“Leadership is where you have, not necessarily a large organization, but increasing scope and increasing impact, while bringing lots of people along with you.”

In this milestone episode of the podcast, James Stanier returns for the third time to discuss his latest book, “Become a Great Engineering Leader.” We explore the role of an engineering leader and delve deep into the nuances of engineering leadership.

James explains the difference between an engineering leader and an engineering manager through the lens of the three levels of warfare: strategy, operational, and tactical. We then discuss the importance of organizational chart design and some best practices, including Conway’s law and how to avoid politics.

James also talks about the importance of time management, always having a long-term view of your work (long-termism), and the critical role of writing in leadership. We discuss important approaches such as one-way vs. two-way doors and balancing between writing vs. bias for action.

Finally, James explains the importance of strategic thinking, why a strategy is not necessarily a plan, and how an engineering leader can communicate their strategy effectively. He also provides practical tips for upcoming engineering leaders and discusses how we should all navigate a career in technology.  

Listen out for:

• Writing “Become a Great Engineering Leader” - [00:02:19]
• The Role of Engineering Leader - [00:04:21]
• Engineering Leader vs Engineering Manager - [00:05:57]
• Tenure Relevancy - [00:09:36]
• The Importance of an Org Chart - [00:11:30]
• Org Chart Best Practices - [00:13:44]
• Conway’s Law - [00:15:55]
• Avoiding Politics - [00:17:16]
• Writing Skills & Time Management - [00:21:41]
• T-Shaped Leadership - [00:26:35]
• Long-termism - [00:28:39]
• Leadership is Writing - [00:33:02]
• Writing vs Bias for Action - [00:36:13]
• One-Way vs Two-Way Door - [00:38:20]
• Reading & Seeking Information - [00:41:09]
• Strategic Thinking - [00:44:46]
• A Strategy is Not a Plan - [00:48:05]
• Communicating Your Strategy - [00:52:23]
• Becoming an Engineering Leader - [00:55:39]
• 3 Engineering Leader Wisdom - [01:01:56]

_____

James Stanier’s Bio
James Stanier is Director of Engineering at Shopify. James holds a Ph.D. in computer science and runs theengineeringmanager.com. He has over a decade of experience with building people and software. He is also the author of Become an Effective Software Manager and Effective Remote Work.

Follow James:

• LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/jstanier
• X – x.com/jstanier
• The Engineering Manager Blog – theengineeringmanager.com
• The Engineering Manager Newsletter – theengineeringmanager.substack.com
• 📚 Become a Great Engineering Leader – pragprog.com/titles/jsenglb/become-a-great-engineering-leader/
• 📚 Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager – pragprog.com/titles/jsengman/become-an-effective-software-engineering-manager/
• 📚 Effective Remote Work – pragprog.com/titles/jsrw/effective-remote-work/

_____

Our Sponsors

Enjoy an exceptional developer experience with JetBrains. Whatever programming language and technology you use, JetBrains IDEs provide the tools you need to go beyond simple code editing and excel as a developer.
Check out FREE coding software options and special offers on jetbrains.com/store/#discounts.
Make it happen. With code.

Manning Publications is a premier publisher of technical books on computer and software development topics for both experienced developers and new learners alike. Manning prides itself on being independently owned and operated, and for paving the way for innovative initiatives, such as early access book content and protection-free PDF formats that are now industry standard.
Get a 40% discount for Tech Lead Journal listeners by using the code techlead24 for all products in all formats.

Like this episode?
Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/200.
Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Buy me a coffee or become a patron.