What is expected of a engineering manager?
blog.rlmflores.me
What is expected of a engineering manager?
1–10 of 132 posts
Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?
#2One thing missing from my recent engineering managers is lack of relevant coding experience.
You don't need to be an great engineer to be a good manager, but it definitely helps when your manager knows enough about the battles fought in the trenches and can offer actual feedback/support instead of nodding for 30m, then going to another 1:1.
Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?
#3Article seems to omit one of the big issues I had with being an engineering manager and that was managing budgets (people/assets) and financial forecasts. I'll probably become a manager again, but I'm enjoying my break and doing "real work" again.
Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?
#4One thing missing from my recent engineering managers is lack of relevant coding experience. You don't need to be an great engineer to be a good manager, but it definitely helps when your manager knows enough about the battles fought in the trenches and can offer actual feedback/support instead of nodding for 30m, then going to another 1:1.
I think that would be covered under the idea "Lead by example". When the manager is competent to understand, console and provide guidance to the team when they're struggling - even slight slivers of technical skills and knowhow, the rapport they build is unbreakable.
The idea is to genuinely belong to a team, not just on an org chart. When troops are in the battle field, they form unbreakable bonds because they have trust, got each other's backs and there is absolutely nothing artificial about it - life is on the line. More often than not, I've seen managers appear genuine but are not internally so and it will surface in future if not now.
Also, corporations, midsized companies and even small companies have this idea of not speaking the mind. Instead, massive amounts of bullshit corp speak and lipstick is put on the pig to do a quick dog and pony show for the upper management. Managers that suck up to upper management lose their support from the troops. Once that's done, there is no going back.
Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?
#5Article seems to omit one of the big issues I had with being an engineering manager and that was managing budgets (people/assets) and financial forecasts. I'll probably become a manager again, but I'm enjoying my break and doing "real work" again.
I was thinking the same thing. Plus, all the miscellaneous administrative tasks (HR, training, marketing, etc.).
Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?
#6One thing missing from my recent engineering managers is lack of relevant coding experience. You don't need to be an great engineer to be a good manager, but it definitely helps when your manager knows enough about the battles fought in the trenches and can offer actual feedback/support instead of nodding for 30m, then going to another 1:1.
At my last job I had an interesting (nice) experience. My boss wasn't an engineer, he was a project manager, but that didn't hinder him. I think what made him successful was that he cared. He'd say over and over, "I'm not a developer, I need help understanding." We would sit in a meeting and walk through problems. He was very calm and patient and acted genuinely interested in what the problem was. He would ask questions about what he didn't understand, and trust us on the things that we would say. It was a great experience. When we said we had a problem, he tried to understand and relay that to the necessary people. When he couldn't we'd accompany him to explain the details.
Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?
#7Why do articles like these make it seem like it was written by a guy targeted by an engineering manager?
"Like if I were in his shoe, this is how I would treat myself."
Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?
#8Article seems to omit one of the big issues I had with being an engineering manager and that was managing budgets (people/assets) and financial forecasts. I'll probably become a manager again, but I'm enjoying my break and doing "real work" again.
+1 - I had a discussion with one of my directs today as they were considering becoming an SDM. There are so many days as a manager where every moment of my time is filled with meetings and admin tasks and at the end of the day you feel like to accomplished nothing. Where as with coding you can feel like you built something and have something to show for your hours of time. I certainly miss being an IC, more and more each day..
Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?
#9One thing I noticed is that a lot of managers create an environment they would not want to work in themselves. A good manager should not just pass on orders from above and report back but try to shape the work environment so their reports can work well.
A lot of managers in my company only ask “when” but never “how” or “why”. It doesn’t help to constantly remind people of deadlines without listening to and implementing suggestions for improving the work environment.
Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?
#10One thing missing from my recent engineering managers is lack of relevant coding experience. You don't need to be an great engineer to be a good manager, but it definitely helps when your manager knows enough about the battles fought in the trenches and can offer actual feedback/support instead of nodding for 30m, then going to another 1:1.
I've had EMs who who really well versed in the team's technical work, because they were an IC on the team, and the complete opposite: EM was external hire
One downside of relevant coding experience is that the EM will get involved in more and more little technical details, which bleeds into micromanagement territory.