Ritesh Maheshwari

A powerful team is never just a collection of individuals. There is extraordinary value in connections and relationships that are built over time. But how do you quantify these nuanced and dynamic traits? Here are some ideas: ✨ DORA Metrics: While primarily leveraged for assessing software delivery performance, DORA Metrics can offer insights into team efficiency and collaboration. Metrics like deployment frequency and lead time for changes are indirect indicators of how well a team operates together. 🌟 Net Promoter Score (NPS): Going beyond customer satisfaction, internally, NPS can be adapted to gauge team members' satisfaction and willingness to recommend their team to others. It captures engagement, morale, and overall sentiment within the team. ♻️ Feedback loops: How often is the team giving feedback to others? Tracking data points like these over time, and especially showing how changing the team impacts the data can tell a compelling story. It might give a clear voice to a nuanced understanding of the impact of changing the team when there are concerns for doing so. As a leader what metrics do you track to help you understand how change impacts a team?

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Ever wonder why some companies can ship software at lightning speeds while others seem stuck in the mud? 🚀⏳ . . . . . . . . . Daksh Gupta of Greptile collected real-world insights from engineers at many of the world's largest tech companies, unpacking the intricacies that either propel or impede the speed of shipping code. The big reveal? Older and larger companies tend to move more slowly because the costs of missteps become greater. In some cases, those costs are fairly non-negotiable (e.g. ensuring software for customers in production remains secure) while in other cases, the costs are more optional and cultural (e.g. wanting a lot of accurate estimates, forcing a manager's vs. maker's schedule, etc). #SoftwareEngineering #Tech #DevelopmentVelocity #Innovation #Productivity

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Thought I would share a personal milestone today. I reached 25 blogs on medium https://lnkd.in/dJc3YsKE This is a short blurb on my journey and process. I had started blogging in 2020 and actively from 2021 partly inspired by people I met along the way and also as a way to express my thoughts better. I changed my focus and approach multiple times, from org design, promotion processes and tech frameworks to in depth content on specific areas like cryptography. Sometimes all it took for me to go past a writers block was to just pen down my thoughts even if it doesn't form a cohesive whole and refine it as I continued writing. I decided I would always put in links to the articles or blogs of the articles I had been inspired by. Most of them have better content than mine. I realised that if I had to explain something complex I had to build concepts around it brick by brick so when I started writing about OPAQUE PAKE, I made sure I had covered cryptography in ample depth even if it meant repeating commonly known concepts. I also wanted to focus on the why rather than the what so that my detailed blog doesn't end up like an abstract white paper with references. I wanted the blog to focus on my own interests instead of clickbait. So I kept it free of prophetic albeit popular articles like AI doomerism. So what's your excuse for not blogging?

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Humans have an inherent friction to change, be it city, house, job, role, team—almost anything. Interestingly, in my whole career, I have hardly found anyone who recently joined a team and wholeheartedly appreciates the things the team has done in the past or is currently doing. Most Engineers and PMs have their existing biases towards how things should be done, best practices, etc. They have their anecdotes to prove their points. I do appreciate people from diverse backgrounds, as that helps figure out solutions to tough problems sometimes. However, things become less productive when it results in ego clashes. Especially when interacting with some of the young engineers, they are very enthusiastic about new technologies, programming languages, cool frameworks, tools, and whatnot. They feel disconnected when they find none of these things are that relevant to most organizations doing real business. I know that's not cool, but that's how most businesses are built. Things at well-established businesses can't be changed at the pace at which technologies are evolving. Of course, corrective actions need to be taken at certain intervals. How to solve it: Develop empathy. Context is king, trust that the decisions that a team or company has taken in the past must have had a legit context then. A decision that seems stupid now might have been the best possible decision back then, depending on factors like cost, tech capabilities, resources, time to market, and probably many more. #empathy #context #business

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The job market in 2024 has been like navigating a storm—one that’s not following usual patterns. Despite a "good" economic environment (the stock market booming, companies making record profits) - hiring seems to be scarce, and the average job search is stretching to nearly 14 months. What’s causing this bizarre situation? 🌐 Legacy Things Crashing and Burning Legacy bits are finally reaching the end of their lifespans. Many companies have delayed upgrading for decades, but now have no choice (because things either have stopped working or upgrading {with "AI"} is the only way to prevent competition from crushing them). Higher interest rates mean money put into these necessary capital expenditures has to come at the expense of operational expansion. Instead of hiring new talent, companies are restructuring and laying off staff, further burdening already skeletal crews (all the while keeping job posts they aren't going to fill open). ⚔️ Too Many Seekers, Too Few Roles Too many job seekers are now fighting for too few non-ghost roles. Layoffs and restructuring have increased the number of qualified professionals hunting for jobs at the same time. With fewer companies expanding, the imbalance between job seekers and openings is at an all-time high, making competition fiercer than ever (even with 4x the number of job postings to job seekers). Not to mention the AI-Resume-ATS battles raging on in the recruiting world. 🧱 People Aren't Leaving Their Jobs People aren’t leaving their current roles as frequently as they did in the past. Job hopping has slowed significantly, whether due to economic uncertainty, job security, or fear of not finding another role (due to current job market conditions). This stagnation means fewer positions are opening up, bottlenecking the job market. 🌄 The Silver Lining: Relief Is Coming It’s not all doom and gloom—there’s a silver lining on the horizon. Once the Federal Reserve reduces interest rates, capital will be available for companies to start hiring again. The current strain on the bare-bone-marrow workforce has led to increased burnout. Without support, employees will start leaving (even if the market is bad), opening up more vacancies. Over the next few months, we can expect the number of open positions to increase as companies hire again (because they have money or to prevent more people leaving) or as people leave their jobs, creating more opportunities - which will then spur others to leave their roles accelerating this process. 🌟 The Light at the End of the Tunnel As the market rebalances itself again, the number of job applications per role should drop, finding that next position will become easier. The storm will pass, and the job market will begin to normalize. Until then, hang tight; this imbalance is hopefully a phase—one that will eventually clear, making way for brighter days ahead. #Jobpocalypse2024 #OpenToWork

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🌟 The Superpower of Connecting the Dots: Thoughts on High Impact Communication 🌟 In my career at companies like Meta and Google, I learned that effective leaders possess a unique superpower: organizational awareness. This isn't just about having information; it's about connecting the dots across a complex organization to drive impactful efforts. 🚀 Consider this: On any given day, tech leaders spend 70 to 90 percent of their time communicating. Yet, effective communication is much more than mere information exchange—it’s about informing, influencing, and inspiring. 🗣️✨ Consider this common scenario in large organizations: multiple teams working in silos, unknowingly duplicating efforts on similar efforts. This is not merely about redundancy but represents a significant missed opportunity for collaboration. When leaders facilitate connections between these teams, allowing them to share insights and understand each other’s projects, the result is often a merging or improvement of projects. This not only enhances the outcomes but also improves organizational efficiency. Such strategic collaboration underscores the power of effective leadership in fostering organizational coherence and productivity. 🛠️🤝 This experience underscored a critical lesson: Great leaders don’t just operate within their teams; they have the vision to see beyond, identifying overlaps and opportunities across the organization. Here are some actionable insights for leaders aspiring to master this superpower: 1) Step back to see the big picture: Engage with different teams, join cross-departmental meetings, and keep abreast of broader organizational goals. 2) Communicate with context: Always provide the 'why' behind your messages. This not only informs but also empowers and aligns your team with the organization's vision. 3) Be a conduit, not a bottleneck: Share knowledge freely unless specifically instructed otherwise. Your team's trust in you grows when they see you as a source of valuable information. 4) Foster connections: Encourage your team to network within and beyond their immediate circles. This builds a more interconnected team and enhances problem-solving capabilities. Remember, information is plentiful, but the ability to connect the dots to form a clear, actionable picture is what sets true leaders apart. #TechLeadership #Communication #Teamwork #OrganizationalAwareness #Influence #Inspire

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It's always exciting to read books by people you know. I can highly recommend Mike Maples, Jr,'s book, Pattern Breakers. Mike is a legend, having been on the Forbes Midas List since 2010. I was fortunate to get an early draft of sections of his book, which I will share here for all you entrepreneurs out there—but make sure to buy and read his book! Inflections and Insights Mando—here’s a document I hope is useful during the ideation phase of your startup (my favorite phase). I developed this while writing my book, based on observing my most successful founders pivot their ideas around the same core inflections and insights. Inflections: What major changes outside your startup will empower people in the future? Inflection Definition: An inflection introduces something new (technology, regulation, belief) that can radically change human capacities or behaviors. They disrupt the status quo and offer startups more ways to win by working in an uncertain future. Bigger inflections are better than smaller ones. They can empower people more significantly or in greater numbers, leading to radical changes in behavior. Insight Definition: An insight is a non-obvious truth about how inflections can radically change human capacities and behaviors. They offer new patterns that disrupt the status quo. Insight Guide: In the future, [a new thing, who it empowers, and how it empowers them]. This will be enabled by [named inflections]. This future is non-consensus because [status-quo barriers to this future happening]. But this insight is right because [our hypothesis about how these inflections will prove them wrong]. And the timing is right because [statement of ‘why now?’]. Thank you again, Mike Maples, Jr, for sharing these early insights and for your invaluable advice to entrepreneurs everywhere. I will never forget your advice on great entrepreneurs are "time travelers" Well, it turns out that most of the great startups come from a great insight and a great insight usually occurs when someone is living in the future and they notice something that’s missing.

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From Astrologer's Whispers to Real Connections: Reclaiming Belonging in a Lonely Age Have you ever consulted an astrologer, their predictions swirling in your head, only to feel empty when your day takes a different turn? The emptiness might not be about the details themselves, but about seeking outside approval for your happiness. This same feeling can creep in even when you achieve success. Remember climbing the career ladder, landing that dream apartment, only to find yourself lost in a quiet emptiness? In India's bustling cities, it's a familiar, painful emotion. We're surrounded by people, yet there's a little loneliness at the edges of our lives. Thinking back to Mrs. Deshmukh, your friendly neighbour with the legendary Til Gur Barfi's, who brought the whole neighbourhood together with tea and friendly chats. Those evenings of shared stories and laughter, a web woven by simple human connection, feel like a distant memory in our super-connected yet broken world. We chase success with thumbs glued to screens, building online bridges that leave us feeling more alone than ever. The pressure to create a perfect online self-drowns out the whispers of our own desires. But here's the real deal, that shiny designation and fancy car can't fill the hole left by genuine connection. There's hope, though! We can rewrite this story. Let's ditch the small talk and chase deeper connections. Share your fears and worries, break free from feeling isolated in this sea of ambition. Remember the warmth of family gatherings, the joy of shared childhood games? Revive those small traditions. Pick up the phone for a real heart-to-heart conversation rather than What's Apping. Every act of connection, no matter how ordinary, how small, builds a more satisfying life. Imagine hearing back from an old friend, reliving an old laugh, and being surrounded by people who truly see us, where we belong. Isn't that what life is all about? Together, one conversation, one meal, and one act of kindness at a time, we can tear down the walls of loneliness. We can rewrite the narrative of modern society, where connection becomes the foundation of a life well lived. It's not too late, or is it? #HumanConnections #BelongingMatters #OvercomeLoneliness #RealConversations #MeaningfulRelationships #CommunityOverConnectivity #AuthenticLiving #SocialWellbeing #RedefiningSuccess #TraditionsRewoven #FightIsolation #VulnerableAndReal #KindnessRevolution #SmallActsBigImpact #ReconnectingHumanity #IndianSociety #UrbanLoneliness #DigitalDetox #QualityOverQuantity #ConnectionCures Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

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The session unfortunately wasn't recorded, but here are the slides from my talk at LFMS on quantifying the ROI of contributing to OSS https://lnkd.in/gwdQa3UZ

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For those who have ever pondered a career break, including myself, here's my take: amidst the relentless pace of our professional lives, stepping away isn't a setback; it's a strategic move for self-reflection and renewal. It's about recalibrating our direction, refuelling our passion, and nurturing our well-being. Embracing this hiatus isn't just about pausing; it's about actively investing in our growth—both personally and professionally. Just as muscles grow not in the gym while working out but during recovery, so too do we flourish when we prioritise rest and rejuvenation. Let's redefine success not just by what we achieve in the office, but by how we nourish our whole selves. #rejuvenate #heal #detox #reflect

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Chasing Trends, Losing Ground! The Cost of Neglecting Flagship Products Remember #Yahoo! ? Once an internet giant, Yahoo!’s story is a cautionary tale of the risks of chasing trends over nurturing core strengths. Rather than fortifying its foundational services, Yahoo poured resources into acquisitions and emerging markets, only to lose focus on what made it great. Meanwhile, competitors like Google and Microsoft doubled down on their core offerings and quickly surged ahead. Yahoo and others like BlackBerry, Blockbuster, and Kodak show us the hidden costs of prioritising new ventures over flagship products. Neglecting what drives success risks losing our place in the market entirely. The path forward is finding the right balance between strengthening proven offerings and staying open to innovation. #BusinessStrategy #TechIndustry #LessonsLearned #MarketLeadership #MarketShare #BusinessGrowth #TechTrends #DigitalTransformation #StrengthsAndWeaknesses #NeglectingStrengths #Yahoo #Innovation #ChasingTrends

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Data plays a crucial role in today’s software engineering landscape. For the second edition of Build and Beyond, Nick Durkin, Field CTO and Head of EngineeringX, talks with Suyog Iswalkar, Senior Director of Software Engineering at Deluxe Media. They discuss how data is revolutionizing teams and driving success. This edition covers integrating data into your organization, why it is so impactful, and strategies to tackle the common obstacles teams encounter during this transition. Interested in how Suyog’s team managed this transformation? Click below to read the full interview, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful discussions with leaders from the EngineeringX community!

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Most of the enterprise search solutions are backed by the Lucene ecosystem (Elasticsearch, Solr). Given the recent boom in AI technologies, there seems to be a shift in new-gen search implementations. New search frameworks are leveraging embeddings, vector databases and other related technologies. Shifting to these new suits of technologies would be a costly affair for well-established enterprises that have already invested heavily in their existing ecosystem. While Lucene has expertise in text-based search, embedding models unlock the semantic search capabilities. This unlocks the potential of free-flowing search and more relevant results. However, introducing more tech pieces means more complexity in the system. Fortunately, recent Lucene releases now support vector search with improved vector dimensions. Similarly, Vespa also introduced vector search a couple of years ago with improved dimension support in recent times. So organisations using the Lucene/Vespa ecosystem and looking to improve search with semantic capabilities might achieve that without moving out of their existing ecosystem or introducing more complexity in the system. #search #lucene #vespa #ai #embeddings #openai #semanticsearch

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Is our obsession with 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 distracting our focus? In the post ZIRP world where money is no longer free and mass layoffs are prolific we’re increasing seeing organisation's shift towards focussing on “performance”. Not inherently bad in itself. 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺? Naturally talent plays a huge role in this but never has hiring a group of talented individuals made a successful team. Our best people can be easily broken in a bad environment. The obsession with talking about performance needs to stop and replaced with an intent on sculpting the environment for high performance. So how do we create the environment for performance? 🎯 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 “𝗻𝗼” - Inevitably new initiatives or tasks come in from left field that need to be prioritised. As leaders it’s important to ask questions like “what needs to drop to accommodate this ask?”. Check-in regularly with your directs to understand their current WIP (work in progress) to gauge how sustainable their workload is. Make it clear that saying no is not a sign of under-performance but instead a sign of maturity in managing their own workload and being focussed. 🎯𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗜𝗣 - I find you get the best out of people when they operate at about 70-80% capacity - it’s certainly how you get the best out of me. This is often incorrectly confused with going slow. Rather we’re more effective when we focus on fewer, but higher priority initiatives. 🎯𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 - Every leader will say they want psychological safety but that level of trust is earned to the point where the gap between the grapevine and speaking truth to power is near zero. It takes courage, vulnerability and emotional intelligence as a leader to create this environment. The default should be to assume you don’t have it and work tirelessly to build it. What am I missing? What else is critical to building an environment for performance?

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Insightful explanation of how do go channels work behind the scenes. Its all about yielding the ptocessor for other goroutines. https://lnkd.in/gbyQ4yH9

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The products team's fixation on milestones tends to divert their attention from the broader perspective. They hop from one feature to another, enamored by each glowing aspect. Individuals work in isolated bubbles, fixated on ticking off one milestone after another, sometimes without significant displacement. Read More - https://lnkd.in/dxEvS6Yg #products #productmanagement #milestones

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#PeopleAsset #Work_Relationships #InvestingInPeople Investing in people is like investing in your most valuable asset—only instead of numbers, it’s about building real connections. Too often, I see people reaching out only in a crisis, like the saying, "Sanakata bandaaga Venkata Ramana"—we remember God in tough times, trusting He’ll forgive ( He's God so he will) but with people, it’s different. You can’t just show up when things go south! Real relationships need regular care, even beyond work. Here’s the strategy: invest your time consistently—whether it’s casual chats over coffee or being there during tough moments. Like diversifying financial investments, nurturing relationships across different people is essential. Friendships and professional connections don’t magically appear when you need them; they grow with care, just like your savings. When you invest in people over time, the returns are priceless—emotional support, career growth, and meaningful friendships. It’s not about waiting for a crisis to reach out. Build strong, lasting connections, so when you need them, they’ll be there, solid and unwavering ( remember the diversified portfolio one asset will surely outperform)

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UKG and Google Cloud can help bring together your workforce data with third-party data to give you the full picture of your business. Attending UKG Aspire? Join this session to learn about UKG Data Hub, BigQuery and Looker. Discover how enterprises are utilizing their data to drive better outcomes for their employees and company. #GoogleCloudPartners #innovation #partnership

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I’m skeptical about measuring open-source package quality with metrics alone.    •   Low commit/update cadence: Doesn’t indicate low quality. It might signal a stable, well-functioning package that needs minimal maintenance.    •   High number of historical CVEs: Not a sign of low quality. It could show that the package has undergone thorough security scrutiny.    •   Many open issues: Not a reliable indicator. Many issues are more like support tickets, and there are often many duplicates. Quality assessment requires more than just metrics!

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