We dedicate this episode to managing hyper performers. We define who the hyperperformers are, what distinguishes them from the rest of the team and how to manage hyperperformers for the maximum results while retaining them. We share management practices to avoid. In the end provide a checklist that our listeners can use to manage hyperperformers effectively.

We present the essential components of developing and communicating a strategy in engineering management, emphasize the need for strategies to be documented, measurable, and aligned with business needs. We share the importance of having a strategy as an engineering manager aspiring to drive change and innovation. We emphasize the need for a clear vision, meaningful goals tied to business value, and continuous iteration. We stress the importance of buy-in in the success of a strategy,...

We are featuring a guest, Tim Wenzel, who is a Silicon Valley native, expert in recruiting, including building early teams at PayPal and Tesla, and a founder and an executive recruiter at The (A)lyst Group. Tim shares practical recommendations on feedback, candidate experience, and building teams in dynamic startup environments. In the end, Tim shares a checklist that our listeners can start using today to build exceptional teams.

We dive deep into the importance of trust in engineering management, and how it impacts productivity. We share that trust is built and reinforced over time. We highlight the different layers of trust, including organizational, team, and individual trust, and emphasize the need for consistency and building trust through actions. We explore the subtle distinction between expectations and trust. We also discuss the emotional toll of mistrust caused by broken trust. In the end we provide a...

We share how to manage project dependencies in a way that brings results. We are going to define what a dependency is and how to manage your dependencies to ensure that projects you are a part of are delivered on time and with quality. In the end we will provide a checklist that our listeners can use to ensure that their dependencies are always satisfied.

We offer an effective way of introducing innovation to an engineering team and getting results regardless of the organization size. In the end we offer an actionable checklist that engineering managers can use to start innovating today.

In this episode we talk about how not to communicate work issues to your boss. We define what complaining is and why complaining is ineffective. We provide a checklist that our listeners can use to see if their upward communications are in the complaining territory.

In this episode, Adam and Slava discuss the new normal of the remote workplace. We discuss the challenges in working remote, key benefits to being remote, and provide guidance for managers to effectively manage remote teams and maximize healthy productivity.

We offer an approach to escalating work issues that brings results without destroying relationships. We share what the escalations are, the impact of escalating unskillfully, and how to escalate professionally and effectively. In the end we provide a checklist that our listeners can use to escalate work issues effectively.

It’s that time of year again for managers and directs to start planning goals and executing on them for the new year. In this episode, we will discuss the challenges with goal setting and provide guidance for making the goal setting process more effective.

We share the effective way for taking time off. In the end we offer a check list that consists of Designate a substitute Prepare your substitute Set up the Out of The Office response in your email client Have a sync up meeting with your direct report after you come back [powerpress]

We share what staff meetings are, why they are important for keeping your team accountable for their deliverables and how they help you to stay on top of everything the team is doing. We provide guidance on how frequently you should run them and how to make them effective. In the end we provide a checklist that our listeners can use to start running effective staff meetings.

Wrapping up the ‘becoming a manger series’ with guidance and steps on what new engineering managers can do once their training completes and they are now officially a manager. Guidance includes: managing introductions and the first couple of weeks; planning your first 30-60-90 days; setting up foundational meetings like 1-on-1s; building key lateral relationships; creating space for the team to get to know you and your plan.

In this episode we present a practical, step-by-step implementation guide for transitioning engineer's career to the engineering management track. These steps include: Confirm that the engineer has right motivation. Confirm with your boss and HR the feasibility of training a new manager. Tell them that you will announce their career transition to the team. Talk to the team on 1:1 basis and share the transition. Share why they will be a good fit. Share the same in the public...

We share how to build a success-oriented strategy by taking care of four management pillars, organization, people, product, processes and tools. Please reach out to us if you have feedback or suggestions at [email protected] or visit us at https://www.effectiveem.com.

We look at what the role of the engineering leadership means and how to approach leading from both front and back.

Our guest speaker, Anand Safi, shares how transitioning a career from an engineer to an engineering manager is not a promotion. Also, Anand shares a checklist on what to do first 90 days as a new engineering manager. Please reach out to us if you have feedback or suggestions at [email protected] or visit us at https://www.effectiveem.com.

We share Root Cause Analysis, or RCA, as one of the most powerful tools available to engineering managers that help to eliminate production incidents. We’ll go over what an RCAs is, the benefits, the process of doing RCAs using "5 Whys" technique, and the best practices. In the end, we provide a checklist to help engineering managers to implement the RCA effectively. Please reach out to us if you have feedback or suggestions at [email protected] or visit us at https://www.effectiveem.com.

We share the key reasons and motivators for pursuing a engineering leadership position. Before you take on transitioning someone's or your own career to engineering management, check if you have the right motivations and strengths needed to take on the role.

We share a low-effort, highly effective approach to creating great performance reviews that we call "Engineer's Diary". Please reach out to us if you have feedback or suggestions at [email protected] or visit us at https://www.effectiveem.com.

We continue our Team Building series and talk about knowing how to identify what you need based on the team you currently have.

We provide a do-or-die checklist for an effective SDLC that allows teams building software that customers love to use and engineers never have to worry about. Our check list includes: Documented user stories and use cases Version Control Issue tracking Unified IDE Code style Build automation Iterative development Design reviews Unit and integration testing Static code analysis Code reviews Continuous Integration Continuous...

We provide guidance on how to understand and avoid building All-Star Teams. In the end we share a checklist that engineering managers can use to build complementary teams, not all-star teams. Please reach out to us if you have feedback or suggestions at [email protected] or visit us at https://www.effectiveem.com.

We provide practical guidance on avoiding risks associated with 1:1s with a new boss. This continues the series on the Effective One-On-Ones. We also recommend checking out our episode "Practicing Observe and Absorb" that will help you to plan and implement a strategy for managing 1:1s with your new boss.