How to Build Influence as an Engineering Leader | Kelly Vaughn
Plus, why adopting GenAI can be so difficult, the case for hard deadlines, and the role of luck in product development.
This week, host
welcomes back , Director of Engineering at Spot AI, to talk about building influence as an engineering leader. Kelly shares insights on the importance of leadership skills for both individual contributor and managerial roles and outlines her three pillars of trust, communication, and empowerment.Conor and Kelly discuss strategies for staying technically fresh despite moving up in management, exploring the balance between staying close to product development and avoiding micromanagement. Lastly, they touch on the potential of AR/VR technology, with a focus on the business implications of Apple's Vision Pro and the future of immersive experiences.
“It's really important to know what the competitive landscape looks like. I think that's one of the most important key skills for the difference between somebody being an engineering leader and being a business leader.
You need to understand what your customers are actually looking for and actually asking for and how they're interacting with your product”
Episode Highlights:
01:09 How should engineering leaders think about building influence?
03:53 The impact of changing roles or companies on your performance
08:07 Why you lose important context when making assumptions
09:32 How ICs can help manage their team
10:49 Key ways to build influence and trust
16:00 How important is trust when giving or receiving feedback?
22:27 How do leaders stay close to their product as their org grows?
28:58 Our thoughts on Apple Vision Pro and AR VR in general
The Download
The Download is engineering leadership content we’re reading, watching, and attending that we think you might find valuable.
1. Why Adopting GenAI Is So Difficult
If you’ve been struggling to find the best use case for GenAI, you’re not alone. GenAI’s hype cycle has left many people and businesses fearing missing out on potential gains if they don’t adopt GenAI tooling fast enough.
This article from Harvard Business Review outlines key considerations that will help you when adopting GenAI.
Read: Why Adopting GenAI is So Difficult
2. The Case for Hard Deadlines
Here’s a hypothetical: your leadership team sends out a survey with no deadline and says “Fill it out whenever you get a chance.”
If you receive the same survey with an assigned deadline of tomorrow, it’s safe to assume the response rate would be much higher.
recently published an article on Parkinson’s Law, and how you can leverage deadlines to improve your team’s tempo and cadence.Modern Practices for Goal Setting in Software Engineering (Sponsor)
How do the best engineering organizations leverage goal-setting to drive predictable software delivery?
LinearB has worked with 3,000+ orgs to effectively track their KPIs and set goals, and will share the best practices they’ve discovered in their next workshop on March 26th & 28th.
You'll learn:
The data that drives effective goal-setting in software development
The strategies elite engineering organizations use when setting their OKRs and KPI goals
Real-life examples of successful companies that use goal setting to drive predictable software delivery
And you'll take home a how-to guide and a reporting slide deck for you to leverage. Register below, and take the next step toward driving better business results with effective goal-setting.
3. Why You Can't Be a Lone Wolf as Developer
Being a good team player and understanding how to collaborate as a developer will take you much further than just having exceptional technical skills.
This article from
in reminds us that software engineering is a team sport, and he offers ways you can improve your people skills through code reviews and onboarding.4. The Role of Luck in Product Development
You’ve surely heard the saying, “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity,” but according to Major David Cummings of the Jamaica Defence Force, the equation for luck is actually:
Luck = ∑(preparation + control + confidence + opportunity)
Upcoming Events
Modern Practices for Goal Setting in Software Engineering
March 26, 28 | Online
Highlights: Effective goal setting is crucial for driving predictable software delivery. LinearB’s workshop, tailored for engineering leaders, will dive into the data and strategies elite engineering organizations use when setting their OKRs and KPI goals.