Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

What is expected of a engineering manager?

blog.rlmflores.me

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 132 posts

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#41

Post by zoomablemind »

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.

This and also keep in mind that as mid mgr you become an IC to the business side of things, with its share of BS and politics. Now tell me, which one is "your team"... Mid mgr is not that much a position of power, more like a promise of decision control, but bureaucratic admin reality and twice expectations to meet.

Oh, well, there's some bright side to it too, it's all about the ppl sharing common goals, even if just for limited time. It can bring positive change.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#42

Post by pkaler »

I recommend all of the books referenced in the original post. They are all very good. But the expectation of an engineering manager is fairly simple:

Do whatever it takes.

Way back in February or March, when we were still working from the office, I walked to the drug store on the corner and got Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer for everyone. Because, do whatever it takes.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#43

Post by peterwoerner »

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…

The #1 job of a manager (in all fields) is to keep his people working. It doesn't matter if it is engineering, manufacturing or the local burger joint. A managers #1 job is to keep his people working.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#44

Post by ed312 »

Lots of great comments so far, but I'd like to toss mine in: showing up. As an EM for a few years now, showing up consistently, being available, always making time to talk or hear someone out. The best managers I've had also always told the unvarnished truth and empathized with what all the folks "in the trenches" had to do day to day.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#45

Post by ed312 »

systemvoltage wrote: post #4
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 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…

This is a really tricky thing to nail down as an EM. My first eng leadership role I was promoted out of the team. Everyone already knew I had what it took (I was one of the core group pushing hard to get the product out the door) so "engineering respect" came naturally. Fast forward to being hired as an EM - I realized I had to earn this all over again AND I couldn't do it just be being another peer in the trenches. Being an authentic leader is _hard work_, but it pays off when you see your team succeed.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#46

Post by ed312 »

nashashmi wrote: post #7

Why 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."

>"Like if I were in his shoe, this is how I would treat myself."

This is a very healthy way to think about things as a manager. I like knowing why I have to do a task, to have the chance to give feedback, and to get leeway to push for what I think is best. I try every day to support those things for my team.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#47

Post by hitekker »

balls187 wrote: post #35
pc86 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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.

Yep, a manager can focus on climbing the ladder once they offload their responsibilities onto the people beneath them. If their boss can't detect this abdication, or worse, doesn't want to see it, then the manager's opportunism will naturally be rewarded, and will encourage the opportunism of other managers in the org.

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#48

Post by vlod »

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 think the article misses what I think is a vitally important part of the job: being a crap shield.

One of my first jobs, it was described colourfully (it was in the UK) as being the team umbrella. i.e. Protects the team from the ever circling pigeons from above that like to frequently 'deposit'. :)

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#49

Post by halfmatthalfcat »

peterwoerner wrote: post #43
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…

The #1 job of a manager (in all fields) is to keep his people working. It doesn't matter if it is engineering, manufacturing or the local burger joint. A managers #1 job is to keep his people working.

s/his/their/

Re: What is expected of a engineering manager?

#50

Post by vonmoltke »

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

I agree that it isn't objective, but how is believing it is disingenuous?

Post reply on HN