If you read my about page then you probably know I work as a software development leader (a.k.a manager, I just like the term leader better).  I started my career writing code as a software engineer, and while I still do write code, I have evolved my job over the years.  Most of the posts are from my journey and all the things I have learned, and mistakes I have made, trying to figure out how to be really awesome at my job.

This section compiles together my most relevant pieces on management and leadership. 
Enjoy, and if you have an opinion on any topic, don't hesitate to let me know!

 

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New Job?

Action Plan Series for New Technology Leaders - I put this together during my last new role to help me maintain a checklist and plan I could reuse in the future (since I am sure this is not my last new job).Here are the sections if you want to skip the intro:

1. Understanding the strategy

1. Conversations with the team

1. Understand and assess technical risks (Technical Risk Assessment)

1. Focus on early wins

Other Posts on Leadership

Here are some articles I have written on management and leadership from my blog:

Being the Best Manager You Can Be

• Employee Goal Setting - lightweight goal setting as a part of day-to-day management

• One Secret of Success: Delegating

• Dealing with people who are smart and capable, but have bad attitudes

• Employee Reviews - Tips to use them as motivation

• Giving Feedback - learning to criticize in a way that actually works

• The Importance of an Explanation - why good managers are also good teachers.

• What to do when an employee misses their deadline - my tips on recommitting

• Delivering Bad News – one downside of leadership

Managing Up (& Around)

• Peer relationships: How to stop being competitive with your peers and be a better leader

• A Networking Roadmap for Engineers and Other Introverts

• One Secret of Success: Delegating

• Ten Essentials for Presenting to Executives

Core Soft Skills

• How to Run an Effective Meeting

• One Technique to Being Awesome You Aren’t Using Enough: Questions

• Improve Your Communication Skills

 Tactical Advice

• Lean Software Development - build v1s and v2s

• Planning an Offsite

• Selecting Vendors - is a startup or established company better?

• Vendor Research - Understanding the team working on your project

Career and Culture

• Manage Your Career 

• Engineer Whispering – insights into the technical side of the table (slides from my talk on this topic)

• How to Manage Your Manager

• Work Life and Finding a Balance, a letter to the hard workers

• Netflix Culture Presentation

• Tips from the Ritz - customer service

 If you have comments, questions, or suggestions (I love hearing what topics people want to read about) don't hesitate to drop me a note!