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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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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.
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Is GitHub’s coding agent your newest junior dev?
GitHub’s new coding agent has some perks, but is still showing signs of significant growing pains. What are the current pain points?
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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ChatGPT can get an engineering degree. What do we do now?
A study into how well generative AI can do at university examinations poses questions for hiring, employee retention, and development.
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How to launch high-impact engineering projects
The stakes are high, but a good plan and dedicated launch captain can keep these important projects on track.
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A founder’s 3 strategies for building successful product teams
Building a company from the ground up consists of understanding customer pain points and engineer autonomy.
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How DX Core 4 aims to unify developer productivity frameworks
Can it bring together DORA, SPACE, and DevEx, to help inform diverse stakeholders?
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Why 70% of engineers avoid measuring lines of code
And four other key findings from the 2024 LeadDev Engineering Team Performance report.
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Is agile manifesting or preventing AI adoption?
In the rush to adopt AI, many organizations have forgotten – or conveniently overlooked – the fundamentals of agile software delivery.
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Why everyone’s suddenly talking about AI agents
What exactly are AI agents and how are they different from AI assistants?
Videos for managers of managers
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Don’t drop the baton, or how a team that communicates well collaborates well
Effective team communication shapes company culture at all levels. In this talk, we’ll explore habits, principles, and frameworks to foster healthy communication patterns.
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In partnership with SoftwireThe five stages of workplace culture
Discover the five key stages that built Softwire’s award-winning culture and motivated top engineering talent.
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From code to commerce: Engineering’s role in driving business growth
Learn how engineering leadership drives business success by linking technical excellence to measurable outcomes, fostering commercial awareness, and optimizing performance at scale.
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Building the AI enablement playbook
Learn how to lead AI adoption by reshaping systems, culture, and operations, not just rolling out tools.
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Don’t get toasted: A leader’s guide to mental well-being
Real tools for managers’ mental well-being – from stress management to parenting wisdom – because leading teams shouldn’t mean burning out.
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In partnership with DXBetter software faster
How the Core 4 framework helps teams measure and communicate productivity gains while balancing delivery pressure.
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Rethinking collaboration: LLMs, teams, and cognitive load
Discover how LLMs can reduce cognitive load, boost team collaboration, and reshape engineering workflows without compromising quality or delivery.
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How to delete everything: The clean-slate approach to technical strategy
Learn how clean-slate thinking can break technical deadlocks, improve system resilience, and inspire actionable strategies for complex engineering challenges.
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Rethinking growing engineers in the age of AI
Explore how to grow future senior engineers in an AI-driven world that sidelines traditional junior roles.
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Give everyone a challenge – Leadership growth in stable times
Learn how to grow engineering leaders through impact-focused challenges, not headcount, even in low-growth environments.
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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