📏The Stick: Navigating the Delicate Balance of Leadership (3min read)

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🏁 The Race Against Time

In software engineering, the work can often seem opaque to those not directly involved. It's not like watching a sculptor chisel away at a block of marble, where progress is visible. Instead, the process is hidden behind screens and lines of code. This can lead to misconceptions about the team's pace and productivity. 🖥️

Crunch periods, especially prevalent in the video game industry, are times when teams are pushed to their limits to meet looming deadlines. These periods can lead to burnout and a toxic work culture. But what happens when there's no specific deadline, but a general sense that the team isn't delivering fast enough? 🕰️

🎯 The Spotlight Effect

Imagine the CEO pulls you aside and expresses concerns about your team's productivity. They don't seem to be working as hard or as long as others. They seem to be having too much fun. The spotlight is now on you and your team. As their leader, you're expected to wield the stick to improve productivity. But is that the right approach? 🤔

🧩 The Mismatch

Before you decide to crack the whip, consider the reasons behind the perceived lack of productivity. Is it a lack of visible output? A lack of hustle? Or a lack of purpose? Understanding the root cause can help you address the issue more effectively. 🕵️‍♂️

🚫 The Bad Stick

In an industry where demand for talent outstrips supply, using fear or intimidation to motivate your team is not only ineffective but can also lead to high turnover. Engineers are self-motivated and passionate about their work. Applying the stick too harshly can demotivate them and drive them away. 🚷

✅ The Good Stick

True leadership is about fostering purpose and passion in your team. When your engineers understand their role in the organization and how their work impacts the business, they will naturally perform better. This requires emotional intelligence, understanding of individual motivations, and the ability to inspire. 🎓

Here are some techniques to motivate your team:

Make the benefit clear: Engineers are often motivated by the impact of their work. Make sure they understand who will benefit from their work and how.

Create clear feedback loops: Use KPIs to measure progress and provide immediate feedback. This helps the team see the impact of their work and motivates them to do more.

Involve the team in decision-making: If a project is running late, involve the team in discussions about how to get back on track. This empowers them and makes them feel part of the solution.

To conclude, using the stick to push your team to work harder and faster without reason is not effective leadership. Instead, focus on fostering a clear sense of purpose and providing them with autonomy, mastery, and purpose. After all, you're smarter than a program that just sends an email telling your team to hurry up, right? 🌟