Is management right for you? And what makes teams dysfunctional

We’re diving into leadership a bit today

Leadership isn’t a title, it’s an orientation. But management often is a title. If you want to be a formal manager at work, you can start by being a leader now.

Lead out in building trust with others.

Lead out in how you deliver, communicate, and collaborate with others.

Lead out in continually investing in your own growth and development.

Don’t wait for someone to give you a title - become the leader you can be now. And if you want to be a manager - we’ll talk about ways to make that happen as well.

In today’s newsletter:

• Considerations for moving into management

• Team dysfunction and what to do about it

• Hot jobs

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CAREER TIPS

Key Considerations Before Becoming an Engineering Manager

Many of the engineers I have interacted with have expressed that one major goal in their careers is to transition from enhancing their own technical expertise to managing and developing people. This is a noble career path option.

As a manager, you will have the opportunity not simply to create and produce quality results, but to influence others for the better through mentoring and helping shape the strategic directions in your organization. 

Management is not all roses, however. There are factors that you must consider if you choose to transition into a management role. Being aware of these things before making the change will help you be sure that this is the correct path for you. Below are a few things to consider.

The purpose and focus of your work will change 

Rather than being a technical expert and knowing all the processes and executing them, you must learn how to be a leader of people. There will be more meetings, for sure, but it's not just about coordination - it's about alignment. Your results are not just your own - you now own the results of your entire team.

You must let go of most technical work

As an individual contributor, perhaps you have become the go-to person who knows all the answers and solutions. Now, as you become an engineering manager, you will not continue to be a subject matter expert. Rather, you will have to build and trust your team to know (or find) all the answers and be technical experts in their respective fields. 

Is management right for you?

If this type of work excites you and gives you a sense of fulfillment, then this could be a great way for you to progress in your career. If you're not sure, then perhaps you can find a way to get a glimpse of what kind of work needs to be done as an engineering manager by asking people in your network or asking to mentor a young engineer.

For many, this is a difficult shift in identity. You will need to learn to let go of a part of your identity as someone who is a technical master and create a new identity as someone who helps people succeed, grow, and develop in their careers. 

If you have a genuine concern for your people and a keen desire to help them be successful, you can elevate them - and there's nothing more amazing than that!

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📚 BOOK RECOMMENDATION

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams.

Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech's CEO, faces the ultimate leadership Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni's utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight.

Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams, even the best ones, often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.