Azure & DevOps Podcast

Ted Neward: Managing A Software Engineering Department - Episode 299

May 27, 2024

Ted Neward, known as “The Dude of Software” and “Dr. Gregory House of Software,” shares insights on building a tribe, leveraging networks, effective software team management, and the importance of team success over individual success. He emphasizes compassion in management, recognizing and developing management skills, and the need for direct communication with executives for successful software delivery.

47:29

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Episode guests

Ted Neward

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Quick takeaways

Creating a positive team culture fosters success through happiness and psychological safety.

Defining team success beyond budget and schedule, measuring metrics like happiness and engagement.

Deep dives

Creating a Positive Team Culture for Success

One crucial aspect discussed in the podcast is the importance of creating a positive team culture to achieve success. By prioritizing the team's happiness and fostering an environment of psychological safety, managers can empower their teams to take ownership and accountability. Building relationships through weekly one-on-one meetings and team huddles can enhance communication and trust within the team, leading to increased productivity and successful outcomes.

The Power of Networking and Building a Tribe

01:32

Building Psychological Safety in Team Meetings

01:19

Avoiding Bad Management by Choosing the Right Career Path

01:43

Embrace Engineering Management Roles

01:53

Introduction

2min

The Power of Networking in Software Engineering

6min

Nurturing Team Growth in Software Engineering Management

16min

Challenges of Hiring Developers without Proper Management Structure

3min

Navigating IT Challenges for Growing Businesses

19min

Insights on Transitioning to a Management Role in Software Engineering

2min

Ted Neward is sometimes referred to as “The Dude of Software,” owing to both his remarkable (some say frightening) resemblance to the Jeff Bridges character from “The Big Lebowski,” and his ordination as a Dudeist Minister of the Church of the Latter-Day Dude, but he’s also been called the ”Dr. Gregory House of Software,” owing to his tendency to pull no punches when talking about software and how to deliver it successfully. He’s comfortable answering to either title, as well as a few others. He’s familiar with more programming languages than most people knew existed and hasn’t found one yet that he couldn’t turn into a “mission-critical” application when asked.

Topics of Discussion:

[4:36] Ted talks about building a tribe and developing a community.

[6:48] Leveraging the “who you know” network.

[7:21] Tips for keeping track of your network.

[9:44] Effective software team management.

[13:10] The importance of shifting perspective from individual success to team success.

[16:16] The component of compassion in management.

[17:53] Managers should actually want to be managers.

[18:43] Retaining employees and realizing that management skills need to be recognized and developed.

[27:02] The tipping point of needing to hire a full-fledged IT department.

[32:34] Advice for managers on the people side.

[34:08] Team success metrics, weekly one-on-ones, and building psychological safety.