01 Oct 2024
For all the years I’ve been helping teams grow, I’ve rarely met one who felt that they were exceptional. It’s one of those quirky things where, in one conversation, the leadership will proclaim how great their teams are, and the next, pull me aside and beg for help. There are always issues, so I thought I’d write about some things I’ve noticed that turn good teams into great ones.
13 Aug 2024
Refactoring is one of those terms that shows up almost daily with engineering teams, yet for most, the definition is pretty loose. What’s more, that loose definition leads to actions that often have undesirable outcomes, delays, and arguments about how to handle the fallout. So, let me break down how I approach refactoring with engineers and teams.
13 Mar 2024
At this point, I think almost everyone has heard that research shows that motivated teams perform better than those who aren’t motivated. What is often less obvious, from what I can tell, is how to motivate teams and individuals.
15 Nov 2023
For years, folks have struggled with phrases like “self-organizing” and the newer “self-managed” regarding teams. I have met plenty of leaders and managers who have tried to figure out how to create teams with these qualities and find their own place when they work with teams like this. In this article, I want to talk through a few things to consider if you’re a leader interested in building self-managed teams.
08 Nov 2023
I recently finished my newsletter series on how I build high-performing software teams, and in that process, I recalled many moments from my career. One of those memories is a big part of my leadership style and what I want to share today.
16 Sep 2022
Since teams, or something parading around with that word, are the norm in most companies, let’s talk about some qualities of teams and contrast that to what exists instead. That way, we know the difference we’re aiming for and how to spot it.
