Why are managers even needed if they are not coding? are they supposed to code? why are they paid so much? And more importantly, should you become a manager or not? This is pretty common to wonder especially as early engineers. Here are a few pointers from my experience
The bulk of the work a manager puts in is abstract and super difficult to quantify. This gives an illusion that the manager is “not doing anything”. To ensure a significant impact and the outcome of the team, a manager needs to do at least three things really well
- prioritize the right projects
- track the right metrics
- reward the right people
Given managers hold the authority on the execution and are accountable to the team, they need to be right a lot. This sounds easy, but it is not.
Managers need to have the right technical acumen, some technical know-how, and the right gut feeling to make the right decisions across design, engineering, product, and business.
When I was a manager I was under constant pressure to deliver things, to make sure the right projects were picked up, and to ensure all engineers (and managers) had enough impactful work on their plate and were getting recognized and rewarded.
I could not cut some slack because the career growth of my team was my responsibility and making sure it happened was all on me. So, if you are in a dilemma, you should become a manager if
- you prefer mentoring people
- you want to make sure people grow
- you are patient, observant, and a good listener
- you can get people excited to chase a goal
- you communicate well
- you are organized and have an urge to keep things in check
Let me get this straight, whether managers should code or not is either a personal or organizational preference. In the end, what matters is the impact and outcome the person is making.
But one thing I can tell, if you choose to become a manager, be ready to spend a ton of time with others :)
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