Becoming an Engineering Manager: IC-to-Manager Transition
Management competencies, a 6-month plan, and common pitfalls when shifting from IC to EM.
What Changes from IC to Manager
You go from “I build” to “I enable the team to build”. Less code, more coordination, prioritization, coaching, and stakeholder management.
Six-Month Transition Plan
- Months 1–2: set up structured 1:1s, team working agreements, and clear goals.
- Months 3–4: establish execution rituals (predictable planning, review outcomes, manage risks).
- Months 5–6: performance cycles, growth plans, feedback, promotion support, and hiring bar.
Core Management Tools
- 1:1 agenda (people, execution, career, team health).
- Risk board (people, tech, delivery, dependencies).
- OKRs + flow metrics (lead time, throughput, WIP, failure demand).
Common Pitfalls
- Overdoing “player-coach” and taking the core tasks yourself.
- Avoiding hard conversations and providing late feedback.
- Micromanagement due to insecurity.
FAQ
“Will I lose technical depth?” You can keep one focus area (architecture, performance, security) while still leading effectively.
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