Inspired by Seneca's Letters to Lucilius, these letters take the form of personal communications from experienced mentors to those earlier in their journey. Each letter is a meditation on topics like leadership, code quality, technical debt, scaling teams, delegation, or failure, written in the first person, as though a wise voice is writing to someone they care about.
On Technical Debt and Moral Courage
A letter from a CTO to a mid-level developer about the ethical dimensions of maintaining code quality amid pressure to deliver features quickly.
On Building Teams That Thrive
A letter from an Engineering Director to a new Tech Lead about creating high-performing engineering teams built on trust, psychological safety, and clear direction.
On Reclaiming the Joy in Coding
A letter from a Recovering Burnout to a disillusioned developer about finding your way back to meaningful work and sustainable passion.
On Navigating Technology Trends
A letter from a Seasoned CTO to an ambitious architect about evaluating new technologies through the lens of business value, organizational readiness, and sustainability.
On Becoming an Engineer
A letter from a Seasoned Architect to a promising junior developer about the path of growth and the essence of engineering excellence.
On Architectural Thinking
A letter from a Technical Architect to a mid-level developer about developing a systems thinking mindset and balancing technical elegance with practical constraints.
On Strategic Technology
A letter from a CTO to a newly appointed Technical Director about aligning technology decisions with business strategy and long-term organizational goals.
On Leadership Evolution
A letter from an Engineering Director to a new Engineering Manager about the transition from technical contributor to leader, and the necessary evolution of mindset and skills.
On Sustainable Practice
A letter from a Recovering Burnout to a hard-driving developer about building a fulfilling career that can be maintained for decades, not just years.
On Team Dynamics
A letter from an Engineering Manager to a first-time Tech Lead about understanding, navigating, and shaping the complex interpersonal dynamics of engineering teams.
On Pragmatic Craftsmanship
A letter from a Technical Architect to a promising mid-level developer about finding fulfillment through delivery-focused engineering and balancing idealism with pragmatism.
On Code Quality and Velocity
A letter from a Seasoned CTO to a team lead about balancing high technical standards with consistent delivery, and fostering a team culture that values both craftsmanship and results.
On Cultivating a Continuous Delivery Mindset
A letter from an Engineering Manager to a senior engineer transitioning to DevOps about embracing the philosophy of continuous delivery and connecting technical practices to human impact.
On Cross-Functional Harmony
A letter from an Engineering Director to a Technical Leader about balancing the needs of different teams within a SaaS organization to create sustainable growth and value.
On Decisive Commitment
A letter from an Engineering Manager to a Rising Team Lead about moving beyond vague attempts to clear, decisive commitment and active problem-solving in software teams.
On Meaningful Indentation
A letter from The Technical Architect to a team lead amidst a formatting debate about how the tabs versus spaces decision reveals deeper principles of accessibility, semantics, and engineering values.
On Understanding Technical Debt Quadrants
A letter from an Engineering Director to a Team Lead about recognizing different types of technical debt and developing strategies for managing each effectively.