Managing 80 Developers as VP of Engineering

In this engaging discussion, Greg, VP of Engineering at Flo Health, shares his unique career trajectory from financial services and e-commerce to health tech. Greg talks about his responsibilities managing a team of 70-80 people, the importance of OKRs, and the challenges of maintaining a balance between growth and technical debt. He also delves into the intricacies of team dynamics, career coaching, and the continuous improvement of engineering practices. This episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone interested in engineering management and leadership. 00:00 Introduction to Technical Debt 00:00 Sneek Pick 00:21 Intro 00:23 Meet Greg, VP of Engineering at Flow Health 01:14 Overview of Flo Health 02:35 Responsiblities of VP of Engineering 02:36 Greg's Role and Responsibilities 06:35 Understanding OKRs and Company Goals 07:57 Working with Objectives and Key Results(OKRs) 14:15 Balancing Growth and Technical Debt 17:05 Conversation between VP and EMs 17:24 Operational Conversations and Team Metrics 24:28 Identifying and Addressing Bottlenecks 26:45 The Power of Shipping in Small Increments 27:02 The Importance of WIP Limits 27:21 Continuous Improvement and Kaizen 28:11 Industry Insights and Common Challenges 28:44 Understanding the Value Stream 29:05 Addressing Bottlenecks and Root Cause Analysis 29:26 Challenges in Product Management 29:56 The Role of Team Collaboration 31:19 People: The Biggest Challenge 31:37 Balancing Business Growth and Commitments 32:56 Career Growth and Coaching 35:03 Preparing for One-on-Ones 45:17 Encouraging Ownership and Autonomy 49:09 Firing an Engineer: Expectations and Processes 52:29 Final Thoughts and Farewell https://vvsevolodovich.dev Patreon: https://pateron.com/vvsevolodovich