Managing Up
A Simple Framework for Giving (and Receiving) Feedback at Work
Upward feedback is a gift from an employee to a manager. How to politely give the gift of feedback to anyone, but particularly your manager.
People Managers
People Managers
4 Problems Managers Run Into - and Practical Solutions
The management job comes with interesting people challenges. Here are four I've run into more than a few times and what to do when they land in your lap.
People Managers
4 Steps to Delegate (Give Away) Your Work—And Become a Better Leader
Delegation isn’t just about doing less. It’s about getting the work done—and helping others grow in the process.
People Managers
Delegate Delegation — An Upgrade to the Common Delegation Practice of Micro Management
Many managers (and individuals) assume that load balancing their team members is the manager's job. That's a pretty bad idea. And I'll explain why.
People Managers
Heard of Design Patterns? How About Behavior Patterns.
Recognize patterns in management to be able to solve issues, and deliver results.
People Managers
Managers Make Teams Deliver More Value, Not Deliver More Output
True productivity for a team is measured by the value created, not the work completed. The job of a manager is to focus on the value hidden behind the piles of work.
People Managers
A Non-Coding Engineering Manager is One Thing, But What About Non-Technical?
A hotly debated topic is how technical an engineering manager needs to be. I dive into the topic, including ways a non-technical leader can learn.
People Managers
A Day in the Life of a Software Development Manager with 14 Direct Reports
A story of too much work, too many reports, and perhaps too much ambition.
People Managers
A Day in the Life of an Amazon Tech Director Poaching a Senior Engineer
Recruiting from internal Amazon teams is a proven way to gain experienced members for your team. If you're careful, and convincing.
People Managers
A Day in the Life of a Senior Manager at Amazon Creating the World's Worst Operations Meeting
I decided that we needed an ops meeting. Unfortunately, my attempt didn't go as planned.
Late Career
Motivation — The Secrets Behind How to Create Drive in Yourself and Others
A walk through of the major components of motivation (autonomy, mastery, purpose), and the tools you can use to build an energizing workplace.
Late Career
A Detailed Account of a Failed Principal Promotion
Not everything we do will be successful. We learn a ton from failure. Unfortunately for managers, our failures sometimes impact our teams as well.