Best Practices For Managing Engineering Teams

Great engineering leadership isn’t about solving everything. It’s about creating the conditions where your team can. In my early leadership days, I thought I had to walk in with the answers. Over time, I learned something better: Most engineers don’t need hand-holding. They need clarity, context, and trust. Here’s how I lead now (and what’s worked): 1. Present the problem, not a pre-baked solution. → Engineers are problem-solvers. Don’t rob them of that. → Instead of “We need to use Kafka here,” say: “We need async processing at scale. Thoughts?” 2. Share constraints early. → Be open about deadlines, budget, team bandwidth, or tech debt. → Constraints help the team make realistic design choices. 3. Make room for trade-off discussions. → Your job isn’t to rush decisions. It’s to ensure good ones. → Let the team think through latency vs cost, monolith vs microservices, etc. 4. Guide the decision, don’t dictate it. → Ask: “What risks do you see?” or “What’s your fallback plan?” → Step in only when clarity or urgency is needed. 5. Protect builder time. → Cut unnecessary meetings. Shield them from noise. → Innovation dies in a calendar full of status syncs. Leadership is knowing when to speak and when to listen. You don’t earn trust by having all the answers. You earn it by helping your team find better ones.

For the second time in a week, I've spoken with a recently hired, early career Data Analyst who suddenly was asked to take over management of a team.  Here's what I advised... 🔸 Clarify roles, priorities, and expectations Unexpected changes are often stressful, both for you and your team. Have an open discussion with your new supervisor re: the main things they want you and the team to accomplish in the short and medium terms, and how they will evaluate yours and the team's performance, and share that w/ the team. 🔸 Your team's development and success is now your primary focus You were probably just getting used to having your own slate of analyses. Now those projects, even the most important ones, become secondary priorities to leading your team. But don't try to do two full-time jobs - that is a surefire path to burnout and unhappiness. In the conversation with your supervisor, discuss how you can offload or delay some of the work that was on your plate to make sufficient time to manage your team. 🔸 Talk honestly with your team about your lack of experience Be open that you weren't expecting to be in this role, and have a lot to learn. However, stress that you are fully committed to the job, and will work together with them to ensure they have access to the knowledge and resources they need to do their jobs well. 🔸 Open door, but come prepared If your team needs a fair amount of technical direction, indicate your willingness to always have those conversations, but that anyone bringing a technical problem to you have tried three things first to solve it. Learning how to solve problems on your own is a great skill, and sometimes too open a door can inhibit that learning. 🔸 Stress the importance of sharing information and model that behavior People get most stressed when they feel they don't know what's going on. Establish clear communications, and update your team regularly re: what you know. Also, there's tremendous value in peer coaching and learning. Establish opportunities and structures for the team to share information and learn from each other. 🔸 Pay attention to managing up Set up a regular check-in with your manager to ask/answer any questions, inform them of the progress of the team, alert them to any issues/problems on the horizon, etc. 🔸 Get some outside coaching You will probably have some issues that would benefit from discussing with an external coach. Some forward-thinking organizations have this support structure in place for new managers. If yours doesn't, consider investing in it yourself. 🔸 Accept that you and your team will make mistakes Probably a lot of them. However, if you put the interests of your team first, always be honest and transparent with them (and expect that in return), and take responsibility when make a mistake, people will give you a lot of leeway, and will work hard to support you. Be sure to take time to celebrate your team's successes along the way. Good luck! #career  

The best teams don’t always collaborate. They argue and lean into conflict. Here's what nobody tells you. Teams that never fail are teams that never grow. Think about it: → Poor collaboration kills potential → Missed deadlines crush motivation → Silent conflicts destroy trust 12 fatal mistakes that destroy teams (and what to do). 1. Too much harmony ↳ Conflict-free teams rarely innovate or grow ✅ Schedule monthly "challenge my thinking" sessions 2. The burnout blind spot ↳ High performance often masks imminent collapse ✅ Track team energy, not just productivity metrics 3. Praising completion over chaos ↳ Perfect execution kills creative problem-solving ✅ Reward teams who fail forward and learn fast 4. The documentation paradox ↳ More tools = less knowledge sharing ✅ Make 10-minute daily documentation non-negotiable 5. The hero syndrome ↳ Star performers can actually weaken the team ✅ Rotate challenges to build collective strength 6. Instant response culture ↳ Quick replies often mean shallow thinking ✅ Set 4-hour response windows for deep work 7. Meeting addiction ↳ Teams spend 70% discussing, 30% building ✅ Try half-day meeting bans for focused execution 8. Feedback phobia ↳ Annual reviews are already 11 months too late ✅ Build weekly 15-minute feedback loops 9. Priority paralysis ↳ When everything matters, nothing gets done ✅ Use the 1-3-5 rule: 1 must, 3 should, 5 could 10. The comfort trap ↳ Stable teams often signal stagnant teams ✅ Rotate roles quarterly to build adaptability 11. Success amnesia ↳ Teams forget what worked when pressure hits ✅ Create a 5-minute "win log" every Friday 12. The clarity illusion ↳ Everyone nodding doesn't mean everyone knows ✅ Test understanding, don't ask for agreement You don't need a title to transform your team. Every member has the power to spark change. Start small: → Pick one point → Champion it → Watch the ripple effect Strong teams aren't built through perfection. They're built through continuous learning. Your role matters more than you think. What would you add? Share below 👇 ♻️ Repost to help your network build strong teams ➕ Follow Youssef El Allame for more career insights

Are you part of a real team? Or do you sometimes feel isolated, unclear, and disconnected, even though you're surrounded by colleagues? Early in my career, I naively believed that assembling a group of high performers automatically equated to a high-performing team. But reality proved otherwise. Instead of synergy, I witnessed friction. The team wasn’t meshing; it was like gears grinding without proper lubrication. Each high performer, while brilliant on their own, seemed to have their own agenda, often pulling in different directions. The energy and time spent on internal friction was enormous, and the anticipated results? Well, they remained just that – anticipated. It was a stark realization that a team's effectiveness isn't just about individual brilliance—it's about harmony, alignment, and collaboration. With our workplace becoming increasingly diverse, dispersed, digital, and dynamic this is no easy feat. So, in my quest to understand the nuances of high performing teams, I reached out to my friend Daria Rudnik. Daria is a Team Architect - specializing in engineering remote teams for sustainable growth. She shared 5 key insights that can make all the difference: 1. Define a Shared Goal ↳Why? A team truly forms when united by a shared goal that can only be achieved together, not just by adding up individual efforts, ↳How? Involve the team in setting a clear, measurable goal at the project's start. Regularly revisit and communicate this goal to keep everyone aligned and motivated. 2. Cultivate Personal Connections ↳Why? Personal connections hold a team together, boosting trust, support, and understanding for a more productive environment. ↳How? Begin meetings with a social check-in. Let team members share updates or feelings, enhancing connection and understanding. 3. Clear Communication ↳Why? It’s the backbone of a successful team, preventing misunderstandings and building trust. ↳How? Hold regular team meetings and check-ins. Ensure a safe environment for expressing thoughts and concerns. 4. Defined Roles and Responsibilities ↳Why? Clear roles prevent overlap and ensure task coverage, giving a sense of ownership and accountability. ↳How? Outline everyone’s roles at the project's start, ensuring understanding of individual contributions to overall goals. 5. Provide Regular Feedback and Recognition ↳Why? Feedback clarifies strengths and areas for improvement. Recognition boosts morale and motivation. ↳How? Hold regular, constructive feedback sessions. Publicly recognize and reward achievements. Remember, 'team' isn't just a noun—it's a verb. It requires ongoing effort and commitment to work at it, refine it, and nurture it. 👉 Want to supercharge your team's performance? Comment “TEAM” below to grab your FREE e-book and learn how to 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦'𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 in just 90 days, courtesy of Daria.

I once worked with a manager who micromanaged our team down to the smallest of tasks.  Every decision had to go through him, every small update had to be shared, and we felt like we weren’t trusted to do our jobs. It sucked the joy out of the work and killed our motivation.  That experience taught me very early that people hate being micromanaged.  When I became an engineering manager, I made my own mistakes but never micromanaged. Because from my own dev experience, I realized:   - You don’t just tell people what to do.   - You set clear goals.   - You empower them.   - You trust their initiative.  You want people to take ownership. When they feel trusted, they’re happier and more productive, and they perform better. But here’s the tricky part: How do you motivate your team without burning out or burning them out?  Here are a few strategies that always work for me:  1. Set clear, meaningful goals   –When people know the “why” behind their work, they’re more driven.  –Make it clear how their tasks connect to the bigger picture.   2. Recognize and celebrate wins   – A simple “thank you” or acknowledgment during a meeting can go a long way.  – People stay motivated when their efforts are seen and appreciated.   3. Encourage work-life balance   – Set realistic deadlines, encourage breaks, and lead by example.  – Don’t reward overwork—reward good work.   4. Give autonomy and ownership   – Nobody likes being told how to do their job.  – Trust your team to make decisions. –  Let them own projects, and watch them grow.   5. Create a safe, supportive environment   "If people don’t feel safe to share their ideas or challenges, they won’t thrive."  – Encourage open communication and value collaboration over competition.   6. Offer growth opportunities   – Stagnation kills motivation.  –Help your team grow with new challenges, mentorship, and training.   7. Lead by example   – Your team watches you.  –Be the kind of leader you’d want to follow: positive, transparent, and resilient.  Motivating your team is creating an environment where people feel respected, trusted, and valued.  And most importantly, it’s about remembering that your team isn’t a set of “resources.” They’re human beings. Treat them that way, and they’ll show up for you every single time.  – P.S: If you're a senior engineer, or a tech lead and looking to transition to management and grow, I'm doing a free webinar soon, please fill out this form to register: https://lnkd.in/gZ7VcqMD This will also be useful for a new manager!

"Yes, we're decentralized, but we need to make sure we're doing things the same way. And not duplicating work. And staying autonomous and fast." If your company has product, engineering, and/or design teams distributed across organizations, you've likely heard this. It's a constant tension of modern org design. And if you lead one or more of those teams, you and your teams have almost certainly experienced that tension at one point or another. The challenge isn't the decentralization itself. The challenge is making it work. The playbook boils down to creating systems where teams choose to align because it helps them succeed, not because they have to: 🛠️ Start with enabling, not controlling ‣ Build platforms and tools teams want to use ‣ Create standards that solve real problems ‣ Share best practices, not mandates ‣ Make the right way the easy way ⚡ Design incentives that drive collaboration ‣ Reward knowledge sharing and reuse ‣ Make cross-team impact part of career growth ‣ Measure team AND system-level outcomes ‣ Recognize those who help others succeed 🤝 Create forums for connection ‣ Regular guilds/chapters for each function ‣ Cross-team demos and reviews ‣ Open innovation days ‣ Spaces to share work in progress 🎯 Build the right leadership behaviors ‣ Share context across organizational boundaries ‣ Make collaboration feel natural, not forced ‣ Focus on outcomes over process ‣ Model the openness you want to see 👥 Secure organizational support ‣ Executive sponsors who understand the vision ‣ Resources for shared infrastructure and tooling ‣ Organizational priority on working across boundaries ‣ Budget structures and cost-sharing models that encourage shared solutions You can't mandate your way to consistency, but you can set up the systems and incentives to make collaboration the path of least resistance to getting things done. #engineering #design #product #leadership #management ♻️ If you found this useful and think others might as well, please repost for reach!

As an advisor to tech scaleups, and a former CTO and SVP of Engineering,  I've often encountered a familiar CEO complaint: "Our engineering team is too slow!" However, focusing solely on increasing individual productivity is rarely the solution. Sometimes the answer is changing the organizational structure. 🔍 The Issue with Flat Structures: Time to market was a major problem in a scale-up I advised, even though they had a flat structure where 40+ engineers reported directly to the VP of engineering and all of them shared equal accountability to the delivery of the software. 🚧 The Consequences: Major overcommitment.  People raised their hands to take on work even if the group was super extended. There was nobody that fully understood the team’s capacity vs the actual workload they took on. This approach led to a lack of predictability, chronic delays, unhappy customers, and ultimately, a tarnished reputation. 🛠️ The Solution: Transitioning to a hierarchical structure with focused teams and accountable experienced leaders was the game-changer. This shift brought in clarity, accountability, and much-needed structure. 📈 The Results: Predictable schedules, improved customer satisfaction, and a thriving engineering culture. ✅ Takeaways for Your Organization: Examine your organization with critical eyes: Is your ownership and accountability structure clear? Are your teams sized and focused appropriately? Do your leaders have the authority to deliver effectively? For more on the case study and about building a sustainable, efficient, and customer-centric engineering team in the blog post. 💭 I'm curious to hear your thoughts: Have you faced similar challenges? How did you address them? Let's share insights and grow together! #EngineeringManagement #Leadership #Productivity  _______________ ➡️ I am Talila Millman, a fractional CTO,  a management advisor, and a leadership coach. I help CEOs and their C-suite grow profit and scale through optimal Product portfolio and an operating system for Product Management and Engineering excellence.  📘 My book The TRIUMPH Framework: 7 Steps to Leading Organizational Transformation will be published in Spring 2024 https://lnkd.in/eVYGkz-e

Great engineers aren't motivated by free drinks on Friday. Time to stop missing what actually matters: Your top performers don't need free lunches or office games. They need systems that respect their expertise. When I see engineering teams struggling, I look for: Unnecessary meetings stealing deep work time. Decision bottlenecks requiring multiple approvals. Technical debt that's acknowledged but never addressed. Arbitrary deadlines set without engineering input. These are the true productivity killers. The best engineering environments aren't built on fancy benefits. They're built on trust and efficiency. Let engineers own their solutions. Remove obstacles to their flow. Protect their focus time. Because truly exceptional talent doesn't want ping-pong tables. They want the freedom to build excellent systems.

After years of managing rocky relationships between product and engineering leaders, these are the top 5 things I've learned you can do to make these partnerships great: 1. Foster Strategic Action: Maintain a well-thought-out backlog of problems that acknowledges potential risks and strategies for overcoming them. This approach keeps engineers engaged, solving real customer issues, and builds trust across teams. 2. Simplify Processes: Introduce only necessary processes and keep them straightforward. Maintain a regular schedule of essential meetings and minimize ad-hoc interruptions to give engineers more time to focus. 3. Collaborate on Solutions: Instead of dictating solutions, work closely with engineers to understand problems and explore solutions together. This partnership leverages their technical expertise and aligns efforts with customer needs, enhancing innovation and ownership. 4. Respect Technical Debt: Recognize and prioritize technical debt within the product roadmap. Trust engineers to identify critical technical issues that need addressing to keep the product competitive and maintain high-quality standards. 5. Build Relationships: Spend time with your engineering team outside of regular work tasks through meals, activities, or shared hobbies. Building personal connections fosters trust and improves collaboration, making it easier to tackle challenges together effectively. I’ve seen amazing product and engineering partnerships and some not-so-great ones. Teams that take the time to improve their relationship really see the benefits. While natural tensions exist, the best teams put in the effort to work well together, resulting in more successful products. #techleads #product #engineering