Small Things Make a Big Difference

Early in my career I thought that the only way to be successful was to do something huge to set myself apart. Develop a new innovative algorithm, successfully implement a cutting edge technology, or formulate a new process. After 17 years, I have done none of these. I've been part of some pretty amazing teams and have worked on some very impactful projects but what has truly made me successful has been my focus on doing the small things right.

So how do I decide what small things will make a difference? Quite simply, I listen and pay attention to those I work with every day. My employees, other engineering managers and teams, my manager, product managers, program/project managers, product support, absolutely everyone. I build relationships with everyone that I work with, ask for feedback often, and learn from my mistakes as well as the mistakes of others.

Below are just a few of the small things that I try to do that have made a big difference.

Meetings

There are so many good examples with meetings, but I'll just list a couple. I've heard from many project managers and scrum masters over the years that engineers have a tendency to not respond (accept or decline) meeting invites and it can be frustrating to not knowing who can attend. I make sure to always accept or decline and ensure to provide a specific reason when declining a meeting

Scheduling meetings can be very difficult, especially for larger groups. When scheduling meetings, I always ensure to check the schedules of attendees as to not double book their time. If I cannot find a suitable time, I will reach out to individuals who are especially busy to see if they are able to move other meetings around or send someone else in their place.

Be Responsive

It is very easy to become hyper focused on my own team and tasks, but the reality is everything that we work on requires multiple teams and a lot of coordination. When someone asks me a question, I make it a point to be responsive. Even if my response is "I'm not able to get to this today due to other priorities, but I've added it to my backlog and will take a look as soon as possible."

Communicate Early

As soon as my team uncovers something that changes a project timeline (good or bad) I make sure to reach out to the product managers and dependent teams to let them know instead of waiting for the next project meeting. Even if we aren't yet sure of the full impact, I have found it helpful to share that we uncovered something and are digging in further. This gives everyone involved time to start thinking through contingency plans if needed.

With my teams, I communicate early and often as well. Every Wednesday, after stand up, I review the project roadmap with each team so the engineers know what work we are planning for the next several months. Knowing what is coming helps with in-the-moment priority conversations as they come up. It also allows for the team to share thoughts and ideas that could be very helpful in the planning process.

Say the things that normally go unsaid

When someone on my team makes a mistake, such as introducing a production defect, I remind them that it will be okay and we will work through it together. When an engineer follows through on a particularly difficult story, I make sure to tell them how much I appreciate their work. When a someone asks a difficult question or brings up something that may delay a project, I make sure to point out how valuable it was that they asked or brought it up now instead of us finding out later.

Show that you care

When I notice someone having a bad day, I reach out on Teams or stop by their desk to check on them. After a coworker returns from vacation, I ask them what they did and how it went. I make small talk about common interests in those few minutes before a meeting starts. I frequently schedule time to eat lunch with many of my coworkers. On occasion, although it is extremely rare, I've been known to joke around and use sarcasm to lighten a situation or get people laughing.

These were just a few examples, but hopefully you can see where I am going with this. I know that all of these things seem so simple and insignificant, but I assure you that they have very meaningful impact when done consistently. If you are looking to have more meaningful impact on your team, listen to the people that you work with and start doing some small things right. It could make a big difference.