> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://leif.me/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Upcoming Paper Jam: The Psychology of Software Teams, Part 1
- URL: https://leif.me/upcoming-paper-jam-the-psychology-of-software-teams-part-1/
- Published: 2026-08-30T15:06:44.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-30T15:06:44.000Z
- Author: Dr. Leif Singer
- Tags: Paper Jams

Paper Jam #21 will be our first without an actual paper! We're temporarily transforming the format into a book club. On our last call, we noticed we're all planning to read *The Psychology of Software Teams* by Cat Hicks, published this July. A single session is not enough time for a whole book, so we're splitting it up into two. This first session will cover chapters 1–4; the next one covers chapters 5–7.

Cat Hicks is no stranger to Paper Jams. Back in session #2 we discussed the *Developer Thriving* framework she built with Carol Lee. Her name kept coming up in later sessions too, most recently when we talked about what [a 2x productivity mandate](https://leif.me/upcoming-paper-jam-ai-writes-faster-than-humans-can-review/) does to the humans on the receiving end. 

These are the chapters for this session:

1. The Brains and Hearts That Build the World
2. Breaking Up with Brains-in-Jars
3. More Bands and Fewer Rockstars
4. The Performance Paradox

We'll be meeting on **Friday, September 11 at 1pm UTC**. 

*Cat Hicks*  
**The Psychology of Software Teams** (2026) \[[link](https://www.routledge.com/The-Psychology-of-Software-Teams/Hicks/p/book/9781032963389?ref=leif.me)\] — chapters 1–4

There's no PDF to download this time — you'll need a copy of the book, print or ebook. If you're unable to get and read the book in time, don't worry: feel free to listen in on the discussion anyway. 

Paper Jams is a monthly one-hour video call where a small group discusses research on the human factors of making software — usually an academic paper, this time a book. We follow the Chatham House Rule, and the conversation goes wherever the group takes it.

Interested? [Subscribe to Paper Jams](https://leif.me/paper-jams/) to get invited to the call.