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Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

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Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#71

Post by hnfong »

ivan_gammel wrote: post #8
wiz21c wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>A leadership position is not one of vanity or even “self development”, No, it is a position where you have to implement the vision of your boss. It's a position where you're a slave. If your boss is a good one (who listens, helps and defend), you'll be a happy slave. If your boss is not, you'll have to do things against your own will and convince your team that it's good for them. Many people can do that but a lot m…

1. Mature leaders do not work under bosses (unless their greed meets really good salary). There are plenty of places to work at without top-down culture. 2. Mature leaders have values and personal agenda. 3. Mature leaders have manage-up skill and use it to align their manager expectations with their values.

> 1. Mature leaders do not work under bosses

True Scotsman, Mature Leaders. LOL

Even the most powerful CEOs answer to the Board (which are essentially their boss), with few exceptions. And for those exceptions (Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk etc.) probably aren't what most people call "mature".

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#72

Post by atomicnature »

You move towards becoming a manager, when you can't handle the work yourself despite working at a high capacity, and your ambition and your aspiration is much higher than what you alone can manage.

So, it is best to setup a vision, start taking on extra work, and aim for larger targets. In the process, you'll get more done, and you'll need people to help you with getting even more done.

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#73

Post by dadalorian »

idlewords wrote: post #39

The quickest way up the management ladder for a coder is to be enthusiastic, productive, and incompetent. Your teammates will move heaven and earth to promote you into leadership as a way to reduce your blast radius.

It's 30 minutes later. I'm still rofl'ing! I first thought, bro, you obviously meant "competent". This story didn't end the way I thought it would.

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#74

Post by ivan_gammel »

hnfong wrote: post #71
ivan_gammel wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Mature leaders do not work under bosses (unless their greed meets really good salary). There are plenty of places to work at without top-down culture. 2. Mature leaders have values and personal agenda. 3. Mature leaders have manage-up skill and use it to align their manager expectations with their values.

> 1. Mature leaders do not work under bosses True Scotsman, Mature Leaders. LOL Even the most powerful CEOs answer to the Board (which are essentially their boss), with few exceptions. And for those exceptions (Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk etc.) probably aren't what most people call "mature".

I think you misunderstood that point. There’s a difference between a leader and a boss in the style of management. In old school command hierarchies managers are bosses and give orders. In modern people-oriented structure managers act as an oil in the engine, enabling their direct reports to achieve their goals with their knowledge and skill. They may not know better, but they know how to delegate and trust.

Re: Ask HN: How to move from dev role to management/team lead role?

#75

Post by magusd »

Whenever I see people asking about technical tasks we see a ton of links and references, management is surprisingly poor in that sense, everyone just seems to be winging it.

There's no structure, there are no guidelines and that's because it's mostly dealing with people and people are almost always completely different from each other.

If you want to learn how to be a good/better management, focus on being a better person and helping the people around you get better.

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