7 Steps to Drive Successful Initiatives as an EM
A simple guide to identifying, testing, and scaling impactful solutions in your organisation.
Every Engineering Manager dreams of leaving a mark. But how do you identify the right opportunity, rally the right people, and bring an idea to life? Most initiatives fail because they’re either too ambitious, lack support, or don’t show results quickly. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
In this post, I outline a step-by-step plan to pick the right idea, test it with minimal effort, and scale it into something impactful. That will help you to level up your influence and make lasting contributions.
Consider supporting my work and subscribing to this newsletter.
As a free subscriber, you get:
✉️ 1 post per week
🧑🎓 Access to the Engineering Manager Masterclass
As a paid subscriber, you get:
🔒 1 chapter each week from the book I am writing “The Engineering Manager’s Playbook”
🔒 50 Engineering Manager templates and playbooks (worth $79)
🔒 The complete archive
Step 1: Gather Input From Senior Leaders
Why not start with your manager? Because your manager likely shares your day-to-day concerns. To get a wider view of the organization’s challenges, approach senior leaders like the VP, CTO, or directors in other departments.
Ask simple questions:
What’s one thing we could improve in engineering to help the company succeed?
What challenges do you see that aren’t being addressed right now?
Take notes and form a list. These inputs are straight from decision-makers who see the bigger picture.
Step 2: Pick One Initiative That Excites You
From your notes, look for ideas that resonate with you personally. Why? Because your excitement will fuel the persistence and energy needed to see the project through.
For example:
A senior leader might mention that the way teams document decisions is inconsistent, leading to wasted time and reduced collaboration. If you’re someone who enjoys organization and clarity, the idea of standardizing Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) could be the perfect fit.
Step 3: Find Potential Solutions
Now that you’ve chosen an initiative, it’s time to propose solutions to your sponsor. This is where the “shoe salesman’s secret” of two, not three can help.
Think of a shoe store. The best salespeople don’t overwhelm customers with dozens of options. Instead, they bring out two pairs that match the customer’s needs: one classic, and one bold. This approach keeps the decision simple and focused. If the customer asks to see another pair, the salesperson asks, “Sure, which of these two should I put back?”
The same principle applies when presenting solutions to your sponsor.
It avoids decision fatigue. Too many options can overwhelm and stall progress. Leaders are busy and need clarity, not complexity.
It highlights trade-offs. Two distinct options allow for meaningful comparison, helping the decision-maker weigh pros and cons without distractions.
It keeps the discussion focused. If your sponsor wants a third option, ask which of the first two to set aside.
Example for ADRs:
Option 1: Create a lightweight ADR template and encourage all teams to adopt it.
Option 2: Develop a centralized ADR repository for creating, storing, and accessing decisions across the company.
Present these options to your sponsor with clear trade-offs:
Option 1 is quicker to implement and easier to test with one team but may require adjustments for scaling.
Option 2 offers a more comprehensive solution but takes more time and resources upfront.
By offering two well-reasoned options, you help your sponsor make a confident, informed decision.
Step 4: Run a Small Experiment
Start small. Don’t try to overhaul the entire company at once. Test your idea with:
Yourself or your team.
A few trusted peers who can help execute.
Support from your manager.
Example:
Roll out the ADR template with one team and gather feedback.
Measure how much faster team members understand past decisions or how often the ADRs are referenced during discussions.
This pilot approach reduces risk and provides clear, actionable results.
Step 5: Build Credibility With Results
Now you have data. Share it widely. Focus on tangible outcomes like:
“The ADR template reduced time spent reviewing architectural decisions by 20% for Team X”
“Other teams reported increased clarity in cross-team collaborations by referencing shared ADRs.”
Present your findings to your sponsor, peers, and leadership. Show them how standardizing ADRs saves time and avoids confusion.
Step 6: Scale Through Buy-In
At this stage, you should have a small team behind your initiative (yourself, 2-3 peers who participated in the experiment, your manager, and your sponsor).
These are your trusted allies and advocates of the solution.
Use your results to get others involved. Host a session where you share your pilot's success and invite other teams to try the template or tool.
Make adoption easy:
Create a “How to Use ADRs” guide.
Offer to help one or two teams implement the process.
Scaling happens naturally when people see that your solution works and doesn’t add unnecessary overhead.
Step 7: Formalize the Process
Once multiple teams see success, work with leadership to formalize the solution. For example:
Mandate the use of ADRs for all major architectural decisions.
Integrate the ADR process into your company’s engineering onboarding materials.
At this stage, you’re not just solving a problem, you’re improving how the organization operates.
TL;DR
Start by gathering input from senior leaders. Ask them what challenges they see that aren’t being addressed. This gives you a clear view of meaningful problems to solve.
Pick one initiative that excites you. Choose something that aligns with your interests and energy so you’ll stay motivated throughout the process.
Present two solutions, not more. Use the “shoe salesman’s secret” to show two clear options to keep decision-making focused, avoid overwhelm, and highlight trade-offs.
Run a small experiment. Test your solution with one team or a limited scope to gather measurable results without taking big risks.
Share results to build credibility. Use data from the pilot to demonstrate success and rally support from peers and leadership.
Scale through buy-in. Work with peers and advocates to expand the adoption of your solution, making it easy for others to implement.
Formalize the process. Once the idea proves successful at scale, work with leadership to turn it into a standard practice across the organization.
Useful links
👨💻 Become a better Software Engineer with CodeCrafters (use my partner link to get 40% off and build your own Redis, Git, Kafka and more from scratch).
🎯 Book a mock interview with me (System design or Behavioural & Leadership) to smash your next real interview!
👋 Let’s connect on LinkedIn!
