Thinking About Becoming an Engineering Leader? 3 Key Things to Consider

Today is all about leadership and management

Moving from engineer to engineering manager/leader is no small task. 

It requires a lot of change and growth. 

It’s not necessarily for everybody, and timing and support are important to do it well.

But if it’s something you want to try, I encourage you to do it! It’s a noble thing to focus on building up others.

Read on to learn more about the transition!

In today’s newsletter:

• 3 Considerations for moving to engineering manager

• How to overcome team dysfunction

• Hot jobs

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CAREER TIPS

Key Considerations Before Becoming an Engineering Manager

"Management means the development of people, not the direction of things."  — Bob Proctor

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 to create and produce quality results and influence others to improve through mentoring and helping shape your organization's strategic directions. 

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 succeed, you can elevate them—and there's nothing more amazing than that! Let me know if you're interested, and let's make this happen for you!

 HOT JOBS OF THE WEEK

> Software Engineering Manager at Vorto Operations LLC (Apply)

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📚 BOOK RECOMMENDATION

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

This is a fun book to read because it reads like a novel but teaches important lessons about leadership and team development. It is an important read for leaders or anyone who wants to improve their team!

Lencioni offers explicit instructions for overcoming the human behavioral tendencies that he says corrupt teams (absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results). Succinct yet sympathetic, this guide will be a boon for those struggling with the inherent difficulties of leading a group.

Building a cohesive team is not complicated, declares Lencioni. Departing from the dry, theoretical writing of many management books, he presents his case in the context of a fictional organization and, in doing so, succeeds at communicating his ideas. The scenarios are recognizable and can be applied anywhere teamwork is involved, whether it is a multinational company, a small department within a larger organization, or a sports team. At the end of the story, the main points are summarized and clearly expressed suggestions and exercises are offered to help bring about change. Concise and easy to follow, this program is recommended for anyone who is a member of a team that needs improvement.