The managers path
1. Management 101¶
Concept: Basic principles of management.
Example: Imagine a new manager, Alex, who has just been promoted from a senior engineering role. Alex starts by setting up regular one-on-one meetings with each team member. During these meetings, Alex provides feedback, discusses career goals, and addresses any concerns. Theory: The foundation of effective management lies in clear communication, regular feedback, and support for career growth. By establishing a routine of one-on-one meetings, Alex ensures that team members feel heard and valued, which can lead to higher job satisfaction and productivity. This approach is rooted in the theory of transformational leadership, which emphasizes the importance of inspiring and motivating employees through direct and meaningful interactions.
Share the responsibility of 1-1s meetings. Come with a prepared agenda. - Avoid just status update, - focus on topics above your team (company vision, market changes, new opportunities in other teams...), - new stretch topics to work on to get more visibility, - trainings, - issues inside the team, - overall strategy (are you working on the hot topics?) - agree on some goal to reach a promotion or a raise next year
Find the best manager and the best mentor in your company and kindly ask directly for some guidance or suggestion periodically.
The more you get senior the more you get in an uncertainty environment. If everything is already in order and well structured when you work on it, you're doing it wrong and you're probably far from increase your seniority.
Even if your manager is stressful only you are responsible for your own work life balance. -> Always plan and schedule your activities, deny or postpone the rest as much as you can.
As always only complaining is not useful to anyone! If there is an issue think about a possible solution first or search/ask proactively if someone else has already worked on a similar problem before complaining.
Make strong relationship with managers able to understand and play the company politics game. Managers coming from an engineering path are usually bad at this.
2. Mentoring¶
Concept: The importance of mentoring in career development.
Example: Sarah, a senior engineer, takes on the role of a mentor for a junior colleague, John. She helps John navigate technical challenges, provides guidance on best practices, and offers career advice. Theory: Mentoring is crucial for professional growth and knowledge transfer. It creates a supportive environment where less experienced employees can learn from their more seasoned counterparts. This aligns with the social learning theory, which posits that people learn from one another through observation, imitation, and modelling. By mentoring John, Sarah not only helps him develop his skills but also reinforces her own knowledge and leadership abilities.
Prepare an onboarding: select a project or some ABC task being part of a project you know well. Never act competitive. Never act intimidating. Listen. Explain difficult concepts in different ways and with diagrams. Define clear goals or acceptance tests and let the mentored to find its own path. Be ready for the coming questions. Check the understanding. Ask for code or process explanation, ask to present their work.
3. Tech Lead¶
Concept: Balancing technical expertise with leadership.
Example: As a tech lead, Michael is responsible for guiding his team through a complex project. He makes key technical decisions, reviews code, and ensures that the team adheres to best practices. At the same time, he supports his team members by providing clear direction and resolving any issues that arise. Theory: The role of a tech lead requires a combination of technical skills and leadership abilities. This dual focus ensures that projects are executed efficiently and that team members are supported in their work. The situational leadership theory is relevant here, as it suggests that effective leaders adapt their style to the needs of their team and the specific situation. Michael’s ability to switch between technical and leadership tasks exemplifies this adaptive approach.
4. Managing People¶
Concept: Handling interpersonal relationships and team dynamics.
Example: Emma, a manager, notices tension between two team members, David and Lisa. She arranges a meeting with them to discuss the issue and facilitates a constructive conversation to address their concerns. By mediating the conflict, Emma helps restore a positive work environment. Theory: Effective people management involves empathy, conflict resolution, and fostering a collaborative culture. The emotional-intelligence theory highlights the importance of understanding and managing one’s own emotions, as well as those of others. Emma’s ability to empathize with David and Lisa and guide them towards a resolution demonstrates high emotional intelligence, which is essential for maintaining a harmonious team dynamic.
5. Managing a Team¶
Concept: Leading a team to achieve common goals.
Example: As a team manager, Robert sets clear objectives for a new project and delegates tasks based on each team member’s strengths. He regularly checks in with the team to monitor progress and provide support where needed. Theory: Successful team management requires goal setting, delegation, and motivation. The goal-setting theory suggests that specific and challenging goals lead to higher performance. By setting clear objectives and aligning tasks with individual strengths, Robert ensures that the team is focused and motivated to achieve their goals. Additionally, the theory of motivation, such as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, emphasizes the importance of addressing both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators to keep the team engaged.
6. Managing Multiple Teams¶
Concept: Overseeing several teams and ensuring alignment.
Example: Laura, a senior manager, is responsible for multiple teams working on interconnected projects. She holds regular cross-team meetings to ensure that everyone is aligned and that any dependencies are managed effectively. Theory: Managing multiple teams involves strategic planning, communication, and resource allocation. The systems theory approach is relevant here, as it views an organization as a complex set of interrelated parts. Laura’s ability to coordinate efforts across teams ensures that the organization functions smoothly as a whole. Effective communication and strategic alignment are key to managing the interdependencies and achieving overall organizational goals.
7. Managing Managers¶
Concept: Leading other managers and developing their leadership skills.
Example: As a director, James provides guidance and support to new managers in his organization. He conducts leadership training sessions and offers one-on-one coaching to help them develop their skills. Theory: Effective leadership at higher levels requires mentoring and developing other leaders. The servant leadership theory emphasizes the importance of leaders serving their teams and helping them grow. By focusing on the development of new managers, James ensures that the organization has a strong leadership pipeline. This approach not only enhances the capabilities of individual managers but also contributes to the overall success of the organization.
8. The Big Leagues¶
Concept: Transitioning to executive roles.
Example: After years of leading technical teams, Rachel is promoted to the role of CTO. She shifts her focus from day-to-day technical decisions to strategic planning and organizational influence. Theory: Executive leadership involves strategic vision, organizational influence, and high-level decision-making. The transformational leadership theory is particularly relevant at this level, as it emphasizes the role of leaders in inspiring and motivating the entire organization. Rachel’s ability to articulate a clear vision and influence the direction of the company is crucial for driving long-term success. This transition also requires a deep understanding of the organization’s goals and the ability to align resources and efforts to achieve them.
9. Bootstrapping Culture¶
Concept: Building and maintaining a positive organizational culture.
Example: As a founder, Mark implements initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion within his startup. He creates policies that support work-life balance and fosters an environment where all employees feel valued and respected. Theory: A strong organizational culture enhances employee satisfaction, retention, and overall performance. The organizational culture theory suggests that the values, beliefs, and behaviors shared by members of an organization shape its overall environment. By actively promoting a positive culture, Mark ensures that his startup attracts and retains top talent. This approach not only improves employee morale but also drives innovation and productivity.