Engineering Management for the Rest of Us

by Sarah Drasner

“The fact that you’re worried that you’re not a good manager is a key part of being a good manager.”

If you don’t have alignment with your values at a base level, you will eventually burn out because, let’s face it, management work is very tough. You matter too. Unpacking our own values allows us to notice patterns in our life where we felt very aligned, and to see patterns where things didn’t feel right. That “not feeling right” feeling can be a good indicator of things we need to address. Values misalignment can impact our morale long-term and even lead to burnout if not addressed for a long time.

You have to show you can be trusted, and you have to be trusting. This means being okay with being vulnerable with your team. It means explaining to them how and why you care about their well-being, in words and in actions.

Saying “we” holds you accountable to your team for leadership decisions that you are a part of, which is how it should be. If people on your team have issues with the direction in which the leadership team is headed, it’s also your responsibility to own that conversation and next steps, as a liaison to the leadership team.

Our job as engineering managers is to create an environment where people can feel like they’re getting their best work done. The culture and morale on your team is a large part of your responsibility.

A person will struggle to reach flow state if they are not compensated fairly. Otherwise they will be consumed with the inequity, and it will be challenging for them to focus on the task. I’ve seen this time and time again.

Our collective aim as managers should be taking the careers of our employees as seriously as we do the team’s technical/work processes. Promotions ideally come exactly when and how everyone thinks they will. The goal is to set your team up for success: everyone has a good path forward and they can focus on doing work that is both impactful and rewarding.

Trying to Do Everything Yourself as a Manager Is Not the Best Way to Help