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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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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.
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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?
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How the scales tipped against tech workers
The bosses are back in charge and expectations for what a job in tech looks like is changing rapidly. Is the industry losing its lustre?
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The 6 warning signs of overengineering
How to look for the signs of overengineering in software, why it happens, and how to prevent unnecessary complexity to build maintainable systems.
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.