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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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How to push back when execs are all-in on AI
When AI is seemingly everywhere, how can you make sure your org takes thoughtful steps?
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A smarter way to evaluate LLM applications
LLM evaluations are the ultimate quality gate for your product.
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How Stack Overflow is innovating to keep up with AI disruption
Large language models, trained on public data, have pushed Stack Overflow toward an existential crisis.
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What the end of Section 174 means for software developer hiring
New US law brings in significant tax changes, which could change the face of hiring.
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How to communicate mandates (even if you disagree with them)
You may not agree with a mandate, but that shouldn’t affect the way you communicate it to your team.
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How to hire force multipliers (not 10x engineers)
Long heralded as the “brilliant jerks” of tech, their damage can run deep when it comes to team culture. Hire a force multiplier instead.
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“Vibe hacking” signals seismic shift for engineering leaders
Blackhat hackers have an addition to their armoury. Here’s how engineering leaders can safeguard their systems and stay on high alert.
Videos for managers of managers
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Feedback for intercultural teams – Where is the map?
Explore techniques for delivering culturally sensitive feedback, with practical tips to improve communication, foster growth, and boost performance in today’s diverse, intercultural team environments.
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How to talk to everyone: Connecting with your reporting chain
Explore effective ways to build trust and rapport in distributed teams, using strategies to maintain connection and support across organizational layers and remote setups.
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Level up the whole party, not just the hero
Optimize team dynamics by treating everyone as vital to success – not just the ‘hero.’ Discover how small, intentional choices drive equitable growth and organic leadership.
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Feeling the squeeze? GreenOps offers a sustainable solution for busy engineering teams
Discover how GreenOps empowers engineering teams to integrate sustainability into their workflows, building on FinOps and DevOps principles for efficiency and environmental impact.
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Leading through scarcity: Building capacity in the team you have
Discover strategies to lead effectively through scarcity. Learn how to build capacity within existing teams, maximizing performance amid constraints and fostering sustainable growth.
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Are we doing this right? Findings from the state of feature management and experimentation report 2024
Explore key findings from the 2024 State of Feature Management and Experimentation report, including trends, the engineering-product gap, and balancing optimization with safety.
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Becoming the leader you can be, in a changed technology industry
Explore how engineering leaders can navigate industry shifts, handle uncertainty, and rethink their roles in the evolving tech landscape through this reflective session on leadership.