- Leadership in Tech
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- The Best Product Engineering Org in the World
The Best Product Engineering Org in the World
"How are you measuring productivity?" I told the truth.
Jakub Chodounsky
January 13, 2025
The Best Product Engineering Org in the World
about 1 hour by James Shore
“How are you measuring productivity?” It was September 2023 and my CEO was asking me a question. “How are you measuring productivity?” It was September 2023, my CEO was asking me a question, and my position as Vice President of Engineering was less than three months old. “How are you measuring productivity?” It was September 2023, my CEO was asking me a question, my position was less than three months old, and I didn’t have an answer. So I told the truth.
New research: Is AI actually accelerating testing workflows?
sponsored by Rainforest QA
We surveyed 625 developers to find out which technologies actually make test automation faster and less painful. The unexpected results around AI's impact on test maintenance might make you rethink your automation strategy. Download the report to learn more.
Engineering Growth: From Charmander to Charizard
9 minutes by Dennis Nerush
This article presents a framework called "R&D Circles of Influence" that describes the career progression of software engineers, comparing it to Pokemon evolution stages. Dennis emphasizes that becoming an impactful engineer requires more than just coding skills - it's about expanding one's influence and helping others succeed while taking control of one's career growth through proactive development at each stage.
Ratchet effects determine engineer reputation at large companies
5 minutes by Sean Goedecke
How do engineers become higher-status or lower-status at large tech companies? In this article Sean explains how engineers build status and advance their careers in large tech companies through a "ratchet effect" mechanism. He emphasizes that reputation is quick to form but slow to change, making it crucial to build a positive track record early on, as attempting to skip steps or recover from early failures is extremely difficult.
Bottleneck Dirty Webs
4 minutes by Stay SaaSy
Delegation, specialization, and federation are critical to scaling companies. But scaling doesn’t mean stepping back from everything. This article discusses "Dirty Webs" - tedious, cross-functional tasks that are often delegated to teams without proper oversight or incentives to improve efficiency. By maintaining oversight and regularly challenging unnecessary steps, leaders can prevent organizational debt from accumulating and protect their teams from excessive, morale-killing busywork.
Risk Management & Strategy
10 minutes by Roger Martin
Risk management has become a big deal for boards — arguably an obsession. The article critiques current corporate risk management practices arguing that these approaches are ineffective at addressing real business risks. Roger suggests a better approach to risk management focusing on four key elements: industry, customers, capabilities, and competitors.
industry
security
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