Rubber Ducking to the Void

My thoughts and learnings as I navigate the world of engineering management

Hi there! I’m Joe McClean, new-ish Engineering Manager, and this is my blog where I try to make sense of the various goings on in my role.

  • Spreading Wings

    This week two of my most talented and promising Lead developers resigned within 24 hours of each other. And I couldn’t be happier for them. Each of them has been offered a fantastic opportunity. An opportunity that they likely wouldn’t have been given without the development I gave them (or at least that’s what I’d…

  • “In english please…”

    Talking to people with different levels of technical know about the work you do is part of every software developers life. From project managers to clients you will regularly be explaining something seems to need deeper knowledge of your craft than the person you are speaking to actually has. And to complicate this further, this…

  • How to effectively get caught up after time off

    I’ve noticed a strong difference between taking time off as a Manager and taking time off as an Individual Contributor. Taking a week or two as an IC is easy, you book vacation time with plenty of notice and it’s approved. The date rolls round and you say your goodbyes and off you go. You…

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