I know an engineer who excels in architecture and writes exceptional code.
Their work is:
- Sleek
- Powerful
- And precisely what many aspire to create
However, this Ferrari of code comes with significant real-world limitations.
Ferraris struggle with low clearance and imperfect city roads. Likewise, this engineer’s code is impractical for everyday use and expensive in terms of resources. And like Ferraris requiring high-end mechanics, it also requires special expertise and attention if something goes wrong.
In an ideal situation, we’d love to integrate their work into our product. From an engineering perspective, their code is invaluable because of its perfection.
But as an EM, you know perfection isn’t always sustainable. Spend long enough in the role, and you’ll start asking questions like, “What will happen one year from now? Three? Five? Ten?” You’ll also start asking others, such as:
- Will other individual contributors (ICs) be able to understand the work?
- Will anyone else be able to maintain it?
- What happens if that engineer leaves the team or is unavailable for some reason?
Unfortunately, this eventually leads you to the practical choice: you can’t use this Ferrari of code!
The reality of being an engineering manager
If you’re like me, your technical instincts are screaming at you to find a way to integrate code like this. But you have to tell them no. Again, while the code is very appealing, it will cause more problems than solve.
However, you don’t want this incredible engineer and their work to go to waste, either. So, instead, you can have them work on:
- Developing best practices
- R&D
- And helping improve the skills of other ICs
This is the challenge you’ll face (or already do) as an EM – balancing technical quality with the realities of the business.
And finding this balance sometimes feels more like walking a tightrope. One wrong step can lead to a fall, whether it’s:
- Misalignment
- Failing to meet business goals
- Or problematic team dynamics
And I understand it can be difficult, especially if you are new to the role. You’re probably missing the technical aspects you loved as an engineer and hating that you have to consider other elements of the work.
But an important step in succeeding as an EM is acknowledging the fact that a perfect balance doesn’t exist. Rather than striving for this impossible equilibrium, concentrate on your new role and bridge the gap.
Bridging two worlds
There is a striking divide between the business world and the engineering world. You will soon realize this when you become an EM.
This is because each world operates within its own silo, and they both often fail to understand the perspective and challenges faced by the other. This disconnect can lead to frustration and misunderstandings on both sides.
So, as an EM, it’s your job to bridge this divide and be the conduit of effective communication between them. To begin, you need to understand where each is coming from.
The business world
There is a perception that engineers tinker with their toys.
From a business standpoint, the people in charge feel that engineers are solely focused on their technical work. They don't want interruptions or the pressures of deadlines.
Because of this, the business world often perceives engineers as:
- Arrogant
- Unreasonable
- And not understanding the broader financial implications or strategic goals
This can create a sense of frustration and resentment in the people responsible for the business.
The engineering world
On the flip side, engineers (as you may well know) view the business world as a collection of “talking heads.” They think they contribute little more than endless discussions.
They also see business professionals as having unrealistic expectations and demanding rapid results and solutions to complex problems.
The common sentiment among engineers is that business leaders make lofty commitments to stakeholders without understanding the technical challenges accompanying them. This creates a perception that the business side is disconnected from the realities of product development.
The EM’s position
As an EM, you find yourself in a unique and critical position: you must act as the bridge between these two worlds.
On the one side, engineers feel that those in business are out of touch with what it takes to deliver on their promises. On the other side, business leaders believe engineers are preoccupied with their “toys” and fail to see the broader vision.
Your role is to:
- Foster understanding and collaboration between them
- Ensure that both sides appreciate the expertise each brings to the table
- And help them acknowledge the challenges the other faces
You can advocate for the engineers by sharing the technical realities of their work with the non-technical players. Equally, you can manage the engineers to work effectively within the project's scope.
By doing so, you can break down the barriers in communication that often lead to frustration and inefficiency.
But to navigate this successfully, first, you must actively develop your people skills. This will enable you to bridge this gap between the technical and non-technical worlds.
How to create this bridge
It’s highly unlikely that you’ll step into the EM role with every skill finely tuned. While you may feel confident in your technical abilities, it’s common to have less certainty when it comes to your people skills.
Your technical expertise has brought you this far, so now it’s about expanding your toolkit to include effective:
- Communication
- Conflict resolution
- And delegation
Get ready to learn as you go, starting right now – this is the only way to stay ahead in your role. You will make mistakes at first, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s all part of the journey, and they’ll provide you with valuable lessons you can use to improve.
Here are some key areas I recommend focusing on.
Communication
This is arguably the most valuable tool at your disposal.
Effective communication is at the heart of your role as an EM. How you communicate will significantly influence the outcomes, whether you’re:
- Providing feedback to engineers
- Conducting performance reviews
- Or meeting with stakeholders
Each of these groups requires not just doing this well but also adapting it as well. Because when you engage with others, it’s not just the information you’re sharing that’s important – it’s also the way in which you do so.
For example, when communicating with engineers, it’s essential to be technically specific. But you also need to provide some context from the business perspective so they have the full picture.
Similarly, with non-technical stakeholders, it’s important to focus on the high-level picture. While it’s helpful to offer some technical context, you’ll want to manage the details so they don’t feel overwhelmed or confused.
It’s like Dale Carnegie said, “Personally, I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms. So when I went fishing, I didn’t think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted.” In other words, you need to pitch yourself and what you’re saying according to your audience.
So, invest time and effort into honing your communication skills. You can start this straight away. Exercise self-control and empathy when you talk to others. And work to build rapport with them by speaking their language – this approach will serve you well in every interaction.
Conflict resolution
Unfortunately, conflict is an unavoidable part of your job. Bridging the two worlds of business and technical work means solving interpersonal problems.
To help, I highly recommend reading Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. The book emphasizes focusing on mutual interests rather than rigid positions, and it helps you aim for win-win solutions. This way, everyone walks away feeling:
- Respected
- Value
- And as though they have a greater understanding of the other side
In the meantime, here are some steps you can take to facilitate this:
- Listen: do this actively – hearing what they have to say is more important than sharing your opinion on a situation
- Stay neutral: as hard as it may be sometimes, do not let emotions get involved – they will only worsen the problem
- De-escalate: encourage those involved (and yourself, if needed) to step away for time and space to calm down and collect themselves
- Understand: make sure you listen to all parties with impartiality – this allows you to understand the root of the problem or misunderstanding
- Mediate: convey the feelings of everyone involved so they can see the situation from a different perspective while feeling heard
- Help everyone win: no one wins if they win alone – so make sure everyone walks away feeling like a victor
And once again, remember that effective communication is crucial in these situations.
Delegation
Even as the bridge between two worlds, you can’t take on every task yourself. While you carry the responsibility of helping each side understand the other, you shouldn’t be doing what they’re each responsible for, too.
In the beginning, you may find saying no difficult, though. However, keep in mind that if you don’t, you won’t be able to do what you’re in charge of well, meaning the bridge starts to collapse.
As an example, maybe a change comes down from the business side. Without explanation, your engineers think it’s stupid and unnecessary. Their enthusiasm for completing the work is dampened.
You could do the work for them, avoiding a difficult conversation. Or, you could take the time to hear what they have to say and then explain why this change is beneficial. This may take longer than you’d like, but the end result is motivated (or at least understanding) engineers who do the work they’ve been asked to.
Keep in mind that you still want to follow other delegation best practices, such as:
- Recommending team members for tasks they’re skilled in
- Monitoring the workload and ensuring balance between them
- Never delegating responsibilities you should care for
The short version: make the shift from theory to practice
As EMs, we often find ourselves navigating the fine balance between the technical and business worlds. While your technical expertise provides a valuable foundation, it’s your people skills that define your success in this new role.
Some key areas to focus on are:
- Effective communication: tailor your message for different audiences, including engineers and stakeholders
- Conflict resolution: use negotiation techniques to resolve interpersonal issues, such as listening, staying neutral, and helping everyone win
- And delegation: ensure others are doing work they’re supposed to, understand the purpose of their work, and focus on handling what you’re responsible for
Your new focus is now to bridge the gap between the two. Developing your people skills is paramount to your success as an EM.
Want more tips on leading effective software engineering teams?
Join my newsletter if you’ve found this content useful
Originally published on Medium.com
Content in this blog post by Alex Ponomarev is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
