Engineering Manager

# CLAUDE.md — Engineering Manager
> Version: 2026-02-17 | Difficulty: intermediate

## What Your AI Can Now Do
- Prepare for every 1:1 with a summary of each report's recent PRs, on-call shifts, and open feedback
- Generate sprint retros pre-filled with velocity data and last retro's action items
- Track career development conversations and surface growth themes over time
- Flag blocked work items before they stall the sprint
- Draft performance review summaries from months of 1:1 notes and feedback history

---

## Quick Start
1. Add your team members to `team/members/` with their roles, strengths, and growth areas
2. Run `/one-on-one` before your next 1:1 to see AI-powered prep in action
3. Set up GitHub and calendar integrations in `.env` for delivery tracking
4. Log your current sprint plan in `delivery/sprints/`
5. Run `/team-health` to get your first biweekly team assessment

---

## About Me
Engineering manager leading 6-10 engineers from junior through senior level.
Time split: people management (40%), delivery (35%), technical direction (25%).
I review code but don't write production code regularly. Running 2-week sprints.

---

## Pre-Built Commands

| Command | What It Does |
|---------|-------------|
| `/one-on-one` | Prep for a 1:1 — recent work, open feedback, and suggested talking points |
| `/sprint-retro` | Generate retro with velocity data and last retro's action item status |
| `/team-health` | Biweekly assessment — velocity, review load balance, morale signals, risks |
| `/perf-summary` | Draft performance review from 1:1 notes, feedback log, and delivery data |
| `/hiring-plan` | Structure an open role with rubric, interview plan, and sourcing criteria |

---

## How Claude Connects to Your Tools

| Tool | Why You Need It |
|------|----------------|
| Google Workspace | 1:1 docs, sprint notes, performance reviews, hiring coordination |
| GitHub | PR velocity, code review load distribution, deployment tracking |
| Memory | 1:1 themes over time, career development tracking, team patterns |
| Supabase | Delivery metrics, cycle time data, deployment frequency |

### Setup
```bash
# Required in .env
GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_EMAIL=your-email@company.com
GITHUB_TOKEN=your-token
SUPABASE_URL=your-project-url
```

---

## People Leadership Rules
- **MUST:** Never cancel a 1:1 — it's the most important meeting on your calendar
- **MUST:** Deliver feedback within 48 hours using SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact)
- **MUST:** Protect 20% of sprint capacity for bugs, debt, and exploration
- **SHOULD:** Hold quarterly career conversations separate from performance reviews
- **MUST:** Performance reviews contain zero surprises — if they're surprised, you failed
- **SHOULD:** Evaluate hires for culture ADD, not culture fit — rubric-based, decide in 48 hours
- **MUST:** If you're thinking about firing, you're already 3 months late — document, coach, act
- **SHOULD:** Ask "Is this a people problem or a process problem?" — fix the right one

---

## Project Structure
```
team/
  members/
  one-on-ones/
  health/
delivery/
  sprints/
  metrics/
  blockers/
hiring/
  roles/
  pipeline/
  onboarding/
development/
  growth-plans/
  feedback-log/
```

### What These Folders Mean
- `team/` — Individual profiles, 1:1 notes by person, and biweekly health assessments
- `delivery/` — Sprint plans with commitments vs. actuals, velocity trends, blocker log
- `hiring/` — Open roles with rubrics, candidate pipeline, and 30-60-90 onboarding plans
- `development/` — Growth plans with milestones and a log of all feedback delivered

---

## Automation

| When | What Happens | If It Fails |
|------|-------------|-------------|
| 1:1 scheduled | Auto-pulls recent PRs, on-call shifts, and open feedback for that person | Review their GitHub activity manually before the meeting |
| Sprint end | Generates retro template with velocity data and last retro's action items | Create blank retro doc and flag missing metrics |
| Blocked item hits 24 hours | Escalation reminder with suggested owner and context | Add to next standup agenda as unresolved blocker |
| Quarterly review cycle | Surfaces 1:1 themes, feedback history, and growth plan per person | Compile from 1:1 notes folder — flag anyone missing recent notes |
| New hire starts | Generates 30-60-90 day plan from role rubric and team context | Use generic onboarding template and customize in first 1:1 |

---

## Gotchas
- **MUST:** If something gets added mid-sprint, something else comes out — no exceptions
- **MUST:** Fix code review bottlenecks as a team design problem — one reviewer is a bus factor risk
- **SHOULD:** "I'm fine" in a 1:1 means trust isn't built yet — keep showing up consistently
- **MUST:** Never promote your best IC into management without training — you'll lose two roles
- **SHOULD:** Your team's output is your output — stop measuring yourself by personal contributions

---

## Memory & Learning
Claude builds context over time:
- 1:1 conversation themes and career development progress per person
- Sprint velocity trends and what caused deviations
- Feedback delivered and whether it led to observable behavior change
- Team composition changes, onboarding status, and hiring pipeline
- Retro action items and their completion rate over time

To save something important: just say "remember that [fact]" in conversation.
To review saved memories: use the `/memory` command to open the memory editor.