The Qualities of Successful EMs#
1. Effective EMs know when to delegate the engineering work to their engineers.#
Being too hands-on is an easy mistake to make when you’re new to managing people. However, it’s important to learn to let go of the work without being a contributor. As a manager, your priority is to manage, and the best way to do that is to trust your engineers to do their job without any handholding.
2. EMs must be flexible and open to negotiation.#
There are often multiple right answers, and being able to compromise is key to keeping things moving forward. There will be times when moving forward is the greatest priority. Let go of any stubborn belief that your way is the right way, and instead, get used to weighing trade-offs for different solutions, and embrace compromise.
3. Supportive EMs trust their team members to succeed.#
Engineering teams will rise to their potential when given the chance. EMs that view their teams as incompetent or in need of micromanagement deteriorate trust and can contribute to a toxic work environment that undermines productivity.
4. Great EMs always provide feedback with the right intentions.#
Engineers should trust that their EM will be honest, transparent, and invested in their professional development. These EMs are eager to see you succeed in your career, and aren’t afraid to deliver harsh truths if they’re beneficial to your growth. EMs who give indifferent feedback because they’re afraid of being impolite or negative often cause more harm than good. Those EMs care about minimizing their discomfort more than your professional growth. Finding out that your EM has been withholding feedback is demoralizing, and deteriorates trust even further.