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What I appreciate about this is how it addresses the more managerial aspects, things I've been trying hard to wrap my head around so that I can better approach

What I appreciate about this is how it addresses the more managerial aspects, things I've been trying hard to wrap my head around so that I can better approach management with things like data based risk analysis based on existing risk analysis algorithms, and things like how to evaluate certain interal functions efficacy. I will very much be reading this thoroughly. Now what I really need is a book on how to break through the ceiling to start communicating with the C's/board better (or at all in some companies where managers and C's are blackholes of information...) This is one of my largest career failures I constantly think about... I see failures that are managerial first but have second tier effects of causing technical issues (technical debt being only one), but everyone in the chain fails to know how to voice this to higher ups, who then tend to assume it's all technical or team based and do things like start replacing managers with PHB's. Sometimes I wish I had gotten an MBA instead just so I could navigate the culuture/speak better. How can an engineer play at the c/board level if he has the desire and aptitude? Any reading recommendations would be appreciated. The older I get the more I regret not "playing politics". Is there a "The Prince - but for SV?"

DoingIsLearning 6y ago
> how to break through the ceiling to start communicating with the C's/board better Anecdata and perhaps unfair but from my own observations, once you get to C-level, who is doing the communicating is much more important than how the message is conveyed. There is definitely a 'club' mentality, usually the way you will get a voice is by building relations with C-levels that will 'adopt' you as their protégé/mentee. Once you have someone in the room who can say "we should listen to this person" then you will have a chance of actually getting info/influence upstream. But to be build those relations there is a fair degree of 'self-promoting' and being seen as the go-getter in the crowd. Silently doing your work and silently going above and beyond is usually just a recipe for disappointment. Another thing I don't often see discussed is that, as with a lot of other things, luck and timing matters a hell of a lot.
- beardedwizard 6y ago
  accurate. People struggle to navigate this realm without being disingenuous though. Stay true, but play the relationship game instead of the write code game.

DoingIsLearning 6y ago

> how to break through the ceiling to start communicating with the C's/board better Anecdata and perhaps unfair but from my own observations, once you get to C-level, who is doing the communicating is much more important than how the message is conveyed. There is definitely a 'club' mentality, usually the way you will get a voice is by building relations with C-levels that will 'adopt' you as their protégé/mentee. Once you have someone in the room who can say "we should listen to this person" then you will have a chance of actually getting info/influence upstream. But to be build those relations there is a fair degree of 'self-promoting' and being seen as the go-getter in the crowd. Silently doing your work and silently going above and beyond is usually just a recipe for disappointment. Another thing I don't often see discussed is that, as with a lot of other things, luck and timing matters a hell of a lot.

beardedwizard 6y ago
accurate. People struggle to navigate this realm without being disingenuous though. Stay true, but play the relationship game instead of the write code game.