Onboarding Your Engineering Manager

Bringing on a new leader to your organization is always tricky. It starts with hiring. Then comes the real part. Onboarding! I always think bringing in a new leader without context is like starting construction without a blueprint. You’ll get noise and activity, but not stability. Perhaps, a few things are done, but in the wrong order. Walls before foundations. […]

The Question I Ask Every New Report

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 […]

Interviewing Your Future Boss

I’m sure you have been asked if you have any questions during interviews. A few things come to mind. Often, we think we need to impress the other party. Nevertheless, tough questions are the ones you want to ask, especially to your future boss. Over the years, I learned this the hard way. I have worked with managers who changed […]

Talent Sourcing Journey

Talent sourcing is one of those things everyone claims to understand until they actually have to do it. On paper, it sounds simple: find great people, hire them, done. But anyone who has ever tried building a real team knows it’s nothing like that. It’s messy. It’s slow. Sometimes it feels like you’re trying to assemble a spaceship out of […]