As an IC, you close your laptop at 6 PM, log off, and forget about the work unless you are oncall. As a manager, you check Slack at 10 PM because someone might need you. Your calendar looks like there’s no time to do anything and you haven’t had an actual deep focus hour in weeks. Sounds familiar? Welcome to […]
I’ve seen this happen over and over. A successful engineer steps into management. They are eager to build great teams and support their people. They know some of the leaders before didn’t do that. They embrace servant leadership, convinced it’s the key to success. But then reality kicks in. The higher you go, the more you realize leadership goes beyond […]
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many managers, and mentored a few. I was fortunate enough to learn from some great bosses. When I think about it, I feel like there’s no one right way to be a good manager. I realize every manager brings their own personality, strengths, and struggles to the role. The best […]
I once worked with a brilliant software engineer who quietly solved a major system issue in the middle of the night. By morning, no one even noticed there had been a crisis. Business as usual. Everything ran smoothly. When I found out, I realized just how easy it is for crucial contributions to slip by without anyone pausing to say, […]
When I take on a new management role, whether it’s through a reorganization, succession, or stepping into a new organization, I make it a priority to ask this question in my first 1:1 with each direct report: This question may seem out of ordinary. I know. Maybe even a little intimidating especially during a first meeting. But I’ve found it […]