Julie Zhuo

Julie Zhuo is a product design executive and author best known for her work as Facebook's first intern in 2006, later becoming the company's Vice President of Product Design. Her bestselling book "The Making of a Manager" draws from her experience managing teams at Facebook and has been translated into multiple languages. During her 14-year tenure at Facebook, Zhuo helped scale the design team from a handful of people to over 500 designers. She writes extensively about design, technology, and leadership through her blog "The Year of the Looking Glass" and her newsletter "The Looking Glass." After leaving Facebook in 2020, Zhuo co-founded Sundial, a management tools company. She also serves as an advisor to various technology companies and continues to share insights about design leadership and management through speaking engagements and digital platforms. Her work focuses on making management and leadership principles accessible to first-time managers, particularly in technology and design fields. Zhuo's writing emphasizes practical approaches to common management challenges, drawing from her own transition from individual contributor to executive leader.

Readers praise Zhuo's clear, conversational writing style and practical management advice based on real experiences. Many point to her candid stories about mistakes and learning moments as a new manager at Facebook. What readers liked: - Concrete examples and actionable frameworks - Focus on common first-time manager challenges - Personal anecdotes that illustrate key points - Step-by-step guidance for difficult conversations What readers disliked: - Some found advice too specific to tech industry - Several noted redundant examples - A few wanted more advanced management topics Ratings across platforms: - Goodreads: 4.24/5 from 13,000+ ratings - Amazon: 4.7/5 from 2,000+ reviews - GoodBooks: 4.3/5 from 900+ reviews Reader quote: "Finally, a management book that doesn't just tell you what to do, but shows you how to do it through real examples." - Amazon reviewer Critical quote: "Good for tech newcomers but lacks depth for experienced managers." - Goodreads reviewer

The Making of a Manager (2019) A guide covering common management challenges and leadership fundamentals based on the author's experience becoming a manager at Facebook at age 25.

Year of the Tiger (2022) A collection of essays and thoughts about life, work, and personal growth structured around the lunar calendar.

The Looking Glass (2019-Present) An online publication featuring regular articles about product design, management, and technology industry observations.

Kim Scott writes about management and workplace relationships through frameworks like "radical candor." Her focus on giving/receiving feedback and building strong teams aligns with Zhuo's emphasis on people management fundamentals.

Patty McCord shares Netflix's management philosophy and talent practices based on her experience as Chief Talent Officer. Her work centers on building high-performing teams and cultures through direct communication and high expectations.

Julie Zhou covers product design leadership and career growth in tech companies through newsletters and essays. She examines the transition from individual contributor to manager with insights from her time leading design at Facebook.

Ben Horowitz analyzes management challenges through real stories from his experience building and running technology companies. His focus on making difficult decisions and having hard conversations parallels Zhuo's practical approach to leadership topics.

Reid Hoffman explores career strategy and company scaling based on his experience founding LinkedIn and investing in startups. He breaks down frameworks for professional growth and company building similar to Zhuo's systematic analysis of management.