-
-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 1
Engineering Manager Guidance
As a volunteer engineering manager, we expect you to:
- Be committed to the organization and its mission.
- Attend regular meetings and events as required.
- Be reliable and responsive to communication from team members.
- Provide guidance and mentorship to engineering team members to help them grow and develop their skills.
- Be available to answer questions and provide support as needed.
- Encourage team members to take on new challenges and responsibilities.
- Set clear goals and expectations for the engineering team.
- Ensure that team members understand their roles and responsibilities.
- Establish a clear roadmap for projects and provide regular updates on progress.
- Foster a positive and inclusive culture within the engineering team.
- Encourage open communication and feedback.
- Create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
- Manage project timelines and resources effectively.
- Ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget.
- Identify and mitigate risks and issues as they arise.
- Continuously improve processes and workflows to increase efficiency and productivity.
- Stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices.
- Seek feedback from team members and other stakeholders to identify areas for improvement.
By fulfilling these expectations, you will be contributing to the success of the organization and helping to build a strong and effective engineering team.
Having weekly 1 on 1 meetings between an engineering manager and their direct reports is a critical part of building a strong and effective team. Here is a strategy for conducting these meetings:
- Schedule the meeting: Set a recurring weekly meeting time that works for both you and your direct report. Make sure the meeting is on the calendar and scheduled for the same time each week to ensure consistency.
- Set an agenda: Ask your direct report to come prepared with any items they would like to discuss during the meeting. Share your agenda as well, so they know what to expect. Some topics you may want to cover include progress on projects, feedback on recent work, career development, and any challenges or obstacles they are facing.
- Create a safe space: Make sure your direct report feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns with you. Listen actively and without judgment, and encourage them to be honest and open. You may want to set ground rules at the beginning of the meeting to establish expectations around confidentiality and respect.
- Provide feedback: Use the 1 on 1 meeting as an opportunity to provide feedback to your direct report. Be specific, constructive, and supportive in your feedback, and be sure to provide examples to illustrate your points. If there are areas where your direct report needs to improve, work with them to develop a plan to address those issues.
- Follow up: After the meeting, be sure to follow up on any action items that were discussed. This shows your direct report that you are invested in their success and committed to helping them achieve their goals. If necessary, schedule a follow-up meeting to check in on progress.
- Adjust as needed: Be flexible and adaptable in your approach to the 1 on 1 meetings. If you find that certain topics aren't working, adjust the agenda accordingly. If your direct report needs more or less time each week, be willing to make changes to the meeting schedule.
Overall, the goal of the weekly 1 on 1 meeting is to build a strong relationship between the engineering manager and their direct report, foster open communication, and provide support and feedback to help the direct report succeed. By following these steps, you can create a successful and productive weekly 1 on 1 meeting strategy.
An hour-long meeting that fosters community team morale and includes both sprint retrospective and planning might include the following agenda:
- Introduction and Icebreaker (5 minutes)
- Start the meeting with a brief introduction and icebreaker activity to help team members get to know each other better.
- Example: Have everyone share their favorite hobby or something they did over the weekend.
- Sprint Retrospective (20 minutes)
- Conduct a retrospective of the previous sprint to review what went well, what didn't, and what can be improved. Encourage everyone to share their thoughts and feedback openly and honestly. Discuss specific actions to take to improve team morale and address any issues that arose during the previous sprint.
- Sprint Planning (20 minutes)
- Review the upcoming sprint and discuss the team's goals and priorities for the next sprint. Break down the work that needs to be done and assign tasks to team members. Discuss any potential roadblocks or issues that may arise during the sprint and brainstorm solutions.
- Team Building Activity (10 minutes)
- Conduct a team-building activity to help build community and boost team morale.
- Example: Play a game or do a quick exercise that promotes teamwork and collaboration.
- Open Discussion and Feedback (5 minutes)
- Provide an opportunity for team members to ask questions, provide feedback, or share anything they want with the group. Encourage everyone to speak openly and honestly and provide support and encouragement to each other.
- Wrap-up (5 minutes)
- Summarize the key takeaways from the meeting and any action items that were discussed. Thank everyone for their participation and encourage them to continue to collaborate and work together effectively.
Overall, this meeting agenda allows for the team to work together to review the previous sprint, plan for the upcoming one, participate in team-building activities and have open discussions. It helps foster a sense of community and boosts morale, while also allowing for the team to reflect on their performance and work together to improve.