In Software Management Basics Mark I. Himelstein provides straightforward and practical advice for anyone in a project management and team lead position. The article focuses on three primary issues:
1. Execution. In the end, you, your team, and your organization will be rewarded if you develop and release software that customers need in a timely fashion.
2. Communication. You must learn to communicate in different ways with different constituents. For example, you might use e-mail for officially documenting agreements between you and your peers, but need face-to-face meetings to explain that agreement with its rationale and implications to your developers.
3. Empowerment. You must develop an organization that breeds the next managers and leaders, and an organization that can focus, innovate, and succeed.