Overview

First, a little bit more about me and my methods…

I have been in the technology industry since 1998.  I currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and work for a large internet company in the Silicon Valley.  By 2002 I considered myself at the top of my technical game.  I was out of challenges from a technical perspective.  By that time I already had some experience leading a team, but strictly from a technical perspective.  The idea of leading, mentoring and shaping people was of great interest to me.  However the thought of "management" and all of the standard practices that go along with it in a large corporate environment kind of turned me off.  The office politics, dealing with HR, managing goals and reviews maintaining retaining talent all seamed impossible to do while still driving a team in the direction that is up to your own expectations as well as your companies expectations.

For years, I sat back and watched (and continue to do so today) as terrible employees made their way up the corporate ladder while the technically gifted and truly inspiring employees maintain the same roles and responsibilities day in and day out.  I have watched good ideas fall by the wayside, great employees come and go, companies change upper management in attempts to change bad situations…and FAIL miserably as they seemingly draw straws.  I have also fallen victim to low morale and continue to do so at random intervals.  "I can't take any more of this…I'm out of here", I tell myself.  I find myself reacting to this behavior the same way every time.  We can always pack up and find a new job, but chances are you will walk into a new company with the same challenges and begin your cycle anew.

Here are some of the questions and topics I deal with continuously.

- Who are your key talented employees and what do you need to do to retain them? 
- How do you build trust  between your team and yourself? 
- How do you build trust between yourself and the leadership chain above you? 
- How do you communicate effectively at every level of an organization?
- Dealing with cultural differences in an global organization.
- The importance of mentors in your personal and professional life.
- Managing expectations…yours and theirs.
- When to be the one to make a technical decision and stick with it in the face of opposition.
- Handling discipline and praise.
- Selling yourself and your team.
- Having difficult conversations.
- Dealing with your bosses management style.
- Do you know your business?  Financials, vision, competitors, challenges, etc?
- Building the group/team dynamic.
- Influencing decisions.
- Dealing with gossip in the workplace.
- Tools, science and other resources you have at your disposal.

I plan on addressing most of these at some point and will do my best to stay on topic.  I will also try to give practical examples of situations so that one might be able to leverage some techniques I have been successful with and stay away from the tactics that have not been so successful.