# Adam Londero's Manager Readme

**Software Development Manager at Amazon**

# Why have I written this?

I believe strong communication is the foundation of any effective team. Each of us has our own style and motivations, and understanding these differences helps us work better together. The goal of this readme is to introduce you to my management style, philosophy, and expectations so that you can get to know me quicker, and we can find the best ways to collaborate.

I also see this document as a commitment from me to you - a guide to how I’ll approach our work together and what I expect in return. I want to be as transparent as possible, and I encourage you to hold me accountable. If anything doesn’t sit right with you, or if you feel something is missing, please let me know. I can only improve as a manager with your feedback.

# What do I aim to achieve?

My main focus is on growing the best engineering team we can, where we deliver impact all while fostering a strong, supportive culture. We can measure this by:

- **Deliver value early and consistently** : Especially when facing tough business problems, we deliver meaningful results at a steady pace.
- **Maintain a high standard of quality** : We care about the quality of our work, and we're always looking for ways to improve and raise the bar.
- **Align with the broader purpose** : By understanding the big picture, we operate autonomously and make informed decisions that move us toward our goals.
- **Always learn** : We keep up with the latest trends and technologies, and we know when it's appropriate to trial and adopt new tools or approaches.
- **Embrace responsibility together** : We don’t shy away from responsibility, and when challenges arise, we work together to overcome them.
- **Support one another** : We look out for each other, push each other to improve, and offer help when needed to ensure that everyone can succeed.

## What are my values?

- **Compassion**** , Courtesy, Helping Others and Cooperation: **We are all working towards the same goal of delivering the best experience we can to our users. My opinion is that the best way to work is to be compassionate toward one another. I have a default belief that everyone has the best interests of our customers at heart. If there is something I disagree with, you'll see me taking time and reflecting to understand the intent rather than immediate judgements. By doing so, we can work together to reach better outcomes, even under pressure. Compassion doesn’t mean compromising on accountability, but it's how we support each other while holding high standards.
- **Creativity, Personal Development and Knowledge: ** To be the best we must not be afraid to try out new concepts and be creative in our work. I value understanding different viewpoints and using them to expand our toolbox. I do difficulty when reasons are "that's how we've always done things". I’m open to exploring bold, unconventional ideas and reevaluating them as new information comes in. If you've felt I’ve moved on from an idea too quickly, please let me know - I may not have appreciated its value.
- **Lean:**  I like to look for ways in which we can deliver value earlier and more frequently. The longer we sit on inventory of any kind (unfinished features, that document that's 'nearly done', that idea we mulled and haven't done anything with since) that's value-time that we've missed out on. Also, breaking bigger things into smaller releasable chunks means that we may quickly determine that something doesn't have the value that it could. Let's do that relentlessly!
- **Fun and Honesty:** Work should be a place where you can feel comfortable being yourself. We all have our quirks (I describe some of mine below), and those differences make our team more creative and enjoyable to be part of. By embracing what makes us unique, we create a fun, inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and can do their best work.

# What would I value most from you?

- **Transparency and highly communicative**** : **This doesn't mean being vocal - it's about sharing progress openly, making the implicit explicit, and working collaboratively. I value people who contribute to the team’s long-term success, rather than trying to be the [heroes](https://blog.professorbeekums.com/heroes-in-software-development/). I'd rather see initial thoughts shared early and developed together than polished work held back until it's "perfect".  
- **Openness and humility: ** Being open to growth areas and the idea that there's room for improvement. Creating a safe space for others to offer feedback is just as important as being willing to receive it yourself.  
- **Problem Solving Initiative:** I’ll always be happy to help with conflicts or issues, but I'll admire you more when you take initiative to resolve yourself first. My role is to create an environment where you can succeed, but you own the path forward.
- **Working smart, not long:**  If I see you responding to messages at all hours or constantly working long hours, it suggests time management or priorities may need adjusting. My ethos is of limiting WIP and continuously re-prioritising, saying "No" often such that I can give my focus to those things that matter most. I am inclined to focus as much as possible during the day so that I can spend time with my family and on things that keep me grounded. I am disinclined to force this disposition on you, but I do firmly believe that switching off is important—it helps you come back stronger and brings fresh perspectives that fuel creativity.
- **Own mistakes** : If you make a mistake I would much rather you owned up to it and we can figure out how we can fix it, and fix the thing that led to you making a mistake. I believe most mistakes are a result of something wrong in our systems and processes, not individual shortcomings. Blame-shifting or hiding problems irritates me, and you can expect me to take responsibility for my own mistakes as well. Sharing mistakes provides us with a good opportunity to learn and improve.
- **Being the change you seek:** If you want something to improve, be the one to lead that change. I expect you to model the behavior you’d like to see, and I welcome you to call me out if I’m not living up to this standard myself.

# What you can expect from me

- **Primary goal is you and the team** : My top priority. I'm here to enable your success. Please don't assume that I'll be too busy. If I appear that way, let me know. I'm here to support you, no matter what the issue may be.
- **Think big and represent the team** : I act on behalf of the team, which means understanding where our next big initiative may come from. I'll speak with other teams and customers to help guide us and bring clarity to our roadmap and future vision. I'm also passionate about hiring, so I'll represent us in a way that excites future engineers about joining the team.
- **Involved where I'm most needed** : I am highly disinclined to micro-manage, but if progress stalls I'll step in to support and help course-correct. The more you communicate the more confident I'll be in your autonomy. I’m here to listen and align in 1:1s.
- **To be eternally grateful for your feedback or advice** : I promise to receive your feedback as an amazing gift, regardless of whether it was something I totally screwed up on or what worked well and want me to do more of it. I will always have a lot to learn!

- **Set aside blocks for deep work and 'curious tinkering'** : I'm a fan of deep work, and so use [timeblocks](https://monday.com/blog/productivity/increase-your-productivity-with-time-blocking-a-step-by-step-guide/)and [autopilot schedules](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrz5y6Q1VCw&t=80s) to ensure I'm making impact, not just 'participating' at work. I set aside a few hours a week for "Maker Mode," where I focus on small projects that improve our understanding of our systems or improve our workflows. I believe in keeping my engineering skills relevant that I am best able to contribute, earn trust and empathise with you. I'll provide some indication of when I'm in this mode but this doesn't take precdence over " **_Primary goal is you and the team_**".   

# How I will support you in becoming Awesome

As your manager I will provide you with tools, context and the environment you need to thrive. Whether 1:1s, offering guidance, or helping you find growth through ownership of your work, I'm here to help you have everything you need to succed, grow and feel empowered in your role.

**Supporting Personal Growth and Development**

Your growth as an engineer and as a person is super important to me. Seeing people flourish is one of the reasons why I love my job. I’ll work with you to make sure you have opportunities to learn, develop new skills, and grow in your career.

- **Guiding and mentoring:** Whether you need someone to bounce ideas off of, be your co-pilot for any challenges you face, or offer perspective on your career trajectory, I’m here to guide you. I’ll be your advocate and help you find the best path forward for your development.
- **Encouraging continuous learning and improvement** : In a high-performing team, it’s important to celebrate wins, big and small, as much as it is to learn from our failures. We’ll reflect on what went well and how we can replicate those successes, as well as what we can continually improve, even if its just a small nudge forward. I want you to feel both supported and empowered to make mistakes and learn from them—because that’s how we grow. I’ll actively support your development by providing resources, suggesting new areas for growth, and helping you find opportunities that align with your career goals.  

**1:1s**

Our 1:1s are a dedicated time where we can focus on your personal and professional growth. They aren't status updates - I can find those in Jira😊. I set aside \*_ **at least** \*_ 25 minutes every week for each of my direct reports to make sure we have the time and space to talk about the things that matter most to you. This time is yours, and I'll expect you to lead the agenda. Whether you want to talk about challenges you're facing, new ideas, career development, or personal wellbeing, I’m here to listen, offer guidance, and help you achieve your goals. 

In addition to our regular 1:1s, I’ll also book longer sessions at regular intervals to deliberately check in on your career progress. These will give us a chance to make sure we're aligned on your development and long-term goals.

For managers, you can also expect regular “skip level” 1:1s where I’ll chat with your direct reports. This is an important part of me understanding your team, and helping them build trust in our leadership. It also gives me valuable insight to better support you as their manager.

Where applicable, I will also schedule regular 1:1s with my peers too. I am aware I have a tendency to get hyperfocused internally on my team and so I will love to hear more about what is going on elsewhere and share our learnings.

## **Enabling Autonomy and Ownership**

I believe that the best work is done by engineers who have the autonomy and space to take full ownership of their projects. My role is to ensure you have the context and information you need to make informed decisions, and then give you the freedom and accountability to take action.

- **Providing context and space** : I’ll make sure you have a clear understanding of our goals and the broader business context so that you can act with confidence and agency. I’m always here to support you, whether it’s clarifying objectives or removing obstacles. In return, I’ll expect you to take full ownership of your work - finding the best solutions, taking calculated risks, and owning both the successes and the learnings that come from challenges.  
- **Creating a safe, challenging environment** : I’m committed to building an environment where it’s safe to take risks, be challenged, and push boundaries. Mastery of our craft comes from stepping out of our comfort zone, and I’ll encourage that by learning and applying new things, being vocally self-critical and being grateful when receiving feedback. You’ll see me actively seeking input on how I can improve and encouraging you to do the same. I’ll also leverage asynchronous communication to ensure everyone has a voice and can contribute, and I’ll make sure we’re transparent about how we work together as a team.  

# What quirks do I have that you should be aware of?

Nobody is perfect, and I do bring some quirks to the job with me too. I think it's important for me to share them with you as it will hopefully improve your understanding as we work together.

- I can be pedantic about terminology and nomenclature, especially when terms are misused that could lead to confusion (like using 'BDD' to refer to acceptance testing without driving development). It bothers me more than it should, so call me out if it's unnecessarily blocking progress in discussions.
- I can be prone to[ruinous empathy](https://www.radicalcandor.com/blog/stop-ruinous-empathy/) and is an area I'm currently focusing on improving. If you feel that I'm not giving people feedback soon enough, or if you feel yourself that my interactions with you or others is not [radical candor](https://www.radicalcandor.com/about-radical-candor/) then please call me out on it as soon as you can (even in a public environment) - I will appreciate it. 
- I hate being in meetings where my purpose is not clear. I wholeheartedly appreciate meetings with clear agendas and goal, wrap up once met and follow up on actions. If I'm invited to a meeting I want to know why I'm there and will suggest if there is a more effective alternative. Also, you may notice that I typically schedule meetings at non-standard start and/or end-times - this is to avoid attendees feeling over-faced and to recharge between meetings.
- I don’t drink alcohol and feel more comfortable in social settings that don’t revolve around it. As an introvert, lengthy social interactions can tire me, so I really appreciate understanding when I need to recharge or when alternative activities are suggested. I also believe that being mindful of this [fosters a more inclusive, diverse team culture](https://blog.alicegoldfuss.com/tea-and-tech-culture/) where everyone can feel comfortable.