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Newsletter archive
AI agents and the missing link in DevOps
AI agents aren’t just assistants anymore – they’re making decisions. Are engineers ready for the shift or are they just too skeptical?
Carving out time for large-scale engineering chores
Determine what to prioritize, set out a path, and be prepared for some hiccups along the way.
Encouraging a passion for productivity
In this edition of DirectorPlus, Neha Batra, VP of Engineering at GitHub, explains how she creates a culture of productivity.
Framing AI rollouts in the right light
How can you introduce AI into teams in a way that doesn’t invite unrest within your org? It starts with presenting it in the right light.
Latest
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How to avoid nasty performance review surprises
How to give feedback consistently so that your reports don’t feel caught off guard by their performance review.
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Clear technical vision is the key for aligned growth
Technical visions are the guardrails that keep decision-making aligned across orgs.
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4 steps to speed up code reviews
The culture changes you need to make to stop code reviews from demoralizing teams.
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Interview tactics to find your footing in a chaotic job market
Navigating the current job market can feel daunting, but certain principles and internal guides can improve the process for you.
Deadline: January 4, 2026
Call for Proposals for London 2026 is open!
Essential reading
What is a Director of Engineering? The glue keeping engineering together
A director of engineering is responsible for keeping an entire engineering function humming. Find out what skills you need to climb the ladder to this vital position.
On our DirectorPlus playlist
Strategies to hone commercial awareness and drive business outcomes
Learn effective strategies for enhancing commercial awareness in tech teams, turning engineering into a business driver through alignment, impactful initiatives, and stakeholder engagement.
The path from Director to CTO: How to follow it, or how to mentor it
This talk is aimed at both aspiring Chief Technology Officers and those who are in a position to mentor future CTOs. Explore the journey from a Director of Engineering role to a CTO, focusing on the skills and experiences needed for this transition and how experienced leaders can guide others on this path.
Making the manager of manager’s mindset
Suzan Bond covers the difference between the two roles and the key mindset shifts leaders need to make to manage managers.
The festival of engineering leadership
London • June 2 & 3, 2026
More for managers of managers
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Interview tactics to find your footing in a chaotic job market
Navigating the current job market can feel daunting, but certain principles and internal guides can improve the process for you.
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Deloitte rolls out Claude to 470,000 employees
The consulting giant hasn’t been deterred by a recent embarrassing incident in Australia.
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The unseen fixes that boost engineering performance
At the intersection of toil and operational risk lies “perilwork.”
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What US engineering managers can expect to earn in 2026
Are there signs of life in the hiring market?
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Why I expect candidates to use AI in the hiring process
If you’re joining a team where AI use is commonplace, expect the interview process to test those skills.
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Crafting the perfect LeadDev talk submission
Crafting the best version of your talk proposal for the LeadDev stage with the help of ChatGPT.
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Harness acquires Qwiet AI to combat AI-generated code risks
This merger is set to help address hidden security risks with the help of AI-assisted coding.
Videos for managers of managers
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What does innovation really mean? And how did Games Engineering navigate through it as a “startup” within Netflix
Learn how embracing paradoxes, discovery-driven learning, and integrative decisions enabled collaboration and unlocked innovation at Netflix.
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Hold on, let me prompt that
Explore how to lead with clarity and conviction in the GenAI era, balancing powerful tools with authentic, independent thinking.
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LLMs: An operator’s view
Explore a pragmatic approach to using LLMs to boost team productivity, enhance products, and evolve your leadership strategy.
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Leveling up engineers in an AI-driven world
Learn how to mentor junior engineers in an AI-driven world by reinforcing core skills and balancing AI-assisted workflows.
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Painless compliance, and a thousand audits a day
Turn compliance into code: automate audits, integrate with CI/CD, and achieve painless, continuous, zero-drama compliance.
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What if I don’t want to climb?
Rethink career growth by exploring how non-linear paths, flexible frameworks, and exploration-first mindsets create stronger, more inclusive teams.
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In partnership with EppoFrom evals to experiments: How to ship successful AI initiatives by failing cheaply
Discover practical ways to blend qualitative evals with quantitative experiments to reduce risk, improve learning speed, and deliver impactful AI projects.
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In partnership with HoneycombMeasuring system performance in 2026
Insights from the inaugural LeadDev Engineering Performance Report, with Honeycomb.
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High-performance tech talent: Build, don’t buy!
Learn how CodeYourFuture develops diverse, high-potential individuals into advanced engineering roles while helping companies build exceptional, sustainable tech talent.
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Leading leaders: Why your greatest strengths are your next blind spots
This talk challenges common assumptions and shares what it really takes to move from doing the work to enabling others to do it even better.
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In partnership with CloudflareDetect malicious attacks at 84M RPS with ML under 500us
A deep dive into the high-performance, distributed architecture and machine learning optimizations Cloudflare uses to detect malicious attacks at a global scale with sub-millisecond latencies.
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Engineering leadership in 2025: Thriving when budgets shrink
Find practical strategies for leading engineering teams through budget pressure by aligning decisions with impact, focus, and value.