Tuesday Dispatch: Issue #96
The Owl and The Beetle
This week we learn about powerful one-on-one meetings, engineering leadership, and the pendulum between management and individual contribution. As well as happiness and hallucinations.
Let's get going!
3 Droplets of Leadership
A Leader’s Secret Weapon: The Power of One-on-One Meetings
Every week, I meticulously review hundreds of articles. Occasionally, I encounter quintessential content that evokes profound admiration and awe.
This piece of corporate literature is among those highly esteemed, penned by an author I greatly respect. Paolo, who has served as my superior for numerous years, has also been my mentor and, even more significantly, a cherished friend for over a decade.
If you're a leader who senses a slight gap with your team or dealing with a turnover rate higher than you're comfortable with, this excellent article might offer the answers you need.
Don't miss this outstanding piece on how to conduct successful one-on-one conversations with your team members. It's a masterpiece!
I recently wrote an essay on the same topic:
Beyond Small Talk: Five Powerful Questions for Impactful One-on-One Conversations
When I started my career as a manager, I adopted a common practice in the company: regular one-on-one meetings with my team members. In business, one-on-one conversations are essential for building relationships, understanding needs, and addressing concerns. Asking the right questions during these conversations can help you gain valuable insights into your employees' needs and concerns and help you build a stronger team.
Not All Engineering Leaders Are Engineering Managers
Many companies provide a 'technical track' for software engineers who wish to continue to hone their technical skills as an alternative to the traditional career progression into management. By promoting engineers with leadership skills to management roles, we are depleting our engineering pool of those abilities. This can lead to a lack of the necessary skills to ensure the success of our projects.
This is an excellent article on leadership and management you should not miss.
On a similar topic, I wrote:
From Problem Describers to Solution Seekers: The Pitfall of Engineering Managers
Imagine yourself as the captain of a ship, sailing through turbulent waters toward a distant destination. Your crew, a skilled and dedicated group, is responsible for navigating the ship safely to its intended port. As a captain, it is essential to trust
The Engineer/Manager Pendulum
The most successful frontline engineering managers have recently been involved in hands-on work and have not been removed from the trenches for over two to three years. Conversely, the best individual contributors are those with experience in management.
Promoting managers from within provides the advantage of leveraging the expertise of those who have recently built the product, granting them credibility as they adjust to their new role.
It is possible to focus on improving either engineering or management skills; however, if one is a manager, it is essential to prioritize the development of management skills. It is not beneficial to attempt to maintain former levels of expertise.
Management is not a promotion but rather a change of profession. One is expected to be inexperienced in the role for some time after beginning. If one does not recognize their inexperience, they are not fulfilling their duties.
Check out this great article on management in the engineering field.
On the same topic:
The Launchpad for Success: How to Hit the Ground Running as First-Time Manager
The first 30 days are crucial in setting the tone for success for a new manager. By establishing a solid launchpad, you can hit the ground running and make early progress that impresses upper management. This early traction can secure more resources for your team, such as greater autonomy, support, and influence.
2 Grains of Technology
What Makes You Happy.
Curiously, individuals seek a good life believing that it will bring them joy when it is often the contrast between what one currently has and what one has just experienced that truly brings happiness.
Don't miss this article on happiness.
Reality is a controlled hallucination.
As scientific and technological progress has enabled us to uncover the systems and mechanisms that sustain life, neuroscience is now tackling the complex question of how consciousness operates. Don't miss this article!
1 Atom of Reflection
I was asked why I am so passionate about good management, so I reflected on it.
I want to help three main groups: managers, entrepreneurs, and individual contributors.
Managers often lack the necessary preparation for their role and can be on the brink of burnout.
Entrepreneurs and investors need to get the return on investment they deserve from the talent they acquire through hiring.
According to Gallup, 70% of resigners do so because of bad management.
Every individual contributor deserves better, and helping their managers become more effective is a way to serve the entire industry.
This is why I am so dedicated to this topic, and I want to help as many managers as possible to become the best version of themselves.