How to Build a Strong Engineering Team.
An engineering team that excels at tackling intricate technical issues and producing exceptional products or services is considered strong and successful.
5 key metrics to build a rock solid & ultra productive engineering team.
- Hire the right people.
- Reward, Inspire & Motivate
- Trust
- Ensure Growth
- Be a Leader! Not a manager.
Let’s dive into each point.
Hire the right people
Hiring the right people is a crucial step in building a strong engineering team, as I mentioned in my recent post.
You will get a lot of people who can do that job. You need to look for candidates who not only have the technical skills and experience required for the job but also fit the team’s culture and values. It can be helpful to define the characteristics and qualities that you are looking for in a team member and use this as a guide during the hiring process. There is a checklist to go through. The candidate is a
- Good Team player?
- Good domain/technical knowledge?
- Able to interact with cross-teams properly?
- Humble person?
- Eager to learn anything?
- Geeky Factor (This is something I cannot explain but I can sense them easily. To keep it simple these people always stand out of the box.)
All these are very important points to consider. If all these got checked?
yay! You’ve got a rockstar.
But it’s not easy to find, It takes a hell lot of time to find the right people. Keep searching rigorously, Post some interesting hiring posts, Collab with top hiring agencies, and do some events, etc. Nothing is easy, Good stuff always takes time but you need to keep the bar UP.
I still remember the time I hired only 1 guy from 200-odd applications.
I have a 90% strike rate in hiring the best. But for that, I have done everything I can and still keeping the game on.
Trust me “It’s *ucking hard”
Reward, Inspire & motivate
So you’ve hired rockstars! That’s awesome but now it’s your turn to keep them inspired & motivated always.
- Put them into the best projects
- Encourage them to have fun and enjoy their work
- Involve them in multiple things so that they will always be intrigued.
- Foster a geeky and inspiring work environment that encourages creativity and innovation
- Reward/Appreciate them for their accomplishments.
I know you cannot keep them engaged with work always, But you can make sure the environment is always geeky enough which inspires them to work something on their own during their leisure time.
Do regular 1:1s, Of course, if the team is big you cannot do it every month but at least keep it flexible and make yourself available to them for any help/concern.
Do some geeky events, take them to parties, engage with them personally, tell them the future plans, etc. So that the bond will be much stronger and they will be more open with you and be motivated enough.
Trust
One more important point to keep in mind. You’ve hired rockstars so you can trust them!
It is important to trust the team members you have hired and give them the freedom to think creatively and come up with their own ideas. Allowing team members to experiment and take risks, even if it means the possibility of failure, can lead to valuable learning experiences and ultimately, success.
Trust me! By providing independence and encouraging experimentation, you can expect to see outstanding results from your team.
It is also important to listen to your team members and provide feedback. This helps team members feel valued and supported and can improve communication and collaboration within the team
I’ve personally seen a SDE 1 taking full control over a product in such a short span without my involvement at all. Which is one of the happiest moments for me as a manager.
Ensure Growth
Their job is to work with you on a product/project and make sure to deliver it successfully. But it’s your job to see the big picture and drive them accordingly.
As a leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that your team members have opportunities for growth and development. This includes providing guidance and support to help team members learn new technical skills, as well as encouraging them to upskill in other areas that may be relevant to their work.
By providing support and encouragement for growth, you can help team members stay engaged and motivated, and ensure that they are able to continue making valuable contributions to the team.
Regular 1:1s with team members can help you stay up to date on their progress and identify any areas where they may need additional support or guidance. It is important to remember that rockstar team members often need opportunities for growth in order to remain engaged and motivated
Be a Leader! Not a manager.
I used to lead a club in the Leadership foundation during my college days and later served as a Director for a few years. I’m a by-product and I’m always proud of it. This experience has taught me a lot about what it takes to be an effective leader
Since then I’ve led many folks through my career and most of them are still in touch with me which keeps me motivated enough to do more and create more leaders.
To lead a team of rockstars you need to be an Alpha Rockstar.
As a leader, it is important to always be there for your team and to support them in both success and failure.
This means standing behind them during times of success and celebrating their achievements, but also standing in front of them during times of failure and taking responsibility for any mistakes.
By standing with your team and showing your support and commitment, you can foster a strong sense of trust and loyalty within the team
Always remember that you are not just leading a team for a company, but rather guiding and developing a group of talented youngsters who are having the potential to become outstanding leaders in the future, and it is your responsibility to help them develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
