Commence, Connect, Coach & Cultivate: A How-To Guide for Senior Tech Leaders

A how-to guide for senior tech leaders. Filled with practical advice, meaningful insights and incredibly relatable situations.

If you've ever wanted to be more intentional and strategic as a technology leader, this is the book for you!

Being an engineering manager is a completely different career experience for software engineers and being a manager of engineering managers is once again a brand new game.

After almost two decades in my career, where I spent the last decade as a senior tech leader, I've made many mistakes and learned from them. I wrote this book so you don't have to make the same mistakes.

What's in the book?

Part I: How to: Commence 

Whether you have decided to level up in your engineering management career or whether you are looking for a different environment where you can add value as a senior tech leader, Part I is for you. From how to create an effective resume that leads to productive interviews to how to stop your own self-sabotage that is limiting you from getting to your desired goal, you will find them in the five chapters in this section.

What are you waiting for? Let's get started!

1. How to Create an Effective Resume for a Senior Tech Leader role 
2. How to Demonstrate your Experience and Seniority at Interviews 
3. How to Decide What Kind of Company to Work for 
4. How to Reframe your Thinking and Overcome Imposter Syndrome 
5. How to Become a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) 

Part II: How to: Connect 

I really like the word "Connect". Such a versatile word. There are multiple types of connecting that a senior tech leader is required to perform in their role. Connecting the dots, Connecting the strategy to execution, Connecting with people, Connecting with the reality on the ground and last but not least, Connecting with their authentic self. 

Are you ready to connect? Let's do it!

1. How to Plan for Your First 90 Days at a New Senior Tech Leader Role 
2. How to Cut Through Noise and Focus on The Big Picture 
3. How to Stay Across Projects Without Being in the Weeds 
4. How to Adopt Agile in your Organization 
5. How to Communicate with Authenticity 
6. How to Reset your Brain and Boost your Productivity 

Part III: How to: Coach 

Quite often, the words coaching and mentoring are used interchangeably. Here, what I mean by coaching as senior tech leader is providing specific guidance to their direct reports to achieve high performance and in doing so, accelerate their career growth. I truly believe a leader can only do this effectively if they understand the needs and motivation of the individuals that they are coaching.

How might you coach effectively? Let me show you the ways.

1. How to Understand Different Types of Engineering Managers 
2. How to Elevate your Engineering Managers for Success 
3. How to Guide Career Goals Setting For Engineering Managers 
4. How to Help with Conquering Burnout and Eliminating Overwhelm 
5. How to Answer Commonly Asked Questions from Engineering Managers 

Part IV: How to: Cultivate 

Being intentional about creating an environment that enables everyone in your technology department or organization is the key to being an effective senior tech leader. "Move fast and break things" doesn't work when stakes are high such as company's brand, business performance, employee engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Where do you begin? Let's begin with an end in mind. 

1. How to Create a Learning Culture in a Technology Organization 
2. How To Develop an Innovation Strategy for a Technology Organization
3. How to Scale A Technology Organization 
4. How to Take a Metrics-driven Approach for a Technology Organization 
5. How to Support Women in Tech by Creating an Inclusive Workplace 
6. How to Address Common Challenges Faced By Women In Tech 

Part V: Bonus 

I am so grateful to Jean Hsu, VP of Engineering, Range and Joel Beasley of Modern CTO Podcast for sharing their wisdom of being a senior tech leader. I've also included recommended books for senior tech leaders to read because deliberate and continuous learning is important to stay relevant and effective in the technology industry. 

When is the best time to learn? The answer is now!

1. Wise words from Jean Hsu, VP of Engineering, Range 
2. Wise words from Joel Beasley, Modern CTO 
3. Useful resources 

Table of Content

Part I: How to: Commence

1. How to Create an Effective Resume for a Senior Tech Leader role
2. How to Demonstrate your Experience and Seniority at Interviews
3. How to Decide What Kind of Company to Work for
4. How to Reframe your Thinking and Overcome Imposter Syndrome
5. How to Become a Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Part II: How to: Connect

1. How to Plan for Your First 90 Days at a New Senior Tech Leader Role
2. How to Cut Through Noise and Focus on The Big Picture
3. How to Stay Across Projects Without Being in the Weeds
4. How to Adopt Agile in your Organization
5. How to Communicate with Authenticity
6. How to Reset your Brain and Boost your Productivity

Part III: How to: Coach

1. How to Understand Different Types of Engineering Managers
2. How to Elevate your Engineering Managers for Success
3. How to Guide Career Goals Setting For Engineering Managers
4. How to Help with Conquering Burnout and Eliminating Overwhelm
5. How to Answer Commonly Asked Questions from Engineering Managers

Part IV: How to: Cultivate

1. How to Create a Learning Culture in a Technology Organization
2. How To Develop an Innovation Strategy for a Technology Organization
3. How to Scale A Technology Organization
4. How to Take a Metric-driven Approach for a Technology Organization
5. How to Support Women in Tech by Creating an Inclusive Workplace
6. How to Address Common Challenges Faced By Women In Tech

Part V: Bonus

1. Wise words from Jean Hsu, VP of Engineering, Range
2. Wise words from Joel Beasley, Modern CTO Podcast
3. Useful resources

Part VI: What’s Next

1. Conclusion
2. Connect with me

About the author

Hello! My name is Isabel Nyo. I am a Senior Engineering Leader, Technologist, Author and Speaker. I’ve got almost 20 years of experience in the tech industry, with startups to Fortune 500 tech companies. I help professionals in the tech industry accelerate their career growth via mindset & strategies.

I am the author of The Engineering Manager’s How-to Guide, Nail That Interview, The Accidental Remote Manager and Career Guide for Software Developers.

You can find me on Twitter and LinkedIn.