Knowledge shared by our community

Understanding How a Mission Impacts the World

This article discusses the importance of considering the social impact of any mission and how to help people reach their goals. It emphasizes the need to put people first and to create an environment where everyone can thrive. It also highlights the importance of understanding the animal part of our brain and how it can influence our behavior.

The Pros and the Cons of a Career Ladder

This article discusses the pros and cons of the traditional career ladder approach to growth and the need for a shift in paradigm to a self-driven approach. It emphasizes the importance of creating a conversation around growth and providing psychological safety for employees to learn and grow on the job. Growth looks different for everyone and should be tailored to individual goals.

Understanding the Difference Between Working as a Technician and Working as a Manager

The author reflects on the differences between their technical role and their current management role. They have learned that management requires a different set of skills and understanding of people and their motivations. They have found that a mission-focused approach is more successful in motivating a team and that clear intentions and good leadership will naturally bring people together to do the right thing.

Building Relationships While Integrating Oneself into a New Culture

This article discusses the difficulty of transitioning to a new culture and language, and the importance of patience and active engagement in the process. It suggests watching American movies to gain an understanding of the language and culture, and participating in low-barrier social activities to build relationships. It also emphasizes the importance of taking small steps and putting yourself out there to bolster confidence.

Finding Your Calling as You Specialize in Your Field

This article reflects on the importance of striking a balance between depth and breadth in one's career. It emphasizes the need for mentors and communities to help guide the journey, as well as the importance of focusing on quality over quantity of learning. It also stresses the need to be mindful of how much time is spent learning, as it takes away from other areas of life.

Restructuring a Team Methodically

This article describes the organizational changes that the author's company went through as they grew and hired quickly. They identified core principles to guide their decisions, such as optimizing for speed and autonomy, and structured teams around customer experiences. The author learned that it was important to clearly articulate their core principles to the team, and to be honest and intentional with their decisions. This allowed the team to feel more secure and to understand how their work made a difference to the customer.

Leading Your Reports to the Careers of Their Dreams

This article discusses the importance of setting a standard of quality for engineering teams and how to provide feedback to employees. It outlines the "SOON" model which involves discussing success, obstacles, options, and next steps. This model encourages employees to come up with solutions to their own problems and to create new habits to help them reach their goals.

Learning How to Overcome the Language Barrier

When the author moved to the US, they faced a language barrier due to the difference between English as it is taught in school and English as it is spoken socially. To overcome this, they looked at the language from a verticalized perspective and developed a tool to help others become fluent. When pitching to investors, they had to master the language and culture to be successful. Through persistence and connecting with people, they were able to get their start-up funded.

How to Inspire Innovation

Engineers can become more innovative by participating in hackathons, brainstorming sessions, and taking ownership of particular problems. PMs should involve engineers early in the process and give them more say in the roadmap planning to encourage innovation. Ideas that are born in hackathons can have a significant return on investment and can lead to successful projects.

Holding Partner Teams Accountable

This article discusses a problem between two teams that had multiple dependencies on each other. After trying to reach an agreement with a manager, they decided to escalate the issue and involve their higher-ups. They also introduced regular check-ins, ensured quality by involving their engineers early on, and wrote down all commitments. The lessons learned from this experience were to try to reach an agreement, write down commitments, have regular check-ins, and involve people who will be affected by implementation early on.

Supporting Your Team in the Midst of Change

When the business shifted the focus of the team from a successful product to something completely new, the manager faced a challenge of helping the team adjust and ramp up quickly. To do this, the manager was open and transparent with the team, prioritized the company's interests over individual teams or products, and worked to build trust with the team. Despite some resistance, the manager was able to help the team adjust to the new circumstances.

How to Structure an Effective One-on-One

The author faced a problem of having a team of introverts who were not very talkative during one-on-ones. To address this, the author created a three-part, well-structured agenda to encourage active participation. The agenda focused on giving and receiving feedback, discussing anything that happened during the week, and discussing tasks and projects from the perspective of career growth. The author also learned that one-on-ones should be personalized to address each individual's needs and aspirations, and that building relationships is just as important as discussing actionable items.

Being a Manager of a New Manager

In this article, the author recounts their experience of managing a new manager who took over their former team. The author describes the actions they took to ensure the team remained happy while empowering the new manager to exercise their authority, such as removing themselves from team meetings and participating in skip-level one-on-ones. The author also shares lessons they learned from the experience, such as not imposing their management style on other managers, not abandoning the team, and setting up regular check-ins and milestones with their managers.

How to Build Happy Teams

This article discusses the challenge of building or maintaining a culture of happiness in a team. The author outlines the actions taken to achieve this, such as getting to know people, connecting with them, and connecting people on the team. The author also shares lessons learned, such as the importance of focusing on people and making sure they are happy, and the need to listen to people and be genuinely interested in how they feel.

Managing Twenty-Five Direct Reports

When faced with the challenge of managing 25 direct reports, the author chose to delegate work to other team members and mentor them to take on more responsibilities. This allowed the author to focus on more strategic matters and build a self-sustaining ecosystem. The author learned the importance of not becoming a bottleneck, coaching people to take their job, being prepared for change, and investing in people regardless of their career path.

Building an Effective Team

A manager was tasked with managing a chaotic team of acquired and long-standing employees who lacked trust and were missing deadlines. To bridge the communication gap, the manager initiated conversations with all team members and restructured the team. They also trimmed down the roadmap and pushed back to senior leadership. Through these efforts, the team was able to launch a product in nine months and build a good reputation. The manager learned that it is important to listen and build trust, be prepared to question the roadmap, and be willing to push back to senior leadership.

Most Productive Version of Yourself

This article discusses the author's journey to increase productivity by exploring different methods and frameworks, such as 4DX (The Four Disciplines of Execution) and automating tasks. The author also emphasizes the importance of managing mental clutter and collecting small wins to drive motivation. Through trial and error, the author has learned lessons about the inherent constraints and limitations of productivity.

Restructuring a Growing Team: A Lesson in Adjusting the Spotify Model

This article discusses the restructuring of a software development department that had grown to 100 people. The team implemented the Spotify model of squads and tribes, adjusting it to fit their unique needs. Through this restructuring, the team was able to reignite the sense of belonging to the team and uphold the culture while also scaling the business. The article also highlights the importance of staying open-minded, listening to feedback, and communicating transparently throughout the process. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of keeping teams small to ensure culture is not prescribed.

Hack Your Team: How to Stay Connected With Your Remote Team

As companies transition to remote work due to the pandemic, communication between teammates has become fragmented. To keep teams connected, it is important to establish blocked times, read the room, set up regular interaction points, and be cognizant of team members' needs. Leaders should also trust their teammates, be vulnerable, acknowledge problems, and differentiate between what is and isn't within their control.

Adjusting My Military Leadership Style

This article discusses the transition from military leadership to civilian leadership. It explains how the military style of leadership, which is focused on following orders, is not as effective in a knowledge-based workforce. The author had to learn how to be more empathetic and less blunt in order to build rapport with his team. He also had to learn how to tailor his approach to match the expectations and preferences of different people across the organization. The article concludes with the lessons learned, which include the importance of a participatory approach, techniques to bring people on the same page, and the differences between military and civilian contexts.

Understanding How a Mission Impacts the World

This article discusses the importance of considering the social impact of any mission and how to help people reach their goals. It emphasizes the need to put people first and to create an environment where everyone can thrive. It also highlights the importance of understanding the animal part of our brain and how it can influence our behavior.

The Pros and the Cons of a Career Ladder

This article discusses the pros and cons of the traditional career ladder approach to growth and the need for a shift in paradigm to a self-driven approach. It emphasizes the importance of creating a conversation around growth and providing psychological safety for employees to learn and grow on the job. Growth looks different for everyone and should be tailored to individual goals.

Understanding the Difference Between Working as a Technician and Working as a Manager

The author reflects on the differences between their technical role and their current management role. They have learned that management requires a different set of skills and understanding of people and their motivations. They have found that a mission-focused approach is more successful in motivating a team and that clear intentions and good leadership will naturally bring people together to do the right thing.

Building Relationships While Integrating Oneself into a New Culture

This article discusses the difficulty of transitioning to a new culture and language, and the importance of patience and active engagement in the process. It suggests watching American movies to gain an understanding of the language and culture, and participating in low-barrier social activities to build relationships. It also emphasizes the importance of taking small steps and putting yourself out there to bolster confidence.

Finding Your Calling as You Specialize in Your Field

This article reflects on the importance of striking a balance between depth and breadth in one's career. It emphasizes the need for mentors and communities to help guide the journey, as well as the importance of focusing on quality over quantity of learning. It also stresses the need to be mindful of how much time is spent learning, as it takes away from other areas of life.

Restructuring a Team Methodically

This article describes the organizational changes that the author's company went through as they grew and hired quickly. They identified core principles to guide their decisions, such as optimizing for speed and autonomy, and structured teams around customer experiences. The author learned that it was important to clearly articulate their core principles to the team, and to be honest and intentional with their decisions. This allowed the team to feel more secure and to understand how their work made a difference to the customer.

Leading Your Reports to the Careers of Their Dreams

This article discusses the importance of setting a standard of quality for engineering teams and how to provide feedback to employees. It outlines the "SOON" model which involves discussing success, obstacles, options, and next steps. This model encourages employees to come up with solutions to their own problems and to create new habits to help them reach their goals.

Learning How to Overcome the Language Barrier

When the author moved to the US, they faced a language barrier due to the difference between English as it is taught in school and English as it is spoken socially. To overcome this, they looked at the language from a verticalized perspective and developed a tool to help others become fluent. When pitching to investors, they had to master the language and culture to be successful. Through persistence and connecting with people, they were able to get their start-up funded.

How to Inspire Innovation

Engineers can become more innovative by participating in hackathons, brainstorming sessions, and taking ownership of particular problems. PMs should involve engineers early in the process and give them more say in the roadmap planning to encourage innovation. Ideas that are born in hackathons can have a significant return on investment and can lead to successful projects.

Holding Partner Teams Accountable

This article discusses a problem between two teams that had multiple dependencies on each other. After trying to reach an agreement with a manager, they decided to escalate the issue and involve their higher-ups. They also introduced regular check-ins, ensured quality by involving their engineers early on, and wrote down all commitments. The lessons learned from this experience were to try to reach an agreement, write down commitments, have regular check-ins, and involve people who will be affected by implementation early on.

Supporting Your Team in the Midst of Change

When the business shifted the focus of the team from a successful product to something completely new, the manager faced a challenge of helping the team adjust and ramp up quickly. To do this, the manager was open and transparent with the team, prioritized the company's interests over individual teams or products, and worked to build trust with the team. Despite some resistance, the manager was able to help the team adjust to the new circumstances.

How to Structure an Effective One-on-One

The author faced a problem of having a team of introverts who were not very talkative during one-on-ones. To address this, the author created a three-part, well-structured agenda to encourage active participation. The agenda focused on giving and receiving feedback, discussing anything that happened during the week, and discussing tasks and projects from the perspective of career growth. The author also learned that one-on-ones should be personalized to address each individual's needs and aspirations, and that building relationships is just as important as discussing actionable items.

Being a Manager of a New Manager

In this article, the author recounts their experience of managing a new manager who took over their former team. The author describes the actions they took to ensure the team remained happy while empowering the new manager to exercise their authority, such as removing themselves from team meetings and participating in skip-level one-on-ones. The author also shares lessons they learned from the experience, such as not imposing their management style on other managers, not abandoning the team, and setting up regular check-ins and milestones with their managers.

How to Build Happy Teams

This article discusses the challenge of building or maintaining a culture of happiness in a team. The author outlines the actions taken to achieve this, such as getting to know people, connecting with them, and connecting people on the team. The author also shares lessons learned, such as the importance of focusing on people and making sure they are happy, and the need to listen to people and be genuinely interested in how they feel.

Managing Twenty-Five Direct Reports

When faced with the challenge of managing 25 direct reports, the author chose to delegate work to other team members and mentor them to take on more responsibilities. This allowed the author to focus on more strategic matters and build a self-sustaining ecosystem. The author learned the importance of not becoming a bottleneck, coaching people to take their job, being prepared for change, and investing in people regardless of their career path.

Building an Effective Team

A manager was tasked with managing a chaotic team of acquired and long-standing employees who lacked trust and were missing deadlines. To bridge the communication gap, the manager initiated conversations with all team members and restructured the team. They also trimmed down the roadmap and pushed back to senior leadership. Through these efforts, the team was able to launch a product in nine months and build a good reputation. The manager learned that it is important to listen and build trust, be prepared to question the roadmap, and be willing to push back to senior leadership.

Most Productive Version of Yourself

This article discusses the author's journey to increase productivity by exploring different methods and frameworks, such as 4DX (The Four Disciplines of Execution) and automating tasks. The author also emphasizes the importance of managing mental clutter and collecting small wins to drive motivation. Through trial and error, the author has learned lessons about the inherent constraints and limitations of productivity.

Restructuring a Growing Team: A Lesson in Adjusting the Spotify Model

This article discusses the restructuring of a software development department that had grown to 100 people. The team implemented the Spotify model of squads and tribes, adjusting it to fit their unique needs. Through this restructuring, the team was able to reignite the sense of belonging to the team and uphold the culture while also scaling the business. The article also highlights the importance of staying open-minded, listening to feedback, and communicating transparently throughout the process. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of keeping teams small to ensure culture is not prescribed.

Hack Your Team: How to Stay Connected With Your Remote Team

As companies transition to remote work due to the pandemic, communication between teammates has become fragmented. To keep teams connected, it is important to establish blocked times, read the room, set up regular interaction points, and be cognizant of team members' needs. Leaders should also trust their teammates, be vulnerable, acknowledge problems, and differentiate between what is and isn't within their control.

Adjusting My Military Leadership Style

This article discusses the transition from military leadership to civilian leadership. It explains how the military style of leadership, which is focused on following orders, is not as effective in a knowledge-based workforce. The author had to learn how to be more empathetic and less blunt in order to build rapport with his team. He also had to learn how to tailor his approach to match the expectations and preferences of different people across the organization. The article concludes with the lessons learned, which include the importance of a participatory approach, techniques to bring people on the same page, and the differences between military and civilian contexts.

Understanding How a Mission Impacts the World

This article discusses the importance of considering the social impact of any mission and how to help people reach their goals. It emphasizes the need to put people first and to create an environment where everyone can thrive. It also highlights the importance of understanding the animal part of our brain and how it can influence our behavior.

The Pros and the Cons of a Career Ladder

This article discusses the pros and cons of the traditional career ladder approach to growth and the need for a shift in paradigm to a self-driven approach. It emphasizes the importance of creating a conversation around growth and providing psychological safety for employees to learn and grow on the job. Growth looks different for everyone and should be tailored to individual goals.

Understanding the Difference Between Working as a Technician and Working as a Manager

The author reflects on the differences between their technical role and their current management role. They have learned that management requires a different set of skills and understanding of people and their motivations. They have found that a mission-focused approach is more successful in motivating a team and that clear intentions and good leadership will naturally bring people together to do the right thing.

Building Relationships While Integrating Oneself into a New Culture

This article discusses the difficulty of transitioning to a new culture and language, and the importance of patience and active engagement in the process. It suggests watching American movies to gain an understanding of the language and culture, and participating in low-barrier social activities to build relationships. It also emphasizes the importance of taking small steps and putting yourself out there to bolster confidence.

Finding Your Calling as You Specialize in Your Field

This article reflects on the importance of striking a balance between depth and breadth in one's career. It emphasizes the need for mentors and communities to help guide the journey, as well as the importance of focusing on quality over quantity of learning. It also stresses the need to be mindful of how much time is spent learning, as it takes away from other areas of life.

Restructuring a Team Methodically

This article describes the organizational changes that the author's company went through as they grew and hired quickly. They identified core principles to guide their decisions, such as optimizing for speed and autonomy, and structured teams around customer experiences. The author learned that it was important to clearly articulate their core principles to the team, and to be honest and intentional with their decisions. This allowed the team to feel more secure and to understand how their work made a difference to the customer.

Leading Your Reports to the Careers of Their Dreams

This article discusses the importance of setting a standard of quality for engineering teams and how to provide feedback to employees. It outlines the "SOON" model which involves discussing success, obstacles, options, and next steps. This model encourages employees to come up with solutions to their own problems and to create new habits to help them reach their goals.

Learning How to Overcome the Language Barrier

When the author moved to the US, they faced a language barrier due to the difference between English as it is taught in school and English as it is spoken socially. To overcome this, they looked at the language from a verticalized perspective and developed a tool to help others become fluent. When pitching to investors, they had to master the language and culture to be successful. Through persistence and connecting with people, they were able to get their start-up funded.

How to Inspire Innovation

Engineers can become more innovative by participating in hackathons, brainstorming sessions, and taking ownership of particular problems. PMs should involve engineers early in the process and give them more say in the roadmap planning to encourage innovation. Ideas that are born in hackathons can have a significant return on investment and can lead to successful projects.

Holding Partner Teams Accountable

This article discusses a problem between two teams that had multiple dependencies on each other. After trying to reach an agreement with a manager, they decided to escalate the issue and involve their higher-ups. They also introduced regular check-ins, ensured quality by involving their engineers early on, and wrote down all commitments. The lessons learned from this experience were to try to reach an agreement, write down commitments, have regular check-ins, and involve people who will be affected by implementation early on.

Supporting Your Team in the Midst of Change

When the business shifted the focus of the team from a successful product to something completely new, the manager faced a challenge of helping the team adjust and ramp up quickly. To do this, the manager was open and transparent with the team, prioritized the company's interests over individual teams or products, and worked to build trust with the team. Despite some resistance, the manager was able to help the team adjust to the new circumstances.

How to Structure an Effective One-on-One

The author faced a problem of having a team of introverts who were not very talkative during one-on-ones. To address this, the author created a three-part, well-structured agenda to encourage active participation. The agenda focused on giving and receiving feedback, discussing anything that happened during the week, and discussing tasks and projects from the perspective of career growth. The author also learned that one-on-ones should be personalized to address each individual's needs and aspirations, and that building relationships is just as important as discussing actionable items.

Being a Manager of a New Manager

In this article, the author recounts their experience of managing a new manager who took over their former team. The author describes the actions they took to ensure the team remained happy while empowering the new manager to exercise their authority, such as removing themselves from team meetings and participating in skip-level one-on-ones. The author also shares lessons they learned from the experience, such as not imposing their management style on other managers, not abandoning the team, and setting up regular check-ins and milestones with their managers.

How to Build Happy Teams

This article discusses the challenge of building or maintaining a culture of happiness in a team. The author outlines the actions taken to achieve this, such as getting to know people, connecting with them, and connecting people on the team. The author also shares lessons learned, such as the importance of focusing on people and making sure they are happy, and the need to listen to people and be genuinely interested in how they feel.

Managing Twenty-Five Direct Reports

When faced with the challenge of managing 25 direct reports, the author chose to delegate work to other team members and mentor them to take on more responsibilities. This allowed the author to focus on more strategic matters and build a self-sustaining ecosystem. The author learned the importance of not becoming a bottleneck, coaching people to take their job, being prepared for change, and investing in people regardless of their career path.

Building an Effective Team

A manager was tasked with managing a chaotic team of acquired and long-standing employees who lacked trust and were missing deadlines. To bridge the communication gap, the manager initiated conversations with all team members and restructured the team. They also trimmed down the roadmap and pushed back to senior leadership. Through these efforts, the team was able to launch a product in nine months and build a good reputation. The manager learned that it is important to listen and build trust, be prepared to question the roadmap, and be willing to push back to senior leadership.

Most Productive Version of Yourself

This article discusses the author's journey to increase productivity by exploring different methods and frameworks, such as 4DX (The Four Disciplines of Execution) and automating tasks. The author also emphasizes the importance of managing mental clutter and collecting small wins to drive motivation. Through trial and error, the author has learned lessons about the inherent constraints and limitations of productivity.

Restructuring a Growing Team: A Lesson in Adjusting the Spotify Model

This article discusses the restructuring of a software development department that had grown to 100 people. The team implemented the Spotify model of squads and tribes, adjusting it to fit their unique needs. Through this restructuring, the team was able to reignite the sense of belonging to the team and uphold the culture while also scaling the business. The article also highlights the importance of staying open-minded, listening to feedback, and communicating transparently throughout the process. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of keeping teams small to ensure culture is not prescribed.

Hack Your Team: How to Stay Connected With Your Remote Team

As companies transition to remote work due to the pandemic, communication between teammates has become fragmented. To keep teams connected, it is important to establish blocked times, read the room, set up regular interaction points, and be cognizant of team members' needs. Leaders should also trust their teammates, be vulnerable, acknowledge problems, and differentiate between what is and isn't within their control.

Adjusting My Military Leadership Style

This article discusses the transition from military leadership to civilian leadership. It explains how the military style of leadership, which is focused on following orders, is not as effective in a knowledge-based workforce. The author had to learn how to be more empathetic and less blunt in order to build rapport with his team. He also had to learn how to tailor his approach to match the expectations and preferences of different people across the organization. The article concludes with the lessons learned, which include the importance of a participatory approach, techniques to bring people on the same page, and the differences between military and civilian contexts.

Understanding How a Mission Impacts the World

This article discusses the importance of considering the social impact of any mission and how to help people reach their goals. It emphasizes the need to put people first and to create an environment where everyone can thrive. It also highlights the importance of understanding the animal part of our brain and how it can influence our behavior.

The Pros and the Cons of a Career Ladder

This article discusses the pros and cons of the traditional career ladder approach to growth and the need for a shift in paradigm to a self-driven approach. It emphasizes the importance of creating a conversation around growth and providing psychological safety for employees to learn and grow on the job. Growth looks different for everyone and should be tailored to individual goals.

Understanding the Difference Between Working as a Technician and Working as a Manager

The author reflects on the differences between their technical role and their current management role. They have learned that management requires a different set of skills and understanding of people and their motivations. They have found that a mission-focused approach is more successful in motivating a team and that clear intentions and good leadership will naturally bring people together to do the right thing.

Building Relationships While Integrating Oneself into a New Culture

This article discusses the difficulty of transitioning to a new culture and language, and the importance of patience and active engagement in the process. It suggests watching American movies to gain an understanding of the language and culture, and participating in low-barrier social activities to build relationships. It also emphasizes the importance of taking small steps and putting yourself out there to bolster confidence.

Finding Your Calling as You Specialize in Your Field

This article reflects on the importance of striking a balance between depth and breadth in one's career. It emphasizes the need for mentors and communities to help guide the journey, as well as the importance of focusing on quality over quantity of learning. It also stresses the need to be mindful of how much time is spent learning, as it takes away from other areas of life.

Restructuring a Team Methodically

This article describes the organizational changes that the author's company went through as they grew and hired quickly. They identified core principles to guide their decisions, such as optimizing for speed and autonomy, and structured teams around customer experiences. The author learned that it was important to clearly articulate their core principles to the team, and to be honest and intentional with their decisions. This allowed the team to feel more secure and to understand how their work made a difference to the customer.

Leading Your Reports to the Careers of Their Dreams

This article discusses the importance of setting a standard of quality for engineering teams and how to provide feedback to employees. It outlines the "SOON" model which involves discussing success, obstacles, options, and next steps. This model encourages employees to come up with solutions to their own problems and to create new habits to help them reach their goals.

Learning How to Overcome the Language Barrier

When the author moved to the US, they faced a language barrier due to the difference between English as it is taught in school and English as it is spoken socially. To overcome this, they looked at the language from a verticalized perspective and developed a tool to help others become fluent. When pitching to investors, they had to master the language and culture to be successful. Through persistence and connecting with people, they were able to get their start-up funded.

How to Inspire Innovation

Engineers can become more innovative by participating in hackathons, brainstorming sessions, and taking ownership of particular problems. PMs should involve engineers early in the process and give them more say in the roadmap planning to encourage innovation. Ideas that are born in hackathons can have a significant return on investment and can lead to successful projects.

Holding Partner Teams Accountable

This article discusses a problem between two teams that had multiple dependencies on each other. After trying to reach an agreement with a manager, they decided to escalate the issue and involve their higher-ups. They also introduced regular check-ins, ensured quality by involving their engineers early on, and wrote down all commitments. The lessons learned from this experience were to try to reach an agreement, write down commitments, have regular check-ins, and involve people who will be affected by implementation early on.

Supporting Your Team in the Midst of Change

When the business shifted the focus of the team from a successful product to something completely new, the manager faced a challenge of helping the team adjust and ramp up quickly. To do this, the manager was open and transparent with the team, prioritized the company's interests over individual teams or products, and worked to build trust with the team. Despite some resistance, the manager was able to help the team adjust to the new circumstances.

How to Structure an Effective One-on-One

The author faced a problem of having a team of introverts who were not very talkative during one-on-ones. To address this, the author created a three-part, well-structured agenda to encourage active participation. The agenda focused on giving and receiving feedback, discussing anything that happened during the week, and discussing tasks and projects from the perspective of career growth. The author also learned that one-on-ones should be personalized to address each individual's needs and aspirations, and that building relationships is just as important as discussing actionable items.

Being a Manager of a New Manager

In this article, the author recounts their experience of managing a new manager who took over their former team. The author describes the actions they took to ensure the team remained happy while empowering the new manager to exercise their authority, such as removing themselves from team meetings and participating in skip-level one-on-ones. The author also shares lessons they learned from the experience, such as not imposing their management style on other managers, not abandoning the team, and setting up regular check-ins and milestones with their managers.

How to Build Happy Teams

This article discusses the challenge of building or maintaining a culture of happiness in a team. The author outlines the actions taken to achieve this, such as getting to know people, connecting with them, and connecting people on the team. The author also shares lessons learned, such as the importance of focusing on people and making sure they are happy, and the need to listen to people and be genuinely interested in how they feel.

Managing Twenty-Five Direct Reports

When faced with the challenge of managing 25 direct reports, the author chose to delegate work to other team members and mentor them to take on more responsibilities. This allowed the author to focus on more strategic matters and build a self-sustaining ecosystem. The author learned the importance of not becoming a bottleneck, coaching people to take their job, being prepared for change, and investing in people regardless of their career path.

Building an Effective Team

A manager was tasked with managing a chaotic team of acquired and long-standing employees who lacked trust and were missing deadlines. To bridge the communication gap, the manager initiated conversations with all team members and restructured the team. They also trimmed down the roadmap and pushed back to senior leadership. Through these efforts, the team was able to launch a product in nine months and build a good reputation. The manager learned that it is important to listen and build trust, be prepared to question the roadmap, and be willing to push back to senior leadership.

Most Productive Version of Yourself

This article discusses the author's journey to increase productivity by exploring different methods and frameworks, such as 4DX (The Four Disciplines of Execution) and automating tasks. The author also emphasizes the importance of managing mental clutter and collecting small wins to drive motivation. Through trial and error, the author has learned lessons about the inherent constraints and limitations of productivity.

Restructuring a Growing Team: A Lesson in Adjusting the Spotify Model

This article discusses the restructuring of a software development department that had grown to 100 people. The team implemented the Spotify model of squads and tribes, adjusting it to fit their unique needs. Through this restructuring, the team was able to reignite the sense of belonging to the team and uphold the culture while also scaling the business. The article also highlights the importance of staying open-minded, listening to feedback, and communicating transparently throughout the process. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of keeping teams small to ensure culture is not prescribed.

Hack Your Team: How to Stay Connected With Your Remote Team

As companies transition to remote work due to the pandemic, communication between teammates has become fragmented. To keep teams connected, it is important to establish blocked times, read the room, set up regular interaction points, and be cognizant of team members' needs. Leaders should also trust their teammates, be vulnerable, acknowledge problems, and differentiate between what is and isn't within their control.

Adjusting My Military Leadership Style

This article discusses the transition from military leadership to civilian leadership. It explains how the military style of leadership, which is focused on following orders, is not as effective in a knowledge-based workforce. The author had to learn how to be more empathetic and less blunt in order to build rapport with his team. He also had to learn how to tailor his approach to match the expectations and preferences of different people across the organization. The article concludes with the lessons learned, which include the importance of a participatory approach, techniques to bring people on the same page, and the differences between military and civilian contexts.

Understanding How a Mission Impacts the World

This article discusses the importance of considering the social impact of any mission and how to help people reach their goals. It emphasizes the need to put people first and to create an environment where everyone can thrive. It also highlights the importance of understanding the animal part of our brain and how it can influence our behavior.

The Pros and the Cons of a Career Ladder

This article discusses the pros and cons of the traditional career ladder approach to growth and the need for a shift in paradigm to a self-driven approach. It emphasizes the importance of creating a conversation around growth and providing psychological safety for employees to learn and grow on the job. Growth looks different for everyone and should be tailored to individual goals.

Understanding the Difference Between Working as a Technician and Working as a Manager

The author reflects on the differences between their technical role and their current management role. They have learned that management requires a different set of skills and understanding of people and their motivations. They have found that a mission-focused approach is more successful in motivating a team and that clear intentions and good leadership will naturally bring people together to do the right thing.

Building Relationships While Integrating Oneself into a New Culture

This article discusses the difficulty of transitioning to a new culture and language, and the importance of patience and active engagement in the process. It suggests watching American movies to gain an understanding of the language and culture, and participating in low-barrier social activities to build relationships. It also emphasizes the importance of taking small steps and putting yourself out there to bolster confidence.

Finding Your Calling as You Specialize in Your Field

This article reflects on the importance of striking a balance between depth and breadth in one's career. It emphasizes the need for mentors and communities to help guide the journey, as well as the importance of focusing on quality over quantity of learning. It also stresses the need to be mindful of how much time is spent learning, as it takes away from other areas of life.

Restructuring a Team Methodically

This article describes the organizational changes that the author's company went through as they grew and hired quickly. They identified core principles to guide their decisions, such as optimizing for speed and autonomy, and structured teams around customer experiences. The author learned that it was important to clearly articulate their core principles to the team, and to be honest and intentional with their decisions. This allowed the team to feel more secure and to understand how their work made a difference to the customer.

Leading Your Reports to the Careers of Their Dreams

This article discusses the importance of setting a standard of quality for engineering teams and how to provide feedback to employees. It outlines the "SOON" model which involves discussing success, obstacles, options, and next steps. This model encourages employees to come up with solutions to their own problems and to create new habits to help them reach their goals.

Learning How to Overcome the Language Barrier

When the author moved to the US, they faced a language barrier due to the difference between English as it is taught in school and English as it is spoken socially. To overcome this, they looked at the language from a verticalized perspective and developed a tool to help others become fluent. When pitching to investors, they had to master the language and culture to be successful. Through persistence and connecting with people, they were able to get their start-up funded.

How to Inspire Innovation

Engineers can become more innovative by participating in hackathons, brainstorming sessions, and taking ownership of particular problems. PMs should involve engineers early in the process and give them more say in the roadmap planning to encourage innovation. Ideas that are born in hackathons can have a significant return on investment and can lead to successful projects.

Holding Partner Teams Accountable

This article discusses a problem between two teams that had multiple dependencies on each other. After trying to reach an agreement with a manager, they decided to escalate the issue and involve their higher-ups. They also introduced regular check-ins, ensured quality by involving their engineers early on, and wrote down all commitments. The lessons learned from this experience were to try to reach an agreement, write down commitments, have regular check-ins, and involve people who will be affected by implementation early on.

Supporting Your Team in the Midst of Change

When the business shifted the focus of the team from a successful product to something completely new, the manager faced a challenge of helping the team adjust and ramp up quickly. To do this, the manager was open and transparent with the team, prioritized the company's interests over individual teams or products, and worked to build trust with the team. Despite some resistance, the manager was able to help the team adjust to the new circumstances.

How to Structure an Effective One-on-One

The author faced a problem of having a team of introverts who were not very talkative during one-on-ones. To address this, the author created a three-part, well-structured agenda to encourage active participation. The agenda focused on giving and receiving feedback, discussing anything that happened during the week, and discussing tasks and projects from the perspective of career growth. The author also learned that one-on-ones should be personalized to address each individual's needs and aspirations, and that building relationships is just as important as discussing actionable items.

Being a Manager of a New Manager

In this article, the author recounts their experience of managing a new manager who took over their former team. The author describes the actions they took to ensure the team remained happy while empowering the new manager to exercise their authority, such as removing themselves from team meetings and participating in skip-level one-on-ones. The author also shares lessons they learned from the experience, such as not imposing their management style on other managers, not abandoning the team, and setting up regular check-ins and milestones with their managers.

How to Build Happy Teams

This article discusses the challenge of building or maintaining a culture of happiness in a team. The author outlines the actions taken to achieve this, such as getting to know people, connecting with them, and connecting people on the team. The author also shares lessons learned, such as the importance of focusing on people and making sure they are happy, and the need to listen to people and be genuinely interested in how they feel.

Managing Twenty-Five Direct Reports

When faced with the challenge of managing 25 direct reports, the author chose to delegate work to other team members and mentor them to take on more responsibilities. This allowed the author to focus on more strategic matters and build a self-sustaining ecosystem. The author learned the importance of not becoming a bottleneck, coaching people to take their job, being prepared for change, and investing in people regardless of their career path.

Building an Effective Team

A manager was tasked with managing a chaotic team of acquired and long-standing employees who lacked trust and were missing deadlines. To bridge the communication gap, the manager initiated conversations with all team members and restructured the team. They also trimmed down the roadmap and pushed back to senior leadership. Through these efforts, the team was able to launch a product in nine months and build a good reputation. The manager learned that it is important to listen and build trust, be prepared to question the roadmap, and be willing to push back to senior leadership.

Most Productive Version of Yourself

This article discusses the author's journey to increase productivity by exploring different methods and frameworks, such as 4DX (The Four Disciplines of Execution) and automating tasks. The author also emphasizes the importance of managing mental clutter and collecting small wins to drive motivation. Through trial and error, the author has learned lessons about the inherent constraints and limitations of productivity.

Restructuring a Growing Team: A Lesson in Adjusting the Spotify Model

This article discusses the restructuring of a software development department that had grown to 100 people. The team implemented the Spotify model of squads and tribes, adjusting it to fit their unique needs. Through this restructuring, the team was able to reignite the sense of belonging to the team and uphold the culture while also scaling the business. The article also highlights the importance of staying open-minded, listening to feedback, and communicating transparently throughout the process. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of keeping teams small to ensure culture is not prescribed.

Hack Your Team: How to Stay Connected With Your Remote Team

As companies transition to remote work due to the pandemic, communication between teammates has become fragmented. To keep teams connected, it is important to establish blocked times, read the room, set up regular interaction points, and be cognizant of team members' needs. Leaders should also trust their teammates, be vulnerable, acknowledge problems, and differentiate between what is and isn't within their control.

Adjusting My Military Leadership Style

This article discusses the transition from military leadership to civilian leadership. It explains how the military style of leadership, which is focused on following orders, is not as effective in a knowledge-based workforce. The author had to learn how to be more empathetic and less blunt in order to build rapport with his team. He also had to learn how to tailor his approach to match the expectations and preferences of different people across the organization. The article concludes with the lessons learned, which include the importance of a participatory approach, techniques to bring people on the same page, and the differences between military and civilian contexts.

Understanding How a Mission Impacts the World

This article discusses the importance of considering the social impact of any mission and how to help people reach their goals. It emphasizes the need to put people first and to create an environment where everyone can thrive. It also highlights the importance of understanding the animal part of our brain and how it can influence our behavior.

The Pros and the Cons of a Career Ladder

This article discusses the pros and cons of the traditional career ladder approach to growth and the need for a shift in paradigm to a self-driven approach. It emphasizes the importance of creating a conversation around growth and providing psychological safety for employees to learn and grow on the job. Growth looks different for everyone and should be tailored to individual goals.

Understanding the Difference Between Working as a Technician and Working as a Manager

The author reflects on the differences between their technical role and their current management role. They have learned that management requires a different set of skills and understanding of people and their motivations. They have found that a mission-focused approach is more successful in motivating a team and that clear intentions and good leadership will naturally bring people together to do the right thing.

Building Relationships While Integrating Oneself into a New Culture

This article discusses the difficulty of transitioning to a new culture and language, and the importance of patience and active engagement in the process. It suggests watching American movies to gain an understanding of the language and culture, and participating in low-barrier social activities to build relationships. It also emphasizes the importance of taking small steps and putting yourself out there to bolster confidence.

Finding Your Calling as You Specialize in Your Field

This article reflects on the importance of striking a balance between depth and breadth in one's career. It emphasizes the need for mentors and communities to help guide the journey, as well as the importance of focusing on quality over quantity of learning. It also stresses the need to be mindful of how much time is spent learning, as it takes away from other areas of life.

Restructuring a Team Methodically

This article describes the organizational changes that the author's company went through as they grew and hired quickly. They identified core principles to guide their decisions, such as optimizing for speed and autonomy, and structured teams around customer experiences. The author learned that it was important to clearly articulate their core principles to the team, and to be honest and intentional with their decisions. This allowed the team to feel more secure and to understand how their work made a difference to the customer.

Leading Your Reports to the Careers of Their Dreams

This article discusses the importance of setting a standard of quality for engineering teams and how to provide feedback to employees. It outlines the "SOON" model which involves discussing success, obstacles, options, and next steps. This model encourages employees to come up with solutions to their own problems and to create new habits to help them reach their goals.

Learning How to Overcome the Language Barrier

When the author moved to the US, they faced a language barrier due to the difference between English as it is taught in school and English as it is spoken socially. To overcome this, they looked at the language from a verticalized perspective and developed a tool to help others become fluent. When pitching to investors, they had to master the language and culture to be successful. Through persistence and connecting with people, they were able to get their start-up funded.

How to Inspire Innovation

Engineers can become more innovative by participating in hackathons, brainstorming sessions, and taking ownership of particular problems. PMs should involve engineers early in the process and give them more say in the roadmap planning to encourage innovation. Ideas that are born in hackathons can have a significant return on investment and can lead to successful projects.

Holding Partner Teams Accountable

This article discusses a problem between two teams that had multiple dependencies on each other. After trying to reach an agreement with a manager, they decided to escalate the issue and involve their higher-ups. They also introduced regular check-ins, ensured quality by involving their engineers early on, and wrote down all commitments. The lessons learned from this experience were to try to reach an agreement, write down commitments, have regular check-ins, and involve people who will be affected by implementation early on.

Supporting Your Team in the Midst of Change

When the business shifted the focus of the team from a successful product to something completely new, the manager faced a challenge of helping the team adjust and ramp up quickly. To do this, the manager was open and transparent with the team, prioritized the company's interests over individual teams or products, and worked to build trust with the team. Despite some resistance, the manager was able to help the team adjust to the new circumstances.

How to Structure an Effective One-on-One

The author faced a problem of having a team of introverts who were not very talkative during one-on-ones. To address this, the author created a three-part, well-structured agenda to encourage active participation. The agenda focused on giving and receiving feedback, discussing anything that happened during the week, and discussing tasks and projects from the perspective of career growth. The author also learned that one-on-ones should be personalized to address each individual's needs and aspirations, and that building relationships is just as important as discussing actionable items.

Being a Manager of a New Manager

In this article, the author recounts their experience of managing a new manager who took over their former team. The author describes the actions they took to ensure the team remained happy while empowering the new manager to exercise their authority, such as removing themselves from team meetings and participating in skip-level one-on-ones. The author also shares lessons they learned from the experience, such as not imposing their management style on other managers, not abandoning the team, and setting up regular check-ins and milestones with their managers.

How to Build Happy Teams

This article discusses the challenge of building or maintaining a culture of happiness in a team. The author outlines the actions taken to achieve this, such as getting to know people, connecting with them, and connecting people on the team. The author also shares lessons learned, such as the importance of focusing on people and making sure they are happy, and the need to listen to people and be genuinely interested in how they feel.

Managing Twenty-Five Direct Reports

When faced with the challenge of managing 25 direct reports, the author chose to delegate work to other team members and mentor them to take on more responsibilities. This allowed the author to focus on more strategic matters and build a self-sustaining ecosystem. The author learned the importance of not becoming a bottleneck, coaching people to take their job, being prepared for change, and investing in people regardless of their career path.

Building an Effective Team

A manager was tasked with managing a chaotic team of acquired and long-standing employees who lacked trust and were missing deadlines. To bridge the communication gap, the manager initiated conversations with all team members and restructured the team. They also trimmed down the roadmap and pushed back to senior leadership. Through these efforts, the team was able to launch a product in nine months and build a good reputation. The manager learned that it is important to listen and build trust, be prepared to question the roadmap, and be willing to push back to senior leadership.

Most Productive Version of Yourself

This article discusses the author's journey to increase productivity by exploring different methods and frameworks, such as 4DX (The Four Disciplines of Execution) and automating tasks. The author also emphasizes the importance of managing mental clutter and collecting small wins to drive motivation. Through trial and error, the author has learned lessons about the inherent constraints and limitations of productivity.

Restructuring a Growing Team: A Lesson in Adjusting the Spotify Model

This article discusses the restructuring of a software development department that had grown to 100 people. The team implemented the Spotify model of squads and tribes, adjusting it to fit their unique needs. Through this restructuring, the team was able to reignite the sense of belonging to the team and uphold the culture while also scaling the business. The article also highlights the importance of staying open-minded, listening to feedback, and communicating transparently throughout the process. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of keeping teams small to ensure culture is not prescribed.

Hack Your Team: How to Stay Connected With Your Remote Team

As companies transition to remote work due to the pandemic, communication between teammates has become fragmented. To keep teams connected, it is important to establish blocked times, read the room, set up regular interaction points, and be cognizant of team members' needs. Leaders should also trust their teammates, be vulnerable, acknowledge problems, and differentiate between what is and isn't within their control.

Adjusting My Military Leadership Style

This article discusses the transition from military leadership to civilian leadership. It explains how the military style of leadership, which is focused on following orders, is not as effective in a knowledge-based workforce. The author had to learn how to be more empathetic and less blunt in order to build rapport with his team. He also had to learn how to tailor his approach to match the expectations and preferences of different people across the organization. The article concludes with the lessons learned, which include the importance of a participatory approach, techniques to bring people on the same page, and the differences between military and civilian contexts.