How to transition from Lead Engineer to Engineering Manager

In 'Leadership Is Language,' L. David Marquet provides a radical playbook for empowering teams by focusing on the power of language in leadership. Drawing from his experience as a nuclear submarine captain, Marquet outlines practical strategies and real-life examples to enhance communication skills, foster collaboration, autonomy, and high performance. The book emphasizes the importance of language in shaping organizational culture and employee engagement, introducing concepts such as 'intent-based leadership' and the role of questions in effective communication. Marquet offers six key 'plays' for leaders, including controlling the clock, collaborating rather than coercing, committing rather than complying, and connecting rather than conforming, to create a more empowering and collaborative work environment.

In 'Turn the Ship Around! ', Captain L. David Marquet recounts his experience as the commander of the USS Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered submarine. Initially trained in the traditional 'know all–tell all' leadership model, Marquet faced significant challenges when he took command of the Santa Fe, which was then one of the worst-performing submarines in the fleet. He realized that the traditional leader-follower approach was ineffective and decided to implement a leader-leader model, where every crew member was empowered to take responsibility and make decisions. This approach led to a dramatic improvement in morale, performance, and retention, transforming the Santa Fe into one of the best submarines in the fleet. The book provides practical insights and strategies for implementing this leadership model in various organizational settings.