Managing Managers Episode 18: Onboarding and prioritising time in a 2000-person eng org with Thiago Ghisi
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Mar 30, 2024 Thiago Ghisi shares insights on onboarding, prioritizing time in a large engineering organization. He discusses challenges of transitioning to an engineering management role, managing engineering teams effectively, and the importance of establishing a positive onboarding experience. The conversation also touches on strategies for managing managers, central tech contacts, and influential leadership books.
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Transition to First-Time Manager
- Thiago transitioned from senior engineer to first-time engineering manager at American Express after his manager left.
- He faced stress managing people directly for the first time, learning feedback, promotions, and breaking down projects.
Importance of Support and Servant Leadership
- Rely on experienced managers for context and guidance in your first management role.
- Embrace the "servant leader" mindset to empower your team.
Directors vs Line Managers Experience
- Being a manager of managers uses your skills more effectively than being a direct line manager.
- Joining directly as a director is easier than joining as an engineering manager of a team due to context and support differences.