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You're reading Leading Software People, a curated newsletter for people who are managing software teams, brought to you by the people who built Status Hero.
Team Communication
Why Naval Ravikant Thinks Remote Work Is The Future
AngelList Founder Naval Ravikant discusses the advantages of remote work, why it's been slow to catch on, and why he believes in the future that, instead of being the exception, remote work will be the norm.
Leadership & Management
Best Practices for Managing Remote Teams: A Psychological Perspective
Each year more people are choosing to work remotely and more companies are becoming open to it. But sometimes it's easy to forget that remote work is more than just work - it's also a way of life. A way of life with aspects that aren't always positive and can lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression. In this guide from Steph Smith, she thoroughly outlines how to effectively build and manage a remote team, including promoting teamwork and recognition of it and ways to encourage your team to unplug. A great read for anyone leading remote teams.
On being an Engineering Manager
Thinking about getting into management? Nick McHardy was in a similar position - being asked to step into an acting Engineering Manager role with the option to apply for a permanent position. Find out what Nick learned from his experience and, more importantly, whether or not he decided to stick with it.
The 3 most effective ways to build trust as a leader
Claire Lew of KnowYourTeam surveyed 597 managers and employees to learn what tactics work best - and which ones least - for building trust with your team. You might be surprised to learn things like public praise and being transparent were rated the lowest. Check out the article to see what it really takes to earn the trust of your team.
Productivity & Estimation
Time to Think
To deliver real value we need to spend more time engaged in deep work instead of the “shallow” work that consumes much of our days. Status Hero's own Michael Karampalas takes a look at what's preventing us from getting into a state of deep work and what you can do to shield yourself from the distractions trying to pull you out.
Engineering for the Long Haul, the NASA Way
Dan Maloney of Hackaday looks back at the amazing over-achievement of the Mars rover's lifespan. What was initially expected to last 90 days ended up making it 15 years. Dan explains how NASA's approach to engineering is likely the reason for this achievement. Are there any nuggets or NASA wisdom that you can apply to your day-to-day?
People & Culture
The Benefits of Laughing in the Office
Betty-Ann Heggie recounts an experience where her hearty laugh caused an embarrassing situation with her boss and how she learned to embrace her signature laugh. Betty reviews the research demonstrating that laughter in the workplace has many benefits, including stress relief, boosts to engagement and well-being, creativity, and productivity. Cracking jokes can even make you seem more competent. So, how often are you laughing at work? Maybe it's time to lighten up.
Life After Remote Work
What's it like to go back to an office job after working remotely? Anna Goldfarb collected experiences from 10 professionals and learned what they wish they’d known about going back to an office after time as a remote worker. If you're currently a remote worker and considering going back to office life, make sure you check this one out.
Only Slightly Off-Topic
With teen mental health deteriorating over five years, there's a likely culprit
Depression surged 33% in U.S. teens from 2010 to 2015. Suicide increased by 31 percent. But why? Jean Twenge looked at the data and all signs point to the smartphone as being the reason - responsible for a number of contributing factors. First, there's the increase of social media use, which most of us know has been linked to depression and feelings of inadequacy. Second is a reduction in real human contact and interaction. And lastly, the impact that our phones have on our sleep quality and the link to suicide and depression. "It’s not too early to think about limiting screen time; let’s hope it’s not too late."
Less Than Serious
Famous laws of Software development
There are many famous laws in software development - Murphy's, Brook's, and my personal favorite: ninety-ninety. Tim Sommer provides his own personal interpretation and thoughts on the most famous and most used laws in software development.
Have you tried Status Hero yet?
Status Hero is a lightweight tool for tracking daily goals, activity, and status updates from your team. It works with your existing tools, like email, Jira, GitHub, Trello, and Slack. Skip costly meetings, map goals to accomplishments, and unearth blocking issues quickly. Status Hero helps you and your team get more done with fast access to the big picture. Give it a shot with a free trial.