Abstract

In addition to managing backlogs and burndown charts, technology leaders have to follow an ever-changing software landscape, manage team dynamics, and navigate office politics. It’s no surprise that this leads to burnout. This talk will provide tools to help get stress into managed state.

Description

Engineering managers are, almost by definition, highly capable and strongly driven individuals. These traits are indispensable to success in leading software engineering teams, but they are also the very traits that make engineering managers susceptible to burn out. People who can get things done often find themselves overwhelmed by their to-do lists.

This talk will combine the understanding from the trenches of Anjuan Simmons (who has been an engineering manager for more than 20 years) with the academic understanding of his wife, Dr. Aneika Simmons. Together, they will provide a framework for reducing burnout and consistently keeping stress levels in a managed state.

Outline

* Burned out Abroad
* Defining Burnout
* Burning Down Barriers (Find a Network)
* Burning Down Distractions (Focus)
* Burning Down Health Inhibitors (Health is Wealth)
* Staying Under the Ideal Line (Consistency > Perfection)