The Healthy Engineering Leader

The Healthy Engineering Leader by Sebastiano Armeli focuses on engineering leadership and management with an emphasis on health and wellness. Themes include team effectiveness, continuous improvement, psychological safety, health tracking with technology, mentorship, strategic planning, and fostering a culture of innovation and resilience in engineering teams.

Engineering Leadership Team Management Health and Wellness Psychological Safety Mentorship Strategic Planning Continuous Improvement Knowledge Sharing

The hottest Substack posts of The Healthy Engineering Leader

And their main takeaways

Continuous Software Engineering: Part 2 - Continuous Planning & Prioritization

19 implied HN points • 19 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Agile methodologies Project management Team Collaboration Continuous Improvement
  1. Continuous Planning means regularly updating your plans as things change. This helps teams stay effective and respond quickly to new information.
  2. Continuous Prioritization allows teams to adjust their focus based on what’s most important at any moment. This ensures they always work on tasks that matter the most.
  3. Both continuous planning and prioritization make teams more adaptable. They can shift their strategies easily and keep delivering value, even in changing environments.

Cultivating Excellence in Teams with Continuous Software Engineering — Part 1: Defining Excellence through 5 Characteristics

99 implied HN points • 09 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Team Dynamics Product Development Continuous Improvement
  1. An effective team knows what its customers want and focuses on building the right product. They prioritize features based on customer needs and data.
  2. High craftsmanship involves a team that produces quality work while minimizing bugs. They continuously learn and share knowledge to improve their software.
  3. Good communication and collaboration create a cohesive team environment. Everyone feels safe to share ideas, which helps solve problems together.

Vitamin B for Engineering Teams: Psychological Safety

59 implied HN points • 04 Jun 24
💼 Business Team Dynamics Leadership Psychology Performance
  1. Psychological safety in teams is really important. It helps everyone feel safe to share ideas, make mistakes, and ask questions without fear.
  2. There are four stages of psychological safety: inclusion safety, learner safety, contributor safety, and challenger safety. Each stage builds on the previous one to help teams grow and work better together.
  3. Just like vitamins are essential for our health, psychological safety is essential for a healthy and effective team. When teams feel safe, they can innovate and succeed.

Vitamin C for Engineering Teams: Building Resiliency through Compassion

39 implied HN points • 20 Jun 24
💼 Business Leadership Teamwork Communication Emotional Intelligence Workplace culture
  1. Compassion helps build strong and resilient teams, especially during tough times. Just like Vitamin C boosts our health, compassion boosts team spirit.
  2. Good communication is crucial for leaders. By talking openly and listening to team members, leaders can create a safe space where everyone feels valued.
  3. Giving teams time and freedom to recharge can make a big difference. Leaders should encourage breaks or fun activities to help everyone cope with stress better.

Vitamin A for Engineering Teams: Dogfooding your product

39 implied HN points • 13 May 24
💼 Business Management Team Building Product Development Leadership User Experience
  1. Vitamin A is important for clear vision, similar to how understanding customer needs helps engineering teams succeed. It helps teams develop a better grasp of their products.
  2. Dogfooding means team members use and test their own products. This practice helps catch bugs and fosters a deeper connection with the user experience.
  3. To promote dogfooding, leaders should encourage testing, celebrate contributions, and refine the process. This creates a culture of empathy and accountability within the team.
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Tips on Staying Active as a Busy Engineering Leader

59 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Fitness Mental health Nutrition Leadership Productivity
  1. It's important to stay active, especially if you have a busy job that requires a lot of sitting. Breaking up long periods of sitting can really boost your physical and mental health.
  2. Finding small moments to move during the day can make a big difference. Even a quick walk or stretching can improve your mood and energy levels.
  3. Using tools like standing desks or planning your workouts can help you stay on track. Plus, turning meetings into walking meetings is a fun way to stay active while working.

CGM Meets AI: My Personal Health Tech Experiment - part 2

59 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Health Health tech Nutrition AI Integration Disease Management
  1. Custom GPTs let you personalize AI chatbots to focus on specific topics, making them more useful for things like health advice. It's like giving your AI a special job just for you.
  2. Using a Continuous Glucose Monitor helps track your health, and combining it with a Custom GPT can give you better, tailored advice about your diet. This can help you manage your glucose levels more effectively.
  3. There are exciting future possibilities for AI in health, like connecting to real-time data from health devices. This can make managing health even easier and more personalized.

CGM Meets AI: My Personal Health Tech Experiment

39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Health Technology AI Nutrition
  1. Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) helps track how food impacts blood sugar levels. This allows for better understanding of personal health and diet choices.
  2. Results showed different glucose responses based on food types and meal timing. For example, eating the same meal at different times affected blood sugar spikes differently.
  3. AI can help interpret glucose data by answering questions about blood sugar patterns. This makes it easier to understand health information and improve wellness.

Tribute to My Dad

2 HN points • 21 Aug 24
🎭️ Culture Family Leadership Education Personal Growth Values
  1. The importance of honesty and integrity shaped my dad's life. He always tried to do what was right for himself and his family.
  2. My dad taught me that family and health are more important than money. He showed me that a fulfilling life doesn't depend on being rich.
  3. True leadership is about who you are as a person, not just what you do. My dad embodied values that inspired others around him.

The importance of mentoring in engineering leadership - part 2

39 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Mentoring Career development Human Resources
  1. Mentoring is important for both personal and professional growth. It helps you learn from others and share your own experiences.
  2. As a mentor, you don’t need to have all the answers. You can facilitate discussions and brainstorm solutions with your mentee.
  3. Being involved in mentorship can speed up your learning, especially when facing new career challenges or transitions.

The "Macros" for healthy engineering teams - part 3: Fats

19 implied HN points • 17 Apr 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Team Dynamics Strategic Planning Productivity
  1. Strategic thinking is like 'good fat' for engineering teams, helping them store energy and prepare for future challenges. It keeps teams motivated and focused on long-term success.
  2. Technical debt is considered 'bad fat' that can lead to inefficiencies and low morale. Just like bad fats in the diet, if ignored, it can cause serious problems down the line.
  3. Engineering leaders should encourage their teams to develop strategies that address technical debt, ensuring ongoing productivity and health for the team and the software they produce.

The "Macros" for healthy engineering teams - part 2: Proteins

19 implied HN points • 02 Apr 24
💼 Business Team Management Leadership skills Continuous Improvement Project management Communication Skills
  1. Continuous improvement is like protein for engineering teams. Just as proteins help our bodies grow and heal, ongoing learning helps teams adapt and stay strong.
  2. Team skills are essential for a resilient team. Skills like project management and communication are the building blocks that help a team work well together and tackle challenges.
  3. Engineering leaders play a key role in developing these skills and fostering a culture of improvement. By supporting their team's growth, leaders create an environment where everyone can thrive.

The "Macros" for healthy engineering teams - part 1: Carbs

19 implied HN points • 19 Mar 24
💼 Business Team Dynamics Leadership Motivation Performance Collaboration
  1. Just like our bodies need carbs for energy, engineering teams need motivation to stay productive and innovative. Motivation drives teamwork and helps in overcoming challenges.
  2. Understanding and recognizing the importance of tasks keeps team members engaged, similar to how complex carbs provide lasting energy. When people see their work as meaningful, they stay motivated longer.
  3. Effective coordination within a team acts like fiber in our diet, helping everything run smoothly. Good teamwork and communication lead to better performance, especially in remote settings.

Applying Socratic Wisdom to Engineering Management

39 implied HN points • 08 Nov 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Learning Philosophy Engineering
  1. Humility is important in engineering. Recognizing that you don’t know everything helps create a culture where everyone feels valued and can share ideas.
  2. Being a leader means being a lifelong learner. It’s vital to keep learning about your team and technology to support them effectively.
  3. Taking time to reflect on actions and decisions can lead to better results. Regular team retrospectives can help improve processes and boost team morale.

The importance of mentoring in engineering leadership — part 1

19 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
💼 Business Leadership Mentorship Professional Growth Employee Development Engineering
  1. Mentorship comes in many forms, both structured and informal, and is valuable for growth in your career.
  2. Trust is key in a mentoring relationship; the more trust there is, the more you can benefit from the mentor's advice.
  3. Sometimes, the lessons from a mentor may not be clear right away, but you often realize their value later as you gain more experience.

The Power of Recognition in Engineering Leaders: A Deep Dive into the Philosophy and Practice

19 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Philosophy Teamwork Recognition
  1. Recognition is more than just giving rewards; it's about appreciating each person's contributions. A simple thank you can boost team morale and motivation.
  2. Philosophers like Hegel and Honneth highlight that recognition helps people feel valued and fosters teamwork. When team members feel respected, they work better together.
  3. Leaders should be careful to recognize everyone fairly and genuinely. It's important not to overlook quieter team members and to give meaningful recognition without overwhelming the team.

Unlock Your Team’s Full Potential with OKRs!

0 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Strategy Performance Goals
  1. OKRs, or Objectives and Key Results, help teams set clear goals and measure progress. They keep everyone focused on what really matters.
  2. Using OKRs can align your team with the company's strategy, ensuring everyone is working toward the same objectives. This alignment is crucial for effective execution.
  3. Regularly reviewing your OKRs, like monthly check-ins, helps track how well the team is doing and allows for adjustments if necessary. It's all about staying flexible and learning from the process.

Collaboration Across Departments: A Guide for Engineering Managers

0 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
💼 Business Management Collaboration Product Development Team Building Communication
  1. Communication is key for teamwork. Regular updates and meetings help everyone stay informed and aligned.
  2. Setting shared goals helps all teams move in the same direction. It's important to have clear objectives so everyone knows what to focus on.
  3. Building personal relationships makes work easier. Taking time to know your colleagues can improve collaboration and trust in the workplace.

Motivate your team tapping into intrinsic drives through Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose

0 implied HN points • 07 Jun 23
💼 Business Leadership Motivation Teamwork Performance Management
  1. Giving people more control over their work, or autonomy, can make them more motivated and engaged. When team members feel they can make choices, they often feel happier.
  2. Helping individuals to become skilled or achieve mastery in their tasks is important. When people see themselves improving, it boosts their confidence and motivation.
  3. Having a clear sense of purpose can inspire teams. When team members understand how their work contributes to a greater goal, they are more likely to feel driven and focused.

How to Foster a Knowledge-Sharing Culture within Engineering Teams

0 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Teamwork Organizational Culture Human Resources
  1. Fostering a knowledge-sharing culture helps engineers stay updated with new skills and technologies. Regularly sharing insights can keep the team learning and growing.
  2. Knowledge sharing involves team members exchanging expertise and information with each other. This collaboration can lead to better problem-solving and innovation.
  3. Creating opportunities for sharing, like workshops or regular meetings, encourages more open communication. It helps build trust and strengthens relationships within the team.

Effective Staff Meetings for Engineering Managers of Managers

0 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Staffing Meetings Engineering
  1. Transitioning to managing other managers is a key step in an engineering career. It's important to adapt to this new role for growth and success.
  2. Establishing a weekly staff meeting is crucial for communication. It helps keep everyone on the same page and fosters collaboration among teams.
  3. Effective meetings should have clear goals and agendas. This ensures that everyone's time is used wisely and discussions are productive.

The Importance of a Strong Team Mission Statement

0 implied HN points • 09 Jan 23
💼 Business Leadership Teamwork Organization Strategy Management
  1. A clear mission statement helps your team know what they’re trying to achieve and why it matters. It guides decisions and keeps everyone aligned.
  2. It's important that your team's mission matches the overall goals of the company. This creates unity and ensures everyone's efforts contribute to the bigger picture.
  3. Creating a good mission statement involves teamwork. Gather input from your team to make sure it reflects everyone's ideas and is easy to understand.

Create focus during a distracting time

0 implied HN points • 30 Jan 23
💼 Business Leadership Teamwork Productivity Management Vision
  1. Having a clear vision can help your team focus and be productive, especially during tough times. It gives everyone a sense of purpose.
  2. Be specific when creating your vision statement. It should clearly show what your team is working towards so everyone understands the goal.
  3. Make sure your team's vision aligns with the company's overall vision. This connection helps everyone see how their work contributes to bigger objectives.

OKRs and Roadmaps: Understanding the Difference and How to Use Them Together

0 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
💼 Business Management Strategy Leadership
  1. OKRs are goals that help teams measure their progress, while roadmaps are plans that outline how those goals will be achieved. They work best when used together.
  2. A Key Result should have initiatives attached to it, which are specific actions you can take to achieve that goal, like improving website load times.
  3. Roadmaps help prioritize tasks and track progress towards OKRs. They allow teams to see how their projects contribute to overall goals, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Engineering Teams: More Than Just a Family or a Sports Team

0 implied HN points • 15 May 23
💼 Business Team Dynamics Leadership Organizational Culture Collaboration Performance Management
  1. Engineering teams should focus on a mix of teamwork and a sense of belonging, similar to families and sports teams. This helps create a strong culture where everyone feels valued.
  2. It's important to understand that engineering teams have specific goals and a clear hierarchy, unlike families. This helps keep everyone focused and accountable.
  3. Diversity in engineering teams brings unique perspectives, which can enhance problem-solving and creativity. This is different from how families and sports teams are typically formed.