Latest
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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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Why introverts get overlooked (and what to do about it)
Introverts have natural abilities that can make them the strongest leaders, but getting the visibility on these skills is the key.
Editor’s picks
What is a staff engineer? Technical leaders who aren’t managers
Staff engineers are technical leaders who have deep domain knowledge, walking the line between tech and the business.
Deadline: January 4, 2026
Call for Proposals for London 2026 is open!
Essential reading
On our StaffPlus playlist
How to master the four Staff archetypes and elevate your impact
While the specifics of the job can vary widely, Will Larson has famously categorized the Staff+ experience into four archetypes: Tech Lead, Architect, Solver, and the Right Hand.
Understanding the role as a Staff engineer
How to define, develop and deliver in your role on the technical track.
How to balance technical direction and leadership work
But as is often the case in business, priorities constantly shift and where you focus your efforts will too. So how do you strike the right balance between working on the technical direction of the business and those tasks that require you to put your leadership hat on?
Start with an exit in mind: How to be effective by being selfish as a staff engineer
Staff engineers often get overwhelmed by long-term ownership of critical projects. This talk explores how to avoid burnout by starting every project with an exit strategy—whether transferring ownership, pausing or bootstrapping a team.
The festival for modern engineering leadership
London • June 2 & 3, 2026
More for Staff engineers
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Become a better force multiplier in 4 steps
Becoming a force multiplier might sound daunting, but focusing on sharing knowledge, delegation, and communication is the key to success.
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Clear technical vision is the key for aligned growth
Technical visions are the guardrails that keep decision-making aligned across orgs.
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What to do when internal politics stalls a project
If all teams on a project feel like they’re pulling in different directions, it’s time to build a coalition.
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Interview tactics to find your footing in a chaotic job market
Navigating the current job market can feel daunting, but certain principles and internal guides can improve the process for you.
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How to stay adaptable as a staff+ engineer
During a period of marked change, how can staff engineers maintain flexibility?
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The unseen fixes that boost engineering performance
At the intersection of toil and operational risk lies “perilwork.”
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What US engineering managers can expect to earn in 2026
Are there signs of life in the hiring market?
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Crafting the perfect LeadDev talk submission
Crafting the best version of your talk proposal for the LeadDev stage with the help of ChatGPT.
Videos for Staff engineers
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Getting excited about maintaining legacy systems
Learn how maintaining legacy systems builds real-world skills in debugging, system thinking, and mentoring others effectively.
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Documentation and AI: How to write right now
Think AI can handle your documentation? Sometimes. This talk breaks down where it helps, where it doesn’t, and what still needs the human touch.
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A safe place to land: Practical (and hyper-scale tested) advice for technical decision-making while evolving systems in place
Practical strategies for evolving systems at hyperscale while balancing innovation, stability, and reliability – featuring real-world insights from Fastly.
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Accessibility needs better marketing
Web accessibility is seen as a chore, something to suffer through. This view ignores the needs of people with disabilities and diminishes their worth as humans and worthy customers. How do we change the process?
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Fast, informed, impactful: How to master decision-making
Master the art of efficient decision-making and turn slow, ineffective engineering decisions into a powerful competitive advantage.
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Were our values a lie? Leading teams through diversity’s collapse
As industry shifts impact diversity, leaders must stay true to their values. This talk provides strategies to uphold your principles, build resilience, and foster inclusivity and trust, even when the company no longer prioritizes them.
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So you want to hire engineering force multipliers?
10x engineers, platform engineering, infrastructure, DevEx… What do they have in common?
They’re hard to hire, easily burned out, difficult to grow, and likely to fail. Let’s talk about how to do it right.
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In partnership with PostmanHuman-first leadership, AI-powered
Discover how AI can free engineering leaders to focus on people, not process – driving innovation without losing the human core.
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Beyond “try harder”: Effective strategies to tackle bugs
“Just try harder” isn’t a strategy. Learn three proven approaches – monitoring bugs, managing legacy systems, and optimizing feedback loops – that empower teams to deliver better software.
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Debugging the most critical relationship in your work life: How to work better with an imperfect boss
Many bosses, despite their best efforts, struggle with communication, delegation, and career support for their teams. This talk explores how to navigate the complexities of working with your boss, balancing honesty with career impact, and building a more effective partnership.
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Metrics, KPIs & Developer Experience: Rethinking measurement for high-performing teams
This talk challenges traditional engineering metrics, exploring how to balance KPIs with developer experience using frameworks like SPACE, ensuring teams achieve great results without burnout.
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Balancing direction and empowerment
In this talk, Lara Hogan shares how to balance being empowering and being directive as a leader, as well as when you should switch up your approach.