Journey From Developer to Engineer Manager - Mike Berezowski
Ever thought about becoming an Engineering Manager but don’t know what it truly involves?
In this interview, Mike Barazowski — Engineering Manager at DigitalOcean — shares his real journey from software engineer to tech leader.
He talks about leadership growth, letting go of coding, building trust, and the challenges that come with managing people instead of machines.
What You’ll Learn
✅ How to transition from Developer → Tech Lead → Engineering Manager in real life
✅ The core responsibilities of an EM — planning, delivery, and team growth
✅ The biggest challenges in management — loss of control, loneliness, and people friction
✅ Proven leadership styles that build trust and high-performing teams
✅ How to prepare for management — mindset, reading list, mentorship & emotional awareness
✅ Hiring insights — why communication, ownership, and growth mindset matter most
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🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS
💬 Download the full resource in Skool:
https://www.skool.com/erictech
📅 Work With Me
New Projects - Free Strategy Call: https://calendar.app.google/sB9KrJP6e...
Technical Consultation (Paid 1:1): https://calendar.app.google/BU9D589X3...
🤝 Let's Connect
LinkedIn: / ericwtech
Reference materials
The Definition of a Tech Lead - https://www.patkua.com/blog/the-defin...
Designing your life - https://designingyour.life/the-book/
Functions of management - https://managementstudyguide.com/mana...
Giving up your legos - • Frontiers by Slack 2017 - “Giving Up Your ...
Leadership styles - https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/academy/blog/...
The Making of a Manager - https://www.juliezhuo.com/book/manage...
Leading Snowflakes - https://leadingsnowflakes.com/
Become an Effective Software Engineering manager - https://pragprog.com/titles/jsengman/...
Managing the Unmanageable - https://managingtheunmanageable.net/
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⏱️ Timestamps:
⌨️ (00:00:00) - Who is Mike Berezowski
⌨️ (00:00:48) - Mike's Career Journey
⌨️ (00:02:02) - Why he become an Engineering Manager?
⌨️ (00:03:12) - What do you do as a Engineering Manager
⌨️ (00:06:10) - Challenges for being a Engineer Manager
⌨️ (00:08:56) - What aspects of leadership roles apply to SDM role
⌨️ (00:10:37) - How to go from Software Engineer to Tech Lead?
⌨️ (00:11:54) - How to become an Engineer Manager?
⌨️ (00:14:53) - What are some aspects do you consider when hiring SDE
⌨️ (00:18:30) - Mike's Advice to others
#softwareengineer #softwaredeveloper #engineermanager
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