Many leaders have problems with empathy, especially managers with software engineering backgrounds. Before transitioning into people management, they were usually senior engineers: the knowledgeable ones who got used to providing opinions. But now, they hold a different position—one that requires them to understand...
Hey friend, In the last Mektup, I talked about which skills you should learn in the new year. Improving your skills and learning new ones help you take a step forward. However, you can't do these things alone. Your manager has to support you. Today, I will talk about what you can expect from your manager in your...
The Software Engineering profession is one of the most misunderstood disciplines. Many folks consider it as engineering; some tell it's like painting—an art, a few think it as a creative journey full of flaws. While engineering and painting may look different, they are similar in software engineering. Both start...
Hey friend, Here comes the 21st letter—the last letter of 2021. (The matching numbers are pure coincidence, I didn't plan this at all 😄.) The new year is upon us, and it's time to think about the next year. Before deciding on New Year's resolutions, it's always helpful to reflect on the last year and see how far we...
How Strongly I Recommend It: 5/10 How Likely I Will Gift It: 1/10 Make Time is written by the bestselling authors Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky. We know the authors from another book, Sprint: Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days. 📣 What is Make Time Book by Jack Knapp and John Zeratsky about? The...
People who grew quickly but have struggled in their position perform badly because of a couple of reasons: they might be in the wrong role. An engineer getting a promotion to manager because they were excellent is an example. Find the right role for these people. The second reason can be that they are new to the...
Recognizing the rock stars (excellent performance/gradual growth trajectory) is tricky because leaders often misunderstand these people and want to reward their performance. These leaders err in reward and give promotions while the person is not looking for a promotion. Promotion kills these people's motivation....
Hey friend, I've been thinking about the goal of software engineering and what we do to achieve that goal. It's easy to generalize the goal by saying, "it's all about solving problems." However, it's not easy to generalize how we solve these problems at all. The most general answer to all our problems is "it...
When I became a manager, I asked my managers for advice about how to build the team spirit in a new team to have a great start. There were many answers, but one advice was common: give the team a goal and deliver something as soon as possible. Deliver something. While it sounds like a vague idea that doesn't specify...
In one of my previous delayed projects, I told my manager, "It's all my fault. I made many mistakes, and I take full responsibility for it." Although my manager walked me through the reasons for the delay and tried to show me how everyone had their own portion, I still blamed myself, which contributed to a burnout...
Hey, friend, It's that time of the year. Managers started the preparations and scheduled events on calendars. Today, I will share some tips for better and strong preparation for your annual review. I had many reviews, some good and some bad, as a software engineer. Now that I'm a manager, I have experienced both...
I've worked with people who want to bring money home and keep their passion for something else. This is entirely normal. Many people don't look to find meaning in their jobs. For them, it's just a job that enables them to live the way they want. As leaders, our job is not to give them meaning in life at work. Our...
