Mental Model Machinations
Over the past two weeks, two ideas have been bouncing around in my brain. They have now smashed into each other, producing a couple of emails. Today’s email is about the first idea, which is from fourth-wave systems thinking. It’s the idea of “mental models,” which we all use, all the time. Here’s the idea: […]
Some beliefs about your training programs
I’m working on this engineering management training program, which I’m tentatively calling Origin Point. After all, everything needs a name, amiright? The origin point is the center of the cartesian plane. It also sounds like the beginning of the journey. I kinda like both those ideas. Last night I wrote a draft of the “beliefs” […]
Getting to Know You – The Key to Successful Leadership
Episode 7 Good leadership looks like a flock of birds. That doesn’t mean everyone on the team has to dress in feathers, rather it means leadership is dynamic, shifting, and also tight knit. In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus talks about what it takes to be a good leader and provides real solutions on […]
It works, but you’re gonna look silly doing it
Friday I sent you a fun puzzle to consider. It was an encoded message that began: Toothy purse in respond civil force ending theme honey: Some of you replied with the correct answer: To the person responsible for sending the money: Not sure how to solve it? Iain wrote to me about his […]
Can you help me decipher this riddle?
A bit of #FridayFun for you, taking a break from the seriousness of life. My friend Nathanial sent me this today and challenged me to translate this text into comprehensible English. Would you give me a hand? Toothy purse in respond civil force ending theme honey: Eye wand Ed two purr son a leery late […]
Flipping training on its head
We’re continuing our discussion about how you can develop new engineering managers: the elements of your training program. (Part one: Everyone talks about it, but no one does it.) (Part two: Becoming a true believer.) There’s one topic which always comes up first when thinking of management training programs. “What should they learn?” This makes […]
Communication 101: Be Clear and Direct
Episode 6 Have you ever wondered why people can’t just be clear and direct? In this episode of the Programming Leadership podcast, we’re going to discuss this problem, identify some possible root causes, and learn how we can be more simple and clear in our communications. Show Notes When you become a manager, you […]
The true religion of developing leaders
(Part 1: Everyone’s talking about it, but no one’s doing it.) Most executives with feel in-house training for new Tech Leads and Engineering Managers is a great idea. But most aren’t doing it. Why? Today I’ll address six common reasons I hear, and the underlying beliefs which deserve refactoring. Six belief hurdles to training programs […]
Everyone’s talking about it, but no one’s doing it.
For the past five years, I’ve been helping engineering managers become better leaders, one at a time. Thus far, I’ve adopted mostly a B2C approach: I sell leadership development products and services to managers who want to improve their own work. But lately, I’ve been asking Directors, VP’s of Engineering, and CTO’s how their company […]
Transitioning to Management with Confidence
Episode 5 This week, we’re talking about the programmer to manager to leader transition. What makes this transition hard? Is it possible to become a manager if you’re lacking good role models? How do you really become the leader you want to be proud of? Tune in to find answers to these questions and more. […]
A tool for adjusting your mental models
One of the core ideas from the field of systems thinking is mind-bending in an Inception kind of way. It asserts that we see reality indirectly through our mental models. We don’t see reality – we perceive reality through our mental models. For example, take what I’m doing right now. I’m sitting in a chair […]
“Dad, telephones dial with sound!”
Growing up in the 1970s, I developed a mental model of how push-button telephones worked. My mental model went like this: When you lifted the receiver, you heard a dial tone. That told you that you could dial. When you pressed a number on the keypad, you heard a tone. That told you a number […]
A small question to make a big improvement in your meetings
Today I held a videoconference discussion with 14 people. It was the first of seven weekly discussions we do in the Software Leader Seminar After the quick introductions, I asked this small question, “In many meetings, I find that only some people talk, and others are silent. What guides could we invent so that everyone […]
A Star is Learned
Episode 4 Tiger Woods wasn’t born golfing. He did spend time, lots of time, practicing and he became good at it. People have inherent traits but being good at something takes time, effort, and practice. In this episode of Programming Leadership, Marcus talks about the importance of not solely focusing on things that people are […]
My daughter was hit in the face
My 23-year-old daughter, Maggie, has a scar above her right eye. She was hit in the face, by a guy with a golf club. She dropped like a rock, blood streaming down her dress. My wife screaming. I was frozen, stunned. I bent to help her, still holding the club. I have […]