Engineering Management for everyone

I give an overview of what’s considered to be part of an engineering manager's job today. Be it proper 1on1-meetings, providing transparency into and context for a team's work or constructive and actionable feedback. I will also include what everyone on a team can do, to have a good foundation for a functional relationship with their managers. Because management is a two-way street.

Transcript

1. Engineering Management for everyone @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 1
2. Me? cto.coffee && with humans collective @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 2
3. !"#$%&'( @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 3
4. ! @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 4
5. Engineering Management for everyone? @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 5
6. @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 6
7. Engineering Management? Management is overhead. Management is a hindrance. @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 7
8. @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 8
9. Solution? Get better ... ... at management ... and working with managers @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 9
10. Still ... you might, rightfully, ask ... @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 10
11. ! ... why bother? Why not get rid of management? Like GitHub? What about self-organization? @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 11
12. [...] to strive for a structureless group is as useful, and as deceptive, as to aim at an "objective" news story, [...]; the idea becomes a smokescreen for the strong or the lucky to establish unquestioned hegemony over Meritocracy is a lie you tell yourself and others to keep yourself from thinking about your own privilege -- Jo Freeman "Tyranny of Structurelessness" @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 12
13. ! I'm talking about structure, not hierarchy @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 13
14. Structure is ... ... encoded learning @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 14
15. Structure is ... ... encoded learning ... clarity of responsibility ... transparency of rules @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 15
16. Management is for ... ... ensuring structure @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 16
17. Management is for ... ... ensuring sensible structure @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 17
18. Management is for ... ... ensuring not too much structure @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 18
19. </part0> @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 19
20. Things covered in this talk • How to interact with your manager ... aka "managing up" • What to expect from your manager ... aka "manage a team" @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 20
21. <part1> @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 21
22. Interact with your manager @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 22
23. Rule No. 1 @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 23
24. Rule No. 1 ! Don't be a jerk ... to anyone @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 24
25. Interact with your manager by ... ! Communicating clearly • Status updates • Context dependent @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 25
26. Interact with your manager by ... ✏ Taking ownership • For yourself and your work • Have an eye on the big picture • Think about what you want • Talk when you're unhappy @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 26
27. Interact with your manager by ... ! Being realistic Your manager's job is not to make you happy! @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 27
28. Or: Clearly Own (your) Happiness @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 28
29. Advanced Interact with your manager by ... !⛔ Not being a hero • Get out of firefighting • Write documentation • make sure everyone on your team knows how to do your work in case you're on vacation @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 29
30. Advanced Interact with your manager by ... !⛔ Not being an alpha geek • There's more to a decision than tech factors (again: Meritocracy is a lie!) • Let others do the cool projects with the fancy new tech (once in a while) @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 30
31. Advanced Interact with your manager by ... ! Being a Tech Lead • Also without the formal title • Systems Architect • Project Planner • Developer @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 31
32. Advanced Interact with your manager by ... ! Being an example • Make decisions intentionally • Act so that others can copy your behaviour • Mentor others @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 32
33. Interact with your manager Advanced in short: Take work away from your manager (if you can) Don't add to their work (unless necessary) @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 33
34. </part1> @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 34
35. <part2> @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 35
36. Manage a team @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 36
37. Rule No. 1 @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 37
38. Rule No. 1 ! Don't be a jerk ... to anyone @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 38
39. Manage a team by ... ! Doing regular 1on1s • Build trust • Basis for effective collaboration @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 39
40. Manage a team by ... ! Providing career growth • Give people a perspective to grow • Be transparent about what their next steps are • Support & Sponsorship • (not only) Engineering Ladders & Growth Frameworks @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 40
41. Manage a team by ... ! Giving Feedback • Timely • Actionable • Regular @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 41
42. Manage a team by ... ! Giving Feedback 1. Situation 2. Behaviour 3. Impact (SBI) @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 42
43. Manage a team by ... ! Giving Feedback • No surprises!!! • (Included but not limited to) Performance Reviews @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 43
44. Manage a team by ... ! Facilitating • Guide & support technical decision making • Transparency • Learning @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 44
45. Manage a team by ... ! Facilitating • Setting standards and processes for ... • Code • Systems • Accepted behaviour @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 45
46. Manage a team by ... ! Delegating • Opportunity for letting people grow • Increases your leverage @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 46
47. Manage a team by ... ! Guiding • How to do job well • How to be successful • Provide context for current work @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 47
48. Recap @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 48
49. Recap ! Don't be a jerk @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 49
50. Recap Interact with your manager by ... ! Communicating clearly, ✏ Taking ownership, Being realistic, Being a Tech Lead, %⛔ Not being a hero, '⛔ Not being an alpha geek, Being an example Manage a team by ... ! Doing regular 1on1s, " Providing career growth, Giving Feedback, $ Facilitating, % Delegating, & Guiding @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 50
51. Disclaimer • Take everything I say with a grain of salt • My tips cannot fix a bad manager with no self-reflection capabilities • My tips cannot fix everything • What I cover is not all there is to management @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 51
52. Further Reading Books • Manager‘s Path • The Will to Change • High Output Management • Leadership and Self-Deception • Turn the Ship Around @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 52
53. People to follow @larahogan @skamille @catehstn @benjamin // DevOps Meetup Stuttgart, 4-Apr-2019 53