The Engineering Leader: 2024 in Review
Highlights, Stats, and What’s Next for 2025
2024 was the year I decided to embark on a journey I had long contemplated: writing The Engineering Leader newsletter.
It has proven to be one of my best decisions this year. Writing has pushed me to be more creative, clarify my thoughts, and deeply reflect on my experiences and learnings.
For me, it’s not just a newsletter—it’s a space where ideas take shape and lessons find meaning.
Key Stats and Remarkable Growth
Although I didn’t write for about 6 months, The Engineering Leader is closing its first year on a high note, achieving remarkable milestones: 25 issues published, more than 400 subscribers, 3.7K daily views, and an impressive 42% open rate.
What’s even more exciting is the surge in growth during December. The newsletter’s momentum skyrocketed, doubling the number of subscribers in just one month, as shown in the chart below.
Finally, it feels like people are discovering my work and connecting with the ideas I’ve been sharing. In addition, I’ve connected with a broader audience interested in engineering leadership by consistently sharing insights, engaging with the community, and sparking meaningful discussions. If you’d like to join the conversation and keep up with my latest updates, follow me on Substack and LinkedIn.
Top Articles of 2024
Here is a list of the most-read or most-loved articles from the year and why I wrote them:
1. Level Up: A Software Engineer’s Guide to Accelerating Your Career
In this article, I share strategies for software engineers to advance their careers, covering common pitfalls, key decisions, and tips for thriving at various stages.
Why I Wrote It: I wish I had known these insights during my career, so I created a resource for engineers looking to grow. I’m sharing the lessons I’ve learned from my experiences to help others navigate challenges and make informed decisions on their career journeys.
2. High Agency: The Mindset of Successful Leaders
In this piece, I delve into the fascinating concept of high agency—the ability to take initiative and effect change—and its importance in leadership.
Why I Wrote It: I’ve always believed talent is often overrated. Then, I discovered the concept of high agency, which I found to be particularly critical for effective leadership. That inspired me to write about it, aiming to encourage current and aspiring leaders to develop a proactive mindset, take ownership, and focus on driving impactful results.
In this issue, I explore managers’ invisible challenges and responsibilities, much like the hidden portion of an iceberg that lies beneath the surface.
Why I Wrote It: Managers juggle many duties and responsibilities that go unnoticed or underappreciated. I wanted to shed light on the hidden complexities of management, helping readers gain a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of a manager’s role beyond surface-level perceptions.
In this article, I emphasize engineers’ critical role in fostering connections across teams and departments. I explore how building bridges can transform engineers into true leaders.
Why I Wrote It: I wrote this piece to inspire engineers to start leading by embracing the power of collaboration and communication. In my career, I’ve seen how building these bridges can turn technical expertise into a force for organizational change. I wanted to share this insight because engineers often underestimate their ability to lead by connecting with others.
5. THRIVE: My Guiding Leadership Principles
In this issue, I outline my leadership philosophy, encapsulated in the acronym THRIVE: Transformational Leadership, Holistic Adaptation, Rapid Execution, Innovative Mindset, Vision and Autonomy, and Empowerment.
Why I Wrote It: I had the idea when I was learning about Generative AI and reflecting on my leadership styles and principles. These principles didn’t emerge overnight; they resulted from years of learning, adapting, and growing as a leader. By formalizing them into the THRIVE framework, I aimed to create something actionable and relatable for readers either developing their leadership style or looking to refine it.
What’s Next for 2025
As I look ahead to 2025, my vision for The Engineering Leader remains clear: consistently delivering high-quality, weekly articles that inspire and inform engineering leaders, software engineers, and anyone passionate about career growth, leadership, and the tech industry.
I will continue focusing on topics I have skin in the game and resonate deeply with my readers, expanding into new areas while building on the foundations of what has worked so far. Here’s a glimpse of the themes and topics I’ll explore in 2025:
Engineering Leadership: Practical strategies for leading teams, fostering collaboration, and bridging the gap between engineering and the business.
Navigating Career Growth: Lessons and actionable advice for software engineers and managers aiming to take the next career step.
AI for Engineers and Leaders: Exploring how AI is reshaping the tech industry and providing insights on how leaders and teams can adapt to stay ahead.
Team Dynamics and Systems: Diving deeper into the foundations of strong team dynamics and the systems that enable them to succeed.
Remote Work and Async Collaboration: Advanced tips and strategies for thriving in remote and asynchronous work environments.
Leadership Stories and Anecdotes: Sharing lessons from real-world scenarios I’ve experienced, bringing a personal touch to leadership insights.
Tech Industry Trends: Explore emerging trends in software engineering, leadership, and technology, providing insights for future challenges and opportunities.
In addition to writing, I plan to broaden the scope of The Engineering Leader by collaborating with other engineering leaders. Together, we can co-author posts, share diverse perspectives, and launch initiatives that foster growth and learning across the engineering community.
Another exciting possibility for 2025 is expanding community engagement. I’m exploring options like creating a chat group, forum, or even a club dedicated to engineering leaders—a space to share experiences, discuss challenges, and support one another.
For this incoming new year, I aim to go beyond writing and build a stronger sense of community around The Engineering Leader. I strive to provide insights and create connections, discussion, and collective growth opportunities.
Closing Thoughts
As 2024 ends, thank you for being part of The Engineering Leader. Whether you’re a long-time reader or new to the community, your support means everything.
Writing this newsletter has been transformative, and your feedback and engagement keep me inspired to deliver valuable content each week. Together, we’ve created a space to explore engineering leadership, career growth, and the evolving tech landscape with passion and depth.
In 2025, I look forward to growing this community further. If there’s a topic you’d love to see or an idea to share, let me know—I’d love to hear from you. And if you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with a colleague or friend who might benefit from it.
Thank you for your support, and here’s to a New Year filled with health, growth, learning, and leadership.
Let’s THRIVE!
—Rafa
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