tl;dr:A good performance management system includes: (1) Clear definitions of performance expectations for each role. (2) Regular performance review processes - self-assessment, manager assessment, peer feedback. (3) Calibration to ensure fairness and consistency across the organization. (4) Performance Improvement Plan process for underperforming employees. (5) Compensation process tied to performance outcomes. James discusses how this generates a power curve over time.
tl;dr:“When you are asking people to do something, lead with a recommendation of when it should be done by. Be explicit about this, but open to negotiation. It's such a simple technique, but when you compound its usage over a year at a big company, you will be amazed at the difference it makes.” Parkinson's Law states that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion" and, by setting aggressive deadlines, James discusses how leaders can leverage it.
tl;dr:The initial signs of trouble in an organization are not at the center where engineering or management are situated, but at the edges. This is because people at the edges are the most exposed to the outside world i.e. where bad reviews are posted, where customers ask for help, and where social media complaints about unacceptable bugs are posted. As you become more senior in an organization, it is easy to become isolated from the outside world. James explains how to tackle this.
tl;dr:Trifectas are a group of three people from different disciplines i.e. engineering, product and UX, who work together to achieve a goal. They are often smaller teams lower down the org. James advocates and explains how and why trifectas should exist throughout the org - in senior leadership and middle management too. They ensure that the leadership team is aligned with the long-term strategy of the organization, allows for clear accountability, creates positive tension between disciplines and enables issues to be resolved quickly.
tl;dr:James proposes a principle called "the Reporting to Peter Principle:" you will rise to a point where you will experience extreme internal conflict with the way that your manager does their job. This will manifest as disappointment, frustration, and a feeling that you should be doing their role instead of them. This represents a key inflection point in your own development as a senior leader and presents you with two choices, which James outlines.
tl;dr:"The default outlook for middle management is to look up and down the org chart, but not sideways. Because you are so focused on your own team and your own manager, you often forget that you have a peer group at all! That is, until you need something from them. At this point, the underinvestment in your peer group becomes apparent: you have limited rapport and trust with them, and an ask to transfer some of your engineering capacity to them is met with hot flushes and heavy and furious typing." James prompts us to think about these peers, and how we can approach building relationships with them.
tl;dr:"The pertinent question is whether you should manage senior managers and senior ICs differently. After all, they have different roles and responsibilities, and so it would be natural to assume the way that you manage a Staff Engineer would be different than the way that you manage an Engineering Manager. Right? Nope, that assumption would also be wrong. Sorry. You don't need special approaches for managing both roles. In fact, you can apply the same strategy to both, and not only does this simplify your approach, it actually encourages the best behaviors from both roles." James discusses his approach.
tl;dr:James helps us: (1) Explore what careers may look like and what motivates us. These topics are well worth revisiting when you feel like you are getting frustrated or stuck, or are wondering what the future may hold for you. (2) Think about some practical ways in which you begin to take your progression into your own hands. Once you know what you’re after, how do you get there? James discusses his insights to both of these prompts.
tl;dr:“If we’ve been lucky enough to work with leaders that manage their capacity well, then we may have been surprised that when we reach out with something urgent, they are able to respond quickly and effectively: perhaps they’ve offered to jump on a call straight away. This isn’t luck or anything to do with you. It’s just good capacity management on their part.” James discusses the importance of managers (1) Leaving space for the unexpected e.g. escalations, meetings, and other interruptions that will inevitably arise. (2) Understanding that capacity is a function of energy levels, and having the awareness to keep these in check. James shares a simple logging exercise to better understand this relationship between capacity and energy levels.
tl;dr:James explores the concept of "span of control," which refers to the number of direct reports a manager oversees. He argues that there's no one-size-fits-all answer, but suggests that around 8 direct reports could be a "sweet spot." Factors affecting the optimal number include practical limits, the seniority of the manager, the experience level of the reports, the manager's individual contributions, and the type of work the team does. An organization's span of control needs to be managed carefully, especially during economic downturns, to avoid negative outcomes like layoffs or role changes.