{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/655148df2861630012a1d01b/663c762a72f65400130f558e?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Jeff Escalante: How to Build and Run Effective Engineering Teams","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/655148df2861630012a1d01b/1715238222177-66514c2669fa6f4ad55be9d0d65d2382.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>Links</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Codecrafters (Sponsor): https://tej.as/codecrafters</li><li>Stately: https://stately.ai</li><li>Clerk: https://clerk.com</li><li>Jeff on 𝕏: https://x.com/jescalan</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Summary</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, Jeff Escalante (Director of Engineering at Clerk.com) discusses his shift from web development to management, emphasizing replacing oneself as an IC, expanding vision, and acting at the promotion level. He covers leveling employees, handling interview ambiguity, prioritizing customer needs, using Clerk’s feedback system, and choosing tools like ProductLane. The talk also highlights evaluating tech skills, being authentic at work, and balancing honesty with team safety.</p><p><br></p><p>Takeaways</p><p><br></p><p>1. Promotions and Management: Manage current duties before moving to management; promotions should reflect demonstrated behavior and vision, with clear guidelines and support from companies.</p><p><br></p><p>2. Handling Ambiguity and Feedback: Address ambiguity in interviews with thoughtful analysis and solutions; prioritize customer feedback and tech debt using centralized systems.</p><p><br></p><p>3. Choosing Software and Partnerships: Select software based on integration and vendor responsiveness; collaborate with smaller companies for mutual benefits.</p><p><br></p><p>4. Tech Skills and Authenticity: Evaluate tech skills and adaptability in interviews; be authentic while adapting to work contexts.</p><p><br></p><p>5. Relationships and Communication: Balance honesty and trust in relationships; respect communication preferences to build genuine connections. Jeff's handbook offers valuable insights for engineering teams.</p><p><br></p><p>Chapters</p><p><br></p><p>00:00 Jeff Escalante</p><p>04:40 Introduction and Background</p><p>07:52 Starting Out in Web Development</p><p>13:39 Transitioning to Management at HashiCorp</p><p>17:42 Working on Websites and Next.js</p><p>29:49 Promotions and Expanding Field of Vision</p><p>36:43 Navigating Promotions and Expectations</p><p>41:16 Dealing with Frustration and Finding New Opportunities</p><p>41:50 The Importance of Properly Leveling Employees</p><p>43:21 Strategies for Leveling Employees</p><p>47:09 Handling Ambiguity in Interviews</p><p>50:48 The Value of Conversation in Defining Projects</p><p>53:21 Determining Comfort Levels in Ambiguity</p><p>53:54 The Vision-Scope Leveling Question</p><p>58:23 Prioritizing Customer Needs and Tech Debt</p><p>01:01:02 Navigating the Chaos of Undefined Spaces</p><p>01:05:55 Listening to Customer Feedback at Clerk</p><p>01:12:07 Importance of Centralized Feedback System</p><p>01:12:56 Challenges in Mapping Feedback to Projects</p><p>01:15:47 Choosing Product Lane over Other Tools</p><p>01:20:17 Value of Partnerships and Investing in Software</p><p>01:23:51 The Third Pillar: Evaluating Tech Skills and Handling Ambiguity</p><p>01:29:55 Honoring Context and Being Your Full Self</p><p>01:31:43 Navigating Personal and Professional Relationships</p><p>01:39:02 Balancing Honesty and Building Genuine Relationships</p><p>01:40:05 Closing Remarks and Handbook Release</p>","author_name":"Tejas Kumar"}