The Managers' Guide #108

Why do we say 'slept like a baby'? Babies wake up every two hours crying. I want to sleep like my cat. 14 hours, no responsibilities, zero regrets. 5 things I learned from 5 years at Vercel “When I joined in 2020, we were 30 people and had

The Managers' Guide #107

Boss: wow this web portal is really fast, light and responsive Me: of course it was 100% developed on Train WiFi it had to be light 😂 Maartje Leading with Integrity: Why the Best Leaders Are Models of Values * 🎯 Integrity isn’t just about honesty — it’s about a deep congruence

The Managers' Guide #106

It's a common misconception that types exist on computers. In reality everything is just integers, except for floating point which are integers but fancy Eniko Fox Expert Generalists * 🧠 The core idea is the “T-shaped” individual — someone who combines deep, expert knowledge in one area (the vertical bar of

The Managers' Guide #105

The hardest problem in computer science is getting someone to clearly describe a problem Tying yourself to the mast How to keep commitments * ⛵️ The Ulysses Pact — The central idea is the “Ulysses Pact” or commitment device — a strategy where your present self makes a choice that intentionally limits the options

The Managers' Guide #104

The 3 kinds of queues are: - FIFO - LIFO - FAFO Matthew Martin The hidden time bomb in the tax code that's fueling mass tech layoffs * 💸 A tax rule change — part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — is the primary issue. Since 2022, companies can

The Managers' Guide #103

When standing as a group of people, always leave room for 1 person to join your group. The Pac-Man Rule of Conferences Ephemeral taskforce * 🚀 Core Idea — Ephemeral taskforces are temporary, focused units bringing together diverse skills to solve a specific, critical problem, then disbanding — offering agility without permanent restructuring. * 🎯 Key

The Managers' Guide #102

I don’t hold on to anything, don’t reject anything; nowhere an obstacle or conflict. Layman Pang How to make architecture decisions * ⚖️ Embrace Trade-offs — Architectural decisions are rarely about finding a “perfect” solution, but rather understanding and choosing the best set of compromises — or the “least bad” option — for

The Managers' Guide #101

Your mind is a mad monkey trying to understand life which is unfair and crazy. Get used to it. Maxime Lagacé Complain & Propose * 😠 The Problem with Unadorned Complaints * Simply complaining without offering a way forward can be unproductive — it often fosters negativity, drains collective energy, and implicitly places the

The Managers' Guide #100

Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of a child. Soyen Shaku Lessons learned in 35 years of making software * 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Human Element is Central — Software development is fundamentally about people — users, stakeholders, and the team. Effective communication, empathy, and understanding motivations are often more critical than

The Managers' Guide #99

We just let it happen… and that’s the beauty of this technique. Bob Ross The CTO's Hidden Notebook * 📓 Beyond the Code — The article posits that a CTO's effectiveness hinges significantly on mastering aspects beyond pure technology. This “hidden notebook” contains the unwritten rules and implicit

The Managers' Guide #98

Purity is something that cannot be attained except by piling effort upon effort. Yamamoto Tsunetomo Seven tips to help you succeed when presenting to executives * 😬 — Presenting to executives is high-stakes; success makes a positive impression, while stumbling can create a negative one. * ⏱️ — Executives are a demanding audience, often short on

The Managers' Guide #97

Little people try to control everything. Thus, they control nothing. Wise people focus on one thing, the most important, and let go of the rest. - Maxime Lagacé Goal-O-Rama * 🎯 Product teams often fall into “goal-o-rama” — setting too many goals that become overwhelming and counterproductive, particularly when they cascade KPIs and