The Critical Channel

The Problem: A dropout, a CS graduate, and an MBA walk into a bar...

While this sounds like a setup for a supremely cringe joke, it gives us three different perspectives on a big question: are Computer Science degrees important for success in the tech industry? What about degrees in general? Can not having one - or having the wrong flavour of degree - limit your opportunities?

The Problem: There are no silver bullets, but there is a cheat code.

Today, let's talk about career progression, from the perspective of three engineering managers. What it means to advance when there are different tracks to explore, what it takes to get that next level, and what managers (i.e we) look for when recommending you for a promotion.

Links:

• On the Proper Care and Feeding of Monkeys

The Problem: The pain of receiving a letter (in German).

We often feel stressed, or hear others saying they feel stressed. But what is stress, really? And how could it ever possibly be a good thing?

This episode we give some tips on dealing with stress, look at what factors may cause it, and talk about how to recognise it in your direct reports and help them deal with it too.

Links:

• 43 Folders Series: Inbox Zero | 43 Folders

The Problem: Forever wading through the thick, viscous soup of power differentials.

Every company claims to want a strong feedback culture. But what does that even mean? What's so desirable about it, and what are you missing that's preventing you from getting there?

Links:

• Radical Candor

The Problem: What is this product thing, anyway?

Some battles are old as time itself. Godzilla vs. Kong. Man vs. Food. Tabs vs. Spaces.

And Product vs. Tech, it seems as well. But why do we so often find a rift there? Surely we're working towards the same goals. Surely we must be able to collaborate and get along.

This ep, we explore some of the reasons tension can occur between these two disciplines - and why, actually, that's okay!

Links:

• Inspired: How to create tech products customers love, by Marty Cagan

The Problem: Your security is our highest priority. Well, one of them. After our next funding round, the next seven sprints' worth of features, the company summer party, and restocking the vending machine.

You refresh the app for the hundredth time, but your bank balance still reads 0€. It has to be a bug, you think, reaching for your apartment keys, which... are no longer in your pocket. In fact, looking closer, the lock on the apartment appears to have changed since this morning. Odd.

A horn startles you, and you turn to see a car that looks suspiciously like your own passing by. MacBooks emblazoned with your company's logo are piled high in the back seat, almost obscuring the view. You catch a glimpse of the driver, and gasp in recognition. And... is that your wife in the passenger seat? Oh dear.

He'd seemed such a nice young man, too. Stepping into the elevator with a large bag and a disarming grin - how could you ever be suspicious of a smile like that? Sure, the false nose and poorly matching facial hair were a bit strange, but you do get all sorts in startups these days; it's best not to discriminate.

If only you'd hashed your passwords.

Links:

• Okta Hack - BBC News

The Problem: Warnar's Hacky One-Liners. They're always the problem.

Technical Debt. Every company has it, some more than others. But why is that - are some companies better at tackling it, do they not create it at first, or a combination of the two? Is it simply inexperience, or was it taken out with intention but then never paid back?

This episode, we talk about strategies for making tech debt manageable, the dangers of leaving it unchecked, and how to have that conversation with product owners and stakeholders.

💙🇺🇦💛

Links:

• Distroless: Language focused docker images, minus the operating system

The Problem: The last 72% of your book may as well be blank pages.

We're coming into 2022 swinging for the fences! This episode we talk about the paradox of authority. Does your job title of Big Fancy Bossman actually enable you to get your way? What are the trade-offs of a directive management style? When should you shut up and let things be, even if you can see someone is about to make a massive mistake?

Plus, a heck of a lot of book recommendations this episode - when the covers are pretty, the titles make you sound smart, and your Kindle has some storage space left, what do you have to lose?

Links:

• The First 90 Days - Michael Watkins

The problem: We broke Warnar.

/kəmˈplɛksət̮i/ noun

the state of being formed of many parts; the state of being difficult to understand

It seems to be commonly-held in some circles that tools like Kubernetes bring with them a lot of complexity. "We'll never need those - we're not Google-scale!"

Well, how true is that? What complexity do orchestration tools bring to the table, and where are the trade-offs? Is there actually complexity there, or just the perception of complexity? Can you achieve the same stuff with a couple of VMs and a load balancer?

And most importantly: after this episode, will Warnar ever be the same man again?

Links:

• Hacker News comment by FlyingSnake

The Problem: Tempo is really good, you guys.

Links:

• What is observability? | Grafana Labs