# Jason Sisk's Manager Readme

**Manager, Platform Engineering at Cars.com**

# Motivation for this document

I believe good relationships are foundational to good teams. I want us to get to know each other well and build a spirit of reciprocal trust.

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# My role

I am a member of a team of engineering managers at Cars.com. I guide a set of engineers working on the core platform that runs the Cars.com platform and runtime infrastructure. I typically have anywhere from 5-7 reports, who range in experience from early career to engineers with multiple decades of experience.

I strive to do this by always trying to be both respectful of the individual's need to achieve competency and mastery in their position, and also trying to challenge them to go just a little bit outside their comfort zones. I also strive to build good cohesion and relationships between individuals, since that's the essence of what makes great teams function.

# What do I value most?

In a very generic sense, I like solving big business problems with software. I value work that requires focused, nimble, and competent collaborators who are able to challenge each other – and me – to achieve the best outcomes for the business. I also have a slight obsession with figuring out ways to save lots of money via eliminating obsolete technologies and processes.

I value people who work hard, ask questions, and seek their own growth path within the structure of what a company has to offer, and try to foster autonomy as much as possible. A strong sense of drive and perseverance are common characteristics I seek in co-workers.

I'm skeptical of meetings. Therefore, I generally prefer written asynchronous communication (usually Slack DM), and quick topical syncs when necessary to clarify things quickly.

I am most challenged by teams with personality conflicts, people who are fearful to take risks or challenge the status quo, and any time I feel like I'm having to "go through the motions" in my work.

# My Expectations

I expect you to show up, work hard, and push for personal growth as much as possible.

Do I expect you cranking out more code than the next engineer? Not necessarily; code quantity does not always equate to _quality_. But I _do_ expect you to be an active, engaged participant in the work of your team, under a common pursuit of shared goals. Communication and teamwork are critical.

Beyond that, I expect you strive to operate by our common engineering practices and [company values](https://www.cars.com/careers/).

# Communication

Communication is the **#1 thing** that makes all relationships work.

I prefer to use Slack for most communication, followed by verbal. Email is okay too.

**I value your personal time as much as you do.**  I will not ask you to respond to communiques from me outside of normal business hours, unless the matter is extremely urgent _(almost nothing in business ever is)_. In other words, if you get a note from me at 11 p.m., feel free to ignore it until the morning unless the aforementioned urgencies indicated. (I work odd hours sometimes.)

If you need to contact me for any urgent matters that require immediate attention, please call or text my cell phone (usually found in my Slack profile).

# 1:1s

I prefer a weekly 1:1 for 30 minutes or so. If you don't want to meet that frequently, that's up to you.

1:1 should be a "you-driven" meeting. We should talk about what's going on, challenges you're facing, ideas you have, etc. I see my role as generally to serve your needs, and this is the best forum for that. I will do my best to listen before talking, but beware that I tend to talk a lot. Bring subjects and lead with them; we may take the entire time dissecting that.

I will occasionally set an agenda for our 1:1s, but that will be pretty infrequent. I may also from time to time try to employ tooling to facilitate those conversations.

The main goal of 1:1's for me is for us to build knowledge and understanding of one another so we can have an open and trusting relationship that enables you to grow and get the most out of the job, and for you to recognize your potential as a professional and employee of the company.

# Where to focus on your first 90 days?

Learn the team.

Learn the tech.

Learn the business.

Find a niche you can start to carve.