Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#1

Post by r_singh » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 2:25 PM UTC

Hi all, hope you are having a good weekend.

I have been a solo dev / indie hacker for a few (many?) years until recently when I added 2 people to my team (one engineer and one for marketing). Initially when adding them to my team I was kind of relieved that they would solve certain problems for me however after a few weeks I learnt while they do what I ask of them they also create new problems for me and I need to prepare a lot more which leaves less time to work solo. My impulsive thought at first was that maybe I should go back to being solo but soon I realised that I enjoy working solo and don’t really know how to be a manager or how to delegate.

Has anyone here faced something similar? How did you learn to become a manager?

I would really appreciate if you could point me to some good sources books videos courses any material that could give me a good 101 on being a manager and delegating work / using Human Resources, also using positive approach whilst giving feedback. Also, do you have any heuristics you use to measure your effectiveness at delegating?

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

Re: Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#2

Post by scastiel » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 2:32 PM UTC

When I became an engineering manager I read the book The Manager's Path by Camille Fournier. I found it very helpful.

Re: Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#3

Post by dxs » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 2:53 PM UTC

This may not help directly, but at least you'll get a couple of good reads out of it. See "Maverick! The Success Story Behind the World's Most Unusual Workplace" (1993) and "The Seven-Day Weekend: Changing the Way Work Works" (2003) by Ricardo Semler.

Info about him is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Semler

Right now I'm going through 37 Signals books just for the fun of learning..."Getting Real" (2006), "Rework" (2010), "Remote" (2013), "It Doesn't Have To Be Crazy At Work" (2018), "Shape Up" (2019). Might be something in there.

(I'm now retired, but still trying to figure out what the right way of living and working should have been. Luckily, I'm financially OK despite a lifetime of bumping into walls and dealing with shitheads at exactly every job I've ever had. At least I knew how to live frugally and save money, so I'm free now.)

Re: Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#4

Post by tbragin » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 4:14 PM UTC

What I've seen as effective as a new manager is to think about scoping whole and independent areas of responsibility for each individual on my team. This requires upfront thinking and planning, but pays in the long term as individuals come into these areas as end-to-end owners. In many cases, overtime, they became deeper experts than me in their respective areas, such that 1 + 1 > 2 in the long run.

As far as specific task delegation, if you are looking at your task list, I'd recommend a modification of "Eisenhower Matrix", that looks like this:

- Important / One-time Tasks - Keep for yourself.

- Important / Frequently Repeating Tasks - Delegate with high priority.

- Not important / Frequent tasks - Delegate with low priority.

- Not important / One time tasks - Delete.

Re: Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#5

Post by shermantanktop » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 4:24 PM UTC

Not a manager. But from what I have seen, effective managers need to play several games at once, in an intentional, balanced way. It’s easy to say “oh, I won’t be petty or political,” but being effective means a certain amount of jostling with peers, resourcefulness regarding how you accomplish your goals, and a certain amount of image management so your team gets credit for what they have done. It’s not an easy job to do well, but I understand why some people enjoy it.

Re: Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#6

Post by ws66 » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 4:29 PM UTC

It may be counter intuitive, but from my point of view, when you start managing individual contributors, YOU start working for them. Even though you are able to delegate work, a good part of your job is to clarify what needs to be done, how, etc... Especially that you are moving from solo to team based, you are also managing and clarifying requirements (stories or whatever) for your team. It's something you were possibly doing in your head previously, now you need to formalize it, because... communications! You help them do what they are good at, remove roadblocks, organize work between team members, plan work ahead of time, etc...

Re: Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#7

Post by cjcenizal » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 4:40 PM UTC

Congratulations! I went through a similar journey. Here’s my recommended reading: https://www.cenizal.com/reading/

Re: Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#8

Post by throwaway81348 » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 4:51 PM UTC

manager-tools.com - listen to all HOF podcasts.

A quicker way - buy their Effective Manager book today, read it over the weekend.

Re: Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#9

Post by croo » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 5:06 PM UTC

scastiel wrote: post #2

When I became an engineering manager I read the book The Manager's Path by Camille Fournier. I found it very helpful.

I second the recommendation. Very good clear no-bullshit book about the topic.

Re: Ask HN: How to be a manager? Any good sources for learning how to delegate?

#10

Post by radiator » Sat, Oct 14, 2023, 5:32 PM UTC

Why don't you read some books?

- Out of the crisis and The new economics, Deming

- Workplace Management and Toyota Production System, Ohno

- Peopleware, DeMarco & Lister

- Managing the professional service firm, Meister (delegation)

- Leadership Handbook, US Army