George Sifalda
@jsifalda.bsky.social
Web developer at heart, engineering manager by title - writing about what I think & talk about and what interests me (which may seem rather random, sorry).
x.com/jsifalda
www.craftengineer.com
x.com/jsifalda
www.craftengineer.com
Pinned
George Sifalda
@jsifalda.bsky.social
· Nov 27
Hey leaders, it is not your job to go over every comment in your DRs 360 feedback/review - let them prepare action items, you prepare your own, then compare!
Also, not every feedback deserves attention - make up your own mind first, discuss key motives, dont bother to make everyone happy!
Also, not every feedback deserves attention - make up your own mind first, discuss key motives, dont bother to make everyone happy!
I'm worried my own writing sounds like AI.
For years, I used bullet points to make ideas clear.
→ Break down complex topics
→ Get straight to the point
And dashes to "visualise" my thinking.
It was my go-to style.
For years, I used bullet points to make ideas clear.
→ Break down complex topics
→ Get straight to the point
And dashes to "visualise" my thinking.
It was my go-to style.
November 12, 2025 at 7:31 AM
I'm worried my own writing sounds like AI.
For years, I used bullet points to make ideas clear.
→ Break down complex topics
→ Get straight to the point
And dashes to "visualise" my thinking.
It was my go-to style.
For years, I used bullet points to make ideas clear.
→ Break down complex topics
→ Get straight to the point
And dashes to "visualise" my thinking.
It was my go-to style.
Plans are useless, but planning is everything - That’s what makes you better prepared, even when things change
We say we don’t have time for planning, but then we spend twice as much on rework, firefighting, and debates that could have been avoided.
www.thecaringtechie.com/p/tech-has-...
We say we don’t have time for planning, but then we spend twice as much on rework, firefighting, and debates that could have been avoided.
www.thecaringtechie.com/p/tech-has-...
The real efficiency bottleneck isn’t planning, it’s thrash
Why planning aversion isn’t productive and how to find the sweet spot
www.thecaringtechie.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Plans are useless, but planning is everything - That’s what makes you better prepared, even when things change
We say we don’t have time for planning, but then we spend twice as much on rework, firefighting, and debates that could have been avoided.
www.thecaringtechie.com/p/tech-has-...
We say we don’t have time for planning, but then we spend twice as much on rework, firefighting, and debates that could have been avoided.
www.thecaringtechie.com/p/tech-has-...
The worst feeling isnt failing.
It's knowing you failed your team.
We got 3rd place in the hackathon at @theleaddev Berlin.
The idea was solid.
The demo worked.
Then I had to present. I got lost in my own words.
My english was a mess.
I know I cost us the win.
It's knowing you failed your team.
We got 3rd place in the hackathon at @theleaddev Berlin.
The idea was solid.
The demo worked.
Then I had to present. I got lost in my own words.
My english was a mess.
I know I cost us the win.
November 4, 2025 at 7:30 AM
The worst feeling isnt failing.
It's knowing you failed your team.
We got 3rd place in the hackathon at @theleaddev Berlin.
The idea was solid.
The demo worked.
Then I had to present. I got lost in my own words.
My english was a mess.
I know I cost us the win.
It's knowing you failed your team.
We got 3rd place in the hackathon at @theleaddev Berlin.
The idea was solid.
The demo worked.
Then I had to present. I got lost in my own words.
My english was a mess.
I know I cost us the win.
Sunday is "must-have" for working... on *anything* (side projects in my case...)
Work-life balance is overrated.
Work-life balance is overrated.
November 2, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Sunday is "must-have" for working... on *anything* (side projects in my case...)
Work-life balance is overrated.
Work-life balance is overrated.
Here's my rule for learning anything new:
Can I apply it in the next 2 weeks?
If no → it's a distraction.
If yes → I go all in.
Can I apply it in the next 2 weeks?
If no → it's a distraction.
If yes → I go all in.
October 29, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Here's my rule for learning anything new:
Can I apply it in the next 2 weeks?
If no → it's a distraction.
If yes → I go all in.
Can I apply it in the next 2 weeks?
If no → it's a distraction.
If yes → I go all in.
To-do list is a trap.
It's full of small, easy things that make me feel productive.
While the big, scary, important problems just sit there.
They’re often not even written down....
The 'busy work' is an addiction - it feels good but stalls the real progress.
It's full of small, easy things that make me feel productive.
While the big, scary, important problems just sit there.
They’re often not even written down....
The 'busy work' is an addiction - it feels good but stalls the real progress.
October 27, 2025 at 8:33 AM
To-do list is a trap.
It's full of small, easy things that make me feel productive.
While the big, scary, important problems just sit there.
They’re often not even written down....
The 'busy work' is an addiction - it feels good but stalls the real progress.
It's full of small, easy things that make me feel productive.
While the big, scary, important problems just sit there.
They’re often not even written down....
The 'busy work' is an addiction - it feels good but stalls the real progress.
Most tech panel talks are a waste of time.
They're filled with opinions, not value.
I was on a panel about #AI recently. My entire prep was one question:
What would I want to learn if I was in the audience?
The answer wasn't “hot takes”… It was:
They're filled with opinions, not value.
I was on a panel about #AI recently. My entire prep was one question:
What would I want to learn if I was in the audience?
The answer wasn't “hot takes”… It was:
October 23, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Most tech panel talks are a waste of time.
They're filled with opinions, not value.
I was on a panel about #AI recently. My entire prep was one question:
What would I want to learn if I was in the audience?
The answer wasn't “hot takes”… It was:
They're filled with opinions, not value.
I was on a panel about #AI recently. My entire prep was one question:
What would I want to learn if I was in the audience?
The answer wasn't “hot takes”… It was:
My productivity hack is starting to backfire.
I just hit a new personal record: my audiobook speed.
Levelled up from 1.5x to 1.75x (new "normal")
It feels like a cheat code for learning. I'm absorbing books like crazy.
The only problem?
I just hit a new personal record: my audiobook speed.
Levelled up from 1.5x to 1.75x (new "normal")
It feels like a cheat code for learning. I'm absorbing books like crazy.
The only problem?
October 22, 2025 at 7:26 AM
My productivity hack is starting to backfire.
I just hit a new personal record: my audiobook speed.
Levelled up from 1.5x to 1.75x (new "normal")
It feels like a cheat code for learning. I'm absorbing books like crazy.
The only problem?
I just hit a new personal record: my audiobook speed.
Levelled up from 1.5x to 1.75x (new "normal")
It feels like a cheat code for learning. I'm absorbing books like crazy.
The only problem?
Call me "naive", but...:
We as engineers have a moral responsibility that goes beyond the sprint goals.
It's not just about shipping features for the business.
It's about the human on the other side of the screen.
We as engineers have a moral responsibility that goes beyond the sprint goals.
It's not just about shipping features for the business.
It's about the human on the other side of the screen.
October 21, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Call me "naive", but...:
We as engineers have a moral responsibility that goes beyond the sprint goals.
It's not just about shipping features for the business.
It's about the human on the other side of the screen.
We as engineers have a moral responsibility that goes beyond the sprint goals.
It's not just about shipping features for the business.
It's about the human on the other side of the screen.
I used to think retaining engineers was about vision and a modern tech stack
I was wrong.
What keeps people on a project long-term is the team:
The people in the trenches with them!
(yes, their boss matters too, but not that much...)
I was wrong.
What keeps people on a project long-term is the team:
The people in the trenches with them!
(yes, their boss matters too, but not that much...)
October 20, 2025 at 6:28 AM
I used to think retaining engineers was about vision and a modern tech stack
I was wrong.
What keeps people on a project long-term is the team:
The people in the trenches with them!
(yes, their boss matters too, but not that much...)
I was wrong.
What keeps people on a project long-term is the team:
The people in the trenches with them!
(yes, their boss matters too, but not that much...)
I built a new product last night...
(and it is not what you expect... 😅)
The tech stack: vodka, maple syrup, and lemon juice.
-> I was tired of the existing market (my usual drinks) and decided to build my own solution.
v1 was simple: Mix, shake, serve.
(and it is not what you expect... 😅)
The tech stack: vodka, maple syrup, and lemon juice.
-> I was tired of the existing market (my usual drinks) and decided to build my own solution.
v1 was simple: Mix, shake, serve.
October 19, 2025 at 10:01 AM
I built a new product last night...
(and it is not what you expect... 😅)
The tech stack: vodka, maple syrup, and lemon juice.
-> I was tired of the existing market (my usual drinks) and decided to build my own solution.
v1 was simple: Mix, shake, serve.
(and it is not what you expect... 😅)
The tech stack: vodka, maple syrup, and lemon juice.
-> I was tired of the existing market (my usual drinks) and decided to build my own solution.
v1 was simple: Mix, shake, serve.
This week, I’m working from a cabin in lower austria.
The change of scenery is critical, for me.
It gives me the space to stop "fighting fires" and actually think....
...And watching the leaves fall in my favorite season, autum 🍂
The change of scenery is critical, for me.
It gives me the space to stop "fighting fires" and actually think....
...And watching the leaves fall in my favorite season, autum 🍂
October 18, 2025 at 6:57 AM
This week, I’m working from a cabin in lower austria.
The change of scenery is critical, for me.
It gives me the space to stop "fighting fires" and actually think....
...And watching the leaves fall in my favorite season, autum 🍂
The change of scenery is critical, for me.
It gives me the space to stop "fighting fires" and actually think....
...And watching the leaves fall in my favorite season, autum 🍂
Just ran a full-team engineering retro that nearly crashed and burned. Rookie mistakes from myself...: 🤦♂️
I co-facilitated with another leader and made the classic error of assuming we were aligned on the process. We weren't.
5 painful lessons I should be repeating:
I co-facilitated with another leader and made the classic error of assuming we were aligned on the process. We weren't.
5 painful lessons I should be repeating:
October 17, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Just ran a full-team engineering retro that nearly crashed and burned. Rookie mistakes from myself...: 🤦♂️
I co-facilitated with another leader and made the classic error of assuming we were aligned on the process. We weren't.
5 painful lessons I should be repeating:
I co-facilitated with another leader and made the classic error of assuming we were aligned on the process. We weren't.
5 painful lessons I should be repeating:
I learn more about management from my partner's work rants than from most leadership books.
Hearing about another manager’s failures and weaknesses is a free lesson.
Every "complaint" is a gut-check for me.
A chance to reflect on my own actions before my team has to suffer through them.
Hearing about another manager’s failures and weaknesses is a free lesson.
Every "complaint" is a gut-check for me.
A chance to reflect on my own actions before my team has to suffer through them.
October 16, 2025 at 9:13 AM
I learn more about management from my partner's work rants than from most leadership books.
Hearing about another manager’s failures and weaknesses is a free lesson.
Every "complaint" is a gut-check for me.
A chance to reflect on my own actions before my team has to suffer through them.
Hearing about another manager’s failures and weaknesses is a free lesson.
Every "complaint" is a gut-check for me.
A chance to reflect on my own actions before my team has to suffer through them.
When you get frustrated by "someone", it is rarely about "them", but mostly about you...
The traits that drive you crazy in others are often just reflections of yourself.
The traits that drive you crazy in others are often just reflections of yourself.
October 15, 2025 at 7:34 AM
When you get frustrated by "someone", it is rarely about "them", but mostly about you...
The traits that drive you crazy in others are often just reflections of yourself.
The traits that drive you crazy in others are often just reflections of yourself.
The whole "hire smart people and get out of the way" mantra is broken.
You can't just give people freedom and expect magic.
For the few truly critical decisions -> the ones that can kill the company -> you have to go deep:
You can't just give people freedom and expect magic.
For the few truly critical decisions -> the ones that can kill the company -> you have to go deep:
October 14, 2025 at 9:18 AM
The whole "hire smart people and get out of the way" mantra is broken.
You can't just give people freedom and expect magic.
For the few truly critical decisions -> the ones that can kill the company -> you have to go deep:
You can't just give people freedom and expect magic.
For the few truly critical decisions -> the ones that can kill the company -> you have to go deep:
One thing you MUST build in life:
a large context!
(about you, your work, your network, your bookkeeping)
everything that can be relevant for LLMs.
..so, build personal agents to be relevant in 5 years from now!
a large context!
(about you, your work, your network, your bookkeeping)
everything that can be relevant for LLMs.
..so, build personal agents to be relevant in 5 years from now!
October 13, 2025 at 7:32 AM
One thing you MUST build in life:
a large context!
(about you, your work, your network, your bookkeeping)
everything that can be relevant for LLMs.
..so, build personal agents to be relevant in 5 years from now!
a large context!
(about you, your work, your network, your bookkeeping)
everything that can be relevant for LLMs.
..so, build personal agents to be relevant in 5 years from now!
My brain feels like a browser with 447 tabs open today...
October 10, 2025 at 9:16 AM
My brain feels like a browser with 447 tabs open today...
You dont need a PhD in psychology to build a great engineering team.
Honestly, most leadership books overcomplicate it.
90% of my job as an EM is just... watching:
→ Who's the introvert who needs deep work time?
→ Who's the extrovert who connects everyone?
Honestly, most leadership books overcomplicate it.
90% of my job as an EM is just... watching:
→ Who's the introvert who needs deep work time?
→ Who's the extrovert who connects everyone?
October 9, 2025 at 9:16 AM
You dont need a PhD in psychology to build a great engineering team.
Honestly, most leadership books overcomplicate it.
90% of my job as an EM is just... watching:
→ Who's the introvert who needs deep work time?
→ Who's the extrovert who connects everyone?
Honestly, most leadership books overcomplicate it.
90% of my job as an EM is just... watching:
→ Who's the introvert who needs deep work time?
→ Who's the extrovert who connects everyone?
The hidden productivity killer for devs in 2025 isn't meetings.
It's “The Great Prompt Fragmentation” (how i like to call it)
We're all building these amazing prompt libraries. I had mine in a clean repo, symlinked to all my tools.
My system broke the second I started using Gemini Cli.
It's “The Great Prompt Fragmentation” (how i like to call it)
We're all building these amazing prompt libraries. I had mine in a clean repo, symlinked to all my tools.
My system broke the second I started using Gemini Cli.
October 8, 2025 at 9:11 AM
The hidden productivity killer for devs in 2025 isn't meetings.
It's “The Great Prompt Fragmentation” (how i like to call it)
We're all building these amazing prompt libraries. I had mine in a clean repo, symlinked to all my tools.
My system broke the second I started using Gemini Cli.
It's “The Great Prompt Fragmentation” (how i like to call it)
We're all building these amazing prompt libraries. I had mine in a clean repo, symlinked to all my tools.
My system broke the second I started using Gemini Cli.
Seeing a scary trend among eng managers: cutting their 1-on-1s.
The push for "efficiency" is real.
Some see the Nvidia CEO with 60+ DRs and think it’s the future.
With my 10 engineers, our 1:1s are the most important meetings I have. It's where trust is built...
The push for "efficiency" is real.
Some see the Nvidia CEO with 60+ DRs and think it’s the future.
With my 10 engineers, our 1:1s are the most important meetings I have. It's where trust is built...
October 7, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Seeing a scary trend among eng managers: cutting their 1-on-1s.
The push for "efficiency" is real.
Some see the Nvidia CEO with 60+ DRs and think it’s the future.
With my 10 engineers, our 1:1s are the most important meetings I have. It's where trust is built...
The push for "efficiency" is real.
Some see the Nvidia CEO with 60+ DRs and think it’s the future.
With my 10 engineers, our 1:1s are the most important meetings I have. It's where trust is built...
Want to know your real #leadership seniority?
Look at your todo list.
A manager's list has *tasks* (or activities).
A senior leader's list has *initiatives*.
Tasks are measured by output.
Initiatives are measured by business impact.
Tasks have an end.
Initiatives just evolve.
Look at your todo list.
A manager's list has *tasks* (or activities).
A senior leader's list has *initiatives*.
Tasks are measured by output.
Initiatives are measured by business impact.
Tasks have an end.
Initiatives just evolve.
October 6, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Want to know your real #leadership seniority?
Look at your todo list.
A manager's list has *tasks* (or activities).
A senior leader's list has *initiatives*.
Tasks are measured by output.
Initiatives are measured by business impact.
Tasks have an end.
Initiatives just evolve.
Look at your todo list.
A manager's list has *tasks* (or activities).
A senior leader's list has *initiatives*.
Tasks are measured by output.
Initiatives are measured by business impact.
Tasks have an end.
Initiatives just evolve.
Mon-Fri:
- Laser-focused on unblocking 25+ people.
- Driving the shift from output to outcome.
- "Obsessed" with team performance.
Sat-Sun:
- Working on my own side-project.
- Can't even finish one simple task.
- Didn't even have the energy to watch Dune 2 🍿
- Laser-focused on unblocking 25+ people.
- Driving the shift from output to outcome.
- "Obsessed" with team performance.
Sat-Sun:
- Working on my own side-project.
- Can't even finish one simple task.
- Didn't even have the energy to watch Dune 2 🍿
October 5, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Mon-Fri:
- Laser-focused on unblocking 25+ people.
- Driving the shift from output to outcome.
- "Obsessed" with team performance.
Sat-Sun:
- Working on my own side-project.
- Can't even finish one simple task.
- Didn't even have the energy to watch Dune 2 🍿
- Laser-focused on unblocking 25+ people.
- Driving the shift from output to outcome.
- "Obsessed" with team performance.
Sat-Sun:
- Working on my own side-project.
- Can't even finish one simple task.
- Didn't even have the energy to watch Dune 2 🍿
Microsoft just emailed me about the NEED for consent for @msftClarity on my side project to work properly.
Great - Another thing to add to the endless TODO list when all I want to do is ship 🚀😅
Great - Another thing to add to the endless TODO list when all I want to do is ship 🚀😅
October 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Microsoft just emailed me about the NEED for consent for @msftClarity on my side project to work properly.
Great - Another thing to add to the endless TODO list when all I want to do is ship 🚀😅
Great - Another thing to add to the endless TODO list when all I want to do is ship 🚀😅
You want your people to growth?
Make sure you are NOT accidentally removing of the obstacles/blockers for them.
Leader's job isn't to remove all struggle. It's to make sure the struggle leads to growth.
Make sure you are NOT accidentally removing of the obstacles/blockers for them.
Leader's job isn't to remove all struggle. It's to make sure the struggle leads to growth.
October 3, 2025 at 5:46 AM
You want your people to growth?
Make sure you are NOT accidentally removing of the obstacles/blockers for them.
Leader's job isn't to remove all struggle. It's to make sure the struggle leads to growth.
Make sure you are NOT accidentally removing of the obstacles/blockers for them.
Leader's job isn't to remove all struggle. It's to make sure the struggle leads to growth.