Engineering Team Management Skills

Scaling from 50 to 100 employees almost killed our company. Until we discovered a simple org structure that unlocked $100M+ in annual revenue. In my 10+ years of experience as a founder, one of the biggest challenges I faced in scaling was bridging the organizational gap between startup and enterprise. We hit that wall at around 100~ employees. What worked beautifully with a small team suddenly became our biggest obstacle to growth. The problem was our functional org structure: Engineers reporting to engineering, product to product, business to business. This created a complex dependency web: • Planning took weeks • No clear ownership  • Business threw Jira tickets over the fence and prayed for them to get completed • Engineers didn’t understand priorities and worked on problems that didn’t align with customer needs That was when I studied Amazon's Single-Threaded Owner (STO) model, in which dedicated GMs run independent business units with their own cross-functional teams and manage P&L It looked great for Amazon's scale but felt impossible for growing companies like ours. These 2 critical barriers made it impractical for our scale: 1. Engineering Squad Requirements: True STO demands complete engineering teams (including managers) reporting to a single owner. At our size, we couldn't justify full engineering squads for each business unit. To make it work, we would have to quadruple our engineering headcount. 2. P&L Owner Complexity: STO leaders need unicorn-level skills: deep business acumen and P&L management experience. Not only are these leaders rare and expensive, but requiring all these skills in one person would have limited our talent pool and slowed our ability to launch new initiatives. What we needed was a model that captured STO's focus and accountability but worked for our size and growth needs. That's when we created Mission-Aligned Teams (MATs), a hybrid model that changed our execution (for good) Key principles: • Each team owns a specific mission (e.g., improving customer service, optimizing payment flow) • Teams are cross-functional and self-sufficient,  • Leaders can be anyone (engineer, PM, marketer) who's good at execution • People still report functionally for career development • Leaders focus on execution, not people management The results exceeded our highest expectations: New MAT leads launched new products, each generating $5-10M in revenue within a year with under 10 person teams. Planning became streamlined. Ownership became clear. But it's NOT for everyone (like STO wasn’t for us) If you're under 50 people, the overhead probably isn't worth it. If you're Amazon-scale, pure STO might be better. MAT works best in the messy middle: when you're too big for everyone to be in one room but too small for a full enterprise structure. image courtesy of Manu Cornet ------ If you liked this, follow me Henry Shi as I share insights from my journey of building and scaling a  $1B/year business.

If you ever feel like delegating takes longer than doing it yourself, these are the only models you need! Delegation isn’t about giving work away. It’s about creating a system where your team can perform without constant supervision. Here are 5 proven models that make delegation more effective (and less stressful): 1. The Five Levels of Delegation Every task doesn’t need the same level of oversight. Here’s how to choose the right one: Level 1: Do exactly what I ask. Level 2: Research options and bring me a recommendation. Level 3: Decide, then check in before acting. Level 4: Decide and act - keep me informed. Level 5: Take full ownership; I trust your judgment. 2. The DELEGATE Mode Define the task → Empower → Let them know expectations → Establish parameters → Generate commitment → Authorize resources → Track → Evaluate Structure turns delegation into development. 3. The RACI Matrix Clarify roles: Responsible (who does it) Accountable (who owns results) Consulted (who gives input) Informed (who needs updates) It prevents the “too many cooks” problem. 4. The MoSCoW Method Prioritize before delegating: Must-haves, Should-haves, Could-haves, and Won’t-haves. It helps teams stay aligned when everything feels urgent. 5. The Skill-Will Assessment Before delegating, ask two questions: Do they have the skill? (Yes/No) Do they have the will? (Yes/No) High skill + Low will = They need motivation, not instruction Low skill + High will = They need coaching, not criticism The best leaders don’t hoard work. They design systems where others can thrive, and that’s what real influence looks like. P.S. What’s the hardest part of letting go of control for you?

"I'm fine." – says every CEO right before burnout. (Here's what the top 1% do differently about stress.) The truth? Stress isn't the real enemy. Burnout is. You can't eliminate stress completely. And you shouldn't want to. I've been at both extremes. I've coached 100s of CEOs. One thing became clear about peak performance: There's a sweet spot. Too little stress = boredom, low output. Too much = mental fatigue, burnout. The real stress triggers aren't what most leaders think: ↳ Isolation (fewer peers, less genuine feedback) ↳ Unclear priorities (urgent isn't always important) ↳ Relentless decision-making (100s of choices daily) ↳ Full accountability (every miss has your name on it) ↳ Constant context switching (strategy at 9, crisis at 10) But there's a tactical system that changes everything: —— Core Principles —— The 4 A's Framework (Respond, don't react): ↳ Accept what you can't change ↳ Adapt your response ↳ Alter what you can control ↳ Avoid unnecessary stress Remember: Not every meeting needs your presence. Not every fire needs putting out today. Not every decision needs to be yours. —— Daily Tactics —— 🎯 Strategic Timeboxing Block 90-minute focus zones. No notifications. No interruptions. This is where million-dollar insights happen. 🌱 Micro-Recovery Breaks 5–10 minute resets between tasks. Walk. Breathe. Think. Small breaks prevent big breakdowns. 💪 Non-Negotiable Exercise Even 20 minutes sharpens your mind. Movement beats mental fatigue. Make it happen. No excuses. ⏰ Strategic "No" Every yes drains energy. Protect your focus like your life depends on it. Because your business just might. —— Weekly Ritual —— 🔄 Personal Debriefs End each week with 3 questions: ↳ What worked? ↳ What drained me? ↳ What needs to change? The best leaders don't avoid stress. They master it. And when you do, you'll see: ↳ Sharper decisions ↳ Stronger teams ↳ Bigger impact Start with one small change today. See it transform your leadership tomorrow. What's your go-to stress strategy? Share below to help others ⬇️ P.S. Want a PDF of my Stress Management Cheat Sheet? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/dzqAP6f7 ♻ Repost to help a CEO in your network. Follow Eric Partaker for more on peak performance.

How do you continue to be technical as you grow as a leader? That is a mentoring question I got from a mid-management professional in a session last evening. She felt that as a people manager she wasn't getting opportunities to be very 'technical'. First and foremost, I strongly believe you cannot (and should not) lead technical teams without continuing to be technical - devolving into a project manager is the fastest way to lose trust with your teams. The key though is to define what is 'technical' and how that evolves as you grow in your roles. Here are some thoughts on how you will continue to be 'technical' beyond writing code. #1 Identify how much you value each hour of your time and what is the best value you can drive with your team with that time. So, while coding on a Jupyter notebook may not be the best way to spend my time, doing technical reviews to understand and guide teams on the approach, trade-offs and outcomes still is technical. For example - One of my teams worked extensively on NLP to understand customer issues and we oft did technical deepdives on BERT vs Word2Vec, what data do we use for training, trade-off decisions and success criteria. Or aligning on the experiments your teams run and how success and roll outs look like. #2 The key role you play as a leader in technical teams is to define where your team invests energy and time. A lot of this is in defining the roadmap & the success criteria - the portfolio of projects that will drive the OKRs, alignment with business stakeholders, and technical support required (Inhouse or third-party resources etc). Unblocking your teams to do their job is a key part you play as a leader. #3 Resource optimization and alignment - An understated space that impacts success is the structure of teams. Aligning on how PODs should work, how they work together, aligning folks to their skillsets, grooming your next set of leaders on the team etc is key #4 Advocacy, Storytelling and Influencing without authority - A lot of the work you tend to do also happen to be 'connecting the dots'. Translating outputs of the models to outcomes, illustrating the 'so what', advocating and communicating value back to stakeholders, customers and telling the story with data is a critical skill. #5 Continuous Learning - If you are leading technical teams, the learning never stops. You probably are not the expert on the team in terms of Autogen but understanding the fundamentals of the products you use, the upcoming tech trends, product releases, implications and pre-mortems allow you to guide your teams better. So apart from people management, being technical means learning where you intervene as a leader - a skill worth its weight in gold. What else would you add? *********************************************** Ranjani Mani #reviewswithranjani #Technology | #Books | #BeingBetter

One of the biggest risks in project execution is underestimating the role of project planning. Too often, planning is seen as a dreaded paper exercise or just a compliance formality—rather than the strategic backbone of successful delivery. When planning is sidelined, the consequences are real: 1.Unrealistic timelines that lead to delays and cost overruns 2.Weak risk management, leaving teams vulnerable 3.Poor resource allocation, creating bottlenecks and inefficiencies 4.Lack of accountability, making it hard to track and measure progress 5. When you need to claim CE, Delays and EOT you’re not able to prove it. Everyone needs to understand the project , the key milestones the critical path and follow the sequencing of the plan. Project planning is not a solo effort. It cannot be done by the planner in isolation. It requires collaborative input from supervisors, construction managers, project managers, clients, and all relevant stakeholders. Everyone must be in alignment. The plan should be agreed upon, signed off, and form part of the contractual agreement to ensure clarity, accountability, and mutual commitment. This plan will also inform the project success rating As project planners, we don’t just draw up schedules—we drive: • Project visibility • Execution efficiency • Risk mitigation • Alignment to strategic objectives • Optimise resources and project delivery. I remember one of my projects where the project planner wasn’t taken seriously—until the project hit trouble. Suddenly, everyone turned to the planner for solutions. I was then called an advisor, Now that the pressure was on, the very plan they disregarded became the project’s lifeline. Let’s shift the mindset. Planning is not a checklist item—it’s the foundation of successful execution. And when it’s time to claim progress or recover a struggling project, it’s the same plan that will save the day and company lots of money. #ProjectManagement #ProjectPlanning #StrategicExecution #RiskManagement #LeadershipInProjects #PlanningMatters #EnergySector #Substations #PowerStations #InfrastructureDevelopment #ConstructionProjects #EngineeringLeadership #ExecutionExcellence #ProjectControl #PlanningForSuccess #CostControl #ScheduleMatters #BuiltEnvironment #PlannerVoice #ProjectLeadership #MindsetShift #CollaborationInProjects #StakeholderAlignment #ContractManagement #TeamworkInExecution

As Chief Engineer of strategic ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky, I felt I had to have every answer. I was in every action, every system, every repair. The stakes were too high for anything less. But here’s the truth: that approach was untenable. No single person can shoulder that weight forever. What saved me—and what made our team world-class—wasn’t my control. It was: ✅ Delegation — trusting officers and sailors to own their watch. ✅ Intent-based leadership — giving clear direction, not micromanagement. ✅ Trust-based communication — speaking up early, listening deeply. ✅ Transparent expectations — clarity about what “good” looked like. ✅ Deep but meaningful checking — not hovering, but verifying. Scaling your business is no different. Early founders often try to be in every decision, every hire, every customer interaction. But just like on a submarine, that weight will break you—and stall your team. The transition from “I control everything” to “we achieve everything together” is what transforms brilliant engineers and scientists into enduring leaders. 💡 Where are you in that journey—holding every answer, or scaling through trust? #Leadership #ScalingUp #Delegation #ExecutiveCoaching #EngineeringLeadership #CoreX #Trust #IntentBasedLeadership #focalpountcoaching

After joining three Town Halls this week, talking to the incredible teams of Gina Mastantuono, Russ Elmer, and Jon Sigler, I’m reminded that top tech talent has more options than ever. To compete, companies need to rethink retention - because a salary alone won’t cut it. The most compelling organizations understand that a few things are key: First, purpose drives performance. Engineers and developers don’t just want to write code - they want to solve meaningful problems in a culture that invites fresh thinking. Whether it’s streamlining emergency response systems or simplifying global HR operations, connecting their work to real-world impact is what keeps people engaged for the long haul. Second, continuous growth is non-negotiable. The best technologists are lifelong learners who crave new challenges (sound familiar?). Upskilling in AI, rotating into stretch roles, or leading cross-functional projects - these opportunities create momentum. Stagnation, on the other hand, is the fastest way to lose your brightest minds. But perhaps most critical? Fostering a culture where innovation thrives. Flexibility matters, but so does psychological safety. The most dynamic teams operate in environments where experimentation is encouraged, failing fast is treated as learning, and ownership is rewarded. When people feel trusted to push boundaries, they’re far more likely to invest their talent - and their future - in your organization. Here’s the truth: Retention isn’t about ping-pong tables or signing bonuses. It’s about building an ecosystem where top performers choose to stay - and grow. At ServiceNow, I’m proud to say we see this play out every day. What’s YOUR secret to keeping great talent? Share your thoughts below. #TechTalent #Leadership #EmployeeExperience

🔍 Have you ever wondered how some companies keep things running smoothly, even when challenges pop up? Here’s a little insight: They’re often using Lean principles, a set of practices focused on making things simpler, faster, and more effective by cutting out the clutter. But Lean is about more than just efficiency; it’s about connecting people with their work in meaningful ways. Take visual management as an example. It’s all about making information visible and accessible. Imagine Walking into an office and immediately seeing a Kanban board showing where each project stands or an “out-of-stock” card on an inventory shelf. These aren’t just clever tools—they make work easier to understand and create a sense of ownership and accountability. And the results? Employees feel empowered to make decisions on the spot, without waiting for formal reports or meetings. According to recent studies, visual management can increase task accuracy by up to 60% in workplaces that adopt it. Then there’s gemba, or what Toyota calls the “go-and-see” mindset. Instead of guessing what’s going on from an office, managers head to the shop floor. They observe, listen, and understand what’s happening right at the point of action. Toyota Motor Corporation leads the way here, with most of its supervisors spending time on the production floor daily. And it pays off—problems get resolved faster, and solutions are based on firsthand observations, not assumptions. Finally, Continuous improvement is at the heart of Lean. It’s the mindset of always looking for ways to do things better, even if only by a tiny bit. Every tweak, every little fix, adds up over time, ensuring that the company is always moving toward giving customers more value. In fact, companies that embrace continuous improvement report a 15-20% increase in productivity over time, as noted by the Lean Enterprise Institute. And here’s what often goes unnoticed: Lean only works because it values people. Real, day-to-day improvements come from the employees who are involved in the work and whose insights and ideas shape better processes. When people feel heard, productivity grows—by as much as 30% in companies with strong employee engagement practices. So, Next time you hear about Lean, think beyond the jargon. At its core, it’s about creating a work environment where people feel connected to their roles, confident in their abilities, and motivated to make a difference every day. That’s the real impact of Lean.

6 bad software engineering prioritisation methods: Plus 1 experiment for you to try → Decibels: 1. He who shouts loudest (absolute decibels)  2. The squeaky wheel gets the grease (dB x time) Clout: 3. Our Fearless Leader decided 4. HiPPO method (Highest Paid Person's Opinion) Avoidance: 5. Don't care - prioritisation is a product problem 6. Keep most of the people happy, most of the time, AKA keep everyone off your back. Instead, we should be using methods that take into account elements of the following: - Impact (on the company and/or customers) - Effort - Risk / Confidence - Time / Urgency "Prioritisation" suggests that we will work our way down the list until our resources are consumed, i.e. we'll try to do as many things as possible. But we shouldn't.  Many of these things should not even be on the list. Don't waste time with things that don't align with your business goals and business strategies. Try this experiment: For every feature you are asked to build, try to extrapolate what its ultimate value *to your company* will be. You may have to traverse multiple causal relationships, e.g. "If we do this, that will happen. If that happens, it will influence X, which changes Y" etc. If the feature ends up successfully providing that value to your company: - Will you (or anyone) ever know? If not, why not? - Is this value a core focus of the company, currently?

Most Projects Fail to Deliver Full Value… Because Stakeholder Management Is an Afterthought. ~ Conflicting priorities stall critical decisions. ~ Misaligned expectations derail project timelines. ~ Key sponsors disengage, leaving teams without support. And yet, when these challenges arise, most teams focus on “more updates” or “more stakeholder meetings.” But the real issue isn’t the frequency of communication – It’s ineffective stakeholder management. Here’s what I consistently see in projects: → Too Many Decision-Makers – Multiple stakeholders with conflicting goals slow down consensus and project momentum. → Competing Priorities – What’s urgent for one stakeholder may be irrelevant for another, creating constant friction. → Limited Resources – Tight budgets and stretched teams make balancing stakeholder demands increasingly difficult. These challenges lead to delays, frustration, and loss of stakeholder trust. What’s the solution? A structured and strategic stakeholder management approach, not just ad hoc engagement. Here’s how I help organisations elevate their stakeholder management: 1. Clarify Expectations Early → Align all stakeholders on shared goals, roles, and success metrics upfront. 2. Strategic Stakeholder Mapping → Using tools like the Power-Interest Matrix to categorise stakeholders and tailor engagement accordingly. 3. Targeted Communication Strategies → Communicating the right information, to the right people, at the right time. 4. Action-Oriented Engagement Plans → Prioritising critical stakeholders and focusing efforts where they create the most impact. When organisations manage stakeholders effectively, the outcomes speak for themselves: → Faster decision-making: Streamlined discussions and fewer bottlenecks.  → Stronger stakeholder alignment: Reduced conflicts and enhanced project cohesion.  → Higher project success rates: Deliverables that meet or exceed expectations.  → Improved stakeholder relationships: Greater trust and long-term collaboration. Stakeholder management isn’t a soft skill – it’s a business-critical strategy. Are competing priorities slowing your projects down? Let’s address it. Drop me a message and let’s explore how structured stakeholder engagement can drive project success and stakeholder buy-in. —- 📌 Want to become the best LEADERSHIP version of yourself in the next 30 days? 🧑💻Book 1:1 Growth Strategy call with me: https://lnkd.in/gVjPzbcU #Leadership #Strategy #Projects #Success #Growth