When a small start-up hired a QA engineer from a larger company, the engineer was unable to adapt to the new context and the team started to complain about his standard of quality checking. After trying to support him, the engineer had to be let go. The lesson learned was to not underestimate the cultural difference between companies and to take action as soon as a problem is detected. The engineer was given a reference for a job better suited to his skills, where he is now thriving.

Plato

hilfi alkaff

Co-Founder & CTO at OY! Indonesia

How to Instill a Growth Mindset in Your Team

OY! is a leading fintech organization in the region that enables businesses and individuals to send and receive money securely. To keep up with the ever-changing payment landscape, the organization has implemented a number of processes to instill and nurture a growth mindset organization-wide. This includes a personal growth plan, virtual office hours program, and book reading club. Lessons learned include the need to identify key people to buy in to the growth mindset and serve as ambassadors, and the importance of preparing reports for the next step in their careers.

Plato

Arjita Ghosh

Director of Engineering at Zillow

The Benefits of Returnship

This article discusses how to create a successful returnship program for people returning to the workforce after a career break. It outlines the steps to take, such as creating a time-bound internship program with experienced mentors, and targeting boot camps and non-traditional programs to receive applications from diverse candidates. The article also explains how returnship programs are beneficial for both individuals and companies, as they lead to less churn, strong commitment, and deep loyalty.

Plato

Sankar Nair

Vice President of Engineering at Novantas

Managing an East Coast Team From the West Coast

This article discusses the challenges of a remote engineering manager tasked with modernizing an organization's product and engineering. The manager overcame the time zone difference by working on Eastern time and traveling to the East Coast often. They also earned the trust of the team by making small improvements day-to-day and having casual one-on-one meetings with people across the organization. The article also highlights the importance of being empathetic, understanding the use cases, and using video conferencing to build relationships.

Plato

Lakshmi Baskaran

VP of Engineering at Metadata

An Integral Career Progression Path for Engineering Teams

Organizations often create career progression paths that only focus on developing an employee's skills in a specific area of the business, which can lead to employees lacking holistic skills and experience. To address this, a career progression path should be created that includes three layers of competencies: Execution, Technical Competency, and Leadership. This will help engineers make informed decisions when navigating their career paths, and will also help them develop the skills and experience needed to succeed in technical and leadership roles.

Plato

José Caldeira

VP of Engineering at SoSafe

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.

Plato

Brad Henrickson

CTO at Scoop Technologies, Inc.

Being the Right Fit in Face of the Reorganization

A senior employee was not motivated by their current role and was facing resentment and frustration. To address this, the manager had an open conversation with the employee to identify what they wanted to do and what the organization needed. This allowed them to identify potential opportunities that could fit the employee, but in the end, the employee decided to pursue a different role. The manager learned that it is important to give people space to reflect on what they want and to be realistic and honest when discussing potential opportunities.

Plato

Mary G. Fisher

Software Engineering Manager at Curative

Leading Cultural Change in an Organization

This article discusses the challenges of a company that was still using paper records and how they were falling behind in the industry. It outlines the steps taken to migrate to an electronic system, including forming a committee, documenting workflows, demoing the system, and providing incentives. It emphasizes the importance of empowering people in teams to make decisions and removing barriers to ensure strong communication.

Plato

Who to follow

Anand Safi

Senior Engineering Leader | Board Member & Mentor | CREA Global Award Recipient | 10x Manager/ Leader of the Year Award 2023

Bavyaa Vasudevan

Head of Engineering at Point Digital Finance, SheTO Brand Ambassador & Mentor, Advocate for Mentorship & Women Leaders.

Roojuta Lalani

Salesforce veteran and ex-Ebay

Mon-Chaio Lo

Building Transformative Engineering Orgs | xMicrosoft, xUber, xMeta | Co-Host of the Tactics for Tech Leadership Podcast (thettl

Vitor O.

Startup CTO, Head of Engineering, People

Shannon Vettes

My >20yrs in product and tech have created enough trial-by-fire experiences to fill several books.

Connect and Learn with the Best Eng Leaders

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Daniel Woolfson

Senior Engineering Manager at The Engineer Experience

Effective Strategies for Managing Remote Engineering Teams

Managing remote engineering teams is crucial in today's evolving work landscape. This article provides insights into best practices and proven strategies for overseeing dispersed engineering teams. It emphasizes the importance of clear communication channels, leveraging project management tools, promoting a collaborative culture, providing adequate support and resources, emphasizing results-oriented performance, and regularly assessing and adapting strategies. By implementing these tactics, managers can navigate the challenges of remote team management and drive success in the remote work environment.

Plato

Limor Bergman Gross

Executive Coach at LBG Consulting Service Ltd

Navigating the Challenges of Transitioning to an Engineering Manager Role

Transitioning to an engineering manager role comes with its own set of challenges, but by being strategic, building relationships, and advocating for oneself, success can be achieved. It is important to proactively plan one's career and advocate for personal growth and development. Building relationships with key stakeholders and finding allies within the organization can greatly help in advocating for oneself and influencing change. Understanding the motivations of others and aligning interests can also aid in gaining support for ideas. If promotion opportunities are limited, focusing on expanding responsibilities and taking on more challenging tasks can showcase potential for future growth. Seeking out mentors within the organization can provide guidance and support throughout the career transition process. Overall, being proactive, building relationships, and advocating for oneself are key to navigating the challenges of transitioning to an engineering manager role.

Plato

David García

Head of Engineering at Cense AG

Effective Strategies for Providing Feedback to Managers

This article discusses effective strategies for providing feedback to managers in the engineering field. It emphasizes the importance of constructive feedback for personal and professional growth. The article provides insights from top-tier engineers, including tips on framing feedback objectively and addressing the manager's impact. It also highlights the significance of promoting junior team members and offers strategies for providing feedback, such as asking for permission and being solution-oriented. Overall, the article emphasizes the value of effective feedback in fostering a positive and productive work environment.

Plato

Jose Ciccio

ex-Senior Engineering Manager at SchoolMint

Maximizing Your Growth: A Guide to Getting the Best from Platohq Mentorship

Plato platform's mentorship program is designed to empower individuals on their journey towards success. By setting clear objectives, establishing a strong relationship with your mentor, actively engaging and participating, seeking feedback and implementing suggestions, continuously learning and growing, and reflecting on the experience, you can maximize the benefits of the mentorship program. Mentorship is a continuous journey of learning and growth, and by embracing the opportunity, you can unlock your full potential in pursuit of your professional aspirations.

Plato

Vitor O.

CTO at

10 Engineering Leadership lessons I learned with Customer Success Managers

Customer Success Managers can teach Engineering Leaders valuable lessons on prioritizing user needs and experience over technical complexities. By emphasizing customer-centric approaches, Engineering Leaders can ensure that products align with user expectations, enhancing satisfaction and retention. Effective communication and collaboration between technical and non-technical teams are highlighted as important for a holistic understanding of user requirements and driving product innovation. The text provides 10 lessons learned from Customer Success Managers that can optimize software development processes and deliver solutions that resonate with end-users and drive long-term success. These lessons include the importance of empathy for customers, putting into action what is advocated, enhancing the leadership voice of the customer within engineering, the significance of persuasion, the balance between support and confrontation, managing expectations, asking great questions, being invested in customers, seeking obstacles and issues beyond the product's scope, and the benefits of proactivity. By integrating these insights and strategies, Engineering Leaders can drive product development and enhance customer satisfaction, leading to increased loyalty and long-term success.

Plato

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