> I really think all the advice about managing people is about competencies and strategies that a good engineer should also be developing.
I agree with this. At the same time, I think it's important to tease apart skills from rewards. I take all of the skills that are important for managers really seriously and care a lot about them. I work hard on my communication skills, empathy, task and time management, ability to create structure, etc. Those are basically the suite of management skills.
At the same time, I don't get much reward from a management role. When I have been in a lead role, it's been gratifying to see my team do well, but often not as gratifying as the feeling of making a thing myself. I just love building stuff more than I love coaching and creating structure for other people.
So it is important even in an IC role to work on the skills managers also need, but that doesn't necessarily imply that everyone should aim to do management work.
I agree with this. At the same time, I think it's important to tease apart skills from rewards. I take all of the skills that are important for managers really seriously and care a lot about them. I work hard on my communication skills, empathy, task and time management, ability to create structure, etc. Those are basically the suite of management skills.
At the same time, I don't get much reward from a management role. When I have been in a lead role, it's been gratifying to see my team do well, but often not as gratifying as the feeling of making a thing myself. I just love building stuff more than I love coaching and creating structure for other people.
So it is important even in an IC role to work on the skills managers also need, but that doesn't necessarily imply that everyone should aim to do management work.