Most conversations about office politics focus on how to win them. That’s usually the wrong goal. In my experience, the healthiest teams aren’t politics-free. They’re politics-aware. The difference is whether energy gets spent on protecting status, or on doing the work. Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of
Out of everything I’ve learned as a tech lead and senior engineer, calibration might be the most underrated skill. It doesn’t get taught. People don’t talk about it. But it affects everything: expectations, delivery, confidence, and how people see you as a leader. So what do I
Perfection sounds impressive, but in real engineering teams it kills progress. Momentum, on the other hand, compounds. It gives people confidence, direction, and a sense that things are moving forward even when everything is messy behind the scenes. This is something I’ve had to learn the hard way. 1.
Trust isn’t built through slogans or frameworks. It’s built through behaviour. Over the years, the engineers I’ve respected the most all did the same simple things really well. None of it is complicated, but it’s rare to see people do it consistently. Here’s what I’