The Manager of Managers
Eddie and Morgan discuss a listener's question about managing managers in engineering. They explore various frameworks and strategies necessary for overseeing managers, touching upon crucial elements like clarity, alignment, and execution. They dig into the potential pitfalls of mismanaging through, and the importance of psychological safety, autonomy, and succession planning. With concrete examples and practical advice, this episode is essential for anyone navigating the complexities of engineering leadership.
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (00:07) - Understanding the Role of a Manager of Managers
- (00:41) - Listener's Question: Transitioning from IC to Senior Director
- (01:15) - Challenges of Managing Managers
- (01:51) - Defensible Organizational Design
- (02:41) - Frontline Managers vs. Managers of Managers
- (04:45) - The Value of Managers of Managers
- (05:40) - The Reality of Senior Management
- (11:28) - Diagnosing and Coaching Managers of Managers
- (12:12) - Clarity, Alignment, and Execution
- (17:24) - Measuring Clarity in Management
- (20:13) - Alignment in Management
- (26:10) - The Importance of a Writing Culture
- (27:18) - Transparent Decision Logs
- (28:17) - Standardized Release Cadence
- (29:45) - Execution Challenges
- (35:18) - Managing Through: The Micromanagement Trap
- (43:37) - Succession Planning and Using Power for Good
- (49:27) - Final Thoughts and Listener Feedback
Creators and Guests
Host
Eddie Flaisler
Eddie is a classically-trained computer scientist born in Romania and raised in Israel. His experience ranges from implementing security systems to scaling up simulation infrastructure for Uber’s autonomous vehicles, and his passion lies in building strong teams and fostering a healthy engineering culture.
Host
Morgan VanDerLeest
Trying to make software engineering + leadership a better place to work. Dad. Book nerd. Pleasant human being.
