Describe a time when your performance exceeded expectations

Question

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Delivering Beyond Expectations as an Engineering Manager
As an engineering manager, there are numerous instances where one can deliver
beyond expectations, but one particular project stands out due to its complexity
and the significant impact it had on both the team and the organization.
Project Overview
The project in question involved the development of a new software platform
aimed at streamlining internal processes across multiple departments within the
company. The initial goal was to enhance efficiency by automating routine tasks
that were previously handled manually. However, as I delved deeper into the
requirements, it became evident that simply automating existing processes would
not suffice; we needed to rethink how these processes could be improved
fundamentally.
Step 1: Setting Ambitious Goals
I began by setting ambitious yet achievable goals for my team. Instead of just
focusing on automation, I encouraged them to innovate and propose new features
that could transform our workflows entirely. This included integrating advanced
analytics capabilities to provide insights into operational bottlenecks and user
behavior, which would allow us to make data-driven decisions moving forward.
Step 2: Fostering Collaboration
To ensure success, I fostered a collaborative environment where cross-functional
teams could work together seamlessly. I organized regular brainstorming sessions
with stakeholders from different departments—such as sales, customer support,
and finance—to gather diverse perspectives on what they needed from the new
platform. This approach not only helped in gathering comprehensive requirements
but also built a sense of ownership among all parties involved.
Step 3: Implementing Agile Methodologies
Recognizing the dynamic nature of software development, I implemented agile
methodologies within our team. We adopted Scrum practices that allowed us to
iterate quickly based on feedback from stakeholders. This adaptability meant
that we could pivot our focus when necessary and continuously improve our
product throughout its development cycle.
Step 4: Going Above and Beyond with Training and Support
Understanding that technology adoption often falters due to lack of training, I
took it upon myself to develop a robust training program for end-users. This
included creating detailed documentation, video tutorials, and hosting live Q&A
sessions post-launch. By ensuring users felt confident using the new platform,
we significantly reduced resistance to change and increased overall
satisfaction.
Step 5: Measuring Success
Upon launching the platform ahead of schedule—two weeks earlier than planned—we
saw immediate positive results. Efficiency metrics improved by over 30%, and
user engagement exceeded our initial projections by 50%. Additionally, feedback
from stakeholders highlighted how intuitive the platform was compared to
previous systems they had used.
Conclusion: Reflecting on Impact
Reflecting on this experience as an engineering manager, it was gratifying not
only to meet but exceed expectations through strategic planning, fostering
collaboration, implementing agile practices, providing comprehensive training,
and ultimately delivering a product that transformed how our organization
operated. The success of this project reinforced my belief in empowering teams
and prioritizing user needs above all else.

Anonymous · Answer

C: our quarterly planning process was too long, with multiple sources of input
and no single source of truth. I was responsible for my area, but this impacted
all areas in the org. I decided to take ownership of redefining the process.

A: I did a deep dive into the various input sources & teams involved.

I then created a proposal outlining a streamlined planning process end-to-end,
including roles & responsibilities, tooling, and communication plan

I assigned designated owners for each backlog-

PM - product backlog

EM - engg backlog

TPM - horizontal backlog

Instituted regular grooming sessions - TPM, PM, eng - prioritize on big rocks ->
alignment w. company objectives

Defined a prioritization framework - align with. objectives, customer/financial
impact, critical path, any alternative?

Instituted monthly cross-org sessions with partner teams - current & upcoming
roadmap, flag requests early

Regular TPM syncs with horizontal TPMs -> alignment on upcoming initiatives +
current initiatives

Define top OKRs around groomed backlog/big-rocks list

Communication plan: proactive comm around big rocks, daily comm during planning
cycle regarding status

Source of truth (Jira)- multi-layered board,  created custom dashboards &
components

Obj ->  area initiative ->  top OKRs ->  milestones

Team level OKRs -> separate view comprising of all teams

aligned w. org leaders

1-pager: breakdown by theme, top above the line & below the line items

R: cut planning lead time by ~40% (3w->1.5w),  enabled right prioritization of
cust needs (ex: enabled teams to flag GDPR req in advance), evangelized process
to other teams

Long term - replicated this process across other teams

Anonymous · Answer

C: upon joining , I noticed that partner teams within org unhappy with the
request handling & prioritization process, I decided to solve problem

A: no unified intake mechanism for the diff sub teams, several requests coming
in ad-hoc from partner teams & orgs (meetings, slack, email)

created a continuously on unified intake & planning mechanism

Deep dive sessions with ea team- domains they represent, current intake process,
major stkhldrs

Determine tooling- Jira due to connections with existing boards of partner teams

Created a public facing Jira intake form- publicized to all partner teams

Incoming req->backlog- weekly triaging w. all sub team PoCs (accept, more info,
not now)

Accepted -> which team, PoC, due date, add to team Jira board

Mth cross-org, cross-team req gathering sessions

R: rolled out process in short time, well received. Reduced time spent on req
intake & planning by more than 50%. Mth newsletter publishing team’s roadmap.

I comm this to all leads during weekly staff meeting

Impact - rolled out v1 of process very quickly, other improvements came later
(public view of roadmap)

Anonymous · Answer

As my last semester as a system engineer student, I went above and beyond on
time management of the time of the team and mine, this was on my thesis as
student. while we where a team of 4 members, one of our members and I had one of
our parents fighting cancer, so we needed to do time management to work in the
project and have a correct time management of personal and work time. What I did
was stated my focus, helped my companion doing the same noticing in what of the
project we where helping the most and focus on that on my case the SQL queries &
documentation of the project. Propose the solution to the other members, while
also covering more and more in the written part of the project, this solution
was applied by me, but i also had to cover sometimes my team member, doing what
was also his tasks in this case the design of the project processes, most of the
UML diagrams, because the situation of his family member worsen and some one
needed to pick up the pace of the project and that person was me

Describe a time when your performance exceeded expectations

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