You’re reading The Steady Beat, a weekly-ish round-up of hand-picked articles and resources for people who make software products: designers, engineers, product managers, and organizational leaders.
By the Numbers - The Name Game
- 30% — The share of newborn boys today whose names end in the letter “n,” making it the most popular letter-ending for boys’ names since the 1970s.
- 1970 — The peak year for girls’ names ending in “-ly,” commonly associated with Generation X.
- 2010 — The decade when boys’ names ending in “-son” surged in popularity, although no single name dominated like Jason did in the 1970s and '80s.
- 500,000 — The number of boys born in the early 2000s whose names ended with “-den,” with Aiden, Jayden, and Brayden leading the trend.
- 4 — The number of letters (“d,” “y,” “s,” and “n”) tied for the most popular boys’ name endings in 1950, before “n” took a dominant lead.
— The Washington Post, 5m
Founder Mode: Micromanagement or Mastery?
Paul Graham’s “founder mode” has taken over startup chatter, sparked by Airbnb’s Brian Chesky. The idea? Founders should stay deeply involved in all aspects of their company, rather than delegating to managers. Fans say it keeps leaders connected; critics call it micromanagement in disguise. While some love the flat-structure approach, others—like professor Peter Klein—warn it can’t scale and leaves employees feeling smothered. Elon Musk’s hands-on control at X (formerly Twitter) is a prime example of the risks.
— LeadDev, 3m #management #leadership
Be the Engineer Everyone Wants to Work With
Want to level up fast in your engineering career? Stop competing and start collaborating. Engineers who help others, take ownership, and build positive relationships not only create better software but get more opportunities and promotions. Focus less on yourself and more on the team’s success. Managers notice, and you’ll be the go-to person for new challenges. In short: be the teammate you’d want to work with, and the career wins will follow.
— Engineering Leadership, 5m #management #engineering #development
Leveling Up Your PM Offer
Even in a shaky market, Product Managers are still securing hefty raises, often adding $80K+ to their annual pay. In this guide, negotiation experts Colin Lernell and Annie Murray share five actionable strategies to help you boost your next job offer. From acing the salary expectations question to crafting a powerful counteroffer, they break down how to present your value, build leverage (even without competing offers), and avoid common pitfalls. It’s not just about getting paid more—it’s about setting yourself up for long-term career success.
— Product Compass, 9m #productmanagement
Simplicity: The Hardest Design Choice
Designers love simplicity, but crafting something truly simple is anything but easy. The challenge is not just stripping away features—it’s creating coherence across every layer of a product, from its aesthetics to its functionality and performance. Simplicity isn’t about minimalism; it’s about organizing, prioritizing, and making tough choices. Start with the core problem, then build intentionally around it. Simplicity gives users clarity, not complexity, but it takes time, care, and saying “no” more often than “yes.” In the end, simplicity isn’t just design; it’s meaning.
— DOC, 5m #design #productmanagement
Less Meetings, More Context
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