Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams from Coursera

Syllabus

Automating team progress

If the most important goals for software engineering managers are to 1/ hire and develop engineers and 2/ deliver on their commitments, when do managers have the time to work with their teams on day-to-day tasks? This section shows you how to automate day-to-day tasks, along with techniques to retain control and confidence in your team.

Cultivating high-performing engineers

The objective of every engineering manager is to have a high-performing team of high-performing engineers. What exactly does that mean? And how do you turn a new or average engineer into a high-performing engineer? Find out in this section!

Turning around failures and poor performers

Sometimes, on a team, there are one or more people who everyone else has to compensate for, or who are just unpleasant to work with. Ignoring these people might result in the rest of your team slowing attiring, leading to the death spiral of your team. How do you handle poor performers? Find out in this section!

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops essential management skills for leading teams of software engineers

Provides insights into the engineering management practices at leading tech companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft

Suitable for software engineering managers and aspiring managers who want to enhance their leadership skills

Covers practical strategies for improving team performance, developing engineers, and resolving performance issues

Provides guidance on navigating cultural and legal challenges when leading globally distributed teams

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams with these activities:

Gather and review foundational knowledge

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Review core concepts and practices in software development to lay a strong foundation for the course and practical tasks.

Browse courses on Waterfall

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Read relevant chapters from textbooks on software development
Review online resources on Waterfall and Agile methodologies
Attend introductory workshops or webinars on engineering management

Explore online tutorials on Agile methodologies

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Deepen your understanding of Agile principles, practices, and tools through interactive tutorials, expanding your knowledge beyond the course scope.

Browse courses on Agile Methodologies

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Take online courses or workshops on Agile Scrum or Kanban
Follow video tutorials on Agile best practices

Practice problem-solving scenarios

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Apply your understanding of engineering management concepts to practical scenarios, reinforcing problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Browse courses on Problem-Solving

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Participate in online coding challenges or hackathons
Solve case studies related to team management and software development

Five other activities

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Engage in discussions with fellow students

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Connect with peers, share perspectives, and expand your understanding of course concepts through collaborative discussions.

Browse courses on Software Development

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Attend virtual study groups or online forums
Participate in Q&A sessions with classmates

Develop a team development plan

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Craft a plan to enhance team skills, address weaknesses, and promote professional growth, aligning with course objectives.

Browse courses on Team Development

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Identify team strengths and areas for improvement
Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives
Outline strategies for training, mentoring, and feedback

Attend industry meetups or conferences

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Network with professionals in the field, learn about industry trends, and gain insights from experts, complementing your course knowledge.

Browse courses on Software Development

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Participate in panel discussions or networking sessions
Attend local meetups or virtual events organized by industry associations

Read 'High Output Management' by Andy Grove

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Gain insights into effective team management, goal-setting, and performance evaluation, as described in this classic management guide.

View High Output Management on Amazon

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Read the book and highlight key concepts
Summarize the main takeaways and apply them to your own management style

Build a curated resource list on engineering management

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Compile a collection of valuable articles, videos, and tools related to engineering management, expanding your knowledge base beyond the course materials.

Browse courses on Engineering Management

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Gather resources from reputable sources such as industry publications and conferences
Organize and categorize the resources for easy access

Career center

Learners who complete Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Engineering Manager

Engineering managers lead software development teams in designing, developing, and delivering software products. Taking this course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," can give you the skills you need to succeed in this role. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any engineering manager who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Engineering Manager

Technical Lead

Technical leads lead software development teams in the technical aspects of software development. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," can give you the skills you need to succeed in this role. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any technical lead who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Lead

Agile Coach

Agile coaches help software development teams adopt and implement agile methodologies. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for agile coaches who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to blend waterfall and agile methodologies, comply with labor laws and cultural expectations, and develop high-performing engineers. These skills are essential for any agile coach who wants to help teams improve their performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Agile Coach

Software Architect

Software architects design and develop the architecture of software systems. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for software architects who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any software architect who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

Project Manager

Project managers lead the development of software products. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for project managers who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any project manager who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Product Manager

Product managers lead the development of software products. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for product managers who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any product manager who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Systems Engineer

Systems engineers design and develop complex systems, including software systems. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for systems engineers who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any systems engineer who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Engineer

Software Test Engineer

Software test engineers test software products to ensure that they meet requirements. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for software test engineers who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any software test engineer who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Test Engineer

DevOps Engineer

DevOps engineers work to bridge the gap between development and operations teams. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for DevOps engineers who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any DevOps engineer who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Data Engineer

Data engineers design and develop data pipelines and systems. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for data engineers who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any data engineer who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine learning engineers design and develop machine learning models. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for machine learning engineers who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any machine learning engineer who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer

Cloud Architect

Cloud architects design and develop cloud-based systems. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for cloud architects who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any cloud architect who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Data Scientist

Data scientists analyze data to find patterns and insights. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for data scientists who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any data scientist who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Business Analyst

Business analysts analyze business needs and develop solutions. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for business analysts who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any business analyst who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Quality Assurance Analyst

Quality assurance analysts test software products to ensure that they meet requirements. This course, "Inspiring Peak Performance on Technical Teams," may be useful for quality assurance analysts who want to learn more about how to lead and manage software development teams. The course will teach you how to set goals, develop high-performing engineers, and turn around poor performers. You will also learn how to manage geographically distributed teams and handle escalations. These skills are essential for any quality assurance analyst who wants to lead a successful team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Analyst