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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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Think the technical interview is dead? Think again
The technical interview is evolving as AI-assisted coding becomes the norm.
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The latest tech layoffs have all the hallmarks of AI washing
Looking closer at the latest Block and Atlassian layoffs.
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AI adoption has to be driven from the top
Not by mandate, but clear leadership and guidance over why AI is being adopted.
New York • September 15 & 16, 2026
Cut through the hype.
Find what works at LDX3 New York
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 for modern engineering leadership
New York • September 15 & 16, 2026
More for managers of managers
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Meta and the great DEI rollback
Once an emblem of inclusivity, Meta has officially joined tech’s anti-DEI bandwagon.
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Do managers still need to be hands on?
While remaining hands-on is naturally tempting for engineers, it’s not always the most effective way to lead.
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11 red flags to watch out for during interviews
How to spot warning signs whether you’re a candidate or hiring manager.
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Gut-based engineering leadership is failing
Why instinct isn’t enough for stakeholders who need clear, actionable answers.
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Is IaC broken?
Complex rollouts and rigid procedures have taken the shine off of Infrastructure as Code. Can it be fixed?
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What engineering managers need to know for 2025
Here are 9 things you need to know as we move into 2025.
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6 engineering hiring trends to look out for in 2025
There are signs of life in the hiring market for software engineers, but can candidates handle the recruitment process?
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How to measure the impact of engineering in 2025
As we look to 2025, here’s four trends to look out for when it comes to measuring developer productivity.
Videos for managers of managers
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Refactoring LIVE – In conversation with Rands
Luca Rossi sits down with Michael Lopp, aka Rands, to explore engineering leadership in the age of AI.
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Rethinking how distributed teams deliver complex tech
Practical patterns for delivering complex work across distributed teams while improving inclusion, decision quality, and team autonomy.
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The AI-augmented leader: Architecting your own virtual Chief of Staff
A practical case study on building a personal AI assistant to reduce context switching, automate management work, and reclaim strategic focus.
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Beyond timelines: Learning from incidents
How to run post-incident reviews that surface human, cultural, and psychological factors, turning incidents into deeper learning and resilience.
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Four dimensions of burnout: An anti-burnout framework for the AI era
A practical framework to help engineering leaders recognize burnout early, rebalance demands, and recover while staying effective and healthy.
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Guardrails, not gates: Scaling juniors in the AI era
How automated guardrails let junior engineers ship faster with AI, while protecting quality, safety, and senior reviewer sanity.
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AI in the trenches: Real-world wins without breaking things
How to integrate AI into real engineering workflows to boost delivery speed while keeping systems stable and teams confident.
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In partnership with VercelFrom code to confidence: The missing layer in AI-powered development
Explore why AI-powered development needs to move beyond generating code and focus on building confidence to ship safely.
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AI killed the coding interviews. Here’s what Meta built instead
How Meta replaced traditional coding interviews with AI-native hiring that measures adaptability, communication, and real-world engineering judgment.
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Platform engineering for developers, architects & the rest of us (AI agents)
AI is raising the stakes for platform engineering. Learn how to build self-service platforms that support developers and AI systems safely.
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In partnership with SoftwireTechnology advances; history repeats itself
Learn how to protect engineering culture, leadership judgment, and technical depth as AI and rapid change reshape the industry.
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Engineering leadership in 2026
Explore what 600+ engineering leaders revealed about how their roles, priorities, and challenges are changing in 2026.