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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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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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Why developers and their bosses disagree over generative AI
How to fix the disconnect over generative AI adoption and developer productivity.
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Build psychological safety in a world of layoffs
How engineering leaders can build trust, stability, and innovation in an era of tech layoffs and uncertainty.
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Focus on improvement metrics that actually matter
It’s time to focus on “improvement metrics” and finally turn developer productivity data into real, measurable action.
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Why leaders trust AI more than their colleagues
The rise of the AI executive advisor and what it means for how business decisions get made.
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In partnership with DronaHQ
Don’t underestimate low-code in an AI world
A low-code platform can limit the drawbacks of AI-generated code.
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How AI will change software engineering
No one can agree how AI will change software engineering. Here’s how to prepare anyway.
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The 3 factors that drive great Revenue per Engineer returns
New DX benchmarking cracks open the black box of engineering departments.
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AI coding mandates are driving developers to the brink
Under pressure to embrace AI, developers are growing frustrated by misguided mandates and are left to clean up any collateral damage inflicted on their codebase.
Videos for managers of managers
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The Software Craftsman: Sandro Mancuso in conversation
Learn how Sandro’s principles enable engineers to build the best software.
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How to completely fail at learning
Hywel Carver asks, are you being asked to do more with less? Are hiring ambitions lower than they were a couple of years ago? Are you finding it slow and painful to adopt new technologies? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, this talk is for you.
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In partnership with SabreHow enterprises can overcome the challenges of legacy code
How can enterprise engineering teams tackle the challenges of modernizing outdated codebases?
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I’ve got the power: Career growth, today and beyond
Lena Reinhard will help you not just celebrate and reflect on what you learned on this day full of practical advice from experienced leaders: She will also make space for you to operationalize turning these lessons into actions.
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In partnership with SplitFostering a culture of experimentation in your engineering teams
How can engineering leaders help their reports find joy in their work?
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Why can we still not measure team performance?
Scott Carey & Rebecca Murphey discuss findings from the LeadDev Engineering Team Performance report 2023.
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AI and the future of software engineering
Hywel Carver talks focuses on the shape of engineering teams and how they work – including how they have changed over time with the advent of Agile and DevOps – and suggest how this will change as AI-generated code becomes mainstream.
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Why can we still not measure team performance?
Scott Carey & Rebecca Murphey discuss findings from the LeadDev Engineering Team Performance report 2023.
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Master modern hiring: Win the race for tech talent through equity, empathy & efficiency
In this lightning talk, Karat VP of Content Don Gannon-Jones explains how a focus on job readiness will empower you to manage the overflow of applicants and interviews without resorting to outdated tactics that require candidates to do a lot of guess-work and game-playing.
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Tackling Software Engineering Leaders’ Dual Mandate
Operational excellence has been engineering leaders’ mandate since the beginning. But, success in the business world has shifted over the past two decades, making software delivery the key driver. This revenue generation change added a new mandate for the engineering leader: Driving Business Outcomes.
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In partnership with KaratEverything you need to know about hiring engineers in 2023
How has the tech job market changed, and what does your org need to do to keep up?
