Leadership GardenAll posts
151 essays since 2017, newest first.
Prefer a year-by-year list? See the archive.
Chaos vs. Bureaucracy: Pick Your Poison
Most software engineering teams swing between chaos and bureaucracy. Here’s a framework to find the edge where scaling actually happens.
The Work Moved: What the AI Coding Debate Actually Agrees On
AI agents generate 98% more PRs but reviews take 91% longer. The work didn’t disappear — it moved. A synthesis of eight perspectives on where it actually went.
False Consensus: Why We Think We’re The Baseline
Why do we assume everyone agrees with us? A deep dive into the False Consensus Effect, the Availability Heuristic, and how to fix cognitive bias in tech leadership.
In defense of office gossiping
Stop fighting the rumor mill and start using it. Learn why talking behind your team’s back can be a good way to build trust and morale.
Developer Flow
Learn the science behind developer flow states and implement practical strategies to increase your engineering team’s focus, productivity, and satisfaction.
On (Workplace) Politics
Engineering isn’t a meritocracy - it’s political. Learn how to navigate organizational dynamics, build influence, and ensure your technical ideas get heard and implemented.
56 Laws of Software Engineering
An overview of the recurring laws and constraints that shape software engineering, from teams and estimation to architecture, testing, and performance.
Software Engineering Laws - Coding & Development
The software engineering laws that govern code quality, complexity, and the tradeoffs of day-to-day development.
Software Engineering Laws - Design & UX
The UX and design laws that explain how people actually use software and why intuitive products follow recognizable patterns.
Software Engineering Laws - Human Factors
The human-side laws of software work: motivation, cognition, communication, and the habits that shape team behavior.