The hottest Management Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Engineering Efficiency vs. Engineering Experience - Problem #5

Fish Food for Thought • 6 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
💼 Business Management Strategy Productivity Human Resources Technology
  1. Businesses should focus on creating a positive Developer Experience (DevEx) instead of just looking at productivity numbers like lines of code. This helps developers thrive and leads to better products.
  2. Supporting a good DevEx can help keep talented developers at a company, reducing turnover and recruitment costs. Happy developers are more likely to stay and work effectively.
  3. Finding a balance between engineering efficiency and the overall experience of developers is key. When companies prioritize both, they can deliver higher-quality products and encourage long-term innovation.

Edited: Unchallenged assumptions #1 Hierarchical reporting structure

Great CTOs 'Focus on outcomes' • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💼 Business Management Organizational Structure Leadership Workplace culture Team Dynamics
  1. Hierarchical reporting structure is an unchallenged assumption in most companies.
  2. Challenging the responsibilities associated with line management can lead to better outcomes.
  3. Simpler adjustments like shifting responsibilities can shift incentives and benefit managers and teams.

An Amazon Sr. Manager's Guide to Managing AI Teams effectively [Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 04 Jun 23
💼 Business Management AI Technology Finance
  1. Managing AI teams can be uniquely challenging due to the multi-disciplinary and opaque nature of the field, requiring robust systems to tackle.
  2. Gaining insights from experienced managers like Christopher Walton, who shares tips on effective AI team management, can help you stay ahead in the AI race.
  3. Learning from the experiences of others in areas like Leadership, Productivity, and Personal/Professional Development through stories can provide valuable lessons for your own growth.

✅ Owning public relations as a management discipline

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 179 implied HN points • 02 Feb 23
💼 Business Public Relations Management Corporate Communication Strategy Growth
  1. Public relations is more than just writing press releases; it should be seen as a management discipline. Practitioners need to highlight its strategic role in building relationships and trust.
  2. A recent Deloitte report shows that public relations has become important in top management roles. It emphasizes that practitioners should contribute to decision-making and planning before diving into tactical communications.
  3. There is a need for public relations practitioners to own their identity and definition. Using alternative terms can weaken their position and influence, making it harder to communicate its true value and potential.
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Buffett's big lesson after 80 years of investing.

Jon’s Newsletter • 159 implied HN points • 26 Feb 23
💼 Business Investing Finance Management Economics Corporate strategy
  1. Making a few great investment decisions can have a huge impact over time. It's better to focus on quality rather than quantity when it comes to investing.
  2. Staying calm and focusing on long-term goals is crucial. Short-term market noise shouldn't distract investors from their main objectives.
  3. It's important to be flexible and willing to change your approach as circumstances evolve. Adapting to new ideas can lead to better investment opportunities.

Surviving SVB 😰😕😅

The SaaS Baton • 78 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
💼 Business Startups Management Recruiting Transparency Product-Market Fit
  1. Surviving a crisis like the SVB chaos requires staying solution-oriented, generating multiple outcomes, and reaching out for support.
  2. In the early days, focusing too much on Product-Led Growth (PLG) without testing through outbound sales can be risky.
  3. Transparency in recruiting, from defining assessments to sharing feedback, can lead to better alignment with candidates and improvement in the hiring process.

When "Best Practices" Produce the Worst Results

Adventures in Leadership Land • 78 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
💼 Business Leadership Decision-making Management Success Strategies
  1. In competitive environments, following conventional wisdom may lead to a costly war of attrition.
  2. Being a contrarian can be advantageous in zero-sum games and dynamic systems where others are following conventional wisdom.
  3. It's important to know when to switch between being an authoritative follower and a true leader.

As an engineering leader, you’re not managing a cruise ship. You’re managing a flotilla.

Developing Leadership • 78 implied HN points • 07 Apr 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Teamwork Communication Collaboration
  1. As an engineering leader, don't treat your organization like a cruise ship, but rather like a flotilla of multiple boats working towards a shared goal
  2. Approach your organization as the admiral of the flotilla, allowing each team to move independently but aiming for overall success
  3. Encourage communication and collaboration between teams, so they can leverage their unique strengths to achieve more collectively

Firefighting

The Uncertainty Mindset (soon to become tbd) • 99 implied HN points • 26 Jul 23
💼 Business Management Change Management Strategy Leadership
  1. Teams should be designed to adapt quickly to change rather than stay rigid. This means creating temporary project teams that can be evaluated and disbanded if they're no longer needed.
  2. Instead of focusing on strict, clear KPIs, organizations should promote flexibility. This allows teams more freedom to make the right choices based on changing situations.
  3. Employees should be encouraged to take on roles that allow for continual change. This mindset helps everyone prepare for shifts in their jobs and the organization as a whole.

Make Your Future a Little Less Uncertain

Ruben Ugarte's Growth Needle™ • 39 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
💼 Business Strategy Management Leadership Organizational Change Decision-making
  1. Success can come with unexpected challenges, which can be hard to talk about. It's important to recognize and address these challenges as they arise.
  2. Changes in society, like those seen during the pandemic, can really impact how organizations connect with their clients. Adapting communication methods is crucial for effective outreach.
  3. Issues like inflation and increased stress in people's lives can lead to more divorces and conflicts. Organizations need to be ready to support their clients through these tough times.

Compensation is Communication

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 19 Apr 24
💼 Business Management Organizational Behavior Corporate culture Human Resources Career development
  1. Compensation is a clear signal from an employer to an employee, offering insights into future viability with the company and helping individuals frame expectations and make decisions.
  2. Organizational cultures often hide true intentions behind layers of confusing messaging, especially regarding compensation, which may not necessarily reflect individual performance but rather the company's desire for retention.
  3. Understanding the true meaning behind raises can empower individuals to make informed decisions about their future within a company, recognizing signals of either retention or potential exit based on financial health and performance evaluations.

Startups: Stop innovating so damn much

CommandBlogue • 1 HN point • 06 Sep 24
💼 Business Startups Innovation Management Strategy Leadership
  1. Startups should focus their innovation efforts on fewer things that really matter. Trying to change everything can slow your progress and make things confusing.
  2. Innovation comes with risks, especially if a startup decides to ignore proven methods that have worked for successful companies. It's often safer to go with what’s already known to work.
  3. Not all areas need innovation. It's smarter to copy what works well in job roles, company structure, and communication tools, so you can spend your energy on truly valuable changes.

The importance of mentoring in engineering leadership - part 2

The Healthy Engineering Leader • 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

The Healthy Engineering Leader • 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.

Addressing the challenges of partially distributed engineering teams

It Depends / Nimble Autonomy • 19 implied HN points • 07 Apr 24
💼 Business Management Team Dynamics Remote work Leadership Communication
  1. Partially distributed teams face communication issues because some team members are in the office while others are remote. This can lead to misunderstandings and feelings of isolation for those not present.
  2. Visibility is important in a team; if members are not seen often, their work may be overlooked during reviews and recognition. It's crucial for managers to be aware of everyone's contributions, regardless of where they work.
  3. Creating clear expectations around availability and encouraging informal conversations can help build better relationships within the team. Taking time to connect as people makes working together easier.

"I don't want to do our cheat way of getting 12 objectives by bundling everything under three things"

Ruben Ugarte's Growth Needle™ • 4 HN points • 23 Jul 24
💼 Business Strategy Management Leadership Team Dynamics Productivity
  1. It's really hard to focus on just three priorities because teams often want to tackle too many things at once. Picking fewer goals helps you actually get more done.
  2. Organizations keep adding new projects and ideas without removing old ones, which creates overload. It's important to occasionally remove tasks or projects to avoid burnout.
  3. Having too many ideas can slow down progress, so it’s essential to have a way to filter them. Voting or aligning them with key priorities helps decide which ideas to pursue.

3 areas to drive clarity for sustained high-performance in teams

Effective Software Leads • 39 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Teamwork Planning Communication
  1. Driving clarity of purpose, direction, plan, roles, and boundaries leads to sustained high-performance in teams.
  2. Clarity of purpose is essential for motivating and guiding team members towards a common goal.
  3. Having a clear plan and understanding of roles and responsibilities are key for effective team performance.

Promoted from Dev to Team Lead: 8 Things They Didn’t Tell Me

Dev Interrupted • 168 implied HN points • 18 May 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Communication Culture Productivity
  1. Being promoted to a team lead involves a shift in focus from technical skills to people and processes
  2. Great devs turn into great leads by honing their instincts and adapting their behavior
  3. Effective communication as a leader involves focusing on the 'why' behind tasks, nurturing a positive team culture, and setting clear paths for team members

How To Lose Customers & Alienate People

Build To Scale • 59 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Customer Relations Investment Corporate culture
  1. Talk to customers and employees, but don't bother listening. Just talk about your vision and plans without engaging in meaningful conversations.
  2. Don't shy away from bad news and blame it on employees. Overreact publicly, especially to junior staff, to discourage them from sharing any negative news.
  3. Focus on competitors, raise money, surround yourself with yes-men, disregard customer needs, and prioritize optics over actual performance if you want to lose touch with your business and alienate people.

How To Run An Offsite

Build To Scale • 59 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
💼 Business Management Strategy Leadership Teamwork Creativity
  1. An effective offsite meeting should have a clear purpose, such as planning for strategic changes, setting priorities, or working on challenging problems creatively.
  2. Include the next-level up-and-coming leaders in executive offsite meetings to have a broader impact and develop managerial talent.
  3. To tackle hard problems, gather a diverse group of people from different areas within the company to brainstorm solutions, as fresh perspectives can lead to creative breakthroughs.

Compensation for Startups: Implementing and “Defending” Your Compensation System

Lessons • 58 implied HN points • 05 Aug 23
💼 Business Startups Compensation Implementation Philosophy Management
  1. When implementing a compensation system for startups, focus on simplicity to ensure sustainability.
  2. Establish centralized control to maintain the integrity of the system and avoid potential errors.
  3. Key steps for initial implementation include creating/updating leveling system, designing compensation philosophy, and mapping employees to new levels and bands.

Navigating the Director Sandwich

Suzan's Fieldnotes • 58 implied HN points • 15 May 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Communication Relationships Development
  1. Navigating the role of a director involves managing expectations and aligning teams while leading through others.
  2. Transitioning into a director role means moving away from detailed work and learning to delegate effectively.
  3. Building trust is crucial in a director role, both within the team and across the organization, to achieve results and develop future leaders.