2 ms·

I don't think formal management training, e.g. an MBA, helps much. I think it's even harmful, as this type of training tends to be very generic and focused on h

I don't think formal management training, e.g. an MBA, helps much. I think it's even harmful, as this type of training tends to be very generic and focused on high level matters. In my career, these kind of "professional managers" have tended to be blunt instruments who don't respect or understand important information coming from their technical staff, and have caused a lot of damage as a result. I genuinely think it's more than enough for a new engineering manager just to read a few books on how to do it well, and read articles like this one. So long as they take it seriously, meaning prioritising the management over any coding work they have, they'll do fine. But surprising, most don't even do that. They get promoted, and then they just wing it. I've seen it happen repeatedly that they make no effort to study around their new role, and to hone their skill in it. It's quite strange.

marcus_holmes 3y ago
I became an EM fairly early in my career, and was very aware of how much I didn't know, so I completed an MBA. It helped with: - the formal stuff of management; legal obligations, how to fire someone properly, etc. - leadership training. The difference between leadership and management. What leadership involves, and how to do it well (although a lot of that is down to innate charisma, there are some things we can learn). - basic management stuff: how to interview someone, how to organise a meeting, how to negotiate. It was useful. I'm not sure I'd recommend it for everyone; I think I could have got the same benefit from a smaller, more focussed management course. But having an MBA as an engineer definitely leads to interesting places.