Leadership Roles

When to Hire Senior Engineers and Tech Leads

The author experienced first-hand the consequences of hiring too many junior engineers when starting an engineering function in New York. They learned that it is important to disregard the pressure to start delivering quickly and instead focus on building the team structure, bringing in tech leads first and then adding mid and junior engineers. They also learned that opportunities should be modeled to attract the right candidates and that both sides should be adaptable.

Self-Actualizing as a Woman in Tech

This woman in management has experienced a journey of ups and downs in her career, and has learned that taking control of her career is the best way to reach her higher calling to leadership. She suggests taking risks, building a strong network, and reading books to gain a full perspective on management. Ultimately, she believes that having the choice to navigate her career gives her a sense of ownership and motivation.

Achieving Alignment and Efficiency Through a Technical Strategy

A fast-growing company was facing a lack of clarity and confusion about future decisions, leading to inefficiency. To solve this problem, a technical strategy was developed that detailed what should and shouldn't be done to be successful in the long run. This involved reaching out to different people to better understand the reasons behind slow decision-making, tailoring presentations to suit two different audiences, and establishing a process for teams and a "design and architecture" group to collaborate on designs. Lessons learned included the importance of securing buy-in before decision-making meetings, reviewing past decisions, customizing content for different audiences, and documenting decisions and guidelines.

Budgeting Troubles and Headcount Costs

This article discusses the problem of insufficient resources for an engineering team and the actions taken to address it. The author proposed a 100% increase in the size of the team, but the proposal was not approved by the Board and CEO. The author learned lessons about prioritizing with the budget given, making the most of decisions made by others, and understanding the motivations of the CEO.

Helping Engineers to Become Successful Managers

When deciding to promote an engineer internally to a manager role, it is important to pay close attention to the dynamics within the team and initiate formal conversations with the prospective manager. The new manager should receive formal training and be given guidance and support, while also being given the opportunity to practice key skills such as running one-on-ones, delegating, delivering feedback, and having tough conversations. The transition should not take longer than a couple of months, and the benefits of promoting internally are that it shows the team that their hard work and improved skills will be rewarded, and the new manager can ramp-up quickly with the right support.

When Delegation Means Growth

Many first-time managers struggle with delegating and letting things go, which can impede the growth of their reports. To create an environment for people to be autonomous, managers should act as coaches and mentors, guiding their team, having them make decisions, and letting them fail if needed. Managers should also assess if a problem is within the capacities of a person who raised it and ask them about the actions they would take to solve it. Delegation is about responsibility, trust, and accountability, and there are five levels of delegation depending on the seniority and competencies of each individual. Managers need to change their mindset from being problem-solvers to being coaches.