The Case for Becoming an Engineering Manager
5 days ago
- #Engineering Management
- #Career Growth
- #Skill Development
- The author argues against the common view that senior engineers shouldn't become managers, based on personal experience.
- Management is framed as a skill-building opportunity rather than a ladder optimization, focusing on impact over individual output.
- Key skills gained include precise communication, separating goals from tasks, and articulating intent—valuable even beyond management.
- The transition involves an identity shift, especially when managing former peers, with challenges like altered relationships and hierarchy.
- Practical concerns like flatter org structures and pay differences exist, but management skills offer long-term value and flexibility.
- Opportunities for management should be seized, as skills like stakeholder alignment and priority evaluation benefit any career path.