The Manager's Path by Camille Fournier

Camille Fournier's The Manager's Path is the definitive roadmap for navigating technical management roles. Drawing from her experience as CTO of Rent the Runway, she provides practical advice for every stage of the management journey.

The book progresses through each role: from senior IC learning to mentor, to tech lead balancing code and leadership, to engineering manager focusing on people, to director/VP managing managers, to CTO setting technical strategy. Each chapter addresses the specific challenges, skills, and mindset shifts required at that level.

Key insights include when management is (and isn't) the right path, how to maintain technical credibility while managing, navigating the challenging transition to managing managers, and balancing technical excellence with business needs. Fournier doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties, addressing impostor syndrome, work-life balance, and career pivots.

What makes this book invaluable is its specificity to technical management, understanding that engineering managers face unique challenges. It's both a guide for those on the path and a reference to return to as you face new challenges at each level.