Summary
If you’re an engineer who’s been promoted to management, congratulations! You’re now responsible for a team of people, and it’s a big responsibility. If you’ve never been a manager before, you’re probably wondering what to expect and how to be successful in your new role. Here are some tips for first-time engineering managers:
Less coding, more management
First, expect to do less coding and more people management. As a manager, you’ll be responsible for setting objectives and priorities for your team, and for making sure that work gets done. You won’t have as much time to code as you did when you were an individual contributor, but that’s okay – your goal now is to make your team as effective as possible.
Common Mistakes: micromanagement, feedback, and delegation
Second, avoid making common mistakes that new managers make.
- One common mistake is micromanaging – don’t try to control everything that your team does. Instead, focus on setting objectives and letting your team members figure out how to achieve them.
- Another common mistake is not seeking feedback. As a manager, you need to be open to feedback from your team members, your boss, and other stakeholders.
- And finally, don’t forget to delegate. It’s important to delegate tasks and give your team members the opportunity to grow and develop their skills.
Differences between being an IC and manager
Third, remember that there are some key differences between being an individual contributor and a manager. As a manager, you need to be able to see the big picture and understand how your team’s work fits into the overall company strategy. You also need to be able to communicate effectively with people at all levels of the organization. And finally, you need to be able to deal with conflict – it’s inevitable that there will be disagreements within your team, and you’ll need to be able to resolve them.
More administrative work
Fourth, expect to do more administrative work as a manager. You’ll need to keep track of your team’s progress, prepare reports, and maybe even do some performance reviews. This paperwork is important, but it’s not the most exciting part of the job. try to delegate as much of it as possible to your team members or to an assistant.
Don’t fall into the advice trap
Fifth, be careful of the advice trap. As a manager, you’ll be bombarded with advice from well-meaning friends, family, and colleagues. But not all of this advice will be good, and some of it will be contradictory. It’s important to be able to filter out the noise and focus on what’s really important.
Connecting your team to the broader organization
Sixth, remember that you’re the bridge between your team and the executive team. It’s your job to make sure that your team has the information and resources it needs to be successful. And it’s also your job to protect your team from busy work or tasks that are not relevant to the company’s objectives.
Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the ride! Managing a team can be challenging, but it can also be very rewarding. Seeing your team members succeed and knowing that you played a part in their success is one of the best parts of the job.
If you’re looking for more tips on being a successful engineering manager, check out this book:
