Technologist or Manager?
Who is helping you to become a better manager?
If you're lucky enough to be employed at a larger company with a long-term view, like IBM and HP, you may actually be getting training and coaching that helps you grow in your job as a manager. But most of the rest of us -- particularly technical people who have come up through the ranks -- are learning on the job, mostly by making mistakes.
In startups and smaller companies, there are no resources for helping managers get better at managing. The executives are satisfied if you simply get the job done, such as getting the product out the door. If the consequences are burnout -- by you or by your team -- that's just collateral damage.
Besides, managing is just good project management, isn't it? If you can fill in the data in Microsoft Project, print the charts every week, and make forward progress on your timeline, everyone will think you're in control and doing what's needed. Won't they?
I don't buy it. Managing is an art. Just because you came into the job with great technical skills and a lot of experience as a project leader, you don't necessarily find yourself as successful as you imagine you could be. There could be better ways to keep the teams aligned on the projects. There could be better ways to coach the managers under you on dealing with "people issues." And you could be inspiring your management team with more innovative ways to develop products.
If you're struggling with being a manager or an executive responsible for high-tech development, you may be part of the collateral damage. It could be time to look for ways to learn about the art of management. First you have to believe that managing is a profession, and that you can be good at it; that it's worthwhile becoming a professional at managing; and that the manager's role goes far beyond being a technology leader.
One of my talks last year was titled, "What does management have to do with innovation." You can get a copy of the outline at http://johnlevyconsulting.com/pdf/Levy - Mgt & innovation.pdf
You have to put yourself out there to become a good manager, to keep your teams from burning out, and to enjoy the role. Make the effort, it's worth it.
If you're lucky enough to be employed at a larger company with a long-term view, like IBM and HP, you may actually be getting training and coaching that helps you grow in your job as a manager. But most of the rest of us -- particularly technical people who have come up through the ranks -- are learning on the job, mostly by making mistakes.
In startups and smaller companies, there are no resources for helping managers get better at managing. The executives are satisfied if you simply get the job done, such as getting the product out the door. If the consequences are burnout -- by you or by your team -- that's just collateral damage.
Besides, managing is just good project management, isn't it? If you can fill in the data in Microsoft Project, print the charts every week, and make forward progress on your timeline, everyone will think you're in control and doing what's needed. Won't they?
I don't buy it. Managing is an art. Just because you came into the job with great technical skills and a lot of experience as a project leader, you don't necessarily find yourself as successful as you imagine you could be. There could be better ways to keep the teams aligned on the projects. There could be better ways to coach the managers under you on dealing with "people issues." And you could be inspiring your management team with more innovative ways to develop products.
If you're struggling with being a manager or an executive responsible for high-tech development, you may be part of the collateral damage. It could be time to look for ways to learn about the art of management. First you have to believe that managing is a profession, and that you can be good at it; that it's worthwhile becoming a professional at managing; and that the manager's role goes far beyond being a technology leader.
One of my talks last year was titled, "What does management have to do with innovation." You can get a copy of the outline at http://johnlevyconsulting.com/pdf/Levy - Mgt & innovation.pdf
You have to put yourself out there to become a good manager, to keep your teams from burning out, and to enjoy the role. Make the effort, it's worth it.