Earning your team’s trust can take time, but the benefits are worth the effort — I once worked under a manager that I didn't — or couldn't — trust, and it was a disaster. Once that distrust set in, I began to second-guess everything they said, and my confidence and performance dropped. So when I started managing a team, I put a lot of energy…

Approach every new issue, idea, or question as an opportunity to learn something new — Engineers want their manager to deeply understand their work, resolve blockers, and provide technical guidance. Therefore, it’s important to stay technical as an engineering manager. But how do you do that while managing a team? One approach is to be a manager who also codes. Initially, I thought doing the…

Focus on communication, stability, and people — I recently listened to the HBR on Leadership podcast. They shared a story about Cynthia Carrol who was CEO of Anglo America — a mining company. When Cynthia took over, they had 200 fatalities over five years. She wanted to get serious about safety to reduce the number of deaths…

A how-to guide for creating a collaborative and supportive culture — When I became a manager, I experienced fear and self-doubt, making me question my ability to lead an engineering team. But partnering with my team helped me learn quickly, make the right decisions, and grow my leadership confidence. After a year of managing a team, I learned that you don’t…

PIPs can be stressful but are also an opportunity to revamp how you lead your team You’ve likely experienced a performance evaluation before. So you already know a bit about the process. Your manager reviews your strengths and growth areas and lets you know where you are on the bell…

A guide to balance being there for your team and yourself — When I became a manager, my manager said I had to become more available for the team, which implied that working longer days came with the job. I was so excited about the opportunity that it didn’t bother me. But after some time, I started feeling overwhelmed. …

Discover the Essential Qualities You Need to Succeed in a Management Role — I recently had a thought-provoking conversation with a team member eager to learn about management. They asked me about my journey, what my day-to-day looks like, and things they could do now to start preparing. This conversation got me reflecting on the qualities that helped me transition into management. Though…

As a leader, it’s essential to create a positive and supportive environment for your team, especially during times of organizational change. As an engineering manager, supporting your team through an organizational (org) change can be overwhelming, especially when there’s an expectation for you to have all the answers. I faced…

There’s a lot of pressure to be an inspiring leader right away. But before you can lead, you have to learn — I became an engineering manager last year. And while each month (or day, really!) has offered up new lessons, the first three months had the steepest learning curve. So what have I learned? More importantly, how can that information help you to transition into your new role quickly? Looking back…