Shameless plug -> https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/moving-management-mahesh-guru... . I use this with everyone on my team who wants to explore the management path. Happy to chat more if you want concrete examples about how I transitioned people over.
Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
11–20 of 186 posts
Re: Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
#12A short but interesting post on becoming a manager in engineering
https://zef.me/so-you-want-to-be-an-engineering-manager-bcdd...
Re: Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
#13One thing I had to learn when I was manager was that things are not always harmonious. Sometimes an unpleasant situation needs to be addressed and it's the manager's job to do that. Allowing someone on the team to underperform or behave badly or bad guidance from upper management demoralizes the whole team so the manager has to rectify it quickly.
Re: Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
#14The level of management book B.S is off the charts, but I would strongly recommend you pick up High Output Management, by Andy Grove. Use this as a foundation.
Next, I would recommend a few things:
- hold 1-1s with each person on your team on a regular basis. This is by far the best way to build good relationships with each person on your team. You will also get a lot more insights too.
- Ask each person on your team what their goals are in the next X months/years. Then do everything you can to help them reach it.
- Constantly be soliciting feedback about where you can improve.
Re: Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
#15One thing I had to learn when I was manager was that things are not always harmonious. Sometimes an unpleasant situation needs to be addressed and it's the manager's job to do that. Allowing someone on the team to underperform or behave badly or bad guidance from upper management demoralizes the whole team so the manager has to rectify it quickly.
I have to agree on this point. Shit will happen, it's how you handle it that matters.
Maybe a younger developer is brilliant but arrogant and dismissive of others.
Maybe a senior team member lays low not producing and piggybacking off of what others are doing
My biggest issue was feeling comfortable enough to directly ask people to work on specific projects / pieces of work.
Re: Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
#16Most important thing to me, learn the difference between leadership and management. A long time ago I was mentored by some great leaders who taught me the difference, and also taught me when to manage situations or specific people. Management isn't a bad word, but applied the way it is most places it should be. My goal with teams is to inspire them to make good choices, show them the right paths and help them succeed…
Fantastic comment, wish I could up vote it multiple times.
Re: Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
#17The most valuable book about "management" that I read back as a developer. Very thin - high information density. (The author later wrote a much thicker book with basically the same info).
I bought a second copy on my way to a job interview when I misplaced the first one :).
https://www.amazon.com/Mobile-MBA-Skills-Further-Faster/dp/0...
Re: Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
#18Great advice from people here but I'm gonna try to provide as much value as I can on top of that. Read books, listen to others, get a mentor, blablabla. Do that for sure because it is the bare minimum. Unfortunately, this is not enough. Here is how an individual gets into management and becomes a great engineering manager (the "great" part is essential): 1- The individual would grab the most annoying task no one else…
I would also add (maybe this is #3+#4): networking is important and might come harder to some developers stuck in their own world.
Understand the needs and goals of your manager peers / team members / boss (360 degrees) so that you can come to mutually beneficial [financial] decisions.
Re: Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
#19It might sound odd, but you can save yourself a whole lot of trouble by learning to keep your facial expression neutral no matter what you hear or see. Communication occurs in a variety of ways and not communicating the wrong thing is important. Its hard to communicate confidence to your team when your immediate reaction to some news is a facial expressions that tells your team something else.
Your a manager now, everything is on a stage and deliberate no matter if its email, phone, text, posture, or your face.
Re: Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?
#20I would reflect on your worst boss and learn what not to do.
Science says: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181203150505.h...