Yaroslav Rushchak, Engineering Manager
What does it take to be a good engineering manager? Opinions vary widely, and certainly, many are worth attention. With over 3 years in the trenches, I share my vision, outlining the six key traits that define effective engineering managers. Being mindful of these traits can help in developing your skills as an EM, selecting the right leader for your engineering team, or providing references to build a competency profile for this crucial role.
Experienced engineering managers know that their role is context-dependent. In a product company, an engineering manager would ensure product development, communicate a lot with product managers and look for ways to extract customer insights. In contrast, engineering managers in outsourcing would often manage diverse stakeholders and mixed teams with varying accesses and influences. So, the best EMs align their strategies and decisions with the specific needs of a project or company, whether it’s achieving product-market fit, developing a product, or reducing tech debt.
A knowledgeable engineering manager juggles numerous tasks without compromising quality. One key to that is effective prioritization. Identify what’s crucial, push it forward, and make sure it aligns with the client’s needs, ensuring it genuinely benefits the business. Your expertise in this is crucial.
A skilled engineering manager often shares authority with teammates. Their ultimate goal is to build a team that is capable of making decisions on their own. Trust your team’s expertise whenever possible and encourage all teammates to contribute. This approach develops a sense of ownership over time, ultimately reducing the need for micromanagement and boosting delivery speed.
A proficient engineering manager values open communication. Encourage the team to voice concerns early, preventing issues from escalating. This transparency will ensure you stay informed of everything and adjust your course, if needed.
Skilled engineering managers prioritize planning by breaking down tasks. They almost atomize them. The smaller the task is, the easier it is to predict how long it will take to accomplish. This approach also minimizes the risks in case of non-delivery. Good engineering managers also involve teammates in planning and assessing the load. The best among them lay out concerns and risks upfront to avert surprises. So, avoid committing to doing large projects on a spot without previously considering them well. And — prioritize the predictability of your project development.
A good engineering manager also understands team dynamics. When adding new members, they usually try to address gaps in the team’s skillset. Culture match is also a key. At Rebbix, we had to decline many candidates with great tech profiles due to culture misfit. That saved us much time and resources that we would waste on fitting together. Plus, while hiring, get to know what the client lacks or seeks. This way, you’ll be able to compensate for it by tuning the team that will fill in the gaps to the fullest.
Yaroslav Rushchak, Engineering Manager What does it take to be a good engineering manager? Opinions vary widely, and certainly, many are worth attention. With over 3 years in the trenches, I share my vision, outlining the six key traits that define effective engineering managers. Being mindful of these traits can help in developing your skills […]
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