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> However, you can't control how your manager acts You can choose your manager and try to be under someone who acts as you expect though. Just as your manager

by hrktb 7y ago

> However, you can't control how your manager acts You can choose your manager and try to be under someone who acts as you expect though. Just as your manager tries to hire people that will be a good fit for their team. It goes both ways. It’s not easy either, nor will you always find what you want, but I think it’s healthier to define the problem in these terms.

scarface74 7y ago
You can choose your manager and try to be under someone who acts as you expect though. I’m all for the old saying “change your environment or change your environment”, but that doesn’t work either. If your manager happen to get to his position because of his technical skills more than his interpersonal skills and relates to you, more than likely he won’t be as effective at managing up and will be outmaneuvered by his peers when it comes to getting his people resources, promotions, raises, recognition, etc I’ve only once had a manager who was both solid technically and solid politically. When I cared about learning and a mentor, having a manager who was strong technically and not politically was great. But, you have to realize that you probably won’t get the raises or promotions. Use the opportunity to do Resume Driven Development and move on to a company to make more money. If you have a manager who is strong politically but not technically, the goal is to get him to trust you, make him look good and make it in his best interest to help you achieve your goals whether technical or financial to keep you. Is it a Machiavellian mindset? Yes and I’m okay with that. I’ve been at this way too long to be idealistic.
- arcticbull 7y ago
  The more senior you get the more your performance is going to be impacted by things outside your control -- or the corollary, that the more senior you are the more things are within your control. Luck still matters, though in time, I think you get better at identifying what constitutes a good situation and getting yourself into it; the same goes for getting out of a bad one.
- hrktb 7y ago
  I see the role of a manager to guide and help people, someone with just good technical skills should be an architect , an expert or technical lead. I know a lot or organizations don’t make that distinction, but I also made a conscious choices to avoid these companies. Then anyone managing a team with objectives should understand pretty fast that to reach them and get credits among their peers each person on the team needs to know the metrics, how they work, and what they should do to make them happen. That’s great if like you each member puts itself in the manager’s shoes, but I personally think anyone who doesn’t understand they should be transparent with their team on their needs shouldn’t be manager in the first place.
  - scarface74 7y ago
    That’s still an issue. The person you report to every day - whether it be on a true organizational level or a dotted line report has influence on your raises, promotions, etc but doesn’t have the political skill to communicate your accomplishments or value to the organization and your work gets filtered before it gets to the person who has some say over the purse strings. It’s a careful political balancing act to both be respectful of your direct manager/team lead and be noticed by your manager’s manager, but it is often necessary.

by hrktb 7y ago

scarface74 7y ago

You can choose your manager and try to be under someone who acts as you expect though. I’m all for the old saying “change your environment or change your environment”, but that doesn’t work either. If your manager happen to get to his position because of his technical skills more than his interpersonal skills and relates to you, more than likely he won’t be as effective at managing up and will be outmaneuvered by his peers when it comes to getting his people resources, promotions, raises, recognition, etc I’ve only once had a manager who was both solid technically and solid politically. When I cared about learning and a mentor, having a manager who was strong technically and not politically was great. But, you have to realize that you probably won’t get the raises or promotions. Use the opportunity to do Resume Driven Development and move on to a company to make more money. If you have a manager who is strong politically but not technically, the goal is to get him to trust you, make him look good and make it in his best interest to help you achieve your goals whether technical or financial to keep you. Is it a Machiavellian mindset? Yes and I’m okay with that. I’ve been at this way too long to be idealistic.

arcticbull 7y ago
The more senior you get the more your performance is going to be impacted by things outside your control -- or the corollary, that the more senior you are the more things are within your control. Luck still matters, though in time, I think you get better at identifying what constitutes a good situation and getting yourself into it; the same goes for getting out of a bad one.
hrktb 7y ago
I see the role of a manager to guide and help people, someone with just good technical skills should be an architect , an expert or technical lead. I know a lot or organizations don’t make that distinction, but I also made a conscious choices to avoid these companies. Then anyone managing a team with objectives should understand pretty fast that to reach them and get credits among their peers each person on the team needs to know the metrics, how they work, and what they should do to make them happen. That’s great if like you each member puts itself in the manager’s shoes, but I personally think anyone who doesn’t understand they should be transparent with their team on their needs shouldn’t be manager in the first place.
- scarface74 7y ago
  That’s still an issue. The person you report to every day - whether it be on a true organizational level or a dotted line report has influence on your raises, promotions, etc but doesn’t have the political skill to communicate your accomplishments or value to the organization and your work gets filtered before it gets to the person who has some say over the purse strings. It’s a careful political balancing act to both be respectful of your direct manager/team lead and be noticed by your manager’s manager, but it is often necessary.