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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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95% AI-written code? Unpacking the Y Combinator CEO’s developer jobs bombshell
Garry Tan says YC startups are launching with 95% AI-written code. What does this mean for the shape and size of engineering teams?
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Executive communication tactics that work for all audiences
The way you communicate with executives – clear, direct, and to the point – should be the standard for all communication.
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Tech debt is an outdated concept
Tech debt is often overused as a blanket statement for all manner of engineering issues. What if we reframed our approach?
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How leaders can beat the first quarter slump
After the buzz of New Years Eve and all the aspirations that follow fizzle out, what can you do to regain some momentum?
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How to combat bias in the hiring process
Don’t let bias dictate your next hire and make hiring decisions based on skills, not gut feelings.
November 5, 2025
A unique one-day event for Heads, Directors, VPs and CTOs exploring core leadership challenges.
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.
November 5, 2025
A unique one-day event for Heads, Directors, VPs and CTOs exploring core leadership challenges.
More for managers of managers
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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.
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How DeepSeek upended everything
The Chinese AI model has called into question a whole host of assumptions for the tech industry.
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What is diff authoring time? The developer metric taking Meta by storm
Why has Meta fallen in love with it?
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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?
Videos for managers of managers
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In partnership with O’ReillyHelping your engineers find time to learn and upskill
Webinar recording: discover how to support your engineers to learn and practice new skills.
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In partnership with CircleCIHow to build experimentation into your technical roadmap
This webinar is for engineering leaders who believe that a strong culture of experimentation drives innovation – and who want to convince peers and stakeholders that it should be part of your technical strategy
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Growing the next generation of leaders: Levelling up your teams
Dana discusses how you can identify the skill gaps in your teams and support your managers as they transition to leadership.
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Make it count; A no-nonsense guide to engineering metrics for the busy leader
Gain practical insights on engineering metrics that help busy leaders prioritize effectively, address delivery challenges, and measure team performance to maximize impact and productivity.
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Alignment, autonomy, accountability
Explore essential management principles that build trust, enhance team engagement, and support smooth progress, equipping leaders with strategies to guide without micromanaging.
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It’s time to pay off your management debt
Explore management debt’s impact on organizations, uncovering inefficiencies and missed opportunities. Learn actionable strategies to identify, track, and eliminate management debt for sustainable growth.
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Culture, Clarity, Velocity
This session explores how leaders can examine proposed changes and prepare their teams to move from a culture that impedes progress to one that enables strategic change.
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From cost to impact: Leading through infrastructure investment decisions
This session explores tools like SLOs, KPI Trees, and the FinOps culture to make cost management a shared responsibility across the organization.
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Modernizing legacy systems: A technical strategy for evolving monoliths into modern architectures at HelloFresh
Gain insights into transforming legacy systems into scalable architectures, with practical strategies for balancing stability, managing technical debt, and enabling growth opportunities at HelloFresh.
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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.
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From engineer to executive: Leading the shift and inspiring business-minded tech teams
Explore the journey from engineering leader to CTO, with insights on bridging technology and business strategy, leading with influence, and fostering business-minded tech teams.
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What we talk about when we talk about leadership
Exploring key leadership themes from years in tech, this talk offers guidance and practical strategies to help engineers become the leaders they want to be.