The Engineering Leadership & Wellbeing Newsletter 🌱 #8
“HAY” there 👋🏽
First off, has anyone else noticed ChatGPT being super laggy these days? 🤖 I give it a simple prompt, but it gets it all wrong. What’s going on over there?
Thank you so much for the fantastic feedback on our guide The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Exploring 26 Behavioral Practices in Software Development. For those who are looking for more great info, we've got plenty of it:
Dive into our collection of engineering leadership resources here
Explore our blog posts on pertinent engineering and leadership topics here.
That's it for now. Let’s get on with the show!
Tomek
Topics for the day: Handling difficult clients, Persuasive storytelling, Standing out in a job search, Working at GitLab, Research on enhancing DX, Engineer to manager transition, How startups beat incumbents, Engineering career ladder at Etsy
Handling Difficult Clients in Software Development
Dealing with difficult clients is like being stuck in a never-ending game of Whack-a-Mole. They pop up with "just a minor issue," and then they pop up after hours to discuss something trivial. And when you say, "Let's discuss this in the morning," they get upset.
The most important thing is not to let issues fester. Address them head-on and lay everything out in the open. Most of the time, clients will value this directness and feel heard, reassured that their input truly matters. I've included some more points in my latest blog post👇🏽
Read more: Handling Difficult Clients in Software Development
Forget Facts, Go For Stories
I've always believed that presenting facts and employing logic is the most effective way to get what you want. However, Boz adopts a different strategy, utilizing the power of storytelling to create a lasting impact. Engineering managers can also discover methods to infuse emotion and engaging anecdotes into their daily tasks, enhancing productivity in their dev teams. Here’s how:
🚀 Share success stories to motivate your developers and highlight past triumphs.
🌟 Use vision-casting stories to connect your teammates with the broader impact of their work, enhancing engagement.
🧩 Simplify complex concepts with relatable stories or analogies, improving team understanding and communication.
💬 Promote a culture of feedback by sharing personal anecdotes of your growth, encouraging open and constructive dialogue.
🌱 Use narratives of adaptability and resilience during periods of change to alleviate anxiety and help your teammates foster an open mindset.
❤️ Address the emotional aspects of change with empathy to manage resistance and support transitions.
🤝 Attract candidates by sharing real stories of company culture, collaboration, and innovation during recruitment.
📘 Enhance onboarding with stories that immerse new hires in company history and culture.
🎯 Present projects to stakeholders through stories that underscore human impact and project value.
Read more: Speak in Stories
Simple Ways to Shine in a Tech Job Search
Despite widespread tech layoffs, there are still great opportunities out there. Sean Killeen’s post serves as a useful guide for job seekers in tech. He offers some basic tips that, surprisingly, many people overlook, such as 1) the importance of matching your resume file with your first and last name for easy identification, 2) the advantage of directly emailing hiring managers to stand out, and 3) the need to balance SEO-optimized resumes with authenticity.
Read more: Tips to Help Yourself Stand Out During a Tech Job Search
Yorick Peterse Discusses His Time Working for GitLab
In a reflective blog post, Yorick shares insights from his time at GitLab between October 2015 and December 2021. This period marked significant growth, both for him and for GitLab, as it expanded from a small team to a global force of 2000 employees. The post explores remote work, the push for performance improvements - “GitLab is slow” - and the cultural shifts within an evolving company.
Some highlights include:
The transition from a startup to a pivotal role at GitLab.
Key projects and contributions to GitLab's infrastructure.
Lessons on scalability, the importance of a data-driven approach, and the complexities of SaaS versus self-hosting models.
A critical view on location-based salaries, advocating for fair compensation.
Read more: What it was like working for GitLab
Microsoft Highlights the Benefits of Enhancing DX
Microsoft announced in a research paper, "DevEx in Action: A Study of Its Tangible Impacts" that the best way to get your devs to do more is to improve DX. The focus has shifted from velocity and productivity to creating an environment where developers can enter a state of flow, where collaboration is meaningful, and where constructive feedback is readily available and actionable, thereby enhancing overall team effectiveness and aligning with organizational objectives.
Read more: Quantifying the impact of developer experience
Going From an Engineer to an Engineering Manager
We look at Vladimir Klepov’s candid reflections about his leap from coding to management.
The Upside: Embracing the role, he found joy in wielding greater influence on both product direction and team dynamics, unlocking new levels of career opportunities and enjoying the versatility of management skills across industries.
The Flip Side: It wasn't without its trials—navigating corporate intricacies, diffusing team tensions, and the relentless demand for leadership responsibilities posed substantial challenges. The longer feedback loop in management, compared to the instant gratification of solving technical problems, required a shift in mindset.
Read more: From engineer to manager: what I love, what I hate
BONUS: Making the Transition From Programmer to Manager: An In-Depth Guide
How New Little Startups Can Beat Bigger Experienced Corporations
Big companies are often so set in their ways that startups can leverage these weaknesses to their advantage. This dynamic occurs because, while big companies must accommodate their extensive client base, startups have the flexibility to experiment and innovate.
In the latest post from A Smart Bear, one quote particularly resonated with me: "Whatever generates the most profits for the incumbent is the thing they are least able to change." I found this post insightful, as are most of A Smart Bear’s posts.
Read more: How startups beat incumbents
What an Engineering Career Ladder Looks Like at Etsy
Ever wondered how your tech skills stack up at one of the most innovative e-commerce platforms in the world? Whether you're just starting out in the engineering world or you've been in the game for years and are itching for a change, taking a look at Etsy's Engineering Career Ladder could help you plan your next moves. It's all about discovering where you can fit and grow in a space that's bursting with innovation. Plus, it offers a glimpse into the skills you might need to polish and the exciting projects you could dive into.
Read more: Etsy Engineering Career Ladder
Did you like this edition of ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP & WELLBEING 🌱?
If you're looking for a specific subject to read about or maybe would like to collaborate on a project, reach out to me at tomek@howareyou.work.