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What is expected of a engineering manager?

blog.rlmflores.me

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Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#31

Post by ownagefool »

rhn_mk1 wrote: post #27
Timberwolf wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Companies really struggle with this, and in both directions. Startups and scale-ups tend to overcompensate to the point management hires get interviewed as super-ICs, where they'll be expected to answer technical stages at (or even above) the company's top IC standard, but only get a couple of basic scenario questions about management that anybody could answer. Sometimes you get lucky and they're good at both, but it…

What's IC?

Individual contributor.

Obviously there's a spectrum of management that an IC can undertaken, but this is typically based around their good will and soft powers, but the wider point is they're not supported to have direct reports.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#32

Post by silicon2401 »

volkk wrote: post #21
ethamontif wrote: post #15

`A good way to think about hiring and growing your team members is to think that they can replace you.` This is really wrong. Manager is a path, but an IC shouldn't need to become a manager to keep growing in their career.

> Manager is a path, but an IC shouldn't need to become a manager to keep growing in their career. I 100% agree with this, but have never really REALISTICALLY seen any of this methodology in the companies that I've worked at. Here's what I usually see instead: if someone is a staff engineer, then they worked their ass off to get there and are generally really good coders, and have wrapped their heads around the busin…

Anecdotally, as a SWE who doesn't have personal interest in coding, I would be more likely to code if I were a manager and didn't have to do it in day to day life (to get the satisfaction of actually doing everything exactly how I want it). After staring at a screen and typing all day, the last thing I want to do is put more strain on my eyes and fingers after work.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#33

Post by pc86 »

x87678r wrote: post #19
Timberwolf wrote: post #14

I think the article misses what I think is a vitally important part of the job: being a crap shield. A lot of the work of an EM is wading into the slurry pit with a shovel so your team are free to get the job done: bashing your head against InfoSec teams stuck in the '80s so the CI/CD toolchain can deploy to production, negotiating freedom with a CTO who wants to specify everything to the level of individual data str…

I used to think that then I burnt out. When the manager does nothing but the crap, the manager is going to leave. The proper way is to distribute the crap evenly.

"The proper way" is not an objective thing and to present it as such is disingenuous.

The best managers I've ever worked for have all, without fail, worked daily to keep as much nonsense away from the team as possible. The worst have either only been concerned with their personal advancement, or would just make the team basically fend for itself.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#34

Post by sidlls »

annexrichmond wrote: post #10
meagher wrote: post #2

One 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.

Yep, that's what I'm experiencing. There isn't a requirements analysis or design review where he doesn't insert himself into the low-level details, right down to class/data specifications and even lower. Instead of bringing his knowledge of how our stuff has to integrate with other teams' work to inform the design, he acts more like an IC colleague participating in its construction. Then, when engineers come to design reviews with designs that are relatively under-specified (knowing he'll just start making decisions during the meeting) he complains.

It's a bit grating to be told that "you're the expert, I expect you to decide these things" and then have every detail nitpicked over and argued with anyway.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#35

Post by balls187 »

pc86 wrote: post #33
x87678r wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to think that then I burnt out. When the manager does nothing but the crap, the manager is going to leave. The proper way is to distribute the crap evenly.

"The proper way" is not an objective thing and to present it as such is disingenuous. The best managers I've ever worked for have all, without fail, worked daily to keep as much nonsense away from the team as possible. The worst have either only been concerned with their personal advancement, or would just make the team basically fend for itself.

> The worst have either only been concerned with their personal advancement, or would just make the team basically fend for itself.

It's those worst ones who end up in upper management precisely for those reasons.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#37

Post by [deleted] »

dbliss wrote: post #8
stuff4ben wrote: post #3

Article 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…

[deleted]

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#38

Post by cpeterso »

stuff4ben wrote: post #3

Article 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 shifted from software engineering to technical program management because I was interested in the bigger picture of shipping software (after having been an engineer on a couple multi-year projects that floundered and failed due to mismanagement), but did not want to be personally responsible for hiring and firing people. I don’t have the constitution to make such big decisions impacting other people’s lives. :\

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#39

Post by solidist »

I appreciated the write and liked how some references back to high output management - excellent book. I wrote a similar contemplating piece, being in the role for some years now. Here: https://dev.to/solidi/what-is-an-engineering-manager-anyway-...

The management role is challenging and has affected me to the part where I go on continuous daily walks, thinking about what to do next. I mess up and have broken down on numerous occasions about tackling challenging topics that play out for both the business and the individual in contra. I still care.

Some things I missed doing well: Being a shield. Do this more. But more importantly to me: to leave engineers better than I find them. Ratcheting is the metaphor. I understand that I'm always asking for more.

It's a lot of meta and reflection while the delivering is or isn't happening.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#40

Post by x87678r »

pc86 wrote: post #33
x87678r wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to think that then I burnt out. When the manager does nothing but the crap, the manager is going to leave. The proper way is to distribute the crap evenly.

"The proper way" is not an objective thing and to present it as such is disingenuous. The best managers I've ever worked for have all, without fail, worked daily to keep as much nonsense away from the team as possible. The worst have either only been concerned with their personal advancement, or would just make the team basically fend for itself.

Curiously in your opinion who ended up being more successful?
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