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🐞 Vibework, Engineering Culture, Delegation, Brittle Teams, Praise, Data-Driven Retros: TMW #423

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Thanks to Skiller Whale for sponsoring this issue of TMW - micro-workshops for developers on a wide range of technical and leadership topics.

Hello again, welcome to the week!

A huge, massive thank you to everyone who came along to CTO Craft Con: London last week, and to all the sponsors, speakers and the fantastic CTO Craft Events team, who are now back home and already hard at work on the next conference, which is our first in North America!

Here are all the upcoming Cons, along with your exclusive access code for discounted subscriber tickets - see you soon

That's it, let's get on with some links...

Andy @ CTO Craft

CTO Craft Mixers

CTO Craft Mixer: GdaƄsk
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CTO Craft Mixer: Manchester 2025
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CTO Craft Mixer: Paris
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Reads of the Week

Speaking things into existence
Expertise in a vibe-filled world of work
One Useful ThingEthan Mollick
Defining a Great Engineering Culture
How to Build a Great Engineering Culture: Article 2
Mark Grebler’s SubstackMark Grebler

From our Sponsors

Exclusive Skiller Whale Grants for TMW Subscribers

In partnership with Skiller Whale this exclusive initiative provides grants to help CTO Craft community members and TMW subscribers access Skiller Whale’s coaching. There is a total grant funding available of £100K, with individual grants ranging from £2,500 to £15,000. Grants will be awarded depending on the needs of organisations applying.

To discover how investing in learning can help you and your team visit the links below. (Terms apply).

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If you're interested in sponsoring TMW or any of our events, drop us a line at partners@ctocraft.com.

Leadership, Strategy & Business

Delegating Complex Tasks
I need halp.
Stay SaaSyStay SaaSy
Why Trust is 10x Harder to Rebuild Than to Create
Trust is leadership’s most precious asset — and its most brittle. For new and mid-level leaders, building trust feels like laying bricks

Management MattersG. Damon Wells
Introverted Engineering Managers Manage From The Background — Why That’s A Good Thing
Because you don’t need center stage!
Engineering Manager’s JournalAlex Ponomarev
Influence Without Authority
One of the most common topics that comes up in my mentoring sessions with engineers aspiring to become Senior or Staff+ Engineers is how to

MediumGustavo de Lima

Culture, People & Teams

Why Most Organizations Produce Brittle Teams Instead of Elastic Teams
On the Importance of Brittle vs Elastic Teams
Maarten’s NewsletterMaarten Dalmijn
Rethinking Agile 1/3: Teams, Trust and Leadership
Delivering software products without overthinking and overdoing just to satisfy egos and promises of the better world, without a plan.
MediumAndrew Winnicki
How To Praise
The potential of positive feedback and the framework to construct and deliver it, reinforcing the right behaviors to help individuals reach their full potential.
PĂ©ter SzĂĄszPĂ©ter SzĂĄsz
Research: When Boredom Drives Turnover on Your Team
Everyone experiences boredom at work. But new research found that one kind of boredom—existential boredom—led to higher turnover and greater employee disengagement than the kind of boredom caused by repetitive tasks or tedious meetings. In a study of UN peacekeepers, a researcher found that those employees who were able to acknowledge their boredom and pivot from lofty goals to smaller, more focused wins, were more likely to stay engaged and sign up for another tour while those who stayed rigidly focused on the end goal were more likely to quit. The researcher draws on their study to point out the signs of existential boredom and what managers can do to overcome it on their teams.
Harvard Business ReviewMadeleine Rauch

Technology, Operations & Delivery

Beyond the 70%: Maximizing the human 30% of AI-assisted coding
Why durable human skills matter in the age of AI-assisted coding
ElevateAddy Osmani
Why speaking to users is a good idea.
Most software features fail to add value. Speaking directly with users dramatically improves your odds.
JoTJeff
How to Reduce Planning, Deliver More, and Surprisingly, Reduce Pressure - Johanna Rothman
In my first post, Why We Have Too Much Pressure and Planning & Too Little Delivery, I discussed the issue of too much planning and how that reduced delivery. In this post, I’ll address how to increase delivery by planning less. (I have a draft post of the system view of how too much planning reduces [
]
Johanna RothmanJohanna
RDEL #83: How can engineering teams use data in retrospectives more effectively?
Subjective insights take priority due to data asymmetry, psychological safety concerns, and preference for simplicity.
Research-Driven Engineering LeadershipLizzie Matusov

Stress, Wellbeing & Growth

Why you’re so angry at work (and what to do about it)
A practical framework for transforming big feelings into wisdom
Lenny's NewsletterNatalie Rothfels
DANGER: has your job become your identity?
What Apple TV+’s Severance tells us about work
Make Work BetterBruce Daisley
The Key to Asking Great Questions
Hint: It’s not just about what you ask, but how you ask it.
The Caring Techie NewsletterIrina Stanescu
The Equation of Happiness: Balancing Results, Expectations, and Luck
Happiness is one of the most desired feelings in life. While it often feels personal and subjective, it can be understood through key

Management MattersKassapa Pathirana

That’s it!

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Have an amazing week!

Andy

Published by:

Andy Skipper