Hello!
You're receiving this very first issue of Leading Software People, a curated newsletter for people who are managing software teams, brought to you by Status Hero. We'll be pushing out a curated reading list every week or two. Expect material that you can apply in your day-to-day work along with a couple of slightly off-topic items to keep things spicy.
We hope you find it helpful! (And if you do, please spread the word - we really appreciate it!)
Leadership & Management
Leave Work Unassigned and See Who Steps Forward
The next time you need something done, rather than assigning someone to the work, consider creating a vacuum and seeing who steps into it.
Owning it
Leadership means owning a problem—as in, you’ll do whatever it takes to get to a solution or favorable outcome.
The Real Reason Silicon Valley Coders Write Bad Software
Once you can think, you can, with the right instruction, learn to write a good sentence. Once you can write a good sentence, then, and only then, do you have a shot at writing a great short story -- or code.
How to be like Steve Ballmer
"I bet you could learn a lot from Steve Ballmer. More than you can learn from Jobs. You’re not like Jobs."
Why Agile isn’t the answer
An interesting perspective and discussion in the comments around shared responsibility in Agile.
Nobody Knows What They’re Doing
Don’t get fazed by the people who look like they have everything put together.
Less Than Serious
Have you tried Status Hero yet? It's an inexpensive, lightweight check-in and goal tracking tool for teams, and works using your existing team communication channels, like email and Slack. Give it a shot with a free 14-day trial.