People Management

  • People Management, Team Management

    Handling Conflict for Engineering Managers

    Conflict is an inevitable part of any workplace, especially in fast-paced engineering environments. As engineering managers, you are tasked with the dual responsibility of caring for your team while delivering results. Handling conflict effectively requires a careful balance between maintaining composure and ensuring issues are addressed constructively. Here, we provide a comprehensive guide to navigating workplace conflict, emphasizing emotional intelligence and self-control to foster a positive and productive environment.

  • Effective Engineering Manager, People Management, Retention, Team Management

    Maintaining Team Morale Through Tough Times

    In this episode, we talk about what causes tough times for companies and how being smart with money and saving up can help keep the business healthy during downturns. We focus on how leaders can boost team morale when things get tough, using tools like one-on-one meetings, positive feedback, kudos programs, and team outings. We also cover the importance of strong engineering leadership, coaching, and career development when facing changes in the organization. Tune in for practical tips and strategies to keep your team motivated and resilient through the rough patches.

  • Building Teams, Career Development, One-on-One, People Management, Performance Management, Retention

    Managing Hyperperformers

    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.

  • Building Teams, People Management

    Tim Wenzel: Building Exceptional Teams

    We are featuring a guest, Tim Wenzel, who is a Silicon Valley native, expert in recruiting, including building early teams and 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.

  • Effective Engineering Manager, Managing Up

    Managing Up: Complaining

    We are starting a series on managing up. 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.

  • Building Teams, Retention, Team Management

    Effective Remote Work

    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.

  • Effective Engineering Manager, Egineering Manager Tools, Managing Across, Managing Up

    Escalating Work Issues Effectively

    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.

  • Effective Engineering Manager, People Management, Performance Management

    Effective Goal Setting

    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.

  • Building managers, Effective Engineering Manager, Managing Across, Managing Up, One-on-One

    Building Managers: Now That You Are A Manager

    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.

  • Building managers, Career Development, Effective Engineering Manager, One-on-One, People Management

    Building Managers: Implementing The Plan

    In this episode we present a practical, step-by-step implementation guide for transitioning engineer's career to the engineering management track.