Amazing CTO

Table of Contents 1: Part 1 - Introduction 140 opinionated rules for engineering managers On Pronouns Prolog My Story Be An Amazing CTO 2: Part 2 - Rules ``Relax'' Starts with a yes Asks for help Does ruthlessly 1:1s Knows it is all about people Holds people accountable Is explaining the world Gives purpose Does not take shortcuts Loves technology Is curious Is not defensive Talks about expectations Has passion Sets up people for success not failure ``Land of Confusion'' Gets the cow off the ice first Is not her tools Knows the business side Self validates Is not letting people wait Does not waste other peoples time Lives up to her commitments Delegates everything Recruits herself Cares about bugs Is listening Works on things with impact Is focused Knows the Why Is inclusive ``Running Up That Hill'' Is prepared for a meeting Is a storyteller Develops her reports Cares about privacy Doesn't do illegal things Is agile Is a tortoise not a hare Is not a CIO Guides people Has a meeting agenda Talks last Changes her mind Admits when being wrong Gives negative feedback in private Compliments others Delivers Admits not knowing everything ``Hunting High And Low'' Takes leaving not personally Actively promotes Knows technology is a fashion industry Knows processes are swimming wings Knows processes are solved conflicts Handles underperformers Fires people herself Is a professional Manages her boss Leads the team Knows what she loves Budgets expenses Does dailies when hiring Is kind Gives honest feedback Is creative Encourages people to think ``Self Control'' Is a coder at heart Knows missing Disaster Recover can kill him Takes quality to her heart Translates tech for business Translates business to tech Builds the right product Does not ignore problems Is transparent and open Aligns employees and teams Moderates meetings Does not work in a feature factory Encourages responsibility Fixes retention before she hires Has a mentor Works with peers Has an opinion ``Maniac'' Is a role model Manages security Cares about his health Knows herself Actively manages her time Is in control of the tech zoo Capitalizes development costs Knows how to deal with pressure Does not invent excuses Does not take failures personally Trusts people Earns her trust Knows assumptions are bad Fixes performance first Automates everything ``Call me'' Says no Has sit-downs to solve conflicts Knows her role Lives radical simplicity Invests in her growth Has weekly team meetings Encourages leadership Gives responsibility Invests in relationships Gets the best out of people Does not go to all meetings Invests in recruiting Forces decisions Manages technical debt ``Brothers in Arms'' Does skip level meetings Manages culture Knows her talents She innovates Picks her battles Can scale a team 10x Can scale systems 10x Invests in employer branding Doesn't make tech decisions Stops the buck Works on deep features Helps others with their careers Knows they are not bound by rules Is a team player Pays the right salary ``Xanadu'' Supports the CEO Wants to be amazing Is on top of things Knows fear Takes the blame Acts and doesn't ask Invests half her time in the team Understands the nature of a crisis Knows what to build and what to buy Trains a successor Gives talks Thinks about the future of software development Has a vision Knows that strategy is for people Connects with the tech community Deals with politics Has a personal brand 3: Appendix Lists and Checklists The CTO Blues 1:1 Questions ChatGPT Proof Interviewing Checklist for Job Ads Delegation Checklist Hiring Notes Roles during an incident Interview Questions Laying someone off Onboarding Performance Feedback Performance Factors Very Basic Security Checklist Someone Resigns Models Pyramid Of Change Motivation Model Pyramid Of Relationships Delegation Vicious Circle The Management Triad Employee Life Cycle 9 Box Talent Model Four States of a Development Team Culture Model ZigZag Model of Strategy and Vision Three Gaps of Management Startup Phases Icebergs of Development The Coding Cycle Examples Of Developer Roles Reflections on the future of CTOs Epilog About Stephan About the cover OST Amazing CTO Book The Curious Incident Of The Vending Machine in the Night-Time Recommended Books for CTOs Feedback Index