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There's a different perspective, which is that there are different kinds of management. At the very least there's line management, project management, product s

There's a different perspective, which is that there are different kinds of management. At the very least there's line management, project management, product strategy, business design/strategy, and operational/delivery strategy. Sales engineers can also have customer/client consulting management roles. Some companies promote good engineers to R&D and product strategy roles. They're still engineering-led, and not particularly about day to day development issues or longer term - but still very clearly defined - project goals. Most of what's being described as management really seems to be line management. What you want from management is at least as much of the other types. Generalists who can invent the future with some accuracy are particularly valuable. Giving them space to pursue that within some very broad strategic goals is far more valuable than "promoting" them to team management.

candiddevmike 5y ago
Different kind of management = more management bullshit and ring kissing = less autonomy, more bullshit = developer attrition. Office space joked about having eight different bosses, the secret to worker happiness is less management in their lives, not more.
bjornsing 5y ago
> There's a different perspective, which is that there are different kinds of management. I don’t understand why this is a different perspective. The dynamic I’m describing applies if you start promoting junior engineers to these roles as well (based on interest in management and ineptitude in hands-on engineering). > Generalists who can invent the future with some accuracy are particularly valuable. Giving them space to pursue that within some very broad strategic goals is far more valuable than "promoting" them to team management. In my experience it’s very hard to invent the future and realise the vision without some sort of formal leadership / management (in the broadest sense) role. (Unless it’s small enough for one or two people to build of course.)
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candiddevmike 5y ago

Different kind of management = more management bullshit and ring kissing = less autonomy, more bullshit = developer attrition. Office space joked about having eight different bosses, the secret to worker happiness is less management in their lives, not more.

bjornsing 5y ago

> There's a different perspective, which is that there are different kinds of management. I don’t understand why this is a different perspective. The dynamic I’m describing applies if you start promoting junior engineers to these roles as well (based on interest in management and ineptitude in hands-on engineering). > Generalists who can invent the future with some accuracy are particularly valuable. Giving them space to pursue that within some very broad strategic goals is far more valuable than "promoting" them to team management. In my experience it’s very hard to invent the future and realise the vision without some sort of formal leadership / management (in the broadest sense) role. (Unless it’s small enough for one or two people to build of course.)

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