So you’ve just learned that I’m your manager. My condolences :) I understand it can be an anxious time not knowing what to expect. To help paint a better picture of who I am, here’s a list of some values and practices I tell every new engineer in my team.
My #1 objective is to foster a safe environment where all engineers are challenged to learn, create, innovate, take risks, and efficiently deliver quality software for our customers. Everything I do is in service of that objective.
I want to create the kind of workplace where I as an engineer would want to work. I know that you are only here because you choose to be. We should enjoy what we do and the people with whom we work.
I work for all engineers in a servant-leader capacity.
I value your ability to do deep work. I actively aim to minimize your context switching. Assume my chat messages and emails are asynchronous; do not feel compelled to interrupt your work on my account. 99% of the time, what I need to tell you is not urgent. In the exceedingly rare event that I need your immediate focus, I will use another mutually agreed upon medium to reach you (e.g. text or phone call).
The reverse of the above paragraph is not true: My job is to be context switched, interrupted, and refocused constantly, so that you don’t have to. I welcome all interruptions!
I can only purposefully fix what I know about. I want to hear the bad news, I want to hear the hard questions. No topic you raise with me is off limits.
I value and practice openness, honesty, and transparency. I commit to practicing radical candor with you and giving frequent, timely feedback.
I praise in public. I save constructive personal feedback for private 1:1 conversation.
I conduct blameless post-mortems. A system that fails due to human error is a sign of failure in the system itself.
I commit to meeting 1:1 with you at least every 2 weeks, or more often (especially if remote). Emergencies should not wait for 1:1’s. The purpose is to have open-ended conversation, for listening, for mentoring, for aligning, for venting. If you’re in the middle of something important, you can reschedule our 1:1 – even at the last minute.
I recognize the maker’s schedule and manager’s schedule. I will try to schedule 1:1’s and meetings outside of your prime heads-down time. I practice and expect good meeting habits.
I’m not a butts-in-seats manager. I care about outcomes, not about where you’re working or how many minutes you’re at your desk.
You are the master of your own career growth. I’m here to provide support, guidance, and to be your biggest advocate.
I view my role as manager much like that of a coach. As an analogy, consider olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and his coach. The coach can’t swim anywhere near as fast as Phelps – why is he giving him advice? What’s his role? Phelps' coach can see what Phelps cannot see from within. He can see the incident angle that Phelps hits the water as he dives off the block. He can see how far his arm pulls, and how he performs his kick turns. He gives constructive feedback, challenges, and motivates Phelps. The coach is also there to schedule competitions, book time in the pool, ensure he has the best equipment, make sure he is well fed, and handle all other distractions so Phelps can focus on doing what he does best: dive in the water and swim like hell.
I look forward to working with you!