A seasoned engineering manager shares 20 concrete lessons on strategy, decision-making, people management, and communication to help leaders act with impact and avoid common pitfalls.
Engineering managers need to own a clear charter or risk executing someone else's vision. The article opens with the premise that impact, not titles, defines a manager's value. By setting a team's purpose early and expanding ownership before promotions, leaders create a roadmap for measurable outcomes.
The piece drills into decision-making habits that separate good managers from great ones. It advises identifying the first actionable step in a crisis, embracing strategic inaction when appropriate, and cutting losses on failing projects or hires. It also stresses compressing emotional reaction time to move from reflex to rational response, turning pressure into productive momentum.
People and performance receive equal focus. Immediate feedback on performance issues, celebrating correct behavior, and starting promotion planning a year ahead are presented as non-negotiable practices. The author frames the manager as an abstraction layer that shields the team's focus, translates technical work into business impact, and advocates for wins. Building fair, transparent relationships and modeling expected behavior are positioned as the glue that sustains culture and trust.
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