In today's episode, Asim sits down with Mark Interrante, a technology leader who builds engineering and product development teams for companies ranging in size from startups to Fortune 100. He also enjoys getting involved in new technologies when they're going from early adoption to mainstream. They break down the seven habits of highly effective teams - and the outcomes you can expect from implementing these habits.

[00:00] Introduction

[03:01] Building Habits in Engineering Teams

[05:23] How to Deal with Distractions

[08:40] Shutdown Habits and Why They're Important

[10:58] Starting with the End in Mind

[14:21] Behavior Prompts

[15:52] Why You Need to Make Doable Commitments

[21:00] The Power of Having Clarity in Your Work

[23:56] The Habit of Continuous Improvement

[27:03] Essentials of an Effective Task Decomposition

[29:43] How to Get into a Flow State Effortlessly

[33:10] Seek to Understand Before Being Understood

[35:10] How to Find Anchors That Slow Down Your Day

[38:29] Parting Thoughts

Habits in Engineering Teams

Habits are the building blocks of success for any engineering team. To create highly effective engineering teams, you must develop a culture of good habits. These habits range from effective communication to having clarity in tasks. Mark believes highly effective engineering teams also prioritize continuous learning and improvement. They are open to feedback, embrace change, and seek opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills.

Mark explains that habits are essential because they allow us to automate actions and behaviors, freeing up mental energy for other tasks. By establishing good habits, we create consistent patterns of behavior that enable us to achieve our goals and improve our overall well-being. Habits also help us to develop discipline, which is crucial for success in any area of life. When engineers commit to good habits, they are more likely to make small, incremental improvements over time, leading to significant progress in the long run.

Links and Resources:

Mark's LinkedIn

Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ Fogg PhD

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Ep. 16: Empathy-driven software development with Andrea Goulet

Always an Engineer By Always an EngineerJan 24, 2023