Sign up to our DirectorPlus newsletter
Subscribers get the best engineering leadership content in their inbox every month.
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
-
AI coding trackers are here. Proceed with caution
Companies are finally starting to track AI usage within their engineering orgs. Should we be worried or remain cautiously optimistic?
-
Navigating the emotional rollercoaster of leadership
Any well-seasoned leader will know that it’s not always an easy journey. The key is to tackle the low moments with the right approach.
-
5 AI agent frameworks for developer teams
If you’re thinking of dipping your toes into the agentic pool, here are some frameworks you could explore.
-
Your go-to professional growth model
When you’re an engineering leader, finding the time to upskill is almost impossible. Following the S-curve model might keep you on track.
-
The right way to make AI part of your tech strategy
With everyone scrambling to bake AI into their technical strategy, leaders may be resorting to unreliable and unscalable methods.
-
The unions are (finally) coming for big tech
After decades of taking a back seat, the rise of AI, layoffs, and industry-wide burnout has led to a call for more prominent tech unions.
October 15 & 16, 2025
Agendas for New York events are live! 🙌
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.
Agendas for New York events are live!
Lineup includes Addy Osmani, Kevin Goldsmith, Robin Bonatesta, and more…
New York • October 15 & 16, 2025
More for managers of managers
-
Can we cure imposter syndrome in tech?
After years of leaning in, imposter syndrome is still prevalent amongst women in tech. Can it be eradicated?
-
Ask Mathias: How do I define my role without any guidance?
Once you get to a certain level, it can be difficult to understand the parameters of your role.
-
The art of giving and receiving feedback as a leader
Providing feedback is a skill. Like all skills, it is one that you can build upon and grow as part of your leadership toolkit.
Videos for managers of managers
-
Why you’re doing service catalogs wrong
Learn why service catalogs often fall short and discover practical strategies for building incremental value, avoiding pitfalls, and driving impactful automation and insights.
-
Decoding candidate experiences: A new era in tech hiring
Discover how tech hiring is evolving with insights on candidate experiences, market trends, and empathy-driven practices for creating an inclusive, transparent hiring process.
-
On-call revolution: Building a culture of ownership and collaboration
Discover how innovative on-call rotations empower developers, foster team collaboration, and reduce complexity, creating a cohesive, ownership-driven culture that enhances service quality.
-
In partnership with incident.ioManaging authentically across levels
Learn how to manage engineers at all levels with practical tips for adapting your style to support growth and foster a thriving, high-performing engineering team.
-
Effective communication: Mastering growth-oriented feedback
Discover strategies for delivering feedback that builds trust and openness. Learn science-backed techniques to make feedback constructive, approachable, and growth-focused, helping teams unlock their full potential.
-
Tackling tech debt
Learn practical strategies from a seasoned CTO on managing tech debt effectively – when to embrace it, how to prioritize it, and turning it into growth.
-
Exhausted but not burned out: A manager’s story of how to get the team through a tough project
Discover strategies for leading high-stress projects without burnout. Learn how prioritising team well-being, resilience, and self-compassion fosters sustainable success even under intense pressure.
-
Tech odyssey: The epic saga of a mega migration to temporal
Embark on a journey through the challenges and triumphs of a major tech migration, revealing strategies for scaling, continuous development, and operational excellence in platform transformation.
-
There and back again – A cautionary tale about entering middle management
Explore the realities of middle management through a journey of promotion, stress, and self-reflection, offering guidance on finding the right leadership path.
-
Scaling your ML platform to enable the industrialisation of AI and ML development
Delve into the essentials of scaling ML platforms to industrialize AI development, with insights on prioritizing tools and requirements for efficient, large-scale model deployment.
-
Mentorship & Sponsorship
Uncover the impact of mentorship and sponsorship in building technical leadership, and learn practical ways to uplift and create opportunities for diverse tech communities.
-
Breaking barriers: Embracing neurodiversity in tech
Discover the importance of neurodiversity in tech, with actionable strategies to foster inclusivity and empower colleagues with hidden disabilities for a more supportive workplace.