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Newsletter archive
AI agents and the missing link in DevOps
AI agents aren’t just assistants anymore – they’re making decisions. Are engineers ready for the shift or are they just too skeptical?
Carving out time for large-scale engineering chores
Determine what to prioritize, set out a path, and be prepared for some hiccups along the way.
Encouraging a passion for productivity
In this edition of DirectorPlus, Neha Batra, VP of Engineering at GitHub, explains how she creates a culture of productivity.
Framing AI rollouts in the right light
How can you introduce AI into teams in a way that doesn’t invite unrest within your org? It starts with presenting it in the right light.
Latest
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Why AI economics are fundamentally broken
Making money from software is not the same equation in the AI era.
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If 95% of generative AI pilots fail, what’s going wrong?
Learning the right lessons from that MIT study
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New study suggests major productivity boost when using Cursor’s coding agent
Is this the massive productivity benefit we’ve been waiting for?
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How to go back to being a technical engineering manager
A guide for getting back to hands-on management.
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Shadow AI is leaving software teams dangerously exposed
Two thirds of organizations report exploits involving vulnerable LLM code.
Deadline: January 4, 2026
Call for Proposals for London 2026 is open!
Essential reading
What is a Director of Engineering? The glue keeping engineering together
A director of engineering is responsible for keeping an entire engineering function humming. Find out what skills you need to climb the ladder to this vital position.
On our DirectorPlus playlist
Strategies to hone commercial awareness and drive business outcomes
Learn effective strategies for enhancing commercial awareness in tech teams, turning engineering into a business driver through alignment, impactful initiatives, and stakeholder engagement.
The path from Director to CTO: How to follow it, or how to mentor it
This talk is aimed at both aspiring Chief Technology Officers and those who are in a position to mentor future CTOs. Explore the journey from a Director of Engineering role to a CTO, focusing on the skills and experiences needed for this transition and how experienced leaders can guide others on this path.
Making the manager of manager’s mindset
Suzan Bond covers the difference between the two roles and the key mindset shifts leaders need to make to manage managers.
The festival for modern engineering leadership
London • June 2 & 3, 2026
More for managers of managers
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5 AI agent frameworks for developer teams
If you’re thinking of dipping your toes into the agentic pool, here are some frameworks you could explore.
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Your go-to professional growth model
When you’re an engineering leader, finding the time to upskill is almost impossible. Following the S-curve model might keep you on track.
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The right way to make AI part of your tech strategy
With everyone scrambling to bake AI into their technical strategy, leaders may be resorting to unreliable and unscalable methods.
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The unions are (finally) coming for big tech
After decades of taking a back seat, the rise of AI, layoffs, and industry-wide burnout has led to a call for more prominent tech unions.
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Is AI code sabotaging its own ROI case?
Charity Majors, CTO at Honeycomb, argues that the biggest value from AI is from rethinking how teams operate.
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How the right workflow can catapult productivity
Do you find that your team constantly misses deadlines and feels miserable in the process? It might be a workflow problem.
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Tech CEOs reckon with the impact of AI on junior developers
CEOs are concerned that the rise of AI tools like Copilot and GPT is causing junior developers to lose touch with core coding skills.
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AI-first hiring is everywhere and it’s not slowing down
Engineers might start being penalized for not using AI in technical interviews.
Videos for managers of managers
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Frictionless movement: How internal mobility transforms engineering culture
Creating an environment that not only makes it easy for people to move teams and roles but encourages that openness.
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Levelling up: Transitioning successfully into a manager of managers role
The talk I wish I’d found when I became a manager of managers. Tips and insights to prepare you for the road ahead.
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Rebuilding at scale: A CTO’s Journey in a high-growth fintech
How a high-growth fintech dealt with a major platform rewrite with 10 years of technical and commercial debt. And, more importantly, my own personal growth journey from tech leader to exec-level CTO.
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Don’t drop the baton, or how a team that communicates well collaborates well
Effective team communication shapes company culture at all levels. In this talk, we’ll explore habits, principles, and frameworks to foster healthy communication patterns.
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In partnership with SoftwireThe five stages of workplace culture
Discover the five key stages that built Softwire’s award-winning culture and motivated top engineering talent.
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From code to commerce: Engineering’s role in driving business growth
Learn how engineering leadership drives business success by linking technical excellence to measurable outcomes, fostering commercial awareness, and optimizing performance at scale.
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Building the AI enablement playbook
Learn how to lead AI adoption by reshaping systems, culture, and operations, not just rolling out tools.
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Don’t get toasted: A leader’s guide to mental well-being
Real tools for managers’ mental well-being – from stress management to parenting wisdom – because leading teams shouldn’t mean burning out.
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In partnership with DXBetter software faster
How the Core 4 framework helps teams measure and communicate productivity gains while balancing delivery pressure.
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Rethinking collaboration: LLMs, teams, and cognitive load
Discover how LLMs can reduce cognitive load, boost team collaboration, and reshape engineering workflows without compromising quality or delivery.
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How to delete everything: The clean-slate approach to technical strategy
Learn how clean-slate thinking can break technical deadlocks, improve system resilience, and inspire actionable strategies for complex engineering challenges.
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Rethinking growing engineers in the age of AI
Explore how to grow future senior engineers in an AI-driven world that sidelines traditional junior roles.