Influence & Organizations

The finger is not the moon. A guide for engineering leaders on recognizing when your ceremonies, OKRs, and 1:1s have become performance instead of practice.

When your engineering team grows past 15-20, what breaks first isn't documentation. It's that you were the routing layer and nobody knew it.

Why refusing to estimate doesn't solve your team's coordination problems - and what to do instead. For engineering leaders who are tired of broken planning.

Most engineering managers coach too much, not too little, and they often do it for themselves, not their reports. Here's when managing is the more generous act.

Most software engineering teams swing between chaos and bureaucracy. Here's a framework to find the edge where scaling actually happens.

AI agents generate 98% more PRs but reviews take 91% longer. The work didn't disappear — it moved. A synthesis of eight perspectives on where it actually went.

Why do we assume everyone agrees with us? A deep dive into the False Consensus Effect, the Availability Heuristic, and how to fix cognitive bias in tech leadership.

Stop fighting the rumor mill and start using it. Learn why talking behind your team's back can be a good way to build trust and morale.

Engineering isn’t a meritocracy - it’s political. Learn how to navigate organizational dynamics, build influence, and ensure your technical ideas get heard and implemented.

The human-side laws of software work: motivation, cognition, communication, and the habits that shape team behavior.

The engineering laws that explain why teams, coordination, and project plans behave the way they do.

Cut through business jargon with 20 essential terms every engineering manager needs to understand to advocate effectively for their team.

Discover why starting every project with a clear purpose prevents wasted effort and how to ensure your team truly understands the why behind the work.

Discover why building reliable systems outperforms motivation hacks every time and how to create the infrastructure your team actually needs.

Your value as a manager isn't measured by problems solved, but by problems your team can handle without you. Learn coaching over fixing.

Discover why every persistent team problem reflects leadership choices and how taking ownership transforms both leaders and their teams.

Learn to recognize when your team is merely complying rather than committed, and practical steps to build the trust needed for honest feedback.

Good managers make progress easier by removing friction, clarifying goals, and clearing obstacles out of the team’s way.

Why strong managers rely on the team's collective judgment instead of acting like the smartest person in the room.

The most effective leaders don't find perfect answers—they make good-enough decisions and execute brilliantly. Learn their approach.

Your team doesn't hear what you say nearly as clearly as they see what you do. Learn why leadership by example isn't optional—it's everything.

A practical guide to building on-call that is humane, reliable, and taken seriously by the whole engineering organization.

Great leaders don’t fake certainty—they navigate ambiguity with confidence. Learn how saying "I do not know" can make you a stronger, smarter leader.

Learn how the Swiss Cheese Model can transform your approach to system reliability and why having holes in your tech stack might be exactly what you need.

No-nonsense approach to resolving conflicts in engineering teams. Real examples, actionable steps, and building psychological safety.

Learn why team loyalty must be earned through consistent actions, not demanded through authority or bought with perks.

Learn why constant firefighting signals deeper problems and how to build more reliable engineering systems through prevention.

Learn the three common accountability dodges in tech leadership and how to transform into a leader your team trusts.

The word "just" undermines technical discussions, oversimplifies complex engineering challenges, and impacts team dynamics. Learn better communication strategies.

Stop learning, start leading: Research reveals why leadership knowledge might be your biggest obstacle to becoming a better leader.

A practical guide to understanding and resolving engineering team conflicts using the Thomas-Kilmann model. Turn arguments into productive outcomes.

Learn the three essential leadership styles—conviction, policy, and consensus—that drive successful tech organizations. Includes real examples from Stripe, Uber, and other tech companies.

Discover how the Johari Window can transform your tech leadership. Learn to boost self-awareness, improve team dynamics, and unlock hidden potential. Master the human side of tech for better communication and innovation.

Explore the importance of aligning words with actions in tech leadership. Learn strategies to build authenticity, make ethical decisions, and create lasting impact beyond charismatic speeches and grand promises.

Discover how to transform people challenges into opportunities for growth in tech leadership. Learn strategies to improve team dynamics, client relationships, and personal development in high-pressure tech environments.

Learn 3 effective, non-confrontational scripts to regain control of derailed meetings. Boost productivity and keep your team focused without sounding like a jerk.

Discover how Brandolini's Law impacts tech leadership. Learn practical strategies to combat misinformation, foster critical thinking, and make better decisions in your team. A must-read guide for tech leaders navigating the challenges of information overload in the digital age.

Discover how Chesterton's Fence applies to tech leadership. Learn to navigate organizational change wisely by understanding existing systems before implementing reforms. Avoid common pitfalls and become a more effective leader.

Explore the cognitive mechanisms behind lack of psychological detachment from work and its impact on employee well-being. Practical advice for managers and employees.

Discover how to build high-performing software engineering teams, focusing on synergy, clear goals, and shared vision. Get actionable insights and practical advice.

Uncover how trust is built within teams across three levels - individual, team, and organizational, and explore the 11 factors that significantly influence this process.

Boost productivity without burning out using productivity techniques like the Pomodoro Method, Eisenhower Matrix, and more to balance efficiency with well-being in the workplace.

Three practical one-on-one agendas for your first conversations as a new manager.

Discover practical strategies for honest, effective reviews and learn how to turn tough conversations into trust-building, career-advancing opportunities. Your guide to making reviews genuinely helpful, not just another task on your to-do list.

Learn from great leaders: unlock effective leadership by creating a safe environment for your team. Learn how personal growth fosters innovation, trust, and mutual respect.

Discover how to amplify your communication skills with these 3 game-changing strategies. Effective for personal, work, and social contexts.

Explore research on the impact of office spaces on employees' psychological and physical states. Learn why a one-size-fits-all approach to workspaces may be counterproductive, and discover how designing diverse, inspiring environments can boost productivity, well-being, and creativity.

Learn how to effectively manage expectations in professional relationships with these essential tips. Clarify, communicate, provide support, ensure commitment, and establish clear roles and responsibilities for a successful partnership

In Agile software development, retrospectives help teams identify areas for improvement. However, certain behaviors known as antipatterns can undermine their effectiveness. Here are some common antipatterns to avoid.

Leadership can be compared to being a farmer in the sense that both require patience, dedication, and a long-term perspective.

Two useful motivation frameworks for engineering managers who want to understand what actually helps people do good work.

It takes practice to stop saying “hey guys” – but what are some alternatives?

A practical one-on-one template for managers who want useful conversations instead of empty recurring meetings.

What makes high-performance teams stand out? What sets these teams apart from the rest? How can you build outstanding teams? Dive in for the answers.

Ten observations on team leadership from a seasoned team coach and manager.

There are some fallacies about product development I've faced over my career that not only make daily work harder but actually have a toxic effect on both culture and processes.

Got a crazy idea that you think would totally work but you fear nobody will let you try it? Propose it as an experiment, not a change!

Delivery speed results in cost reduction; confidence enables speed; confidence requires quality.

The most common mistakes new engineering managers make, why they happen, and how to correct them early.

The art of effective listening is essential to clear communication, and clear communication is necessary for career success. Learn how to get better at it.

Being a successful engineering manager is not easy. Learn about the 4 key ways of failure you need to watch.

Unbiased performance reviews are key to a healthy organization and people’s growth. Learn about the typical biases in the process and how to counter them.

These four kinds of personalities and mindsets are holding your product development back.

The changes COVID brought into our lives and work can affect us in profound ways. Let me share some aspects and my thoughts with you.

Goal setting is one of the most important ways to foster growth, let's look at some key concepts and frameworks.

What good feedback is for, how to deliver it without blame, and how it shapes team culture.

Asking questions is a basic coaching technique but doing it properly is a matter of practice, finding a good balance and avoiding some common pitfalls. As with most of the things in life.

A practical guide to one-on-ones: what they are for, how to run them well, and the mistakes that make them pointless.

Hero engineers can be deadly to team culture, it's time to retire those capes.

Try this instead: every time you feel the urge to write code, instead spend the time reading or learning something related to management.

The key to progress is the temptation of constant challenge, with tasks that remain both achievable and interesting, broken up into pieces of work that are just right.