Informative book with tips, lessons, and strategies for navigating the managerial landscape in Tech. Some of the strategies discussed could apply to any industry.
One of my favourite chapters, which also happens to be right at the beginning of the book, delves into what to expect from a manager. The different chapters take you on a journey — what to expect from a manager, how to be managed, how to be a lead, how to be a mentor, how to manage managers, teams, and so on.
The book shows you what the expectations are for different leadership roles and levels in technology. It also gives you examples of practical situations which would come up, and recommendations of how to act when facing them. For example, how you could give feedback, or identify potential, or help people get promoted.
Notes
Some interesting things I highlighted from my read.
“Good managers know that delivering feedback quickly is more valuable than waiting for a convenient time to say something.”
“Your manager cannot force work–life balance on you. If you want to go home, figure out how to get your work done and go home. Sometimes you will have to go against the cultural grain to set your own boundaries, and that will feel uncomfortable.”
“Especially as you become more senior, remember that your manager expects you to bring solutions, not problems.”
“Even if you have absolutely no interest in management, it’s very difficult to build a career at any company with multiple teams without building a strong network of trusted people to share information and ideas with.”
“What you measure, you improve. As a manager you help your team succeed by creating clear, focused, measurable goals.”
“Your career ultimately succeeds or fails on the strength of your network.”
“As you grow more into leadership positions, people will look to you for behavioral guidance. What you want to teach them is how to focus. To that end, there are two areas I encourage you to practice modeling, right now: figuring out what’s important, and going home.”
Conclusion
This book is for everyone looking for professional growth. It helps you know what you should expect from your manager, as well as how to be a good manager, if that’s the path you’re taking.
It’s important to learn how to manage people (your colleagues, managers, or your team), and like any other skill, learning from others rather than only from experience is a great way to go. This book helps you learn from a great manager in Camille Fournier. I recommend.
Cover Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash