A veteran technology infrastructure engineer, Taylor Leese has spent more than two decades designing and leading large scale software and data systems in Silicon Valley. With an MS in computer science from the University of Chicago, he began his career at Lawrence Livermore and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, where he contributed to modernizing security and computing environments for federal agencies. He later guided backend and platform teams at StackMob, PayPal, and a major social media company, progressing from engineer to senior director. As senior director of Grid Storage and Streams at LinkedIn, he oversaw blob and data lake storage, messaging systems, and core infrastructure while managing distributed engineering organizations. Through this work and his investing role at Milos Ventures, Leese has focused on creating structures, processes, and cultures that enable engineering teams to execute reliably, innovate responsibly, and achieve sustained success.
How Engineering Managers Create Environments for Team Success
Engineering managers do more than assign tasks and track deliverables. Their key responsibility is to build an environment where engineers can be creative and efficient, and align their functions with the company’s broader goals. Achieving this often requires balancing technical insights with soft skills while establishing a clear direction that ensures autonomy and growth.
Engineering managers usually establish clear visions, norms, and goals. They typically set both short-term and long-term goals. When everyone understands what they are building and why it is essential, they are more likely to align with it. Teams should agree on norms of behavior, how to treat deadlines, how to resolve disagreements, and how to communicate. Studies have shown that clarity of norms is related to performance and job satisfaction in engineering and software teams. Adopting a vision that prevents wasted effort and confusion helps engineers see the impact of their work.
Engineering managers must build trust, foster psychological safety, and cultivate a culture that encourages feedback. The engineering manager should create a safe environment, and engineers should be able to raise concerns, ask questions, and admit mistakes. Without psychological safety, workers might avoid speaking up, eventually suppressing learning. Engineering managers should follow through on commitments and be transparent about their decisions on behalf of the team. Feedback should be frequent, constructive, and a two-way process. The team should also celebrate wins and learn from errors.
The engineering manager should advocate for their team by resolving process bottlenecks, addressing cross-team dependencies, and removing organizational obstacles. For instance, the engineering manager might remove unnecessary meetings from the team members’ schedules, giving them more time to work.
High-performing engineering teams thrive not just by completing tasks but by constantly learning and evolving. Engineering managers play a key role in creating this growth-oriented culture by organizing peer learning sessions, mentorship programs, postmortems, and regular code reviews. Managers can also allocate time for innovation and experimentation, allowing engineers to explore creative solutions and stay ahead of industry trends. These habits strengthen technical skills, enhance adaptability, and foster collaboration across the team. Over time, this steady investment in learning reduces technical debt, boosts confidence, and builds a foundation for long-term excellence.
Diversity and inclusion are equally vital to a team’s ability to innovate and solve problems. When engineers with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives come together, they generate more creative, well-rounded solutions. However, engineering managers must listen to and address all voices and value every contribution. Creating a psychologically safe environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas strengthens trust and engagement. This sense of belonging enhances collaboration and inspires employees to take ownership and do their best work.
To sustain success, engineering managers must align team structure, processes, and communication. Well-designed processes, such as stand-ups, retrospectives, and one-on-one meetings, should serve the team’s needs rather than add unnecessary friction. Managers must also ensure that communication remains open and transparent within the team and with other departments, such as product management, design, and leadership. Acting as a bridge, the manager helps translate technical complexities into clear priorities and business outcomes. This alignment prevents confusion, maintains focus, and enables the team to move toward its shared vision while feeling supported and understood.
About Taylor Leese
Leese is a technology infrastructure engineer from San Francisco with more than twenty years of systems and software experience leading large engineering organizations. After completing an MS in computer science at the University of Chicago, he worked at Lawrence Livermore and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories on security and computing initiatives. He later guided backend and platform teams at StackMob, PayPal, and a major social media company. As senior director at LinkedIn and head of Milos Ventures, he focuses on data infrastructure and investments in AI, robotics, cleantech, energy, and defense.
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