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"I've got so many other things to handle and deal with that being technical except at a high level seems silly." Like what?

by vp8989 5y ago

marcinzm 5y ago
I probably missed some but a general overview: - Helping figure out the right goals and metrics for the team and ensuring everyone is on the same page. - Holding 1-on-1s with team members, non-technical feedback and yearly reviews. Seriously, yearly reviews are a massive time sink if you actually care and spend time on them. - Passing around information to the team and making sure they are involved in the right meeting/conversations. - Attending various management meetings that usually could be replaced with a wiki page. - Resolving non-technical issues my team members are having. This includes listening to venting sessions, complaints and general bitching. Need to handle these situations in a diplomatic non-judgemental way. - Keep track of team non-technical blockers (people, process, etc.) and try to resolve them (short or long term). This includes resolving product management issues and other teams blocking my team. - Keeping stakeholders close and happy - Selling the team, it's vision and achievements broadly - Hiring - Planning team promotions and executing on those plans. This includes telling your team members what they need to do to get promoted and then ensuring those promotions happen. - Non-toxic (or toxic depending on the company) politics - Talking to random people in the company for networking. It's amazing how much people from HR will tell you if you are friendly and get coffee with them.
- djmips 5y ago
  Sounds like a lot of useful stuff but you'd still be better if you were more technically knowledgeable.
  - marcinzm 5y ago
    I am and like I said I'm actively trying to not leverage that skillset. I'm not in the weeds anymore and I cannot be due to the other things I'm responsible for. Someone making technical decisions who used to be an expert, isn't an expert anymore but can override decisions is a horrible mix.

"I've got so many other things to handle and deal with that being technical except at a high level seems silly." Like what?

by vp8989 5y ago

"I've got so many other things to handle and deal with that being technical except at a high level seems silly." Like what?

marcinzm 5y ago

I probably missed some but a general overview: - Helping figure out the right goals and metrics for the team and ensuring everyone is on the same page. - Holding 1-on-1s with team members, non-technical feedback and yearly reviews. Seriously, yearly reviews are a massive time sink if you actually care and spend time on them. - Passing around information to the team and making sure they are involved in the right meeting/conversations. - Attending various management meetings that usually could be replaced with a wiki page. - Resolving non-technical issues my team members are having. This includes listening to venting sessions, complaints and general bitching. Need to handle these situations in a diplomatic non-judgemental way. - Keep track of team non-technical blockers (people, process, etc.) and try to resolve them (short or long term). This includes resolving product management issues and other teams blocking my team. - Keeping stakeholders close and happy - Selling the team, it's vision and achievements broadly - Hiring - Planning team promotions and executing on those plans. This includes telling your team members what they need to do to get promoted and then ensuring those promotions happen. - Non-toxic (or toxic depending on the company) politics - Talking to random people in the company for networking. It's amazing how much people from HR will tell you if you are friendly and get coffee with them.

djmips 5y ago
Sounds like a lot of useful stuff but you'd still be better if you were more technically knowledgeable.
- marcinzm 5y ago
  I am and like I said I'm actively trying to not leverage that skillset. I'm not in the weeds anymore and I cannot be due to the other things I'm responsible for. Someone making technical decisions who used to be an expert, isn't an expert anymore but can override decisions is a horrible mix.