From Software Developer to Engineering Manager: Mastering the Transition
This video Is part of Adeva`s Fireside Chat Series, where we are hosting chats with industry leaders, covering different tech-specific topics. Thrilled for having Andy Polhill - Development Manager at Shopify!
In this session with Andy, we have an open discussion about:
What does it take to become an Engineering Manager
How to approach this career transitioning process
Best practices and personal tips for a smooth transition
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0:00 Introduction
2:50 You recently joined Shopify as a Development Manager, before that you were working as a Head of Development as well. What are the main responsibilities and how does it differ from what you’ve been doing before as a Developer?
6:05 Does Shopify plan to stay remote or?
6:55 Back to the role that you have there, in terms of collaborating with other Engineering Managers, what’s the structure working for a company of such large scale, how do you make sure that you are well synced and everyone is aligned?
8:33 Can you tell us a bit about the journey that you took from Software Developer to becoming a Development Manager, the challenges, important skills that you’ve acquired over the years, and essentially what helped you become successful as a manager?
10:25 How did you deal with becoming a manager of people who were your peers until yesterday?
11:44 Do you have any tips for people who have just found themselves in this new role and now they have no idea how to work with it?
13:29 When you started was it like organically becoming a Lead from a Developer, or did you go through some training and some formal part?
15:18 Do you remember the beginnings, what were the things you started with, some tips around giving feedback, or how to do code reviews properly, some general things you’ve learned when you were starting the transition?
16:44 What are the things that you learned over the years through your personal experiences, like something that you didn’t learn on the job that actually made you better as a manager?
19:51 We're faced with company cultures that are emphasizing the need to work hard, or just favoring people who work hard. What was the case in your scenario, were you just lucky to be in a company that cared for that as well, or did you have to do something to make sure that you are valued equally with someone who worked maybe 80 hours a week?
23:17 What are the things that you would advise for people who are just entering a more leadership role, how to find balance, or how to essentially reinvent their new role?
28:14 When it comes to helping the team be effective, or mentoring more Junior Engineers, what are the most important responsibilities that an Engineering Manager should take on?
31:10 Are there any books that you would suggest on this topic that’d be useful for people who want to learn how to be effective managers?
34:39 How has your relationship with your reports changed when managing remotely, as opposed to in person?
36:58 What was the main motivation that made you shift to a managerial role?
40:29 What was your hardest moment so far as an Engineering Manager?
41:29 How many years of experience qualifies you as an Engineering Manager? You mentioned earlier that you don’t have an engineering degree, so maybe we can connect the two and talk a bit about that?
44:52 Would someone be effective as an Engineering Manager if they got a degree for Project Management or Engineering Management, and then start the job without any practical experience?
46:27 How do you know when you’re prepared to take this step forward as a Developer to Engineering Manager?
47:45 Did you feel ready when you first started? And did you jump from a Senior Developer to a Head of Engineering in your previous company, or was it a smaller transition?
48:56 You mentioned reading blogs about Engineering Management, do have some favorites you can share?
49:51 Aside from sourcing and hiring that you do right now, what are a few main differences between being an Engineering Manager and a Team Leader?
51:13 Is a freelancer a good candidate for being a Development Manager, probably someone external to the organization?
53:23 Are there Staff Engineers at Shopify, and how do the Engineering Manager roles differ from that one?
55:52 What are the most important soft skills for Engineering Managers, and what is the biggest lesson that you've learned from managing so far?
58:47 Final thoughts
#firesidechat #softwaredevelopers #engineeringmanagers #careertransition #AdevaFiresideChats