Engineering Manager

The Challenge

An engineering manager with a team of 12, struggling to stay on top of everything.

• Twelve direct reports meant a constant stream of 1:1s, each requiring context on different projects, blockers, and team dynamics
• Drowning in context: pull requests, Slack threads, standups, sprint boards, and incident reports across multiple workstreams
• No time for the strategic work that actually mattered. Architectural decisions, team growth, and cross-functional planning kept getting pushed
• 1:1s felt reactive instead of valuable, often scrambling to remember what each person was working on

What We Set Up

We consulted on and set up a personal workflow that brought clarity to every interaction.

• Pre-built 1:1 briefs: before every meeting, a clear summary of what each report has been working on, recent contributions, open blockers, and relevant team context
• Actionable feedback ready to go. Specific, evidence-based talking points so every 1:1 is productive and meaningful
• Team pulse at a glance. A daily digest of what's happening across all 12 reports without needing to read every Slack thread or PR
• Time reclaimed for strategy. With the operational overhead reduced, the manager could focus on broader investments, architecture decisions, and setting the team up for long-term success

The Results

Better 1:1s, better strategy, and a team that felt more supported.