Managers Holding others Accountable that “everything that needs to get done, does get done”1.
Activities
The most important management skills are2:
- One-on-Ones
- Feedback
- Coaching
- Delegation
Ongoing
Growing their team
To grow the team, the manager must engage in effective Technical Recruiting. A reasonable alternative to hiring experienced developers is growing junior developers within your teams3.
Developing their team
Leveling up their teams skill sets and responsibility is a high-leverage activity for managers. Creating and maintaining and Engineering Career Ladder allows the team to have clear pathways for progression. Managers help with the progression through Feedback, Mentorship, and coaching.
Organizing their team
Building Teams, Coordinating Groups, and cross-team coordination are the major ways they lead their team. Managers are the conduit of information between teams and throughout an organization and therefore Inter-Team Communication is a fundamental part of their role. Charity Majors puts it as1
I sometimes imagine managers as the nervous system of the company body, carrying around messages from one limb to another to coordinate actions.
Responsible for the SDLC
Managing the business
One-on-Ones
Time Specific
Yearly roadmap planning
Annual Planning Management By Objectives (MBO)
Quarterly checkins
Performance Reviews
1. Majors, C. Questionable Advice: ‘My boss says we don’t need any engineering managers. Is he right?’ Charity.WTF (2024).
2. Auzenne, M. & Hortsman, M. The Management Trinity - One on Ones (Hall Of Fame Guidance).
3. Kestenbaum, I. Good People, Big Dreams. (2021).