Taking a break from managing eng orgs to write code at Nitid. Formerly eero, Amazon, Twitter, Xmarks. Author of @scalingteams.
San Francisco
Joined February 2008
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David Loftesness retweeted
I talk to so many tech leaders at huge companies every week. One of the most brutal failure patterns for executive teams right now is thinking that AI is like SOC 2 compliance: a new checkbox item that they have to allocate some resources to, to make their governance people happy. They think, we'll get AI "done" in Q3 or Q4 and finally be able to move on to other stuff.
What they don't see is that their entire company is going to change shape over the next few years, regardless of what they think, or want. Their current hierarchy will be gone, nearly unrecognizable from what gets rebuilt in its ashes. Everyone will be conducting their business VERY differently from how they do it today.
AI not some compliance drill. Leaders need to get in front of this situation before it overwhelms them.
It's live! Thanks to @jessicraige and the team at @firstround for all their work on this, and my colleagues at Nitid for their support. If you've made a similar career transition, I'd love to hear your story and feedback.
After a legendary run leading engineering teams at Amazon, Twitter and eero, @dloft traded in his mantle to take on a role as a developer — and manager of none.
Over a year in, he’s found the experience equal parts challenging, humbling and rewarding.
Some years back on The Review, he shared a 90-day plan to help engineers step into management. Now, he’s put together a guide for the flip side: pivoting back to IC. He has advice for navigating each step of the transition, from advocating for an equal level to dusting off rusty coding skills to settling back into the maker schedule.
Working on a followup article to "This 90-Day Plan turns Engineers into Remarkable Managers" about the flip side -- giving up management and going back to being an engineer. Anyone who's done this have advice to share? review.firstround.com/this-9…
@AmtrakAlerts Any news on the fire in Oakland? The 14 has been stopped for 2 hours.
David Loftesness retweeted
It’s a common question from ICs: How do I know if I’m ready to manage? “You’re ready if you understand from the beginning that you’re going to be managing in three directions,” says @dloft.
-Your team
-Your peers
-Your manager
buff.ly/4aoklrp
Just listened to the first episode of #TechnicallyOptimistic by @raffi -- really well done! A great primer on the past, present, and future of AI / IA.
“I’m not sure what my spirit animal is… but my spirit vegetable is a potato.” – at San Francisco, CA
This is amazing. I witnessed some equally amazing feats by @TwitterEng while I was there. Much less visible, but no less remarkable.
David Loftesness retweeted
What if the objective function for a general AI was “distribute luck evenly”
David Loftesness retweeted
My manager thinks I shouldn’t work in #SFUSD (and I have no idea why). I, my colleagues, mentors, and students all disagree. If you live in SF, and if you care about such things, maybe consider saying something? ebar.com/news/commentary//31…
Learned that a friend’s elderly mom with emphysema has the delta variant, likely from an “unvaccinated health aid” and my brain segfaulted. – at San Francisco, CA
David Loftesness retweeted
go @tumocenter - “how high school students are using cutting-edge tech to preserve ancient armenian history” fastcompany.com/90657909/how…
