Persuasion methods for engineering managers
(manager.dev)
Persuasion is an essential skill for Engineering Managers.
Persuasion is an essential skill for Engineering Managers.
Ask HN: Fictional business books like The Goal
(ycombinator.com)
I feel like The Goal and The Phoenix Project were seminal books, partly because their fictional style allowed people to see the ideas in applied form. Are there any other fictional business books we should be reading
I feel like The Goal and The Phoenix Project were seminal books, partly because their fictional style allowed people to see the ideas in applied form. Are there any other fictional business books we should be reading
Why developers and their bosses disagree over generative AI
(leaddev.com)
There’s a stubborn disconnect between what engineering leadership thinks will make developers productive and what they actually want.
There’s a stubborn disconnect between what engineering leadership thinks will make developers productive and what they actually want.
How Google measures and manages tech debt
(techworld-with-milan.com)
Google recently faced this challenge at scale – a substantial percentage of its engineers reported being blocked by “unnecessary complexity and technical debt” in internal surveys.
Google recently faced this challenge at scale – a substantial percentage of its engineers reported being blocked by “unnecessary complexity and technical debt” in internal surveys.
Ask HN: Advice wanted – director distrusting of our team?
(ycombinator.com)
Hi -- I've posted before about a director of mine, who joined a few months ago. I'm trying to get a sense of how to interpret this situation, and what (if anything) there is to do for me here.
Hi -- I've posted before about a director of mine, who joined a few months ago. I'm trying to get a sense of how to interpret this situation, and what (if anything) there is to do for me here.
A $1B company has operated for 53 years with ZERO managers
(twitter.com)
Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot.
Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot.
Getting things “done” in large tech companies
(seangoedecke.com)
What does it mean to get things done? In the abstract, you can complete a mathematical proof or a problem set, but the real world is much fuzzier. Suppose I plant a tree in my backyard. Once the sapling is in the ground, is that done? Not really. There’s always more work to do: clearing the ground around it, watering, keeping pests away, pruning, and so on.
What does it mean to get things done? In the abstract, you can complete a mathematical proof or a problem set, but the real world is much fuzzier. Suppose I plant a tree in my backyard. Once the sapling is in the ground, is that done? Not really. There’s always more work to do: clearing the ground around it, watering, keeping pests away, pruning, and so on.
Management Habits Burning Out Your Best Engineers
(techleaderslaunchpad.com)
Burnout in engineering teams is rarely caused by a single event. Instead, it’s the result of persistent, often overlooked management habits that quietly erode motivation, well-being, and performance. Here are 9 habits, why they matter, what happens if you ignore them, and actionable tips to build a healthier, more sustainable engineering culture.
Burnout in engineering teams is rarely caused by a single event. Instead, it’s the result of persistent, often overlooked management habits that quietly erode motivation, well-being, and performance. Here are 9 habits, why they matter, what happens if you ignore them, and actionable tips to build a healthier, more sustainable engineering culture.
"AI-first" is the new Return To Office
(anildash.com)
The latest fad amongst tech CEOs is no longer "founder mode", or taking drugs that they would fire you for taking, or telling everybody to return to the office — it's demanding that all work be AI-first! This is a great idea if you think nobody at your company is great at what they do. It may otherwise be a suboptimal strategy. Let's dive in!
The latest fad amongst tech CEOs is no longer "founder mode", or taking drugs that they would fire you for taking, or telling everybody to return to the office — it's demanding that all work be AI-first! This is a great idea if you think nobody at your company is great at what they do. It may otherwise be a suboptimal strategy. Let's dive in!
New Manager Survival Guide
(yusufaytas.com)
Alright, this is gonna be a long one. And not just a one-time thing. I’ll keep updating it as I write more about leadership. I’ll try to link everything I’ve written before. This one’s the one, just like in the Matrix. All the things I wish I had when I first stepped into managing.
Alright, this is gonna be a long one. And not just a one-time thing. I’ll keep updating it as I write more about leadership. I’ll try to link everything I’ve written before. This one’s the one, just like in the Matrix. All the things I wish I had when I first stepped into managing.
Lessons Learned Writing a Book Collaboratively with LLMs
(ycombinator.com)
I recently finished a months-long project collaborating intensively with various LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) to write a book about using AI in management.
I recently finished a months-long project collaborating intensively with various LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) to write a book about using AI in management.
How to Tell Your Boss They're Wrong–Tactfully
(hbr.org)
Your boss is set on a strategy that sounds great in theory, but which you’re sure will be a logistical nightmare. Or maybe you’re in a team meeting, and everyone is nodding along to your boss’s idea that you believe will crash and burn. Speaking up in these moments takes finesse and nerve. How do you voice your concerns to your boss without being confrontational? Should you ask questions or make a direct case?
Your boss is set on a strategy that sounds great in theory, but which you’re sure will be a logistical nightmare. Or maybe you’re in a team meeting, and everyone is nodding along to your boss’s idea that you believe will crash and burn. Speaking up in these moments takes finesse and nerve. How do you voice your concerns to your boss without being confrontational? Should you ask questions or make a direct case?
Dear Lewis, my CEO wants AI to do it all. How do I argue for humans?
(lewislin.substack.com)
An executive has 48 hours to convince his CEO why AI can't replace human talent—revealing the irreplaceable capabilities that no algorithm can simulate.
An executive has 48 hours to convince his CEO why AI can't replace human talent—revealing the irreplaceable capabilities that no algorithm can simulate.
'A big part of my job is sacking people': Life in HR
(news.sky.com)
Caroline Wood sits down with the Money blog to reveal what life is really like as an HR boss, including the most common complaints she has to deal with, and what you need to be wary of on a staff night out.
Caroline Wood sits down with the Money blog to reveal what life is really like as an HR boss, including the most common complaints she has to deal with, and what you need to be wary of on a staff night out.
Ask HN: What made your favorite manager so great?
(ycombinator.com)
Ask HN: What made your favorite manager so great?
Ask HN: What made your favorite manager so great?
Work Simplification and the History of Government Efficiency and Management
(governance.fyi)
Dave Deek: Okay, recording has started. How's your week been going?
Dave Deek: Okay, recording has started. How's your week been going?
Gravity Maps: An Alternative to Org Charts
(leadinginproduct.com)
An organizational chart shows who’s responsible for what. It’s like a map of job titles and tasks, but it doesn’t tell you who really gets things moving. It’s great for understanding formal roles, but it misses the hidden forces that actually drive decisions and progress.
An organizational chart shows who’s responsible for what. It’s like a map of job titles and tasks, but it doesn’t tell you who really gets things moving. It’s great for understanding formal roles, but it misses the hidden forces that actually drive decisions and progress.
Software engineering laws
(manager.dev)
Some of those are famous, and some are quite niche. ALL of them are super useful to engineers and managers.
Some of those are famous, and some are quite niche. ALL of them are super useful to engineers and managers.
Software Engineering Laws
(manager.dev)
Some of those are famous, and some are quite niche. ALL of them are super useful to engineers and managers.
Some of those are famous, and some are quite niche. ALL of them are super useful to engineers and managers.
Forking Work Simplification – Let's Bring Back Eisenhower's Process Improvement
(governance.fyi)
Happy April Fool’s, but frankly we are all (well almost all) business today with a neat little update.
Happy April Fool’s, but frankly we are all (well almost all) business today with a neat little update.
We replaced all our managers with AI
(yolodex.ai)
Yolodex, a word-of-mouth growth engine for DTC businesses, has made a bold move: we eliminated all human managers and replaced them with a bespoke, multimodal AI management system.
Yolodex, a word-of-mouth growth engine for DTC businesses, has made a bold move: we eliminated all human managers and replaced them with a bespoke, multimodal AI management system.
Managing People You Can't Fire
(staysaasy.com)
One of the worst situations in management is needing to fire someone and getting blocked. This happens somewhat regularly and is one of the most trust-breaking experiences between a manager and their boss. Let’s talk about why it happens and how to right-size the situation
One of the worst situations in management is needing to fire someone and getting blocked. This happens somewhat regularly and is one of the most trust-breaking experiences between a manager and their boss. Let’s talk about why it happens and how to right-size the situation
The Worst Programmer I Know (2023)
(dannorth.net)
The great thing about measuring developer productivity is that you can quickly identify the bad programmers. I want to tell you about the worst programmer I know, and why I fought to keep him in the team.
The great thing about measuring developer productivity is that you can quickly identify the bad programmers. I want to tell you about the worst programmer I know, and why I fought to keep him in the team.
Career Development: What It Means to Be a Manager, Director, or VP (2015)
(kellblog.com)
It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of big-company HR practices. I’m more of the First Break all the Rules type. Despite my general skepticism of many standard practices, we still do annual performance reviews at my company, though I’m thinking seriously of dropping them. (See Get Rid of the Performance Review.)
It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of big-company HR practices. I’m more of the First Break all the Rules type. Despite my general skepticism of many standard practices, we still do annual performance reviews at my company, though I’m thinking seriously of dropping them. (See Get Rid of the Performance Review.)
What qualities should an excellent product manager possess?
(ycombinator.com)
Here are some of my thoughts, which might be wrong or incomplete, and I welcome discussion on them.
Here are some of my thoughts, which might be wrong or incomplete, and I welcome discussion on them.
Ask HN: EM to Director
(ycombinator.com)
How are you all thinking about your careers and making this move?
How are you all thinking about your careers and making this move?
Ask HN: How do you have effective 1:1s with your manager?
(ycombinator.com)
I'm about six years into my career now and I have no clue how to make my 1:1s with my manager more effective. How do you all prepare for your 1:1s, how do you conduct them, how do you see them as a tool for improving your career?
I'm about six years into my career now and I have no clue how to make my 1:1s with my manager more effective. How do you all prepare for your 1:1s, how do you conduct them, how do you see them as a tool for improving your career?
Unpopular Defaults for High-Performing Tech Organizations
(avivbenyosef.com)
“No one ever quit!” “Look at our hackathon!” “We hard-allocate time to fight tech debt.” Ostensibly, good things. In reality? Just the advice to follow… if you want to lead a mediocre team.
“No one ever quit!” “Look at our hackathon!” “We hard-allocate time to fight tech debt.” Ostensibly, good things. In reality? Just the advice to follow… if you want to lead a mediocre team.