If They Don’t Jump, Push - Squadron Weekly Email

Originally posted 12th December 2022

A 100% retention rate on your tech team isn’t cause for celebration–it’s a danger signal.

I did technical health checks for two very different companies recently. Their sizes, markets, and technologies couldn’t have been more disparate, but both were very proud that no one had quit in a long time. So I heard nothing but stunned silence when I told them that when no one leaves your tech team, it means they’re becoming moribund. Digging deeper, I confirmed my suspicions: the teams were inexperienced, the processes overly manual, the cycle times too slow. All the engineers were enthusiastic and willing to learn, but they hadn’t been sufficiently challenged with new thinking–and recycled ideas are about as nutritious as compost. There should be enough productive conflict, failed experiments, and churn of ideas to stretch your developers to the point of discomfort, and if there isn’t, it’s your job to turn up the heat in a constructive way.

This first appeared in my weekly Squirrel Squadron email, which goes out every Monday, and was originally posted on 12th December 2022. To get my provocative thoughts and tips direct to your inbox first, sign up here: https://squirrelsquadron.com/