory, signposts, notes from paper maps, etc. - but GMaps is faster and easier and more resilient to unplanned detours etc, so I can focus my attention on the actual driving and spend less time planning. There is still value in being able to do it myself, but I gain a lot from offloading it to an exobrain. Wikipedia and Google Search are a form of exobrain. I could cram a bucketload of facts into my head, but it’s generally quick and easy for me to retrieve specific information as needed ([enshittification of the internet etc. aside](https://boehs.org/node/llms-destroying-internet)) via the internet, and spend the brainpower on other things like Actually Using Them. There is still value in Knowing Stuff, but probably much more generally in Doing Stuff With That Knowledge. In all of these cases, these exobrains: - Do something I could generally do myself (given sufficient preparation and practice) - Generally do it faster and better and more reliably and more “cheaply” - Lead to a reduction in my ability to do some given thing because I will tend to offload it - Enable me to spend more time and energy on other things I consider more important Now, sure, everything is tradeoffs, there are no free lunches etc. And there’s value in keeping your endobrain - the actual squishy meatlump inside you - well-exercised. Yes it’s fast to multiply with a calculator but you should still be able to crunch numbers yourself for speed and convenience and intuition; it’s easy to use Google Maps to find your way around but maintaining your own sense of direction helps in case of outage, battery failure, and/or just general familiarity; it’s easy to look stuff up but having the facts to hand can help you act uninterrupted, unblock your progress, etc. But fundamentally AI/LLMs seem like Just Another Exobrain. Claude and other LLMs do a whole bunch of stuff Remarkably Well, from document summarisation, to feedback on writing, to JS and other code creation and editing, and more. Applied **judiciously and sensibly** (which is vital and yet sadly often overlooked) they’re huge force-multipliers in Getting Stuff Done. Yes [if you’re blindly trusting their factual output, that’s bad](https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/appalling-high-court-judge-alerts-regulators-over-fake-case-authorities/5123200.article), [if you’re using them as a substitute for valuable learning, that’s bad](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswestfall/2023/01/28/educators-battle-plagiarism-as-89-of-students-admit-to-using-open-ais-chatgpt-for-homework/), [if you’re relying on them to the point where they’re a crutch, that’s probably not good](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/is-chatgpt-making-us-dumb-mit-brain-scans-reveal-alarming-truth-about-ais-impact-on-the-human-mind/articleshow/121955720.cms). But to reject LLMs because (like any other exobrain, or indeed any other tool) they have tradeoffs and/or can be misused, seems reductive and shortsighted. # index.html.md # 2025-06-21 The “My Mate Dave” Test for Reasonable LLM Usage Published on *2025-06-21* I think LLMs are powerful tools with lots of potential for value. I think, like many tools, particularly powerful and novel ones, they’re frequently misused. Per [the Law of the Instrument / Maslow’s Hammer etc. - “if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument), and gosh a lot of folks seem to be taking a bunch of good swings with ChatGPT et al. We’re seeing: - [Lawyers referring to AI-hallucinated cases](https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/appalling-high-court-judge-alerts-regulators-over-fake-case-authorities/5123200.article) - [Nominally-credible and trusted newspapers publishing articles about books that don’t exist](https://www.npr.org/2025/05/20/nx-s1-5405022/fake-summer-reading-list-ai) - [53% of surveyed students having ChatGPT “write an essay” for them](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswestfall/2023/01/28/educators-battle-plagiarism-as-89-of-students-admit-to-using-open-ais-chatgpt-for-homework/) And none of that seems great. Some of this is laziness, but I think a lot of this comes from folks genuinely not understanding or appreciating the limits of LLMs, and treating them like Magic Knowledge Boxes rather than Fancy Autocomplete [1](#autocomplete). As such, I propose a rule of thumb to help folks identify appropriate LLM usage, which I’m calling The “My Mate Dave” Test [2](#paul) [3](#bob) [4](#dave): **If you replace “ChatGPT” or “Claude” or whatever with “My mate Dave”, and it makes your plan/action sound ridiculous or terrible or at least somewhat concerning? Probably don’t do it!** Consider: - “I asked my mate Dave for some examples of case law” I’m sorry what? - “My mate Dave wrote this email / my performance review / that article I sent” you what now?? - “My mate Dave says you should do X” gee thanks Versus: - “I asked my mate Dave to read it and he had a few suggestions” ok cool! - “I was really stuck on the closing paragraph so I asked my mate Dave for some ideas and he helped me get it done” neat! - “I’ve got absolutely no idea here, but my mate Dave had some thoughts, and I’m not sure if they’re good or not, but they’re probably better than nothing” fair enough! This won’t fix laziness, and it won’t fix not caring, but I hope it will help highlight some of the situations where people should really stop and think some more… #### NOTE To be clear, your mate Dave may be an absolutely fabulous chap - this isn’t about casting aspersions on them or their smarts! The point is that they’re a third party, and they’re an unknown quantity, and **that** is the bit that should be raising questions. * **[1]** This doesn’t do them justice, and [DRMacIver’s How do LLMs Work?](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2025-02-08-09:26.html) does a great job of covering why, but it’s a convenient, if flippant, framing that serves my point here * **[2]** Or maybe [your mate Paul](https://youtu.be/H0fb4LTQKkY) - with thanks to Kaj Sotala for the reference! * **[3]** Americans may prefer “My Pal Bob” or somesuch * **[4]** I apologies to the various Daves and Davids I’m friends with, it’s all [Trigger’s fault](https://www.mylondon.news/news/celebs/only-fools-horses-exact-reason-21929932) # index.html.md # 2025-04-28 What’s a Backlog anyway? Published on *2025-04-28* It is unfortunate that there appear to be at least two common definitions of the term “backlog” in software development, and they conflict. One definition is usually relatively specific and involves a carefully curated, prioritised, set of work items - e.g. the Scrum Guide defines a Product Backlog as “an emergent, ordered list”, “the single source of work undertaken”, etc. The other definition is that it’s A Bunch Of Stuff, more defined by its lack of definition - usually somewhat chaotic, often a bit of a dumping ground, and generally different (though not completely disconnected) from “the list of what we plan to do next”. You can see how this can get confusing if it’s not clear which you mean? While I’m wary of leaning too hard on dictionary definitions, [the Cambridge Dictionary defines “backlog” as “a large number of things that you should have done before and must do now”](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/backlog) in a way that really feels like it vibes with the second, far less specific, usage - and I feel like if you’re going to try to create a new term with precise meaning, it helps to not use a word that implies a lack of precision. Anyway I have repeatedly learned the hard way to check exactly what people mean when they say “backlog”. As a fan of the fuzzier definition ([I’m into lowercase-a agile](2020-06-20-capital-letters-considered-harmful.md)), I do find it can be useful to have a bit more structure though. Here’s a set of categories I often use, inspired by something I read from [Kath Keating](https://kathkeating.com/) a while back: - Inbox: The landing place for new items of work - tickets, bugs, ideas, etc. - triage it periodically, try to keep it empty - Ready / TODO: The curated, prioritised, set of things you plan to do next - Icebox: The place for things you’ve decided you *won’t* do - you might change your mind one day though! - Backlog: The place for things you *do* want to do *someday*, with no specific plan of when - Planning: The place for things you’re fleshing out a bit more ## So I don’t actually have strong feelings about any one definition of “backlog”, I just hate wasting time because folks are talking past each other because they’re using the same words to mean different things. Be wary of that when you use the term! # index.html.md # 2025-04-04 Why does Go’s stdlib not have a map function? Published on *2025-04-04* [Since 2022 Go has had generics](https://go.dev/blog/intro-generics), which is great. (Prior to that, [people perpetrated (ingenious) horrors with the Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics unicode block](https://www.reddit.com/r/rust/comments/5penft/comment/dcsgk7n/)) But three years on, I was really surprised to find no [map function](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Map_(higher-order_function)) in the stdlib. It’s not particularly complex to implement, though I imagine there’s a bunch of potential subtleties around optimisation etc.: ```go func Map[FromType, ToType any](slice []FromType, f func(FromType) ToType) []ToType { var result = make([]ToType, len(slice)) for i, v := range slice { result[i] = f(v) } return result } ``` Apparently everyone uses [https://github.com/samber/lo](https://github.com/samber/lo) (“A Lodash-style Go library”). I can understand wanting to be conservative about what goes in the stdlib, But `map` feels like one of the obvious initial additions to accompany new generics features, and the absence caught me out! # index.html.md # 2025-05-09 Purposes of Punishment Published on *2025-05-09* (Largely taken from [https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-criminallaw/chapter/1-5-the-purposes-of-punishment/](https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-criminallaw/chapter/1-5-the-purposes-of-punishment/)) Punishment has five recognised purposes: - Deterrence - Specific - “I have been punished for doing X, it will be worse if I do it again” - General - “People are punished for doing X, I do not want that to happen to me” - Incapacitation - Incarceration limits ability to reoffend - Confiscation of items limits ability to use them to reoffend - Rehabilitation - Enforced programs can change behaviour - Retribution - Removing victim/associate desire for revenge - “they have been adequately punished and I am satisfied” - Restitution - Make the victim whole Implementations overlap in terms of intended/potential purpose: - All types of punishment can be Deterrence and Retribution - Incarceration can also be Incapacitation and (hopefully) Rehabilitation - Fines can also be Incapacitation and Restitution - etc. # index.html.md # 2025-04-20 Build Info In Go Binaries Published on *2025-04-20* I like having assorted build info in my Go binaries and here’s how I do it. #### ATTENTION Shortly after writing this, I learned that [as of Go 1.18 (2022), Go embeds source version information like commit hash and build time in binaries by default](https://utcc.utoronto.ca/~cks/space/blog/programming/GoVersionOfYourSource) and you can get it as a `BuildSetting` with [runtime/debug](https://pkg.go.dev/runtime/debug#BuildSetting), so I no longer need to DIY it with `-ldflags` at build time, yay! I first started doing this in 2020 with Go 1.13, so it was a useful approach for two years or so - but this is a great example of the value of reading release notes…! I’m leaving this here because I think the general technique is potentially helpful, and translateable to languages that don’t just handle it for you. At the core: [Go linker flags](https://pkg.go.dev/cmd/link), specifically `-X importpath.name=value` - “Set the value of the string variable in `importpath` named `name` to `value`.” [Other methods exist](https://icinga.com/blog/embedding-git-commit-information-in-go-binaries/) but this is the right combination of powerful, resilient, and clear for me. This lets me do this in my code: ```go var GIT_VERSION string var GIT_BRANCH string var BUILT_AT string ``` And then this at build time (taken from my `Makefile`, hence the `$$`): ```none -ldflags "-X 'main.GIT_VERSION=$$(./git-version)' -X 'main.BUILT_AT=$$(date)' -X 'main.GIT_BRANCH=$$(git symbolic-ref --short HEAD)'"` ``` That gives me: - `BUILT_AT` which is just the build timestamp - useful to make sure I’ve not missed restarting a service to pick up changes etc. - `GIT_BRANCH` which is, unsurprisingly, the name of the branch - useful to see if I’m running on a `main` build, or something from a feature branch - `GIT_VERSION` which is the output of a short script that gives me a slightly more detailed idea of what I built from `git-version` is: ```bash #!/bin/bash HEAD_HASH=$(git rev-list -1 HEAD) GITVERSION=$HEAD_HASH # https://stackoverflow.com/a/2659808 DIRTY=$(git diff-index --quiet HEAD -- || echo '-DIRTY') GITVERSION+=$DIRTY echo "$GITVERSION" ``` which outputs the commit hash as a string, plus a `-DIRTY` suffix if there are uncommitted changes - useful to know exactly what I built from, and/or if there was anything funky - e.g.: ```shell $ ./git-version ace0fba5eace0fba5eace0fba5eace0fba5e-DIRTY ``` Then I can simply use those as needed, e.g. for dumping information when running with `--version`: ```shell $ ./mybin --version GIT_VERSION: ace0fba5eace0fba5eace0fba5eace0fba5e-DIRTY GIT_BRANCH: feature/foo BUILT_AT: Mon 30 Feb 1712 03:13:37 CEST ``` I don’t write a huge amount of Go, so it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that there are better ways / room for improvement, but this works nicely for me! ## Update I shared this while noting that I was conscious that my use of `BUILT_AT` screwed my [build determinism](https://reproducible-builds.org/) but I hadn’t gotten round to figuring out a better way. [Chris McDonald](https://x.com/deepinthebuild) helpfully pointed me at [the SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH environment variable](https://reproducible-builds.org/docs/source-date-epoch/) which is exactly for this kind of thing! # index.html.md # 2025-04-12 Measure vs Assess Published on *2025-04-12* Much like with [mentoring vs coaching](2025-04-02-mentoring-vs-coaching.md), I see “measure” and “assess” being used interchangeably, but I like to draw a distinction (originally inspired by Roy Rapoport), and I think it’s valuable: - “Measure” for **quantifiable** things, where you can put a concrete number to something, usually with a high degree of objectivity - height, weight, price, etc. - “Assess” for **qualitative** things, where you simply can’t and it’s highly subjective - how fun was the activity, how well is the team performing, how good was the journey Often the things you care most about are the things you can only assess, not measure. But you can use measurements as indicators, and ultimately to inform your assessment (see also [2025-04-02 Data Informed, not Data Driven](2025-04-02-data-informed-not-data-driven.md)). You need more than a speedometer log to tell you if a journey was good or not, but if you never went above walking pace for three hours, chances are it wasn’t great. Knowing how often a team ships new things, or how often their changes brea, won’t tell you on their own how well a team is performing, but it’s likely that there’s some correlation. Incidentally this is part of why I love OKRs (see [https://blog.doismellburning.co.uk/lightweight-okrs/](https://blog.doismellburning.co.uk/lightweight-okrs/) etc.)- they make the distinction explicit. A qualitative Objective for you to assess your achievement of, as indicated by the quantitative Key Results that you’ve designated as critical measurements. ## So As per [2025-04-02 Mentoring vs Coaching](2025-04-02-mentoring-vs-coaching.md), linguistic prescriptivism has its problems, but I think there’s value in drawing a distinction here - are you looking at something you can *measure*, or something you need to *assess*? # index.html.md # 2025-07-30 In praise of GitHub Copilot code reviews Published on *2025-07-30* [GitHub Copilot will now do code reviews](https://github.blog/changelog/2025-04-04-copilot-code-review-now-generally-available/). I’m a fan, but it turned out several friends aren’t. So I wanted to talk about why I really like them. The key thing from my perspective is that **Copilot code reviews are not the same as human code reviews** [1](#ai-code-review). They are substitutable *to a point*, but not entirely substitutable, and that’s an important distinction. **Copilot code reviews aren’t as good as a good human reviewer, but they’re hugely cheaper, and that low cost brings a bunch of benefits**. **In the literal dollar sense,** [Copilot Pro costs $10/mo](https://github.com/features/copilot/plans) and offers some unclear number of code reviews - but even if it were $10 a review, consider how that compares to a colleague’s hourly rate. But it’s the implications of that low cost that are the most valuable and interesting to me: **Sometimes there is no human reviewer**. [A current side project of mine involves porting a C codebase to Go](https://github.com/doismellburning/samoyed) - I’m currently working solo, there’s nobody else who’s going to review my code - I’ll take a Copilot review as better than nothing! If I had a human reviewer, I bet they’d give me a bunch more valuable feedback. But I don’t. **Even when there’s a human reviewer, Copilot saves time and energy**. Copilot can review my PR before a human has had a chance, which means it can find (potential) issues sooner, even if they’re only minor. I use formatters and linters because I want computers to handle the trivial stuff so humans can focus on the more interesting bits - I see a Copilot review as much the same. [It can read a ~2000 loc diff in ~1 minute and tell me I’ve probably used the wrong exit code](https://github.com/doismellburning/samoyed/pull/73#discussion_r2229676636), and I can get that fixed before a human has had a chance to even load the diff. Crucially **I still want a good human reviewer if and where I can**, but if I can’t then this is better than nothing, and even if I can then this helps their load. **Is it definitely better than nothing? I believe so.** Sure sometimes it suggests things that don’t feel valuable, but so do humans - my experience so far is that these are a combination of minor, matters of taste, and infrequent enough to not be a distraction. **Copilot code reviews are no substitute for good human review. But they’re still helpful.** And this is basically where I’m at with the current state of AI tooling: people will try to sell you on “replacing humans” because that’s enticing to the folks holding the purse strings, but that’s not the reality - but don’t disregard the value as a force-multiplier. #### NOTE In a wonderfully serendipitous example, Copilot caught that I’d mangled the rST footnote syntax when I first pushed this post! ## See Also * [Why AI will never replace human code review](https://graphite.dev/blog/ai-wont-replace-human-code-review) * [RDEL #92: How do AI code reviews impact engineering teams?](https://rdel.substack.com/p/rdel-92-how-do-ai-code-reviews-impact) * **[1]** For “Copilot code reviews” here you can basically just read “AI/LLM code reviews”, but Copilot is the tool I’ve used most for this. # index.html.md # 2025-05-30 RSS in Sphinx Published on *2025-05-30* [My notebook (this)](index.md) now has [an RSS feed](/notebook-feed.xml)! Getting there was a bit of a journey. There are a number of existing solutions for RSS in Sphinx, but none of them felt quite right: - [Reinout van Rees’s solution](https://stackoverflow.com/a/1588720) which was moderately coupled to his site - [yasfb](https://github.com/sphinx-contrib/yasfb) which assumed you wanted a feed of all pages, not a subset - [ABlog](https://ablog.readthedocs.io/en/stable/) which “converts any documentation or personal website project into a full-fledged blog” which is a bit heftier than I wanted But [sphinxcontrib-newsfeed](https://github.com/prometheusresearch/sphinxcontrib-newsfeed/) looked to (mostly) do the job: - Use a `feed` directive (similar in style to `toctree`) to generate an RSS File - Use `feed-entry` directives in relevant pages to attach publication date metadata Unfortunately it didn’t support the [toctree glob directive](https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/restructuredtext/directives.html#directive-toctree) and I did not fancy maintaining the list by hand. Then, with fantastic timing (thanks!), [Tony Ruža added glob support](https://github.com/prometheusresearch/sphinxcontrib-newsfeed/pull/4)! A few tweaks later to: - [Add support for :reversed: in the feed directive](https://github.com/prometheusresearch/sphinxcontrib-newsfeed/commit/840e981ed86bf6216d04bb5b2f63fa24e2eba9d8) so newest globbed items would come first in the feed - [Fix a check for datetimes without time information](https://github.com/prometheusresearch/sphinxcontrib-newsfeed/commit/3945ce5f91c961e23f88df273ecbe51b77a9e13a) dating back to a small but breaking change in Python 3.5 regarding “zero” times - [Add a “titlesonly” flag to the feed directive to only render titles in output](https://github.com/prometheusresearch/sphinxcontrib-newsfeed/commit/0194b1283ad095b24c15426aa17d6d235114ba38) so the Notebook index page wasn’t a (slightly ugly) blog-index style rendering of each item in full, but just a list of titles and [my sphinxcontrib-newsfeed fork](https://github.com/doismellburning/sphinxcontrib-newsfeed/tree/feature/my-glob) seems to do the job rather adequately! # index.html.md # 2025-05-06 Understanding the FT8 binary protocol Published on *2025-05-06* Paraphrasing [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=FT8&oldid=1287897415): > **FT8** (short for Franke-Taylor design, 8-FSK modulation) is a [frequency shift keying](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency-shift_keying) digital [mode of radio communication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_amateur_radio_modes) [..] a popular form of digital weak signal communication used primarily by amateur radio operators to communicate on [amateur radio bands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio_bands) You can roughly divide FT8 into three separate parts: 1. A communication protocol defining sequences and states for each endpoint 2. A waveform encoding/decoding system to ensure the data survives transmission and receipt 3. A binary protocol for actually encoding the underlying message data All of these have a bunch of clever stuff in them, but I want to focus on the internal binary protocol. Most of this is taken from [The FT4 and FT8 Communication Protocols by Joe Taylor, K1JT, Steve Franke, K9AN, and Bill Somerville, G4WJS](https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/FT4_FT8_QEX.pdf), which is well worth a read. The goal here is to be a relatively accessible high level overview that doesn’t require too much pre-existing knowledge or familiarity. ## Basic Structure Each FT8 transmission contains exactly 77 bits of user information. The first 3 bits define the type of the message (and associated structure and encoding of the remaining bits), with type 0 using the second 3 bits to define a subtype. Types include standard messages, free text messages and telemetry messages, as well as ones for “special operating activities” like [ARRL Field Day](https://www.arrl.org/field-day) and VHF contests Putting aside the more niche ones (see the protocol details for the full table), they are (with tags explained later): | Type | Subtype | Description | Example | Tagged Content | Tagged Content Length (bits) | |--------|-----------|-------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------| | 0 | 0 | Free Text | `TNX BOB 73 GL` | `f71` | 71 | | 0 | 5 | Telemetry | `123456789ABCDEF012` | `t71` | 71 | | 1 | N/A | Standard Message | `K1ABC/R W9XYZ/R R EN37` | `c28 r1 c28 r1 R1 g15` | 74 | | 4 | N/A | Nonstandard Calls | ` PJ4/K1ABC RRR` | `h12 c58 h1 r2 c1` | 74 | A key step to getting things to fit in the 71-74 bits is using thoughtful encodings for each piece of data. [7-bit ASCII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII) might have worked for the (early) web, but only gives you 10 characters max, just about enough for two five-letter callsigns. But by taking advantage of e.g. most callsigns having a conventional structure (case insensitive, up to three letter suffix, etc.), or there only being 180\*180 = 32400 four-digit [Maidenhead Locators](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maidenhead_Locator_System), which not only fits in 15 bits but gives you a few unused values you can use for other information, FT8 fits an impressive amount of data into each message! Each tag is a specific encoding of information into a bit pattern, with the letter part indicating the type of data (e.g. `c` for callsigns, `r` for signal reports or [rogers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procedure_word)) and the number indicating the size in bits. Further details are given in each section about the message type, or again in full in [the Protocols document](https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/FT4_FT8_QEX.pdf). ## Telemetry Message Type The Telemetry message type is the simplest - type `0`, subtype `5`, then 71 bits of arbitrary data (`t71`). The Protocols document rather generously calls this “18 hexadecimal digits”, with the caveat that one of them is only 3 bits long(!) - 71/4 = 17.75 There’s very little in the documentation about this, but if you’re looking to send arbitrary data blobs, this looks to be the way! ## Free Text Message Type The Free Text Message type is the second simplest - type `0`, subtype `0`, then up to 13 characters encoded into 71 bits (`f71`). The characters are limited to `[0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ+-./? ]`, which is a 42 character alphabet, and therein lies the “trick” to fitting it all in - log2(42) is just under 5.4, which is to say you can express a character as a 6 bit number, with some “space” left - and 71/5.4 is just over 13. Essentially the encoding algorithm expresses the string as a number in base 42, then converts it to binary - see it in action in `free_text_to_f71.f90` in [https://www.arrl.org/files/file/QEX%20Binaries/2020/ft4_ft8_protocols.tgz](https://www.arrl.org/files/file/QEX%20Binaries/2020/ft4_ft8_protocols.tgz) or in [the GitHub WSJT-X mirror in “free_text.f90”](https://github.com/saitohirga/WSJT-X/blob/master/lib/77bit/free_text.f90). ## Standard Message Type The Standard Message (type `1`) is where things start to get really interesting. An example would be `K1ABC/R W9XYZ/R EN37` (that’s W9XYZ/R telling K1ABC/R they’re in EN37). The structure is `c28 r1 c28 r1 R1 g15`, which is, in brief: - `c28`: 28 bits encoding either a “standard” callsign, or one of the special message words `CQ`, `DE`, or `QRZ` (CQ possibly with modifiers, allowing you to e.g. `CQ GB` or similar) or a hash code used for “nonstandard” callsigns (see the Nonstandard Callsigns section) - `r1`: 1 bit encoding the presence of the `/R` suffix (which appears to be a US suffix meaning “rover” which seems to mean travelling/portable) - `R1`: 1 bit encoding the presence of “R” in the message to indicate acknowledgement of a grid / signal report - `g15`: 15 bits encoding either a 4 character Maidenhead locator, a signal report, or one of the strings `{RRR|RR73|73|}` Both `c28` and `g15` make full (or at least very-near-full!) use of the bit space to encode the necessary data. For example, `c28` values: | `c28` value as decimal | Representation | |----------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------| | 0 | `DE` | | 1 | `QRZ` | | 2 | `CQ` | | 3-532443 (with some gaps) | `CQ` plus a suffix of either `[0-9]{3}` or `[A-Z]{1,4}` | | 2063592 + (0 to 4194303) | Hash codes representing ‘nonstandard’ call signs | | 6257896 + (0 to 268435455) | ‘Standard’ call signs | Since a “standard” callsign consists of: > a one- or two- character prefix, at least one of which must be a letter, followed by a decimal digit and a suffix of up to three letters. this again narrows down the actual value space significantly, and you can fully encode those in 28 bits with plenty of room to spare for all the other values. ## Nonstandard Callsign Message Type The 28 bit encoding is enough for most callsigns, but not all - e.g. special event calls and compound calls. But so long as the special call is 11 or fewer characters, it can be represented. The Nonstandard Call message (type `4`) has structure `h12 c58 h1 r2 c1`, which is: - `h12`: 12 bits representing the hash of a (hopefully) previously-decoded callsign. This saves 16 bits from the standard `c28` representation (and more when you factor in `/R` etc.) at the cost of the receiver needing to retain some state, and potentially not be able to show a matching callsign. WSJT-X renders this as a callsign (or ellipsis when not found) in angle brackets, e.g. `` or `<...>` - `c58`: 58 bits representing a “nonstandard” callsign up to 11 characters long. This uses a similar approach to the `f71` free text field, but with a smaller character set (`[0-9A-Z /]`) only 38 characters long - `h1`: 1 bit indicating whether the hashed callsign is the second callsign (sender) or first (recipient) - `r2`: 2 bits representing the words `{|RRR|RR73|73}` - `c1`: 1 bit indicating if it’s a CQ in which case the `h12` is ignored ## So There’s plenty of cleverness in FT8, particularly around the full message encoding and waveform transformations. This just scratches the surface of some of the basic parts of the binary message structure. For more details, definitely read [“The FT4 and FT8 Communication Protocols”](https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/FT4_FT8_QEX.pdf), from which most of this is taken. # index.html.md # 2020-07-05 I love cooking, it lets me be done Published on *2020-07-05* A big thing I struggle with in my professional life is that so many things, by their very nature, are rarely “Done”. There will be milestones and goals and interim wins, but inevitably everything is interconnected and ongoing. Decisions made in a meeting long ago can come back to bite or reward us. Features we launched can have operational impact for years afterwards. Cooking dinner after work has been absolutely brilliant for me. I take a pile of ingredients, I make a thing. We eat it. Feedback is fast - it’s either tasty or it isn’t. Cost of failure is relatively low - if it doesn’t work out then it’s easy to crack open a can of soup or something. Modulo cleaning up afterwards and dealing with any leftovers, that’s it, I’m done (unless something goes *really* badly…!) My lifestyle helps here considerably - I don’t have a commute so I have more time, and just cooking for my wife and myself means I have quite a bit of flexibility in terms of timing and ingredients - but I think even if those things changed I’d be trying to make time at the weekends or something. # index.html.md # 2025-12-29 In praise of Sphinx-LLM Published on *2025-12-29* My bookmarks, and by extension, this site, form a notable chunk of my [exobrain](2025-06-20-on-llms-and-exobrains.md). LLMs provide a nice query and summary interface. So I wanted to integrate the two. [https://github.com/jacobtomlinson/sphinx-llm](https://github.com/jacobtomlinson/sphinx-llm) contains `sphinx_llm.txt`, a neat Sphinx extension that builds out Markdown files including an [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) containing everything. Super easy to integrate and use! The same package also contains `sphinx_llm.docref`, for summarising and referencing other pages, which is something I want to explore more, but that requires a bit more thought and work. # index.html.md # 2025-03-21 The Rules Published on *2025-03-21* *Rule 0*: [Don’t be on fire](https://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/Rule_Zero) *Rule 1*: [Don’t be a dick](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/wheatons-law) *Rule 2*: [Don’t behave in a way that causes the creation of new rules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_lawyer) # index.html.md # 2025-10-11 In praise of REUSE for Free Software licensing Published on *2025-10-11* Software licensing can be tricky, legally, but also logistically. If you can get away with just a `LICENSE` file in your project root, excellent. Unfortunately often things are more complex. [REUSE](https://reuse.software/) is a set of recommendations and tools that really helps. The documentation is excellent, but in short: * Automatically annotate your files with copyright and licence data with `reuse annotate` * Fetch licence texts with `reuse download` * Check your compliance with `reuse lint` * Bulk configure files with `REUSE.toml` A current side-project of mine is [Samoyed](https://github.com/doismellburning/samoyed), a fork of [Dire Wolf](https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf), a popular piece of software for [packet radio](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_radio). As a fork, I already wanted to make very sure I was doing absolutely the right things with regard to licensing and notices etc., but it was made even more complex by Dire Wolf vendoring code from [the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency](https://www.nga.mil/), [GnuWin](https://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/) and more. REUSE made it nice and straightforward: [https://github.com/doismellburning/samoyed/pull/139](https://github.com/doismellburning/samoyed/pull/139). # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/) # index.html.md # Management Skews towards *engineering* management, but not exclusively. See also [Hiring](../hiring/index.md). ## Onboarding * [https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483](https://betterprogramming.pub/improve-onboarding-in-teams-through-the-magic-of-storytelling-31b7fc479483) * [Onboarding EMs - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/onboarding-ems/) ## Feedback * [How can you make feedback conversations less painful?](https://medium.com/management-matters/how-can-you-make-feedback-conversations-less-painful-7dde58a944e4) ## Influence * [How to be “high agency” at work - by Torsten Walbaum](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/how-to-be-high-agency-at-work) * [Questionable Advice: “How can I drive change and influence teams…without power?”](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/05/drive-change-and-influence-teams-without-power/) * [Influence Without Authority. One of the most common topics that… | by Gustavo de Lima | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/@gusdlim/influence-without-authority-e4c2971ca7b6) * [How GitHub taught me to Micromanage — Matthew Rocklin](https://matthewrocklin.com/feedback.html) * [DRMacIver’s Notebook: Taking responsibility for failure](https://notebook.drmaciver.com/posts/2024-02-06-10:51.html) ## Leadership & Development * [Leaders Tackle Challenges Early](https://medium.com/management-matters/leaders-tackle-challenges-early-7ded27424cf9) * [How to Take Personal Development Off the Backburner — Tactical Frameworks for Leveling Up](https://review.firstround.com/how-to-take-personal-development-off-the-backburner-tactical-frameworks-for-leveling-up) * [The dark side of the leadership](https://elenaverna.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-the-leadership) * [What I have been taught about leadership…](https://guynewey.medium.com/what-i-have-been-taught-about-leadership-year-1-170c55b634dc) * [Open Leadership Training Series](https://mozilla.github.io/open-leadership-training-series/) * [The Signs of a Good CEO. Five Essential Features | by Roger Martin | Oct, 2024 | Medium](https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-signs-of-a-good-ceo-160a73656cf9) * [things I learned from my ex-boss Dinesh - @visakanv’s blog](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/dinesh/) * [A Practical Guide to Executive Presence: Earning Respect | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/leadership/2024/11/19/executive-presence-part-2.html?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Clear Thinking: Your Secret Weapon Against Leadership Stress – Scott Cochrane](https://scottcochrane.com/index.php/2024/11/21/clear-thinking-your-secret-weapon-against-leadership-stress/) * [Stop Overthinking, Start Leading: The Power of Taking the First Step | by Scott Lyons | Management Matters | Feb, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/stop-overthinking-start-leading-the-power-of-taking-the-first-step-e97b8a6cff20) * [Why doing less makes you a better leader - Blog - Tech Leaders Launchpad](https://techleaderslaunchpad.com/resources/blog/why-doing-less-makes-you-a-better-leader) * [Career Development: What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2015/03/08/career-development-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-manager-director-or-vp/) * [How to Hire a CEO. I often find boards of startups taking… | by Vinod Khosla | Jul, 2024 | Medium](https://medium.com/@vkhosla/how-to-hire-a-ceo-2912354ceca5) * [All I Need to Know About Engineering Leadership I Learned From Leave No Trace - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2024/jul/12/lnt-for-engineering-leadership/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership](https://marcgg.com/blog/2024/07/17/startup-technical-leadership/) * [Lessons learned in 35 years of making software – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2024/07/03/lessons-learned-in-35-years-of-making-software/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Wrong Doors. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/no-wrong-doors/) ## Team Management & Dynamics * [Helicopter Management and Other Mistakes](https://charity.wtf/2023/06/19/helicopter-management/) * [How To Fix Broken Teams | Stay SaaSy](https://staysaasy.com/management/2024/01/23/fix-teams.html) * [Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams](https://mdalmijn.com/p/why-most-organizations-produce-brittle) * [Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership | by Andrew Winnicki | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://andrewwinnicki.medium.com/rethinking-agile-1-3-teams-trust-and-leadership-ec8bee868915) * [Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output](https://www.scarletink.com/p/managers-make-teams-deliver-more-value) * [The Brilliant Jerk vs. Team Performance - Problem #3](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/the-brilliant-jerk-vs-team-performance) * [Three Ways to Gain Visibility into Indirectly Managed Teams](https://softwareleads.substack.com/p/three-ways-to-gain-visibility-into) * [Evolving annual reteaming at Redgate | by Chris Smith | Ingeniously Simple | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/ingeniouslysimple/evolving-annual-reteaming-at-redgate-8c7526be267f) * [How to Use Delivery to Move from Blame to Trust - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/newsletter/2025/04/how-to-use-delivery-to-move-from-blame-to-trust/) * [Managing Underperformers | Jack Danger](https://jackdanger.com/managing-underperformers/) * [Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Celebration](https://letsgrowleaders.com/2024/07/08/creative-peer-recognition/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Micromanagement - The Absolute Worst? - Yaniv Preiss](https://yanivpreiss.com/2024/07/06/micromanagement-the-absolute-worst/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Forming, Storming, Dreaming, Performing — Gosei](https://gosei.eu/blog/orming/) * [teambuilding / lower case opinions](https://lowercaseopinions.com/teambuilding) * [How organisations cripple engineering teams with good intentions](https://varoa.net/2024/01/09/how-organisations-cripple-engineering-teams-with-good-intentions.html) ## Goals, Strategy & Planning * [OKRs as a strategy debugger (& sandwich maker)](https://www.allankelly.net/archives/7464/okrs-as-a-strategy-debugger-sandwich-maker/) * [Good Goals/Bad Goals](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-216-good-goalsbad-goals) * [TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama - by John Cutler - The Beautiful Mess](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-324-goal-o-rama) * [How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman](https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/2025/03/how-to-reduce-planning-deliver-more-and-surprisingly-reduce-pressure/) * [TBM 383: Maximizers vs. Focusers - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-383-maximizers-vs-focusers) * [I Like Dumb Plans - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/i-like-dumb-plans?publication_id=1461103) * [TBM 234: Maintenance, KTLO, and BAU - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-234-maintenance-ktlo-and-bau) * [TBM 235: Forms & Shadows - by John Cutler](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-235-forms-and-shadows) * [Strategy as a Series of Beliefs - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/05/12/strategy-as-a-series-of-beliefs/) * [Your non-linear problem of 90% utilization](https://longform.asmartbear.com/utilization) * [Roadmaps are tools - jdamcd.blog](https://jdamcd.blog/posts/roadmaps/) ## Performance & Metrics * [Evaluating Managers: 5 heuristics to measure managerial impact](https://abdulapopoola.com/2023/01/09/evaluating-managers-5-heuristics-to-measure-managerial-impact/) * [Am I a Good Manager ?. If you find yourself asking this… | by That Crazy Moment | Medium](https://medium.com/@thatcrazymoment/am-i-a-good-manager-269d760c70a1) * [People Success Performance Indicators | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/people-group/people-success-performance-indicators/) * [Output vs. Outcomes - Problem #4 - by Mike Fisher](https://mikefisher.substack.com/p/output-vs-outcomes-problem-4) * [Selecting the right product metrics (KPIs)](https://longform.asmartbear.com/product-metrics/) * [Product Principles | The GitLab Handbook](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/product-principles/) * [Simple scorecards beat scales - Garry Shutler](https://gshutler.com/2023/08/simple-scorecards-beat-scales/) ## Communication & Collaboration * [The subtle science of storytelling at work - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/communication/storytelling-at-work) * [Communication Structures in a Growing Organization – Jessitron](https://jessitron.com/2024/11/24/communication-structures-in-a-growing-organization/) * [The Precise Language Of Good Management - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/the-precise-language-of-good-management) * [Nailing the basics: How to collaborate cross-functionally](https://www.operatorshandbook.com/p/nailing-the-basics-how-to-collaborate) * [Playing defense: How to control the narrative if your work is being questioned](https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/playing-defense-how-to-control-narrative?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [How to Communicate When Trust Is Low (Without Digging Yourself Into A Deeper Hole) – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/08/17/how-to-communicate-when-trust-is-low-without-digging-yourself-into-a-deeper-hole/) * [Fixing the fundamental problems of today’s remote meetings | Remeet — Incredibly fast and efficient meetings](https://www.remeet.com/whitepaper/) ## Delegation & Decision Making * [Delegating Complex Tasks - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/delegating-complex-tasks) * [Being in the details - by James Stanier](https://theengineeringmanager.substack.com/p/being-in-the-details) ## Organization & Culture * [GitHub’s Engineering System Success Playbook - GitHub Resources](https://resources.github.com/engineering-system-success-playbook/) * [Manage process before people](https://world.hey.com/dhh/manage-process-before-people-20736695) * [Thriving in Chaos](https://medium.com/ni-tech-talk/thriving-in-chaos-f0d0e37ebfa3) * [The Openverse - Open Source People & Culture Resources](https://www.openverse.fyi/) * [When You Plateau, So Does Your Company](https://every.to/no-small-plans/a-founder-s-guide-to-expanding-your-comfort-zone) * [Be a thermostat, not a thermometer](https://larahogan.me/blog/be-a-thermostat-not-a-thermometer/) * [Thermostats | Another Rodeo](https://another.rodeo/thermostats/) * [Design Your Organization for the Conflicts You Want to Hear About - Kellblog](https://kellblog.com/2024/10/12/design-your-organization-for-the-conflicts-you-want-to-hear-about/) * [TBM 347: “Why Don’t Our Leaders Care About How We Work?”](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-347-why-dont-our-leaders-care) * [TBM 336: Product OS Design Tips and Principles](https://cutlefish.substack.com/p/tbm-336-product-os-design-tips-and) * [Jade Rubick - Organizational work and the second job](https://www.rubick.com/organizational-work-second-job/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [No Meetings, No Deadlines, No Full-Time Employees](https://sahillavingia.com/work) ## Difficult Situations * [The Surprising Benefits of Conflict in the Workplace](https://davidburkus.com/2023/06/the-surprising-benefits-of-conflict-in-the-workplace/) * [How do you handle layoffs on a large scale?](https://medium.com/@eyalmrejen/how-do-you-handle-layoffs-on-a-large-scale-9f513f496659) * [Managers Believe Downsizing Is Effective. Research… | Corporate Rebels](https://www.corporate-rebels.com/blog/managers-believe-downsizing-is-effective-research-says-nope) * [Human flaws in management: Unintentionally leading employees from engagement to exhaustion | by Austin Mackesy-Buckley | Management Matters | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/management-matters/human-flaws-in-management-unintentionally-leading-employees-from-engagement-to-exhaustion-f4d8138c80bb) * [Are We Done Talking About Burnout Yet? Sadly, No](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/07/12/are-we-done-talking-about-burnout-yet-sadly-no/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Barriers to Change: Limiting Beliefs — NOBL](https://nobl.io/changemaker/change-barriers-limiting-beliefs/) * [How to prepare for difficult conversations](https://www.stefanobaccianella.com/p/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-conversations) * [The Silent Killer of Your Operating Practice: Fear](https://review.firstround.com/the-silent-killer-of-your-operating-practice-fear/) * [Product Managing to Prevent Burnout | Honeycomb](https://www.honeycomb.io/blog/product-managing-prevent-burnout) ## Reviews & Meetings * [A Guide to Running Outstanding Business Reviews](https://evidence.dev/blog/business-reviews/) * [Get the Weekly Business Review App - Working Backwards](https://workingbackwards.com/wbr-app/) ## Specific Roles * [5 Things Founders, Investors and Recruiters Should Know about the CTO role](https://medium.com/cto-as-a-service/5-things-founders-investors-and-recruiters-should-know-about-the-cto-role-a65d7bb66264) * [7 proven mental models for engineering managers](https://zaidesanton.substack.com/p/mental-models-for-engineering-managers) * [Explaining the role of a Delivery Manager – Emily Webber](https://emilywebber.co.uk/what-is-an-agile-delivery-manager/) * [Hire for Floors, not Ceilings - Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2023/aug/16/floors-not-ceilings/) * [Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing | by Alex Ponomarev | Engineering Manager’s Journal | Mar, 2025 | Medium](https://medium.com/engineering-managers-journal/introverted-engineering-managers-manage-from-the-background-why-thats-a-good-thing-502a9770e8fc) * [Knowing where your engineer salary comes from | sean goedecke](https://www.seangoedecke.com/where-the-money-comes-from/) * [The farther you go up the ladder, the less it’s about your technical skills – Jim Grey](https://dev.jimgrey.net/2023/08/14/the-farther-you-go-up-the-ladder-the-less-its-about-your-technical-skills/) * [What a CTO should know about tech | deadSimpleTech](https://deadsimpletech.com/blog/cto_tech_capabilities) * [Why Should You (Or Anyone) Become An Engineering Manager? – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2023/12/15/why-should-you-or-anyone-become-an-engineering-manager/) * [Questionable Advice: “My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?” – charity.wtf](https://charity.wtf/2024/01/05/questionable-advice-my-boss-says-we-dont-need-any-engineering-managers-is-he-right/) ## Books & Resources * [Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss 📚 log(book)](https://books.rixx.de/chris-voss/never-split-the-difference/) * [Management Mantras - Stay SaaSy](https://blog.staysaasy.com/p/management-mantras) ## Misc * [“Good engineering management” is a fad | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/good-eng-mgmt-is-a-fad/) * [Why were you late?](https://www.visakanv.com/blog/late/) * [A manager’s ultimate guide to effective succession planning - Work Life by Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/leadership/guide-to-effective-succession-planning) * [Scale your impact as a manager—six areas where you need to do the heavy lifting - Management Excellence by Art Petty](https://artpetty.com/2025/01/19/career-scaling-your-impact/) * [The Rise and Fall of the Blue-Collar Developers](https://2ndworst.dev/posts/rise-and-fall-blue-collar-developers/?ref=techmanagerweekly.com) * [Writers who operate. | Irrational Exuberance](https://lethain.com/writers-who-operate/)