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I’ve been here.
1. Stop all feature work. Even if you’re an infra team: your feature work is requests from other teams. Stability is number one. https://twitter.com/jbeallurks/status/1380619695234105345
1. Stop all feature work. Even if you’re an infra team: your feature work is requests from other teams. Stability is number one. https://twitter.com/jbeallurks/status/1380619695234105345
2. Tell your team the vision you’re aiming for. In my case, it was where incidents happened once a month, at most. The team was so traumatized they didn’t believe me, but the fact that I know it’s possible helped sell it.
3. Start hiring immediately. The team is at burnout so you’re already behind.
4. Map out all the problem domains and complaints from the team. Identify which items in the list your team is no longer going to work on at all.
Do this in an offsite. Carve out plenty of individual and team downtime in the offsite.
Do this in an offsite. Carve out plenty of individual and team downtime in the offsite.
4. (cont.) Prioritize the problem list a couple different ways besides the usual “low-effort && high-impact”: A) things the team can solve with code and time, and B) things that require structural change. You’ll work on B because you need to sell it up the reporting chain.
5. Use those priorities in 4 to unite the team into a unified direction. Some people will disagree with the direction. Give them a little time, but if they’re too burnt-out they may need some vacation and a new team. Help them find one.
6. Sell your plans to your boss. They are likely to push back. The biggest thing new managers need to remember is that YOU are the one on the front lines, seeing the patterns of problems. Your boss is not omniscient nor infallible. Hear their advice but don’t take it as an order.
YOU are the one who will implement the plan, so YOU need to drive hard to shape your plan into the one you think will be most successful.
If you need more headcount you will likely need to convince your boss, because they will need to convince others up the chain.
If you need more headcount you will likely need to convince your boss, because they will need to convince others up the chain.
7. Put your plans in writing, whether it’s a deck, a doc, or something else. It’s easier to convince people you have a plan by showing it to them, rather than by verbally conveying what’s in your brain. And it will help them sell the plan to others.
As a line manager you have more power than you think to create structural change, but you have to map it out and work to get the buy-in. Merely saying “we need this because X” isn’t enough to get the wheels moving—
you have to share your plan, incorporate feedback (while still feeling ownership of it, because YOU will implement it), and sell it. It’s not easy but it’s very, very worth it.
This is getting a couple RTs, so while you’re here, come practice these skills with/on me as an engineering manager! This role has some extra headcount for you to fill with your favs :)
https://nytimes.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Tech/job/New-York-NY/Engineering-Manager--Observability_REQ-009640
https://nytimes.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Tech/job/New-York-NY/Engineering-Manager--Observability_REQ-009640
