Overview
A year after joining ShopBack, the author recounts the rapid growth of the engineering organization and his sudden promotion from senior engineer to engineering manager. He shares the challenges, motivations, and practical steps he took to succeed in the new role.
Key Takeaways
- Clarify the role and responsibilities of an engineering manager early on.
- Consider motivations carefully; management is a parallel track, not a promotion.
- Set concrete short-term goals (e.g., 90-day plan) and review them regularly.
- Conduct regular one-on-ones and build individual profiles for team members.
- Document and formalize processes such as sprint planning and interview procedures.
- Seek mentors both within and outside the engineering discipline.
- Prioritize company goals first, team goals second, and individual needs third.
Who Would Benefit
- Senior engineers contemplating a move into people management.
- New engineering managers looking for practical onboarding advice.
- Technical leaders interested in structuring growing engineering teams.
- Anyone interested in the cultural shift of introducing engineering managers to a fast-growing startup.
Frameworks and Methodologies
- 90-day goal setting.
- One-on-one cadence.
- Sprint process documentation.
- Individual profile creation for engineers.
- Structured interview process.