Category: Beginning New Management Position

Podcasts I Follow

These are the Podcasts I follow and listen to most often. They range from business, design and general interests. They are not ranked in an particular order, but my favourite is James Altucher and Jordan Harbinger. I would challenge everyone to listen to one or both of these regularly. Continue reading Podcasts I Follow

Achieving Order in Chaos

Trying to streamline things at work and make it so we are producing higher quality code I have learned a few things. Mind you I have only been in my new position for a few weeks, but already I along with our Account Manager have discovered some long lingering holes that need to be plugged. Nothing major, but nevertheless, we need to fill the holes. Some of the uncovered issues are: communication, processes and specifications for developers. It is not enough to get the projects done, but we need to do it right and right on spec.

Continue reading Achieving Order in Chaos

Do I Need Source Control

Yes!  For the first time in my 15-year career I had experienced what it is like to not have source control, and I had hated it.  I had lost a very difficult to write SQL statement in a project.  It seemed almost impossible to rewrite the SQL for the second time.   I believe it was two of us working in the same project that had caused this loss of code.   I take the blame because I am the manager and I knew that source control was not implemented.  I should have taken the time to take all of the projects and check them into the source control system. Continue reading Do I Need Source Control

Project Manager – Team Lead – Manager of Development

I have been asked a few times for resources and tips for a new Project Manager, Team Lead, Manager of Development type position.
My tips are a generalization as I can pull out more resources for certain situations.

Tips 
1. Have an open door
2. Don’t tell your team everything that you know. Be selective
3. Be positive in all your dealings
4. Lead by example. Do not ask your team to do anything you would not.
5. Speak clearly
6. If a developer says it will take a week, say two. If a developer says a month, say 6 weeks. Always buffer time.
7. Be real with expectations
8. Be kind, not too strict, but strict enough
9. Careful planning of project details
10. Listen to those above you and below you. You will learn stuff from everyone.
11. You are not the end all be all.
12. Fight for those who deserve it, help those who need it
13. Stay Organized
14. Meet with your team weekly with an agenda, so everyone can be prepared
15. Know what your superiors want from you
16. Know your place
17. Make sure you keep developing
18. Code reviews are a must, even yours ( can be fun for the team )
19. Earn your trust, trust your team
20. Know each team member’s strengths and use them. You cannot be everything to everyone
21. Failure is always an option – learn from each failure and success
22. Reflect on everyone project as there is always something to learn
23. Find a mentor or mentors – they can be good sounding boards

Online Resources 
http://www.fenman.co.uk/activities/training-manual/team-leaders-development.html
http://andrewtokeley.net/archive/2008/05/02/how-to-become-a-development-team-leader.aspx
http://www.atlassian.com/agile/people/teamlead.jsp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_programmer 

Books to Read 
Project Management in a Week By Mark Brown
Survival is Not Enough By Seth Godin
Made in Canada Leadership By Amal; Morissette, Francoise Henein

My Blogs 
http://unlatched.com/blog_What_is_Leadership.aspx
http://unlatched.com/blog_Effective_Listening.aspx
http://unlatched.com/blog_How_a_Senior_can_Help_a_Junior_Developer.aspx
http://unlatched.com/blog_Can_Senior_Developers_Learn_From_Junior_Developers.aspx

Remember: Have fun or you will not like it. Take time off – you need breaks.

New Project or Team Manager – First Two Weeks

There are plenty of tasks a person could do in their first two weeks as a new Project or Team Manager.  I have isolated some of the more important tasks that need to be addressed in the first two weeks of starting the new position.  Mind you these can vary depending on the size of team and the discussions with your new superior.

  1. Discuss your role and management styles with new superior.  Ensure you are both on the same page.
  2. Become intimate with company policies
  3. Get to know everyone on the team including their name, responsibilities
    and what they have done in the past
  4. Review all project descriptions and time lines
  5. Find out what each team member is currently working on and where they are in the time lines
  6. Compare where each team member is at on the time lines with the actual time line
  7. Discuss progress with My Boss
  8. Team Meeting
    • discuss priorities
    • discuss what everyone’s expectation is.
    • discuss what I expect of them
    •  ideas to get the projects back on track
    • look for team suggestions
  9. Discuss progress with my superior
  10. Meet with each member
    •  – discuss where they are in the project
    •  – together figure out how to advance in a more efficient way
    •  – set some realistic goals
  11. Discuss progress with my superior