Engineering Management for the Rest of Us

1. Trust and vulnerability are foundational to effective engineering management

"Trust is built in drops and lost in buckets"

Build trust gradually. Trust is the cornerstone of any successful team, but it takes time to develop. As a manager, you must lead by example, showing vulnerability and admitting mistakes. This creates an environment where team members feel safe to take risks and be honest.

Foster psychological safety. Encourage open communication and create spaces where team members can express concerns without fear of judgment. This might include:

• Regular one-on-ones
• Team retrospectives
• Anonymous feedback channels

Demonstrate care. Show genuine interest in your team members' well-being and career goals. This builds stronger relationships and increases loyalty.

2. Prioritize your team's happiness and drive for optimal performance

"The fact that you're worried that you're not a good manager is a key part of being a good manager."

Create a positive work environment. Happy teams are more productive and innovative. Focus on:

• Celebrating wins, big and small
• Providing meaningful work
• Offering opportunities for growth and learning

Foster intrinsic motivation. Help team members connect their work to larger goals and personal values. This creates a sense of purpose and ownership.

Encourage flow states. Set up conditions that allow for deep, focused work:

• Minimize interruptions
• Provide challenging but achievable tasks
• Ensure clear goals and feedback

3. Provide clear career paths and regular feedback to foster growth

"If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else."

Implement career laddering. Create a clear framework for progression within your organization. This should outline:

• Skills and competencies needed at each level
• Expectations for different roles
• Potential career paths

Conduct regular career discussions. Use tools like:

• 30/60/90 day plans
• Quarterly goal-setting sessions
• Annual performance reviews

Align individual goals with company objectives. Help team members see how their work contributes to the bigger picture, increasing engagement and motivation.

4. Master the art of giving and receiving feedback for continuous improvement

"Caring personally doesn't mean personalizing."

Practice radical candor. Give feedback that is both kind and clear. Focus on specific behaviors and their impact, not personal attributes.

Create a feedback-rich culture. Encourage regular, bi-directional feedback:

• Manager to employee
• Employee to manager
• Peer to peer

Receive feedback gracefully. Model openness to feedback by:

• Actively seeking it out
• Listening without defensiveness
• Taking action on constructive criticism

5. Run efficient meetings that respect everyone's time and input

"Part of the purpose of the meeting is the discussion itself."

Have a clear purpose and agenda. Every meeting should have:

• A defined goal
• A written agenda shared in advance
• Clear roles (facilitator, note-taker, etc.)

Encourage participation. Create an inclusive environment where all voices are heard:

• Use round-robin techniques
• Employ silent brainstorming
• Call on quieter team members

End with action items. Conclude each meeting by:

• Summarizing decisions made
• Assigning clear next steps and owners
• Setting deadlines for follow-up

6. Manage conflicts productively to drive innovation and collaboration

"Conflict is actually a very necessary and healthy part of a productive working environment."

Embrace productive conflict. Encourage healthy debate and differing viewpoints to drive innovation and better decision-making.

Address issues promptly. Don't let conflicts fester. Have difficult conversations early and often to prevent escalation.

Focus on shared goals. When conflicts arise, remind team members of the common purpose and objectives they're working towards.

Use conflict resolution techniques:

• Active listening
• Seeking to understand all perspectives
• Finding win-win solutions when possible

7. Balance product and engineering work to maximize team impact

"It's not enough for us to go fast. You can run fast in the wrong direction."

Allocate time strategically. Set clear expectations for how time should be split between:

• New feature development
• Technical debt reduction
• Infrastructure improvements

Communicate priorities clearly. Ensure the entire team understands:

• Current focus areas
• Reasoning behind decisions
• Expected outcomes

Be flexible. Adjust the balance as needed based on:

• Business goals
• Technical challenges
• Team feedback

8. Scope down projects and PRs for faster iteration and better outcomes

"Small PRs keep the conversation focused, and as such reduce the need for any communication gymnastics."

Break work into smaller chunks. Encourage team members to:

• Create focused, single-purpose pull requests
• Use feature flags for gradual rollouts
• Submit work-in-progress PRs for early feedback

Improve review processes. Make code reviews more efficient by:

• Setting clear expectations for reviewers
• Using automated tools for style and basic checks
• Encouraging pair programming for complex changes

Iterate quickly. Embrace rapid feedback cycles to:

• Catch issues early
• Reduce wasted effort
• Maintain team momentum

9. Prioritize tasks based on values and energy levels for peak productivity

"Your actions show you what you actually want."

Align work with personal values. Regularly reflect on your core values and ensure your work aligns with them. This increases motivation and satisfaction.

Work with your natural rhythms. Identify your peak energy times and schedule important tasks accordingly:

• High-energy times: Deep work, creative tasks
• Low-energy times: Administrative work, routine tasks

Use prioritization techniques:

• Eisenhower Matrix (Urgent vs. Important)
• Time-boxing
• Personal kanban boards

10. Set healthy boundaries to maintain work-life balance and avoid burnout

"Saying no when someone initially asks, not down the line, is important."

Learn to say no. Protect your time and energy by declining commitments that don't align with your priorities or values.

Establish clear work hours. Communicate your availability to your team and stick to it as much as possible.

Practice self-care. Prioritize activities that recharge you:

• Regular exercise
• Hobbies and interests outside of work
• Time with family and friends

Delegate effectively. Trust your team members with responsibilities and avoid micromanagement.

Last updated: October 16, 2024