#1
Book suggestion: Scaling People by Claire Hughes Johnson.
"leadership is disappointing people at a rate they can absorb", typically attributed to Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky.
Disappointment is the part of the performance process that leaves a lasting sour taste for managers and their staff, and it is particularly acute for top performers who can never quite get everything they desire, no matter how hard they work.
Managing a team of any size — from a handful of people to a whole company — is a continual balance between trying to empower people to achieve what they want (interesting projects, plentiful opportunities, a plethora of pay increases and promotions) whilst navigating a conflicting reality that doesn't always want to give it to them.
If you run a large team, there are so many zero-sum situations stemming from limited resources, strategic decisions, your customers, or the market that you can't control.
The Dissapointment Frontier can grow in size for a number of reasons:
You act as a buffer or protector of your team, shielding them from the reality of a situation.
You project an illusion of control over things that you can't control in order to make your team trust you more, or even just to convince yourself things are more certain than they are.
You try to implement a team culture that is far removed from the rest of the company culture.
You overpromise on what you can deliver to your team.
It turns out that by practicing the skills that you need to be a more effective manager, you can also reduce the size of the frontier.
Overcommunicate: The first step is to overcommunicate everything that you can from your unique position at the top. Context is key.
Own It Or Be a Collaborator: This leads into the next key strategy: owning what you can control, and being a collaborator on what you can't.
Reality Check: nobody is immune. Even CEOs can't control and decide everything: they have to manage their own disappointment frontier with their board and their investors.
(James Stanier / May 24, 2025 / The Engineering Manager / permalink)
#2
An IC on your team says they’re interested in management. What now?
Start with curiosity: Ask what’s drawing them to management. Do they want to coach others? Take on more responsibility? Or are they assuming it’s the only path to growth? Management is a completely different line of work, so if it’s the latter, this conversation may be a short one. You should explain to them that IC and EM tracks are (and should be) separate, and career growth is possible without moving into management.
Reflect on what they’re already doing: Are they mentoring teammates? Stepping up in group settings? Communicating clearly? You’re not looking for perfection, just signals that they’re thinking beyond their own work. If not, this is an excellent place to start. “Do the job you want” is common in management, and senior leaders want to see potential for management. Leading without authority is an excellent opportunity for them to practice management.
Be real about the job: I think we all know that management isn’t coding plus meetings. It’s a shift away from solving problems yourself to helping others solve them. For some, it’s entirely just meetings and no code. (That’s my life!) A lot of new managers struggle with this transition from projects to people—not because they can’t lead, but because they miss the craft. Make sure this is something they’re willing to forego.
Try a test drive: Give them a scoped opportunity to practice leadership: mentoring a teammate, owning a small project, running a retro. Then talk about what felt good and what didn’t. You’ll want to give them plenty of opportunities to see how they do and if it’s actually something they’re interested in.
Talk about what’s next: Maybe the timing is right. Maybe it’s not. Either way, show them you’re invested. Support their growth, even if they stay an IC. Remember, promotions require a personal fit AND a business fit to move forward.
(Kelly Vaughn / June 10, 2025 / The Modern Leader / permalink)
#3
There are at least three perspectives from which we can approach incentives:
When cooperating with other teams
Incentives and motivations.
KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).
If something is unclear, nothing helps me more than having an honest conversation, where active listening plays a crucial role. You can directly ask the following questions to gain clarity:
What is important to you?
What are your measures of success?
When mentoring your team
If recognition is their driving force, organising a company-wide event could address it.
If it's money that motivates them, providing them with opportunities to earn more may address it.
If their focus is on learning, ensuring they have ambitious goals that allow them to explore new technologies may address it.
When planning your own career
To shape our careers, it is important to understand what drives us.
(Michał Poczwardowski / May 26, 2025 / Perspectiveship / permalink)