Hi all, after a lifetime of software development I've been promoted to Director of a 30-man software development team. What do I need to learn and where do I learn it? Anyone make the jump from tech to management successfully?
Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
1–10 of 42 posts
Re: Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
#2Everybody will give their own advice, but from my experience there are two aspect of it: (1) management in general, (2) issues related specifically to managing a team developing software. As for (1), I personally recommend the Theory of Constraints. To simplify: you identify weak points and fix them. There are several more modern management theories, but this one is particularly efficient and simple enough to apply as a part of your daily routine. As for (2), I'd recommend being open minded, but at the same time following common sense, especially if everybody is convincing you that you should follow some modern trend.
Re: Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
#3Maybe read "The Manager's Path" by Camille Fournier[0]. It focuses a lot on the transition from being an engineer to going into management.
[0]: https://www.amazon.com/Managers-Path-Leaders-Navigating-Grow...
Re: Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
#4I'd highly recommend reading Radical Candor by Kim Scott. Incredible book. Really focuses on practical ways to be a great manager. I'm not in management at the moment, but I plan to re-read carefully and apply almost all of it when I am!
Re: Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
#5Director.
All I ever wanted from the directors; strong leadership. Decisions made. Directions set (the clue is in the job title). Listen to what we have to say, ensure that everyone knows that their points have been taken on board, and then for God's sake make strong decisions, tell everyone why that's the decision made, and enforce the notion that it is never inherently wrong to pursue the direction you set. I want to know that you're going to support actions that pursue your direction, so support them publicly.
I have never had any problem getting 100% behind a direction I disagree with when it's been made and communicated well.
Direct.
Re: Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
#6I made the transition from engineer to managing a team of around 12 at Groupon. So I made the transition with a smaller team than you are - forgive me if some of this isn't as useful for your situation.
What worked for me:
- One on Ones. Nothing I've done has had as much of an impact as weekly one-on-one meetings with everybody on my team. I tend to follow the format outlined on Rands In Repose: http://randsinrepose.com/archives/the-update-the-vent-and-th... (This is an incredible blog for engineering management. I would highly recommend reading everything he has written.)
- Read everything you can find on the topic and about leadership in general and start figuring out how you can incorporate the lessons from those books into your situation and context. This is a brand new skill set that you need to approach with the same effort that you had been approaching engineering.
Some suggestions:
Rands in Repose: http://randsinrepose.com/archives/category/management/
Radical Candor: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Candor-Kim-Scott/dp/B01MY574E...
Extreme Ownership: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/B...
Becoming a Technical Leader: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Technical-Leader-Problem-Sol...
Peopleware: https://www.amazon.com/Peopleware-Productive-Projects-Teams-...
- Finally, one piece of advice I got when I first transitioned into management was that "first-time managers usually fall into the trap of becoming the manager they wish they had. What you really need to do is figure out how to be the manager that each person on your team wishes they had, and become that manager." Easier said than done, obviously, but I've always found it useful to return to it whenever I am struggling.
Re: Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
#7Hopefully this will not apply to you, but be prepared to take one for the team if malignant stupidity or malice come down from on high. All too often it is easier for managers to "let shit roll downhill" rather than put up meaningful resistance. Like I said, hopefully this doesn't apply to your company, but since you posted here, you probably work in tech, so there is a non-zero chance it will. Best of luck and congrats on the promotion.
Re: Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
#8A lot depends on your company and how it works. Some directors drive programs so abstractly, you are an interface to the rest of the company. You coordinate with other directors. Protect your engineers and managers. You have to shield them from the upstream shit. I presume you have 5 managers or so under you. You should have a boss above you as well. Your boss delegates to you and you delegate to your reports. You have a reputation and probably skill with working with others. You have to ensure that your teams are building the right thing in the right way (abstractly of course).. you don't need to micromanage. The best managers and directors bring people together and lead a common cause but let their people figure out how to achieve it.
Re: Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
#9I like Lazlo Bock's book, Work Rules!
If you think HR isn't central to management, I offer to you that the top junior officers in the US Navy are sent back to the Academy as Company Officers to
* run herd on ~120 talented young midshipmen, basically a high stakes RA.
* meet each other
* earn a master's in HR, focusing on leadership, administered by the Naval Postgraduate School. Spitball annual cost: $10M for 15 a year (2 year program and they're drawing salary and benefits, which could have been invested in having them driving ships or flying airplanes).
Focus on your people, their development, their well-being. Let them handle the technical challenges.
Communicate your people challenges to company HR aggressively. Make sure they are giving your folks money for training. If you have a weak player, talk to HR early. If they think you can handle it, they'll tell you. If they have tools for you, they'll bring those to bear.
Collect data, ask HR what data they collect company-wide. Talk to the other directors. Those are your colleagues now. Use them. Be frank with them.
Re: Ask HN: Just made Director, now what?
#10Start planning on the next jump. Can't stay a director forever.