Lessons from SoulCycle for Engineering Managers

I look at everything I hear or read from the perspective of Engineering Management. The closest comparison that comes to mind is a music producer or DJ that can’t listen to music in a relaxed way anymore because they try to identify the melody or a specific synthesizer that was used.

The same happened when I listened to one of my favorite podcasts: The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway. In one of the recent episodes Scott interviewed the founders of SoulCycle. It was very interesting to listen to their founding story, their Leadership approach and what made SoulCycle what it is today.

Their unique approaches to get SoulCycle off the ground can also be applied to your skill as an engineering manager.

I’ll give you a short rundown of the story behind SoulCycle and we pedal through four areas that every engineering manager can benefit from. Let’s start from the beginning:

The Story behind SoulCycle

SoulCycle’s story began with Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice, who wanted to change how people saw fitness in New York City. They didn’t like the usual gym scene, where everyone just focused on working out alone and burning calories.

They imagined a place where exercise was more about being together and feeling good, both physically and mentally.

They started SoulCycle as a fresh idea at a time when trendy fitness brands and social media like Instagram were just starting. SoulCycle was different because it made working out feel like being part of a friendly community.

It wasn’t just about getting fit; it was also about feeling better and being around supportive people.

Cutler and Rice turned the usual gym business upside down. They made sure fitness instructors were well taken care of and could give everyone a great experience. They found their first studio space through Craigslist, and even though it was hard to find and had no signs, it quickly became popular.

The welcoming and friendly atmosphere they created became a big part of what made SoulCycle special.

Using technology also helped a lot. It made signing up for classes easy and helped people fit exercise into their busy lives. This matched their idea that staying active should be an easy and important part of everyone’s day.

Over ten years, SoulCycle grew from just one studio to a well-known brand. This shows how important it is to have a clear goal, care about your community, and be open to new ideas. The success of SoulCycle proves that when you really care about bringing people together and giving them a great experience, you can make a big difference in an industry.

The founding story and concept of SoulCycle provide valuable lessons for you as an engineering manager. Let’s pedal through four crucial areas where SoulCycle’s journey can improve your leadership skills.

Leadership and Vision

As a software engineering manager, you can draw inspiration from SoulCycle’s founders, who demonstrated the impact of effective leadership coupled with a clear vision. Their ability to articulate and embody the core values and goals of SoulCycle was key to its widespread success and influence.

Your role as a leader involves more than just managing tasks and timelines; it’s about inspiring your team and guiding them toward a shared vision. Here’s how you can apply this in your management practice:

• Craft and Communicate a Clear Vision: Develop a clear and compelling vision for what your team aims to achieve. Develop that vision together with your product manager. This vision should not only align with the company’s objectives but also resonate on a personal level with each team member. It’s about storytelling and regular communication of that vision.
• Lead with Purpose: Show your team the ‘why’ behind their work. When team members understand the purpose of their efforts, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to achieving the vision.
• Be a Role Model: Demonstrate the values and standards you expect from your team. Leadership is as much about setting an example as it is about providing direction.
• Foster a Culture of Excellence: Encourage a mindset of continuous improvement and high performance. Challenge your team to set ambitious goals and provide them with the support and resources they need to achieve them.
• Empower and Trust Your Team: Give your team the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Trust is a powerful motivator and builds confidence within the team.
• Set Up Open Lines of Communication: Ensure that you are approachable and available for your team. Open communication helps in addressing issues promptly, aligning efforts, and reinforcing the team’s vision and goals.

I wrote a dedicated article outlining 9 ways to increase autonomy in your software engineering team:

The Engineering Manager’s Guide to Autonomy

By embodying these principles, you not only lead your team more effectively but also provide a sense of purpose and direction, motivating them to achieve excellence and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s success.

Quality over Quantity

As a software engineering manager, you can learn from SoulCycle’s approach of prioritizing quality to ensure lasting success and customer satisfaction. SoulCycle chose to focus on delivering a premium, high-quality experience rather than expanding its services hastily.

This commitment to quality helped establish its reputation as a leading fitness brand.

In the context of software engineering, this principle translates to valuing high-quality code and robust testing over the rapid release of new features or products. Here’s how you can apply this to your management practices:

• Emphasize Code Quality: Encourage your team to write clean, maintainable, and efficient code. This not only reduces the likelihood of bugs and issues in the long run but also facilitates easier updates and maintenance.
• Implement Thorough Testing Procedures: Ensure that comprehensive testing is an integral part of your development process. This includes unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing to catch and fix problems before they reach production.
• Adopt Sustainable Development Practices: Promote practices that ensure the long-term health of your software and team. This includes regular code reviews, technical debt management, and ensuring a manageable pace of work to prevent burnout.
• Prioritize User Experience: Like SoulCycle’s focus on customer experience, prioritize the end-user experience in your software. This means listening to user feedback and making iterative improvements to enhance usability and satisfaction. It’s key to work together with Product and Design.
• Make Informed Release Decisions: Rather than pushing for rapid releases, make strategic decisions about when to launch new features or products based on their readiness and quality. This might mean delaying a release to ensure it meets your quality standards.

By prioritizing quality over quantity, you not only uphold the integrity and reliability of your software but also build trust with your users and establish a reputation for excellence in your field.

A side effect is also that high code quality results in engineering velocity that doesn’t degrade over time.

Leveraging Technology

As an engineering manager, you can take a cue from SoulCycle’s strategic use of technology to simplify class booking, which significantly contributed to their success. They harnessed technology to remove barriers, making it easy for customers to integrate fitness into their lifestyle.

In the same vein, you can leverage technology to enhance your team’s efficiency and workflow.

Here’s how you can apply this principle with practical examples:

• Automate Routine Tasks: Just as SoulCycle automated the class booking process, identify tasks within your team’s workflow that can be automated. This could include setting up continuous integration and deployment pipelines, automating code reviews, or using Slack bots to handle repetitive administrative tasks.
• Enhance Collaboration Tools: Utilize collaboration platforms that streamline communication and project management. Tools like Slack, Jira, or Asana can help keep your team aligned and facilitate smoother project tracking, much like how SoulCycle’s booking system streamlined customer interactions.
• Use Data to Drive Decisions: Implement analytics tools to gather data on project progress, team performance, and product usage. This data can guide decision-making, similar to how SoulCycle used customer feedback and booking trends to optimize their offerings.
• Improve Remote Work Efficiency: With the rise of remote work, use technology to create a seamless virtual office environment. This can include cloud-based development environments, virtual meeting spaces, and online collaboration tools, ensuring that your team can work effectively from anywhere.

By leveraging technology to streamline and improve processes, you not only make your team’s life easier but also enhance the overall productivity and satisfaction, leading to better outcomes and a more successful team.

Brand and Culture

As a software engineering manager, you play a crucial role in shaping the brand and culture of your team, much like how SoulCycle’s success was deeply intertwined with its distinct brand identity and culture. A strong brand isn’t just for outward marketing; it also reflects the internal values and ethos that drive your team’s operations and interactions.

Creating a positive and distinct culture within your software engineering team can significantly impact engagement, loyalty, and productivity.

To do this effectively, you need to ensure that the culture you foster aligns with the broader goals and values of your organization. Here’s how you can approach this:

• Define and Communicate Your Team Vision: Clearly articulate the vision and values of your team. What do you stand for? What makes your team unique? Communicate these principles consistently and ensure they are reflected in your team’s daily work and interactions.
• Lead by Example: Your actions and behaviors set the tone for the team’s culture. Demonstrate the values you want to instill through your own work ethic, treatment of others, and decision-making processes.
• Encourage Ownership and Responsibility: Empower team members to take ownership of their projects and responsibilities. This fosters a sense of pride and investment in their work, which is essential for building a strong team culture.
• Foster Inclusivity and Collaboration: Promote an environment where all team members feel valued and included. Encourage collaboration and open communication to ensure diverse perspectives are heard and considered, enhancing creativity and innovation.
• Recognize and Reward: Acknowledge and celebrate achievements, both big and small. Recognition not only boosts morale but also reinforces the behaviors and outcomes that align with your team’s culture and goals.
• Continuously Evaluate and Adapt: Culture is not static; it evolves with your team and organization. Regularly assess the health and alignment of your team’s culture with your stated values and goals, and be prepared to make adjustments as needed.

By actively building and nurturing a culture that resonates with your team’s identity and organizational values, you create a more cohesive, motivated, and productive environment, much like the vibrant and engaging atmosphere that has driven SoulCycle’s success.

Conclusion

The journey of SoulCycle offers a treasure trove of insights for engineering managers looking to lead with impact and innovation. From the story of its inception in the streets of New York City to its rise as a fitness phenomenon, SoulCycle’s ethos of community, quality, and forward-thinking can deeply resonate with the principles of effective engineering management.

By embracing the lessons of clear vision and leadership, prioritizing quality over quantity, leveraging technology for operational efficiency, and cultivating a strong brand and culture, you can steer your team toward remarkable achievements. Just as SoulCycle transcended the conventional gym experience to create a thriving fitness community, you too can transform your engineering team into a powerhouse of creativity, productivity, and success.

Ride the wave of these lessons, and you may find your team reaching new heights of excellence and innovation, much like the mark left by SoulCycle in the fitness industry.

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