Career Journey 2: Essential Skills & Key Attributes
Discover more from Dev Interrupted
Career Journey 2: Essential Skills & Key Attributes
Plus, part two of the Great Metric Debate, the world's "worst" programmer, AI and job interviews, and much more.
Once you've taken that step into leadership, what foundational skills and attitudes will carry you forward throughout your career?
Continuing our series on the career journey of an engineering leader, host Dan Lines once again welcomes
, Director of Engineering at Nubank.In this second episode, they pivot the discussion from the initial steps of becoming an engineering manager to the more nuanced subject of building a robust foundation as a leader. The episode explores the essential skills, the dos and don'ts, and the philosophies that can guide engineering leaders to make an enduring impact on their teams and projects.
Tune in as we unravel the core principles and practices that underpin success.
“For 99% of things in life, a bad decision is better than no decision.”
And what that means in reality, especially in engineering, when you are trying to deliver big things is... Remind everyone, remind yourself, remind your managers, remind your engineers that sometimes a really small decision that is holding, let's say, the delivery of a thing will be better off if you just move forward with whatever.”
Episode Highlights:
(3:20) "A bad decision is better than no decision."
(8:30) Continuous Escalation (CE)
(12:30) 24-hour rule for decision-making
(18:30) Handling stuck PRs
(23:30) No more "That's not my job."
(33:00) The 4Ps of leadership
(39:00) Skills managers struggle with
The Download
The Download is engineering leadership content we’re reading, watching, and attending that we think you might find valuable.
1. Enjoy Part 2 Of The Great Dev-Metric Debate
Can’t get enough of the long overdue debate on properly assessing developer productivity? Neither can we!
In part 2 of
and ’s takedown of McKinsey’s paper on measuring dev productivity, the former dive into real-world tales of how traditional measurement tactics can backfire in software engineering. This deep dive sheds light on the delicate balance between team and individual performance and offers a fresh perspective on optimizing engineering investments.2. Meet One Of The World’s “Worst” Programmers
Reason No. 2,384,299 not to use individual dev metrics? Tim Mackinnon. He was a coworker of Dan North at a big bank, and his developer rating at the company was consistently zero because he didn't claim any stories. However, instead of focusing on individual tasks, Tim elevated the entire team by pairing with various members, mentoring juniors, and co-creating with seniors, ultimately enhancing the team's overall software delivery.
Highlighting the importance of holistic assessments, the team shifted from individual metrics to team accountability, emphasizing the collective business impact they delivered.
Read: The Worst Programmer I Know
This Download Is Sponsored By Fundrise’s Innovation Fund: Invest in AI like a VC
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Cheers,
Conor Bronsdon
Dev Interrupted Co-Host
Note - While I am an investor in Fundrise, this is a paid testimonial.
3. Be Wary Of “AI” On The Next Resume You Review
The rapid evolution of AI has left a gap in professional knowledge, with 26% of professionals admitting to exaggerating their AI understanding, according to Canva's recent study. Despite its recognized significance in the workplace, there's a pressing need for targeted AI education, as only 35% have used AI tools for work compared to 43% personally.
Read: Workers Are Faking Knowledge Of AI To Make Sure They Aren't Left Behind
4. Our Philosophy On The Relationship Between CTOs & CEOs Reached Japan!
It’s not just companies in North America trying to figure out how to connect engineering’s work to the business bottom line. LinearB’s own Ori Keren was interviewed by one of the top tech publications in Japan to explain his thinking and methods for how CTOs can bring clarity to the black box that is engineering in a way that doesn’t just get CEOs to understand what’s going on but has them wanting to invest the right resources in developer teams.
Read: Moving Away From The “Black Box” Between Software Developers & Management
5. RIP To One Of The OG Hackers
Margaret Betts, one of the last Bletchley Park codebreakers from World War II, passed away at 99. Recruited for her prowess in school, she played a pivotal role in programming and operating the machines to decipher encrypted enemy codes. While she modestly described the work as repetitive and "humdrum," their efforts, including using captured German Enigma machines, arguably shortened the war by years, underscoring the importance and impact of early computing and coding.
Read: Margaret Betts, Bletchley Park Codebreaker, Has Died At The Age Of 99