Developing the People Who Develop Your Software
I am a big fan of Ted Lasso-style of team management:
If you make the members of your team better people, your team will be better.
About
Sean Cooper
Successful development team management is about enabling the inherent desire for productivity and creativity that resides within each team member while building accountability within the team.
A Dev Team Must Be a TEAM!
Being a team is more than simply "playing well with others". True teams work with each other and FOR each other. They are as invested in the success of their teammates as they are in their own. True teams win together and fail together.
Know Your Team
A Dev Manager must know the strengths and weaknesses of the team in order to get the best out of each individual contributor.
Know Your Goals
A Development Manager must understand the organization's goals and how the team's work will contribute to those goals.
Be a Conductor
The conductor is not THE best musician with any single instrument. However, they are usually quite good with multiple instruments.
The value the conductor brings is:
1) Understanding the piece of music and the desires the sponsors have for the performance
2) Getting the best from the musicians in service of the piece.
Ingredients for Success
Real performance comes when the members of the team
1) Understand WHAT they are doing
2) WHY they are doing it
3) Are truly invested in the success of their teammates and the project
4) Work in an environment where their views are respected.
Principles > Rules
I'm big on principles. I've formulated 5 principles that I believe underpin successful software development
