How a startup loses its spark
I&#x27;ll raise your spark for complete destruction.<p>Here&#x27;s an incomplete list that I keep around of the mechanisms that I&#x27;ve observed so far that have played a big part in the decline&#x2F;destruction of an engineering team (and product thereof):<p>1. Too-technical leaders:<p>As startup scales, there can sometimes be a mad dash to fill new leadership roles (e.g. VP of Eng, Arch, CTO, etc.). Super-star <i>engineers</i> present at startup phase sometimes move into these when they are not the leadership type, causing engineering team to devolve into a visionless, directionless zoo.<p>2. Non-technical leaders:<p>Inverse to the above - as startup scales, in desperation, new leadership roles are filled with <i>non-technical</i> individuals who have little to no engineering experience. This causes similar outcome to #1 (albiet slightly different, but equally perilous).<p>3. Problem engineers:<p>Small number of leaders lack a spine, conducting shallow interviews and let in &quot;problem engineers&quot; who spoil the party and wreak havoc. Lax hiring practices almost always are reflected into non-existent firing practices, leading to them lingering around.<p>From experience, it only takes around ~5-10% of a team being this type for it to have a large negative impact, as they tend to derail progress, dodge responsibility, reputation farm, push rubbish, all that nonsense. It harms morale, and the skies turn grey in the office...<p>4. Micromanagement:<p>Speaks for itself. Leads to red tape, demoralization, timeline slippage and frustration.<p>EDIT: I&#x27;de love to hear how these foot-guns have been avoided. From experience it seems really challenging, as if like magic; as if cultivating and maintaining a good engineering team and culture therein is like balancing a pencil on it&#x27;s nib...