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Choosing the most important work got trickier the more senior I became. Not only did I have more freedom to choose my own work, I had access to more critical projects, from more parts of the company, and faster-changing priorities.

This talk introduces weekly rituals I've used to ensure I'm focused on the most important work available. These tools help me combat anti-patterns like:

  • Prioritization by Inertia (when does it make sense to abandon this project?)
  • Prioritization by Decibels (is this project important or just championed by a... vocal stakeholder) 
  • Prioritization by Guilt (I *said* I would do this, but now there's more important work)

Armed with these strategies I'm able to consistently execute on the most important and critical projects. I can maximize my impact without burning out or stressing about what's not getting done.

Being a principal engineer. The world is your oyster.
Being a principal engineer. The world is your oyster.
Starting a new job as a Staff+
Starting a new job as a Staff+