Hey, it’s Collin. Welcome to Engineering Echelons, a newsletter full of ideas and insights to help engineers excel at management.

Here’s what I’ve got for you this week.

• New and noteworthy news

• A management perspective to consider

• Leadership insights to delve into

• And more…

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Alright, let’s get into it.

Noteworthy Headlines

US loses 92,000 jobs in widespread and unexpected downturn (WSJ)

Highlights:

• Eonomists expected a gain of 50,000 jobs.

• Construction lost 11,000 jobs; architecture/engineering added 1,500 jobs.

Construction backlog indicator rebounds in February (ABC)

Highlights:

• Backlog increased sharply during February in the Middle States, notably the only region with higher backlog than one year ago.

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Management Perspective

The book Scaling People discusses how high performers tend to fall into two groups: pushers and pullers.

Pushers are highly ambitious but often critical. They set high standards for themselves and those they work with, and they’re quick to recognize when something is broken. They don’t mind too much about ruffling feathers, including yours. They don’t discriminate in which direction they push; they’ll do it up, down, and sideways.

Pullers take on much more work than they should. Project managers love pullers because they know pullers will almost always agree to work on something and deliver high-quality output. They have trouble saying no and suffer from overwork, usually in silence.

Here are the pros and cons of both pushers and pullers, and how to effectively lead each type.

Pushers

Pros:

• Get results from teammates and the organization

• Model good work and motivate others

• Usually identifies and attracts top talent to the company

• Have a sharp radar for what isn’t working

• Act like owners in the company and don’t wait to be told what to do

Cons:

• See colleague’s performance as black and white

• Write off people they have categorized as “bad” talent

• Instill a feeling of distrust in others who may feel as though their performance is always judged in relation to the pusher

• Want to be at the top (empire builders) rather than help others develop to their highest potential

How to manage/lead:

• Encourage and reward them for their high standards

• Work with them to identify top talent, then give that talent opportunities

• Work with them to identify areas in the organization that need attention and/or ask them to contribute to improving those areas

• Help them develop others. If you frame it as an area of development for them, they’ll be more likely to jump at the opportunity to improve

Pullers

Pros:

• Are a great resource to lead high-priority projects

• Can jump into urgent work that needs to be done well

• Model high-quality work

• Are a motivating role model for the rest of the organization

• Demonstrate energy and commitment

Cons:

• Burn out

• Take on low-priority and/or out-of-scope work that is not the best use of their time or skills

• Don’t delegate work that could help others develop

• Can demotivate others because they tend to get the best projects

How to manage/lead:

• Help them prioritize and set boundaries

• Coach them to seek out the most qualified people for a project rather than compulsively taking everything onto their own plate

• Help them find their own interests and passions rather than simply executing work that’s handed to them

• Coach them on how to turn down projects

• Encourage them to delegate work so they have more time to develop others

Management Insights

Josh Swords (AI engineering manager) on how to get the biggest personal and professional gains:

“The biggest gains come from combining disciplines. There are four that show up everywhere: technical skill, product thinking, project execution, and people skills. And the more senior you get, the more you’re expected to contribute to each.

Technical skill is your chosen craft. Product thinking is knowing what’s worth doing. Project execution is making sure it happens. People skills are how you work with and influence others.”

—

Ed Catmull (cofounder of Pixar) on management’s responsibility when it comes to risk:

“Management’s job is not to prevent risk but to build the ability to recover.”

—

William Zeckendorf (real estate developer) on knowing when to accept a deal:

“I hate to bargain. If, in my judgment, a property is worth the asking price, I see no reason to try for less. A lot of shrewd dealers think this is foolish, but I notice that others tend to lose more business and to poison relationships, by trying to refine an already good bargain beyond a reasonable point. There is a much better flavor left in everybody’s mouth when such haggling is avoided.”

Management Resource

Manage your priorities and energy (Irrational Exuberance)

Will Larson (software engineering executive) shares the evolution of his beliefs around time management and how you can improve the way you prioritize your time.

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Get in Touch

Did something strike a chord? Tell me about it.

Or…

• Let me know if you’ve found something worth sharing.

• Let me know what challenges you’re having as a manager.

• Let me know what challenges you see other managers having.

Send me an email at [email protected]

Looking forward to hearing from you. See you next time.

Collin

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