Understanding the Role of an Engineering Manager

An engineering manager’s primary job is to be mindful of the needs of their team members and to build and retain a happy and high-performing team. To ensure your team functions smoothly, your engineers need to be able to work well and efficiently. That’s where you come in.

Your job is to listen to their ideas, requirements, and career goals, and then figure out a way to make them happen.

The idea is to align their individual goals with the company’s goals. This is so that when you give them the support they need to achieve their goals, the company’s goals will also be achieved. The team needs to be a cohesive whole that knows how to work together and build up each other’s strengths. They need to be involved in the decision-making processes, and their concerns should be given priority. Your goals are to have:

• Low turnover
• A team that trusts you
• Career growth for team members
• Smooth cross-functional coordination
• Smooth communication with stakeholders
• More innovations from your team
• Goal-oriented activities

As an EM, you need to be empathetic and cool-headed, as well as good at handling interpersonal conflicts on your team. Your team members need to trust you and feel valued for their contributions. If they know you’re invested in their growth just as much as they are, then they’ll be able to contribute more fully.