Becoming an Engineering Manager
Engineering Managers (EMs) play a pivotal role in software organizations. Whether you are aspiring to become an EM or have recently taken on this role, you might find yourself uncertain about the specific responsibilities and what it takes to be successful. Drawing from a decade of experience in engineering leadership, I’ve identified 3 core facets: people leadership, technical leadership, and delivery management. In this article, I will focus on the people leadership aspect and its challenges.
People Leadership Challenges in Tech
People leadership involves hiring, retaining and growing talent. According to research from LinkedIn, tech companies have the highest employee turnover rates of all industries at 13.2%. This turnover is partly driven by bouts of high demand on talent leading to talent wars and increasing wages.
Many leaders have accepted this turnover as an industry reality and are embracing it by thinking that no one is too valuable to replace. I’ve even worked with leaders who had a fast fire attitude, believing it’s best to replace someone once issues arise. This mindset frequently ignores the hefty price of a high turnover. After all, many of the costs tied to turnover are hard to measure.
An Overlooked Quality
My ex manager once told me, “your role is primarily tech direction, focus on reading about tech. People leadership is easy and comes naturally”. Many EMs act in a way that embodies this idea, putting the vast majority of their focus into technical areas, believing that they are naturally able to handle people leadership well.
This could explain why the biggest pains I’ve seen within tech organizations were not technology related but were people related. Toxic work environments, overwork, bro culture, hero culture, and lack of transparency are all issues that have negative impacts on software teams worldwide.
The Human Resource
In an organization, people are thought of as resources, however they are a different kind of resource. This is because a person’s value surpasses the role they fill. A software engineer is also a father, husband, and a friend. His interests and his potential extend way beyond the code he writes.
This is why stories similar to Brian Acton inspire us. He is the founder of whatsapp who was rejected by facebook in 2009 and ended up building an empire of his own. It also explains why people will often end up resenting being overworked for a project. They eventually realize that the things they sacrificed are more valuable than the project they sacrificed for.
This also means that every person on your team has unrealized potential. To be an effective people leader, you need to see beyond the current state of each of your reports realizing that your team carries the potential of massive success. Let’s break that up down into practical steps.
Effective People Leadership
- Know your team members: Having one on ones with your team is vital, during your one on ones, find out more about them, if they are willing to share. What do they care about? What do they do in their free time? Do they have a pet? What about kids? What do they wish to achieve at work in the short and medium term? This is not just small talk, knowing your reports helps you build bridges, helps make them feel appreciated, and creates empathy.
- Beyond Listening: Not everyone speaks loud and clear when they are frustrated or when things are going wrong. By observing and listening closely you can pick up on important details you may have missed otherwise. Is someone quieter than usual? If you aren’t listening intently you might miss it. Check in with the person after.
- Individualized Plans: Managers often think of performance improvement plans (PIPs). While these are helpful, each team member needs an individual plan regardless of how they are currently performing. The plan should involve where they stand now, what is the next goal and what are the practical steps being taken to achieve that next goal. Work with your team member to build the plan, be transparent, and follow up on the progress.
- Trust: Should be the default position unless it was breached. People are more likely to be trust worthy when they are trusted.
- Set an Example: If you want your team to be punctual, you have to be punctual. Some managers think that rules don’t apply to them because they are “Managers”. You need be accountable to your team. Let them know if you won’t be available during working hours. Work hard, be honest, show ownership ..etc.
Legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Leaders are not born, they’re made.” While it sounds very cliché, it’s true. No one is born a leader. Learn from your failures and sharpen your skills.
