What’s your proudest moment as an engineering leader, Joy?
Well, it may not be #1, but it’s definitely top 3.
I had a Team Member who was a really great software engineer. Time and again, they came up with innovative solutions to problems. When they solved a problem, they’d do a write-up to share. They’d deliver their work while always making themselves available to their team as well as people on other teams.
Almost every week, someone on the team would mention their assistance during our 1:1. Their teammates respected and appreciated them.
During our Innovation Week (a time for engineers to work on what they want to), the Team Member worked on a problem that wasn’t sparkly, aka, highly visible. In fact, it was considered a nice-to-have that may or may not make a sprint in the coming quarter. However, their presentation at the end of the week was awesome. Everyone (engineers, product, design, devops, leadership) who attended the presentations was 🤯🔥🤩🎉‼️
I, on the other hand, felt sadness both emotionally and physically.
See, during my Team Member’s presentation, they were self-effacing and very critical of their work.
At our next 1:1, I shared my experience during their presentation. I asked them about their experience. My Team Member expressed how surprised they were by all of the compliments after their presentation and for days afterward.
It was in that moment that I realized my Team Member couldn’t see their contributions clearly.
Helping people remember their brilliance is a mission of mine. So, I found a way.
I had a project with an offshore team that I thought my Team Member would be the perfect person to lead it. Typically, the team lead leads. Since I wanted my Team Member to take point, I talked to the team lead about the shift. The team lead was in favor of the switch because they also saw how skilled and capable the Team Member was.
The first week of the project started a little slow. However, by week 2, my Team Member was fielding questions on Slack, facilitating Scrum meetings, collaborating with the offshore teams’ engineers and product people, and distributing work. At the end of the first two-week sprint, the project not only had a robust and creative design but was also ahead of schedule.
At the end of the project, the offshore team sent me messages expressing how wonderful it was to work with my Team Member.
My favorite part is that after the project, my Team Member had a new level of self-confidence.
Definitely, a top 3 moment. However, recounting this story may change its placement.
Exceptional Leadership Practice
️⭐️ Support your team in growing and shining.
It’s great for them, and trust me, it will be even better for you.
♻️ Repost with your community.
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💎 Leadership is an inside-out game.
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