When Your Team Is Right, and Leadership Is Wrong (And You're Stuck in the Middle)
Your team says the timeline is impossible. They're right. Leadership says it has to be done anyway. Your engineers want to fix technical debt. Leadership wants features. You need tools and training. Leadership says no budget. Welcome to middle management - where you're stuck between technical reality and business demands, and nobody's happy with you.
Should You Move to the Cloud? A Manager's Perspective After the AWS and Azure Outages
After recent AWS and Azure outages, every manager is hearing "see, the cloud isn't reliable!" But the cloud vs. on-prem debate misses the point entirely. Here's a framework for making infrastructure decisions based on your actual business needs, team capabilities, and risk tolerance - not headlines.
Both Sides of the Desk: Burnout (The Manager's Perspective)
The second post in the "Both Sides of the Desk" series examines burnout from the manager's viewpoint. From handling team members who are burned out to managing unrealistic executive expectations while fighting your own exhaustion and imposter syndrome - the reality of management burnout that nobody talks about.
AI for Network Managers: Leading Teams in the Age of Intelligent Automation
As AI tools become mainstream, network managers must navigate the opportunities and challenges of integrating artificial intelligence into their teams' workflows. This guide explores practical AI applications for network engineering teams, implementation strategies, and how to address concerns while maximizing benefits.
Managing Up as a Technical Manager: Getting What Your Team Needs
As a technical manager, your success depends not just on managing your team downward, but on effectively managing up to secure resources, remove obstacles, and shield your team from organizational politics. This guide covers practical strategies for advocating upward and getting what your team needs to succeed.
Building High-Performing Network Engineering Teams: Beyond Technical Skills
Creating a high-performing network engineering team requires more than hiring skilled technicians. This comprehensive guide covers hiring strategies, team dynamics, skill development, and the cultural elements that separate good network teams from exceptional ones
The Technical Manager's Dilemma: Staying Current While Leading People
The struggle is real for technical managers trying to maintain their technical edge while effectively leading people. This post explores why trying to be both the top technical expert and the manager usually leads to failure at both, and provides practical strategies for finding the right balance.