The Secret of the Best Engineering Manager I Know

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Highlights

  • The absolutely best engineering manager I know (let’s call him Robin) is spending most of his time helping people from outside his team. (View Highlight)

New highlights added August 30, 2024 at 1:14 PM

  • the top performers were givers, who averaged 50 percent more annual revenue than the takers and matchers. (View Highlight)
  • Robin is always involved in the most complex problems, as he is the last resort. That means that he constantly gets to learn new things! Through years of giving, he built an amazing intuition, letting him solve problems VERY fast, and be an even more effective giver. (View Highlight)
  • Being a giver makes you visible - people talk about you with their managers, and everyone in the organization knows you. This helps a lot in pushing your agenda and getting promoted. (View Highlight)
  • Givers are not only the best performers, but also the worst ones. That’s because of the Over-givers - who prioritize others and neglect their own needs. (View Highlight)
  • The most effective givers, see it as a choice, not a compulsion. They don’t try to please everyone, and know when to say ‘No.’ (View Highlight)
  • As a manager, even more important than giving yourself, is encouraging giving among your developers. (View Highlight)