Knowledge shared by our community

Reorganizing the engineering department for more agility

A manager at Square led a successful reorganization of teams from engineering disciplines to products. The manager was transparent with the team and allowed them to provide preferences for where they wanted to transfer. The reorganization took more time and effort, but enabled more agility in product development. The main lesson learned was to consider both the immediate and long-term effects of a reorganization.

Different meetings for different purposes

The manager of three teams in New York and Tel Aviv holds different types of meetings to ensure visibility between teams. Standups, sprint planning, and exceptional project meetings are used to communicate progress and involve people in decisions. The manager applies the principle of trust and encourages team members to communicate their progress during dedicated times.

Make sure each one of your employees feels recognized

Mike, a senior engineer, was becoming increasingly frustrated due to lack of recognition for his work. As his manager, I had a discussion with him and reassured him that his contributions were important. I also worked with my manager to give more recognition to individuals working on more operational tasks. After this, Mike felt better and stopped being confrontational. This story taught me the importance of public recognition and the need for a balanced company culture.

Reestablishing a healthy relationship between a PM and engineers.

This case study outlines the steps taken to build trust between a new engineering team and their PM. The root of the problem was identified through one-on-one conversations with team members, and the PM's lack of experience was addressed by providing the engineers with context behind the PM's decision making. New processes were established to ensure clear roles and communication, and team bonding activities were held to build relationships. The whole process took three weeks, and the result was an improved work environment and increased efficiency and effectiveness.

How to deal with an underperforming employee

The VP of Engineering at a computer software company needed to fill the position of scrum master and considered a software manager on their team, John, for the role. However, John was an underperforming manager and became an underperforming scrum master. The VP later realized that the best solution would have been to make John realize he was not happy with the company culture and to have let him go with a good severance package and recommendations.

How to tell someone they aren’t being promoted without demotivating them.

When an above average employee asked for a promotion, the manager had to make a difficult decision. To retain the employee, the manager presented the situation as a positive opportunity and gave advice on how to demonstrate thought leadership. The manager also followed up with concrete initiatives to help the employee expand their range of influence. In the end, the employee was retained, motivated, and taught, and even earned awards that year.

Turning a low-performer into a star

After a software developer was under-performing in her tasks, her manager took action to help her improve. Through trial and error, the manager eventually found a role that fit her strengths and she became an indispensable part of the team. This story serves as a lesson that when someone is underperforming, it does not mean they are not a good fit for the team or company, and it is important to consider their strengths instead of focusing on their weaknesses.

How to run effective one-on-ones

One-on-ones are important meetings between a manager and their engineer, but they can often be ineffective due to lack of preparation. To ensure effective one-on-ones, the manager should set a shared agenda, come prepared with topics to discuss, and start the conversation with a casual question. It is also important to book a conference room for the meeting, as this provides a specific space to discuss issues.

Never Delay Decisions

In 2012, the Director of Engineering for mobile platforms at Netflix faced a difficult situation with their iOS manager not performing and deadlines being missed. After eight weeks of firing the manager, hiring three iOS engineers, and taking over the iOS project, they managed to make their deadlines and ship on time. This experience taught the Director that delaying important decisions can have negative impacts and it is important to think of the collateral damage.

My employee assessment process

This article outlines a manager's process for assessing their team, which includes evaluating technical skills, team orientation, and cultural fit. Technical assessment is done with the help of GitPrime, which provides metrics based on coding activities. Team orientation is evaluated through surveys sent to peers, and cultural fit is evaluated through conversations with direct reports about exceeding expectations, attitude towards stretched goals, and feedback from product owners and scrum masters.

Helping your direct reports decide on management, senior IC, or lateral growth tracks, to guide their career development

During a one-on-one with a high performer, the manager discussed career development and presented three different tracks. The report wanted to follow the management track, but the manager was unsure of the reasons given. After further discussion and research, the report decided to become a senior individual contributor instead. This lesson taught the manager to not pressure their reports into making decisions and to ensure that decisions are based on correct and complete information.

Managing a team of engineers who are not technically aligned

When the author inherited a team that was not reliably shipping quality software, they decided to pause product development and rebuild the application using Business Driven Development. This transition was difficult as the team was reluctant to use the test-driven method, but it allowed them to ship software more reliably and faster. The author learned that as a manager, sometimes hard decisions have to be made and it is better to be criticized but lead the team to success than to be loved but lead the team nowhere.

The Benefits of Long-Term Planning

A 12-month timeline and roadmap was created for the engineering team to provide a plan and vision for their work. This plan involves brainstorming ideas, discussing impactful goals, and breaking them down quarter-by-quarter. This 12-month plan allows engineers to know what they'll be working on long-term and also helps to attract potential candidates.

How to handle the underperformance of a remote engineer

A manager of a mixed team of remote and in-person engineers noticed a drop in engagement from one of the remote engineers. After putting a system in place to judge performance objectively, the manager had a face-to-face meeting with the engineer and discovered that personal circumstances were affecting the engineer's productivity. The manager was supportive and suggested that the engineer take some time off and commit to less work. The key factor of success was timing, as the manager was proactive and handled the issue before it became a big problem.

Handling requests from executives

When dealing with requests from executives, it is important to be clear about what can and cannot be done. Explain why they need to compromise and choose between their deadlines and the content they would like. Pull other people into the discussion and set up a committee of product, development and business people to ensure product strategy is aligned with the company's goals. Keep in mind that trade-offs will have to be made when working with a fixed amount of resources.

Defining a path for career growth is essential

This article discusses how to have effective conversations with engineers about their career growth. It outlines the steps taken to help one engineer define his path and create an action plan to achieve his goals. It also emphasizes the importance of having clearly defined engineering levels to provide a common language and set expectations for career growth.

Learning to delegate as a team grows

This article discusses the challenges of delegating tasks as a manager. The author shares their experience of delegating a critical project to an engineer, who was struggling to prioritize and meet deadlines. The author offered help and guidance, and gave the engineer time to progress. After six months, the engineer became a tech lead and one of the best engineers. The author learned that delegating requires trust in the person and their ability to progress, and that it is important to start with smaller tasks.

Making a resistant company more Agile.

When the engineering team at Zoosk was using their own version of Waterfall, they were having major project delays and not meeting their goals. To fix this, the team tried a modified version, but it still did not solve the problems. To solve this, the team implemented Agile Scrum, which was met with resistance. To get support, the team made small, incremental changes and were willing to listen, compromise, and be patient. This allowed everyone to feel included in the process change and ultimately led to success.

Solving an ego conflict between two engineers

Two engineers on the same team were in constant competition, which was damaging the team's culture. The manager had one-on-one meetings with each of them and had a group meeting to discuss the issue. He asked them to think about how they could collaborate and change the situation, and after a few days, they had ideas on how to work together. The manager also built trust with them and set clearer expectations to help them work together.

Handling requests for working remotely from my direct reports.

This article discusses a problem of average and low performing employees wanting to work remotely. To address this, the team implemented a boot camp/sync-up to focus on accountability and set clear expectations for those working from home. The team also established a democratic survey to influence the decision to allow someone to work from home, as well as exceptions for health, family, and weather conditions. The process was successful in driving responsible behavior and reconvening was extended to every three and six months. The article emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations and directives with a clear process to effectively implement constraints.

Reorganizing the engineering department for more agility

A manager at Square led a successful reorganization of teams from engineering disciplines to products. The manager was transparent with the team and allowed them to provide preferences for where they wanted to transfer. The reorganization took more time and effort, but enabled more agility in product development. The main lesson learned was to consider both the immediate and long-term effects of a reorganization.

Different meetings for different purposes

The manager of three teams in New York and Tel Aviv holds different types of meetings to ensure visibility between teams. Standups, sprint planning, and exceptional project meetings are used to communicate progress and involve people in decisions. The manager applies the principle of trust and encourages team members to communicate their progress during dedicated times.

Make sure each one of your employees feels recognized

Mike, a senior engineer, was becoming increasingly frustrated due to lack of recognition for his work. As his manager, I had a discussion with him and reassured him that his contributions were important. I also worked with my manager to give more recognition to individuals working on more operational tasks. After this, Mike felt better and stopped being confrontational. This story taught me the importance of public recognition and the need for a balanced company culture.

Reestablishing a healthy relationship between a PM and engineers.

This case study outlines the steps taken to build trust between a new engineering team and their PM. The root of the problem was identified through one-on-one conversations with team members, and the PM's lack of experience was addressed by providing the engineers with context behind the PM's decision making. New processes were established to ensure clear roles and communication, and team bonding activities were held to build relationships. The whole process took three weeks, and the result was an improved work environment and increased efficiency and effectiveness.

How to deal with an underperforming employee

The VP of Engineering at a computer software company needed to fill the position of scrum master and considered a software manager on their team, John, for the role. However, John was an underperforming manager and became an underperforming scrum master. The VP later realized that the best solution would have been to make John realize he was not happy with the company culture and to have let him go with a good severance package and recommendations.

How to tell someone they aren’t being promoted without demotivating them.

When an above average employee asked for a promotion, the manager had to make a difficult decision. To retain the employee, the manager presented the situation as a positive opportunity and gave advice on how to demonstrate thought leadership. The manager also followed up with concrete initiatives to help the employee expand their range of influence. In the end, the employee was retained, motivated, and taught, and even earned awards that year.

Turning a low-performer into a star

After a software developer was under-performing in her tasks, her manager took action to help her improve. Through trial and error, the manager eventually found a role that fit her strengths and she became an indispensable part of the team. This story serves as a lesson that when someone is underperforming, it does not mean they are not a good fit for the team or company, and it is important to consider their strengths instead of focusing on their weaknesses.

How to run effective one-on-ones

One-on-ones are important meetings between a manager and their engineer, but they can often be ineffective due to lack of preparation. To ensure effective one-on-ones, the manager should set a shared agenda, come prepared with topics to discuss, and start the conversation with a casual question. It is also important to book a conference room for the meeting, as this provides a specific space to discuss issues.

Never Delay Decisions

In 2012, the Director of Engineering for mobile platforms at Netflix faced a difficult situation with their iOS manager not performing and deadlines being missed. After eight weeks of firing the manager, hiring three iOS engineers, and taking over the iOS project, they managed to make their deadlines and ship on time. This experience taught the Director that delaying important decisions can have negative impacts and it is important to think of the collateral damage.

My employee assessment process

This article outlines a manager's process for assessing their team, which includes evaluating technical skills, team orientation, and cultural fit. Technical assessment is done with the help of GitPrime, which provides metrics based on coding activities. Team orientation is evaluated through surveys sent to peers, and cultural fit is evaluated through conversations with direct reports about exceeding expectations, attitude towards stretched goals, and feedback from product owners and scrum masters.

Helping your direct reports decide on management, senior IC, or lateral growth tracks, to guide their career development

During a one-on-one with a high performer, the manager discussed career development and presented three different tracks. The report wanted to follow the management track, but the manager was unsure of the reasons given. After further discussion and research, the report decided to become a senior individual contributor instead. This lesson taught the manager to not pressure their reports into making decisions and to ensure that decisions are based on correct and complete information.

Managing a team of engineers who are not technically aligned

When the author inherited a team that was not reliably shipping quality software, they decided to pause product development and rebuild the application using Business Driven Development. This transition was difficult as the team was reluctant to use the test-driven method, but it allowed them to ship software more reliably and faster. The author learned that as a manager, sometimes hard decisions have to be made and it is better to be criticized but lead the team to success than to be loved but lead the team nowhere.

The Benefits of Long-Term Planning

A 12-month timeline and roadmap was created for the engineering team to provide a plan and vision for their work. This plan involves brainstorming ideas, discussing impactful goals, and breaking them down quarter-by-quarter. This 12-month plan allows engineers to know what they'll be working on long-term and also helps to attract potential candidates.

How to handle the underperformance of a remote engineer

A manager of a mixed team of remote and in-person engineers noticed a drop in engagement from one of the remote engineers. After putting a system in place to judge performance objectively, the manager had a face-to-face meeting with the engineer and discovered that personal circumstances were affecting the engineer's productivity. The manager was supportive and suggested that the engineer take some time off and commit to less work. The key factor of success was timing, as the manager was proactive and handled the issue before it became a big problem.

Handling requests from executives

When dealing with requests from executives, it is important to be clear about what can and cannot be done. Explain why they need to compromise and choose between their deadlines and the content they would like. Pull other people into the discussion and set up a committee of product, development and business people to ensure product strategy is aligned with the company's goals. Keep in mind that trade-offs will have to be made when working with a fixed amount of resources.

Defining a path for career growth is essential

This article discusses how to have effective conversations with engineers about their career growth. It outlines the steps taken to help one engineer define his path and create an action plan to achieve his goals. It also emphasizes the importance of having clearly defined engineering levels to provide a common language and set expectations for career growth.

Learning to delegate as a team grows

This article discusses the challenges of delegating tasks as a manager. The author shares their experience of delegating a critical project to an engineer, who was struggling to prioritize and meet deadlines. The author offered help and guidance, and gave the engineer time to progress. After six months, the engineer became a tech lead and one of the best engineers. The author learned that delegating requires trust in the person and their ability to progress, and that it is important to start with smaller tasks.

Making a resistant company more Agile.

When the engineering team at Zoosk was using their own version of Waterfall, they were having major project delays and not meeting their goals. To fix this, the team tried a modified version, but it still did not solve the problems. To solve this, the team implemented Agile Scrum, which was met with resistance. To get support, the team made small, incremental changes and were willing to listen, compromise, and be patient. This allowed everyone to feel included in the process change and ultimately led to success.

Solving an ego conflict between two engineers

Two engineers on the same team were in constant competition, which was damaging the team's culture. The manager had one-on-one meetings with each of them and had a group meeting to discuss the issue. He asked them to think about how they could collaborate and change the situation, and after a few days, they had ideas on how to work together. The manager also built trust with them and set clearer expectations to help them work together.

Handling requests for working remotely from my direct reports.

This article discusses a problem of average and low performing employees wanting to work remotely. To address this, the team implemented a boot camp/sync-up to focus on accountability and set clear expectations for those working from home. The team also established a democratic survey to influence the decision to allow someone to work from home, as well as exceptions for health, family, and weather conditions. The process was successful in driving responsible behavior and reconvening was extended to every three and six months. The article emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations and directives with a clear process to effectively implement constraints.

Reorganizing the engineering department for more agility

A manager at Square led a successful reorganization of teams from engineering disciplines to products. The manager was transparent with the team and allowed them to provide preferences for where they wanted to transfer. The reorganization took more time and effort, but enabled more agility in product development. The main lesson learned was to consider both the immediate and long-term effects of a reorganization.

Different meetings for different purposes

The manager of three teams in New York and Tel Aviv holds different types of meetings to ensure visibility between teams. Standups, sprint planning, and exceptional project meetings are used to communicate progress and involve people in decisions. The manager applies the principle of trust and encourages team members to communicate their progress during dedicated times.

Make sure each one of your employees feels recognized

Mike, a senior engineer, was becoming increasingly frustrated due to lack of recognition for his work. As his manager, I had a discussion with him and reassured him that his contributions were important. I also worked with my manager to give more recognition to individuals working on more operational tasks. After this, Mike felt better and stopped being confrontational. This story taught me the importance of public recognition and the need for a balanced company culture.

Reestablishing a healthy relationship between a PM and engineers.

This case study outlines the steps taken to build trust between a new engineering team and their PM. The root of the problem was identified through one-on-one conversations with team members, and the PM's lack of experience was addressed by providing the engineers with context behind the PM's decision making. New processes were established to ensure clear roles and communication, and team bonding activities were held to build relationships. The whole process took three weeks, and the result was an improved work environment and increased efficiency and effectiveness.

How to deal with an underperforming employee

The VP of Engineering at a computer software company needed to fill the position of scrum master and considered a software manager on their team, John, for the role. However, John was an underperforming manager and became an underperforming scrum master. The VP later realized that the best solution would have been to make John realize he was not happy with the company culture and to have let him go with a good severance package and recommendations.

How to tell someone they aren’t being promoted without demotivating them.

When an above average employee asked for a promotion, the manager had to make a difficult decision. To retain the employee, the manager presented the situation as a positive opportunity and gave advice on how to demonstrate thought leadership. The manager also followed up with concrete initiatives to help the employee expand their range of influence. In the end, the employee was retained, motivated, and taught, and even earned awards that year.

Turning a low-performer into a star

After a software developer was under-performing in her tasks, her manager took action to help her improve. Through trial and error, the manager eventually found a role that fit her strengths and she became an indispensable part of the team. This story serves as a lesson that when someone is underperforming, it does not mean they are not a good fit for the team or company, and it is important to consider their strengths instead of focusing on their weaknesses.

How to run effective one-on-ones

One-on-ones are important meetings between a manager and their engineer, but they can often be ineffective due to lack of preparation. To ensure effective one-on-ones, the manager should set a shared agenda, come prepared with topics to discuss, and start the conversation with a casual question. It is also important to book a conference room for the meeting, as this provides a specific space to discuss issues.

Never Delay Decisions

In 2012, the Director of Engineering for mobile platforms at Netflix faced a difficult situation with their iOS manager not performing and deadlines being missed. After eight weeks of firing the manager, hiring three iOS engineers, and taking over the iOS project, they managed to make their deadlines and ship on time. This experience taught the Director that delaying important decisions can have negative impacts and it is important to think of the collateral damage.

My employee assessment process

This article outlines a manager's process for assessing their team, which includes evaluating technical skills, team orientation, and cultural fit. Technical assessment is done with the help of GitPrime, which provides metrics based on coding activities. Team orientation is evaluated through surveys sent to peers, and cultural fit is evaluated through conversations with direct reports about exceeding expectations, attitude towards stretched goals, and feedback from product owners and scrum masters.

Helping your direct reports decide on management, senior IC, or lateral growth tracks, to guide their career development

During a one-on-one with a high performer, the manager discussed career development and presented three different tracks. The report wanted to follow the management track, but the manager was unsure of the reasons given. After further discussion and research, the report decided to become a senior individual contributor instead. This lesson taught the manager to not pressure their reports into making decisions and to ensure that decisions are based on correct and complete information.

Managing a team of engineers who are not technically aligned

When the author inherited a team that was not reliably shipping quality software, they decided to pause product development and rebuild the application using Business Driven Development. This transition was difficult as the team was reluctant to use the test-driven method, but it allowed them to ship software more reliably and faster. The author learned that as a manager, sometimes hard decisions have to be made and it is better to be criticized but lead the team to success than to be loved but lead the team nowhere.

The Benefits of Long-Term Planning

A 12-month timeline and roadmap was created for the engineering team to provide a plan and vision for their work. This plan involves brainstorming ideas, discussing impactful goals, and breaking them down quarter-by-quarter. This 12-month plan allows engineers to know what they'll be working on long-term and also helps to attract potential candidates.

How to handle the underperformance of a remote engineer

A manager of a mixed team of remote and in-person engineers noticed a drop in engagement from one of the remote engineers. After putting a system in place to judge performance objectively, the manager had a face-to-face meeting with the engineer and discovered that personal circumstances were affecting the engineer's productivity. The manager was supportive and suggested that the engineer take some time off and commit to less work. The key factor of success was timing, as the manager was proactive and handled the issue before it became a big problem.

Handling requests from executives

When dealing with requests from executives, it is important to be clear about what can and cannot be done. Explain why they need to compromise and choose between their deadlines and the content they would like. Pull other people into the discussion and set up a committee of product, development and business people to ensure product strategy is aligned with the company's goals. Keep in mind that trade-offs will have to be made when working with a fixed amount of resources.

Defining a path for career growth is essential

This article discusses how to have effective conversations with engineers about their career growth. It outlines the steps taken to help one engineer define his path and create an action plan to achieve his goals. It also emphasizes the importance of having clearly defined engineering levels to provide a common language and set expectations for career growth.

Learning to delegate as a team grows

This article discusses the challenges of delegating tasks as a manager. The author shares their experience of delegating a critical project to an engineer, who was struggling to prioritize and meet deadlines. The author offered help and guidance, and gave the engineer time to progress. After six months, the engineer became a tech lead and one of the best engineers. The author learned that delegating requires trust in the person and their ability to progress, and that it is important to start with smaller tasks.

Making a resistant company more Agile.

When the engineering team at Zoosk was using their own version of Waterfall, they were having major project delays and not meeting their goals. To fix this, the team tried a modified version, but it still did not solve the problems. To solve this, the team implemented Agile Scrum, which was met with resistance. To get support, the team made small, incremental changes and were willing to listen, compromise, and be patient. This allowed everyone to feel included in the process change and ultimately led to success.

Solving an ego conflict between two engineers

Two engineers on the same team were in constant competition, which was damaging the team's culture. The manager had one-on-one meetings with each of them and had a group meeting to discuss the issue. He asked them to think about how they could collaborate and change the situation, and after a few days, they had ideas on how to work together. The manager also built trust with them and set clearer expectations to help them work together.

Handling requests for working remotely from my direct reports.

This article discusses a problem of average and low performing employees wanting to work remotely. To address this, the team implemented a boot camp/sync-up to focus on accountability and set clear expectations for those working from home. The team also established a democratic survey to influence the decision to allow someone to work from home, as well as exceptions for health, family, and weather conditions. The process was successful in driving responsible behavior and reconvening was extended to every three and six months. The article emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations and directives with a clear process to effectively implement constraints.

Reorganizing the engineering department for more agility

A manager at Square led a successful reorganization of teams from engineering disciplines to products. The manager was transparent with the team and allowed them to provide preferences for where they wanted to transfer. The reorganization took more time and effort, but enabled more agility in product development. The main lesson learned was to consider both the immediate and long-term effects of a reorganization.

Different meetings for different purposes

The manager of three teams in New York and Tel Aviv holds different types of meetings to ensure visibility between teams. Standups, sprint planning, and exceptional project meetings are used to communicate progress and involve people in decisions. The manager applies the principle of trust and encourages team members to communicate their progress during dedicated times.

Make sure each one of your employees feels recognized

Mike, a senior engineer, was becoming increasingly frustrated due to lack of recognition for his work. As his manager, I had a discussion with him and reassured him that his contributions were important. I also worked with my manager to give more recognition to individuals working on more operational tasks. After this, Mike felt better and stopped being confrontational. This story taught me the importance of public recognition and the need for a balanced company culture.

Reestablishing a healthy relationship between a PM and engineers.

This case study outlines the steps taken to build trust between a new engineering team and their PM. The root of the problem was identified through one-on-one conversations with team members, and the PM's lack of experience was addressed by providing the engineers with context behind the PM's decision making. New processes were established to ensure clear roles and communication, and team bonding activities were held to build relationships. The whole process took three weeks, and the result was an improved work environment and increased efficiency and effectiveness.

How to deal with an underperforming employee

The VP of Engineering at a computer software company needed to fill the position of scrum master and considered a software manager on their team, John, for the role. However, John was an underperforming manager and became an underperforming scrum master. The VP later realized that the best solution would have been to make John realize he was not happy with the company culture and to have let him go with a good severance package and recommendations.

How to tell someone they aren’t being promoted without demotivating them.

When an above average employee asked for a promotion, the manager had to make a difficult decision. To retain the employee, the manager presented the situation as a positive opportunity and gave advice on how to demonstrate thought leadership. The manager also followed up with concrete initiatives to help the employee expand their range of influence. In the end, the employee was retained, motivated, and taught, and even earned awards that year.

Turning a low-performer into a star

After a software developer was under-performing in her tasks, her manager took action to help her improve. Through trial and error, the manager eventually found a role that fit her strengths and she became an indispensable part of the team. This story serves as a lesson that when someone is underperforming, it does not mean they are not a good fit for the team or company, and it is important to consider their strengths instead of focusing on their weaknesses.

How to run effective one-on-ones

One-on-ones are important meetings between a manager and their engineer, but they can often be ineffective due to lack of preparation. To ensure effective one-on-ones, the manager should set a shared agenda, come prepared with topics to discuss, and start the conversation with a casual question. It is also important to book a conference room for the meeting, as this provides a specific space to discuss issues.

Never Delay Decisions

In 2012, the Director of Engineering for mobile platforms at Netflix faced a difficult situation with their iOS manager not performing and deadlines being missed. After eight weeks of firing the manager, hiring three iOS engineers, and taking over the iOS project, they managed to make their deadlines and ship on time. This experience taught the Director that delaying important decisions can have negative impacts and it is important to think of the collateral damage.

My employee assessment process

This article outlines a manager's process for assessing their team, which includes evaluating technical skills, team orientation, and cultural fit. Technical assessment is done with the help of GitPrime, which provides metrics based on coding activities. Team orientation is evaluated through surveys sent to peers, and cultural fit is evaluated through conversations with direct reports about exceeding expectations, attitude towards stretched goals, and feedback from product owners and scrum masters.

Helping your direct reports decide on management, senior IC, or lateral growth tracks, to guide their career development

During a one-on-one with a high performer, the manager discussed career development and presented three different tracks. The report wanted to follow the management track, but the manager was unsure of the reasons given. After further discussion and research, the report decided to become a senior individual contributor instead. This lesson taught the manager to not pressure their reports into making decisions and to ensure that decisions are based on correct and complete information.

Managing a team of engineers who are not technically aligned

When the author inherited a team that was not reliably shipping quality software, they decided to pause product development and rebuild the application using Business Driven Development. This transition was difficult as the team was reluctant to use the test-driven method, but it allowed them to ship software more reliably and faster. The author learned that as a manager, sometimes hard decisions have to be made and it is better to be criticized but lead the team to success than to be loved but lead the team nowhere.

The Benefits of Long-Term Planning

A 12-month timeline and roadmap was created for the engineering team to provide a plan and vision for their work. This plan involves brainstorming ideas, discussing impactful goals, and breaking them down quarter-by-quarter. This 12-month plan allows engineers to know what they'll be working on long-term and also helps to attract potential candidates.

How to handle the underperformance of a remote engineer

A manager of a mixed team of remote and in-person engineers noticed a drop in engagement from one of the remote engineers. After putting a system in place to judge performance objectively, the manager had a face-to-face meeting with the engineer and discovered that personal circumstances were affecting the engineer's productivity. The manager was supportive and suggested that the engineer take some time off and commit to less work. The key factor of success was timing, as the manager was proactive and handled the issue before it became a big problem.

Handling requests from executives

When dealing with requests from executives, it is important to be clear about what can and cannot be done. Explain why they need to compromise and choose between their deadlines and the content they would like. Pull other people into the discussion and set up a committee of product, development and business people to ensure product strategy is aligned with the company's goals. Keep in mind that trade-offs will have to be made when working with a fixed amount of resources.

Defining a path for career growth is essential

This article discusses how to have effective conversations with engineers about their career growth. It outlines the steps taken to help one engineer define his path and create an action plan to achieve his goals. It also emphasizes the importance of having clearly defined engineering levels to provide a common language and set expectations for career growth.

Learning to delegate as a team grows

This article discusses the challenges of delegating tasks as a manager. The author shares their experience of delegating a critical project to an engineer, who was struggling to prioritize and meet deadlines. The author offered help and guidance, and gave the engineer time to progress. After six months, the engineer became a tech lead and one of the best engineers. The author learned that delegating requires trust in the person and their ability to progress, and that it is important to start with smaller tasks.

Making a resistant company more Agile.

When the engineering team at Zoosk was using their own version of Waterfall, they were having major project delays and not meeting their goals. To fix this, the team tried a modified version, but it still did not solve the problems. To solve this, the team implemented Agile Scrum, which was met with resistance. To get support, the team made small, incremental changes and were willing to listen, compromise, and be patient. This allowed everyone to feel included in the process change and ultimately led to success.

Solving an ego conflict between two engineers

Two engineers on the same team were in constant competition, which was damaging the team's culture. The manager had one-on-one meetings with each of them and had a group meeting to discuss the issue. He asked them to think about how they could collaborate and change the situation, and after a few days, they had ideas on how to work together. The manager also built trust with them and set clearer expectations to help them work together.

Handling requests for working remotely from my direct reports.

This article discusses a problem of average and low performing employees wanting to work remotely. To address this, the team implemented a boot camp/sync-up to focus on accountability and set clear expectations for those working from home. The team also established a democratic survey to influence the decision to allow someone to work from home, as well as exceptions for health, family, and weather conditions. The process was successful in driving responsible behavior and reconvening was extended to every three and six months. The article emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations and directives with a clear process to effectively implement constraints.

Reorganizing the engineering department for more agility

A manager at Square led a successful reorganization of teams from engineering disciplines to products. The manager was transparent with the team and allowed them to provide preferences for where they wanted to transfer. The reorganization took more time and effort, but enabled more agility in product development. The main lesson learned was to consider both the immediate and long-term effects of a reorganization.

Different meetings for different purposes

The manager of three teams in New York and Tel Aviv holds different types of meetings to ensure visibility between teams. Standups, sprint planning, and exceptional project meetings are used to communicate progress and involve people in decisions. The manager applies the principle of trust and encourages team members to communicate their progress during dedicated times.

Make sure each one of your employees feels recognized

Mike, a senior engineer, was becoming increasingly frustrated due to lack of recognition for his work. As his manager, I had a discussion with him and reassured him that his contributions were important. I also worked with my manager to give more recognition to individuals working on more operational tasks. After this, Mike felt better and stopped being confrontational. This story taught me the importance of public recognition and the need for a balanced company culture.

Reestablishing a healthy relationship between a PM and engineers.

This case study outlines the steps taken to build trust between a new engineering team and their PM. The root of the problem was identified through one-on-one conversations with team members, and the PM's lack of experience was addressed by providing the engineers with context behind the PM's decision making. New processes were established to ensure clear roles and communication, and team bonding activities were held to build relationships. The whole process took three weeks, and the result was an improved work environment and increased efficiency and effectiveness.

How to deal with an underperforming employee

The VP of Engineering at a computer software company needed to fill the position of scrum master and considered a software manager on their team, John, for the role. However, John was an underperforming manager and became an underperforming scrum master. The VP later realized that the best solution would have been to make John realize he was not happy with the company culture and to have let him go with a good severance package and recommendations.

How to tell someone they aren’t being promoted without demotivating them.

When an above average employee asked for a promotion, the manager had to make a difficult decision. To retain the employee, the manager presented the situation as a positive opportunity and gave advice on how to demonstrate thought leadership. The manager also followed up with concrete initiatives to help the employee expand their range of influence. In the end, the employee was retained, motivated, and taught, and even earned awards that year.

Turning a low-performer into a star

After a software developer was under-performing in her tasks, her manager took action to help her improve. Through trial and error, the manager eventually found a role that fit her strengths and she became an indispensable part of the team. This story serves as a lesson that when someone is underperforming, it does not mean they are not a good fit for the team or company, and it is important to consider their strengths instead of focusing on their weaknesses.

How to run effective one-on-ones

One-on-ones are important meetings between a manager and their engineer, but they can often be ineffective due to lack of preparation. To ensure effective one-on-ones, the manager should set a shared agenda, come prepared with topics to discuss, and start the conversation with a casual question. It is also important to book a conference room for the meeting, as this provides a specific space to discuss issues.

Never Delay Decisions

In 2012, the Director of Engineering for mobile platforms at Netflix faced a difficult situation with their iOS manager not performing and deadlines being missed. After eight weeks of firing the manager, hiring three iOS engineers, and taking over the iOS project, they managed to make their deadlines and ship on time. This experience taught the Director that delaying important decisions can have negative impacts and it is important to think of the collateral damage.

My employee assessment process

This article outlines a manager's process for assessing their team, which includes evaluating technical skills, team orientation, and cultural fit. Technical assessment is done with the help of GitPrime, which provides metrics based on coding activities. Team orientation is evaluated through surveys sent to peers, and cultural fit is evaluated through conversations with direct reports about exceeding expectations, attitude towards stretched goals, and feedback from product owners and scrum masters.

Helping your direct reports decide on management, senior IC, or lateral growth tracks, to guide their career development

During a one-on-one with a high performer, the manager discussed career development and presented three different tracks. The report wanted to follow the management track, but the manager was unsure of the reasons given. After further discussion and research, the report decided to become a senior individual contributor instead. This lesson taught the manager to not pressure their reports into making decisions and to ensure that decisions are based on correct and complete information.

Managing a team of engineers who are not technically aligned

When the author inherited a team that was not reliably shipping quality software, they decided to pause product development and rebuild the application using Business Driven Development. This transition was difficult as the team was reluctant to use the test-driven method, but it allowed them to ship software more reliably and faster. The author learned that as a manager, sometimes hard decisions have to be made and it is better to be criticized but lead the team to success than to be loved but lead the team nowhere.

The Benefits of Long-Term Planning

A 12-month timeline and roadmap was created for the engineering team to provide a plan and vision for their work. This plan involves brainstorming ideas, discussing impactful goals, and breaking them down quarter-by-quarter. This 12-month plan allows engineers to know what they'll be working on long-term and also helps to attract potential candidates.

How to handle the underperformance of a remote engineer

A manager of a mixed team of remote and in-person engineers noticed a drop in engagement from one of the remote engineers. After putting a system in place to judge performance objectively, the manager had a face-to-face meeting with the engineer and discovered that personal circumstances were affecting the engineer's productivity. The manager was supportive and suggested that the engineer take some time off and commit to less work. The key factor of success was timing, as the manager was proactive and handled the issue before it became a big problem.

Handling requests from executives

When dealing with requests from executives, it is important to be clear about what can and cannot be done. Explain why they need to compromise and choose between their deadlines and the content they would like. Pull other people into the discussion and set up a committee of product, development and business people to ensure product strategy is aligned with the company's goals. Keep in mind that trade-offs will have to be made when working with a fixed amount of resources.

Defining a path for career growth is essential

This article discusses how to have effective conversations with engineers about their career growth. It outlines the steps taken to help one engineer define his path and create an action plan to achieve his goals. It also emphasizes the importance of having clearly defined engineering levels to provide a common language and set expectations for career growth.

Learning to delegate as a team grows

This article discusses the challenges of delegating tasks as a manager. The author shares their experience of delegating a critical project to an engineer, who was struggling to prioritize and meet deadlines. The author offered help and guidance, and gave the engineer time to progress. After six months, the engineer became a tech lead and one of the best engineers. The author learned that delegating requires trust in the person and their ability to progress, and that it is important to start with smaller tasks.

Making a resistant company more Agile.

When the engineering team at Zoosk was using their own version of Waterfall, they were having major project delays and not meeting their goals. To fix this, the team tried a modified version, but it still did not solve the problems. To solve this, the team implemented Agile Scrum, which was met with resistance. To get support, the team made small, incremental changes and were willing to listen, compromise, and be patient. This allowed everyone to feel included in the process change and ultimately led to success.

Solving an ego conflict between two engineers

Two engineers on the same team were in constant competition, which was damaging the team's culture. The manager had one-on-one meetings with each of them and had a group meeting to discuss the issue. He asked them to think about how they could collaborate and change the situation, and after a few days, they had ideas on how to work together. The manager also built trust with them and set clearer expectations to help them work together.

Handling requests for working remotely from my direct reports.

This article discusses a problem of average and low performing employees wanting to work remotely. To address this, the team implemented a boot camp/sync-up to focus on accountability and set clear expectations for those working from home. The team also established a democratic survey to influence the decision to allow someone to work from home, as well as exceptions for health, family, and weather conditions. The process was successful in driving responsible behavior and reconvening was extended to every three and six months. The article emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations and directives with a clear process to effectively implement constraints.

Reorganizing the engineering department for more agility

A manager at Square led a successful reorganization of teams from engineering disciplines to products. The manager was transparent with the team and allowed them to provide preferences for where they wanted to transfer. The reorganization took more time and effort, but enabled more agility in product development. The main lesson learned was to consider both the immediate and long-term effects of a reorganization.

Different meetings for different purposes

The manager of three teams in New York and Tel Aviv holds different types of meetings to ensure visibility between teams. Standups, sprint planning, and exceptional project meetings are used to communicate progress and involve people in decisions. The manager applies the principle of trust and encourages team members to communicate their progress during dedicated times.

Make sure each one of your employees feels recognized

Mike, a senior engineer, was becoming increasingly frustrated due to lack of recognition for his work. As his manager, I had a discussion with him and reassured him that his contributions were important. I also worked with my manager to give more recognition to individuals working on more operational tasks. After this, Mike felt better and stopped being confrontational. This story taught me the importance of public recognition and the need for a balanced company culture.

Reestablishing a healthy relationship between a PM and engineers.

This case study outlines the steps taken to build trust between a new engineering team and their PM. The root of the problem was identified through one-on-one conversations with team members, and the PM's lack of experience was addressed by providing the engineers with context behind the PM's decision making. New processes were established to ensure clear roles and communication, and team bonding activities were held to build relationships. The whole process took three weeks, and the result was an improved work environment and increased efficiency and effectiveness.

How to deal with an underperforming employee

The VP of Engineering at a computer software company needed to fill the position of scrum master and considered a software manager on their team, John, for the role. However, John was an underperforming manager and became an underperforming scrum master. The VP later realized that the best solution would have been to make John realize he was not happy with the company culture and to have let him go with a good severance package and recommendations.

How to tell someone they aren’t being promoted without demotivating them.

When an above average employee asked for a promotion, the manager had to make a difficult decision. To retain the employee, the manager presented the situation as a positive opportunity and gave advice on how to demonstrate thought leadership. The manager also followed up with concrete initiatives to help the employee expand their range of influence. In the end, the employee was retained, motivated, and taught, and even earned awards that year.

Turning a low-performer into a star

After a software developer was under-performing in her tasks, her manager took action to help her improve. Through trial and error, the manager eventually found a role that fit her strengths and she became an indispensable part of the team. This story serves as a lesson that when someone is underperforming, it does not mean they are not a good fit for the team or company, and it is important to consider their strengths instead of focusing on their weaknesses.

How to run effective one-on-ones

One-on-ones are important meetings between a manager and their engineer, but they can often be ineffective due to lack of preparation. To ensure effective one-on-ones, the manager should set a shared agenda, come prepared with topics to discuss, and start the conversation with a casual question. It is also important to book a conference room for the meeting, as this provides a specific space to discuss issues.

Never Delay Decisions

In 2012, the Director of Engineering for mobile platforms at Netflix faced a difficult situation with their iOS manager not performing and deadlines being missed. After eight weeks of firing the manager, hiring three iOS engineers, and taking over the iOS project, they managed to make their deadlines and ship on time. This experience taught the Director that delaying important decisions can have negative impacts and it is important to think of the collateral damage.

My employee assessment process

This article outlines a manager's process for assessing their team, which includes evaluating technical skills, team orientation, and cultural fit. Technical assessment is done with the help of GitPrime, which provides metrics based on coding activities. Team orientation is evaluated through surveys sent to peers, and cultural fit is evaluated through conversations with direct reports about exceeding expectations, attitude towards stretched goals, and feedback from product owners and scrum masters.

Helping your direct reports decide on management, senior IC, or lateral growth tracks, to guide their career development

During a one-on-one with a high performer, the manager discussed career development and presented three different tracks. The report wanted to follow the management track, but the manager was unsure of the reasons given. After further discussion and research, the report decided to become a senior individual contributor instead. This lesson taught the manager to not pressure their reports into making decisions and to ensure that decisions are based on correct and complete information.

Managing a team of engineers who are not technically aligned

When the author inherited a team that was not reliably shipping quality software, they decided to pause product development and rebuild the application using Business Driven Development. This transition was difficult as the team was reluctant to use the test-driven method, but it allowed them to ship software more reliably and faster. The author learned that as a manager, sometimes hard decisions have to be made and it is better to be criticized but lead the team to success than to be loved but lead the team nowhere.

The Benefits of Long-Term Planning

A 12-month timeline and roadmap was created for the engineering team to provide a plan and vision for their work. This plan involves brainstorming ideas, discussing impactful goals, and breaking them down quarter-by-quarter. This 12-month plan allows engineers to know what they'll be working on long-term and also helps to attract potential candidates.

How to handle the underperformance of a remote engineer

A manager of a mixed team of remote and in-person engineers noticed a drop in engagement from one of the remote engineers. After putting a system in place to judge performance objectively, the manager had a face-to-face meeting with the engineer and discovered that personal circumstances were affecting the engineer's productivity. The manager was supportive and suggested that the engineer take some time off and commit to less work. The key factor of success was timing, as the manager was proactive and handled the issue before it became a big problem.

Handling requests from executives

When dealing with requests from executives, it is important to be clear about what can and cannot be done. Explain why they need to compromise and choose between their deadlines and the content they would like. Pull other people into the discussion and set up a committee of product, development and business people to ensure product strategy is aligned with the company's goals. Keep in mind that trade-offs will have to be made when working with a fixed amount of resources.

Defining a path for career growth is essential

This article discusses how to have effective conversations with engineers about their career growth. It outlines the steps taken to help one engineer define his path and create an action plan to achieve his goals. It also emphasizes the importance of having clearly defined engineering levels to provide a common language and set expectations for career growth.

Learning to delegate as a team grows

This article discusses the challenges of delegating tasks as a manager. The author shares their experience of delegating a critical project to an engineer, who was struggling to prioritize and meet deadlines. The author offered help and guidance, and gave the engineer time to progress. After six months, the engineer became a tech lead and one of the best engineers. The author learned that delegating requires trust in the person and their ability to progress, and that it is important to start with smaller tasks.

Making a resistant company more Agile.

When the engineering team at Zoosk was using their own version of Waterfall, they were having major project delays and not meeting their goals. To fix this, the team tried a modified version, but it still did not solve the problems. To solve this, the team implemented Agile Scrum, which was met with resistance. To get support, the team made small, incremental changes and were willing to listen, compromise, and be patient. This allowed everyone to feel included in the process change and ultimately led to success.

Solving an ego conflict between two engineers

Two engineers on the same team were in constant competition, which was damaging the team's culture. The manager had one-on-one meetings with each of them and had a group meeting to discuss the issue. He asked them to think about how they could collaborate and change the situation, and after a few days, they had ideas on how to work together. The manager also built trust with them and set clearer expectations to help them work together.

Handling requests for working remotely from my direct reports.

This article discusses a problem of average and low performing employees wanting to work remotely. To address this, the team implemented a boot camp/sync-up to focus on accountability and set clear expectations for those working from home. The team also established a democratic survey to influence the decision to allow someone to work from home, as well as exceptions for health, family, and weather conditions. The process was successful in driving responsible behavior and reconvening was extended to every three and six months. The article emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations and directives with a clear process to effectively implement constraints.