Bored Developers Aren't the Problem—Your Leadership Is
When 58% of professionals feel their skills are underused, boredom isn't a talent issue—it's a leadership one.
Engineering Leader
Why Hiring Should Be Your Last Growth Lever
Nicolas Cava
Edited onEdited on Aug 15, 2025
Reading timeReading time: 1 minute
Hiring should be your last resort for growth.
Too many leaders treat headcount as the default solution. It's not.
Before you post that new job opening:
- Max out what you have. Operate lean
- Chase bottlenecks, not bodies
- Remove friction. Every unnecessary step is a tax on your team's time
- Automate relentlessly. Invest into efficiency with measurable ROI
- Build skill overlap so no work stalls when someone's out
- Close the gap between action and feedback
Hire only when efficiency can't take you further.
Because once you hire, you take responsibility for someone else's livelihood. That's not a decision you undo lightly.
Overhiring always ends the same way: a painful correction years later. And when that happens, it can take years for someone to rebuild.
So before you add headcount, ask yourself: Is this truly the only way to grow?
Related Resources
Recent Notes
Collaboration Overload Is Killing Productivity
Collaboration has ballooned to consume 85% of the workweek—slowing decisions, increasing conflict, and creating endless communication loops.
Engineering Leader
Decentralization Isn't Autonomy Without Power
Too many organizations hand out “autonomy” but keep the real power locked away. Over-standardization kills innovation.
Engineering Leader
How to Lead Without Losing Yourself
Leadership in today's corporate world is often stacked against people-first values, pushing leaders toward short-term profit over long-term integrity.
Engineering Leader
Leading Without Letting Emotions Take the Wheel
Most stress isn't from the problem itself—it's from the story we tell about it. Emotional detachment isn't coldness but discipline.
Engineering Leader
Shared Ownership Is Killing Your Team's Momentum
Shared ownership feels inclusive—but often stalls progress. Diffused responsibility slows decisions and leaves no one truly accountable.
Engineering Leader
Stop Managing Async Teams Like They're In the Office
Most leaders treat asynchronous teams like in-person ones—focusing on chasing tasks instead of fixing the system.
Engineering Leader
Stop Trying to Please Everyone
Chasing universal approval will only water you down. This post calls out the trap of molding yourself to fit others' opinions.
Engineering Leader
The Return of "Shut Up and Grind" Is Killing Tech Culture
Fear-based leadership is creeping back into tech—and it's eroding trust, ethics, and retention.
Engineering Leader