Tuesday Dispatch: Issue #99
The Owl and The Beetle
This week we learn about becoming a better technical leader, OKRs vs. KPIs, and effective feedback. As well as adding years to your life and the power of laughter.
Let's get going!
3 Droplets of Leadership
14 Ways to Become a Better Technical Manager & Leader
In my career, I've seen communication problems at the heart of many managerial issues. You likely can't be a good leader without first mastering communication. This might be an area where you need improvement.
In addition, management differs from leadership, but they work together closely. So, you must cultivate both to thrive in your new role.
Don't miss this great article!
OKRs vs KPIs: What's the Difference
OKRs gained popularity quickly in the past five years. However, many people still question their real purpose. This confusion often arises when comparing them with other tools that use metrics, such as KPIs.
This article explains the difference very well, don't miss it!
How to Deliver Effective Constructive Criticism
Do you feel confident about giving negative feedback? You're not alone if you think you need to improve your skills. Surprisingly, only 14.5% of managers firmly believe they're good at giving helpful criticism.
Sharing honest criticism with a colleague without making them feel down is a challenging task. It requires a balance of truth and tact. Yet, it's a crucial skill to learn, even when you mean well.
Here is an excellent article on delivering feedback; don't miss it!
If you want to receive feedback like a pro, don’t miss my essay on the topic:
Finding Gems In The Rubble: How to Keep Listening During Upsetting Conversations
As a director of product engineering, I overviewed over 30 people in five teams and had countless feedback conversations with my reports. In my career, I received multiple performance reviews that puzzled me on how to improve and grow. Most of the time, they appreciated my work without giving me enough elements for improvement. Other times they pointed out areas of improvement but in ways that made them impossible to elaborate effectively.
2 Grains of Technology
These 8 Habits Could Add Up to 24 Years to Your Life
Do you want to live longer? A new study suggests that healthy habits help you achieve this. Here are 8 habits to adopt immediately!
Substack Newsletter Profile Icon in your Gmail inbox
I couldn't hold onto the secret any longer, so here is a step-by-step guide on applying a cool custom icon to your Substack newsletter. It works on Gmail and on other email clients too. Here you can find a step-by-step tutorial on how to set it up!
1 Atom of Reflection
I couldn't find the link to the study in the post. Luckily, it seems like every major publication covered it on the same day and with the same title 😅
For example, see https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230724/Adopting-8-healthy-habits-could-add-decades-to-a-persons-life.aspx and https://www.9news.com.au/world/these-8-habits-could-add-up-to-24-years-to-your-life-study-says/44d871f7-3381-41f9-857d-aa4504e2aaf1