Leading an engineering team requires focusing on experimentation rather than rigid processes. Managers who overemphasize processes create a 'process monster' that burdens teams with excessive bureaucracy, ultimately leading to failure. For instance, teams may collapse under the weight of added processes, which the manager misinterprets as resistance to change. Key Points: - A 'process monster' manager prioritizes processes over team needs. - Excessive processes can overwhelm and hinder team performance. - Misinterpretation of team struggles as resistance to process leads to managerial failure. - Emphasizing experimentation fosters a more adaptive and effective team environment.
This article is crucial for Engineering Leaders as it addresses the common challenge of over-reliance on processes that can stifle innovation and team effectiveness. An actionable takeaway is to embrace experimentation over rigid processes, allowing teams to adapt and thrive in a dynamic environment.
Many teams have the same fear when it comes to a new manager: they fear the process monster.
Process monster (n): a manager for whom the answer is always, always ‘process’. The process monster will add more and more processes to the team until the team collapses under the weight of them. Eventually, the monster will move to another role, and the failure of the team will be explained as ‘resistance to process’.