As an engineering manager (EM), dealing with pressure is just part of the role.
But I want to clarify I’m not talking about stress. I see stress as a consequence of that pressure. When I mention pressure, I’m referring to the daily challenges, demands, and expectations that come with being an EM.
These include:
- Meeting deadlines, sometimes tight ones
- Juggling 101 things (or more) on your to-do list
- Needing to respond in one-on-one meetings
- Being put on the spot to give answers
- Group calls where you have to make decisions
- And meeting the expectations of your peers and superiors
It also includes the constant pull of everyone else you work with, such as your individual contributors (ICs) and project managers (PMs). At times, the pressure will feel overwhelming, if not impossible, to manage.
Which is why it’s essential for EMs to handle it properly. Failing to do so can result in thoughtless or emotional reactions, which can negatively impact your team.
This is also a kind of pressure.
But there’s good news. It may not feel like it, but as an introvert, you’ve got what it takes to deal with this pressure in a positive way. Because sometimes it’s not about what you do but what you don’t.
Introverts’ two powerful “nots” for managing pressure
Not saying “yes” or “no” until you’ve actually given it some thought
You’ve likely heard of the “yes man,” but there’s also the “no man.” This is the person who immediately responds with “no” to everything.
They struggle with the pressure of someone asking for help or having to make a decision. So, to avoid the issue, they shut it down without giving it any consideration.
Their reasons include not wanting to handle anything complex or deal with the extra work. Regardless, this is frustrating, even demoralizing, for anyone who has to continually fight through this “no” barrier.
As an example, maybe the team comes to their EM suggesting a minor change to a feature that’s already working well. If the EM agrees to the proposal, the work could get complicated or take up too much time and energy.
So, instead of handling the pressure of making a decision, balancing the added workload, and dealing with the risk of failure, they simply reject it outright. This makes the team feel unheard, and they may start questioning the EM’s ability to lead.
Now, consider the same situation with you in the EM role. What would you do?
Likely, you’d actually listen, consider the proposal, and perhaps even ask for more details. Approaching it this way means you’ve agreed to an idea that could greatly improve the feature. In addition, you’ve proven to your team a willingness to consider their ideas and collaborate to make them a reality.
Not reacting poorly to problems
Sometimes, things go wrong in the workplace.
A feature might malfunction, valuable time may be wasted, or the results could fall short of projections. All are devastating setbacks. But verbalizing frustrations only damages your team and potentially sets work back even further.
Say an IC misses a deadline they guaranteed they would meet, putting the entire project behind schedule. Anyone would be unhappy with that outcome. But the EM losing their temper and reprimanding the IC for their mistake only worsens the situation.
Because aside from being unprofessional, this emotional outburst creates the following ripple effects (especially the more it happens):
- Everyone will worry it will happen to them next
- Every IC will have increased stress and anxiety levels
- They’ll feel unsafe and stop sharing ideas and innovations
- The team will worry about failing, so they won’t push themselves
- And they’ll err on the side of caution to avoid eruptions
More importantly, these ramifications won’t go away overnight. It takes significant time and effort to restore trust with your team.
As before, consider how you’d handle the situation as the EM. Introverts like you have a more natural path to empathy, so it’s likely you’d try to understand what went wrong and why. It’s likely you’d listen to your IC about the situation, learn their perspective, and work with them to develop a path forward.
These steps may just seem like best practices to you, and they are, but they’re part of your power and practice as an introvert.
In short, where others struggle, you excel.
Make sure you avoid the endless “not,” though
Not saying “yes” or “no” quickly and not reacting poorly to problems are crucial for managing pressure. And you’re well-equipped to make use of them as an introvert.
But there’s a reverse side to this power: avoidance.
Carefully considering all the factors of a situation and not rushing your decisions also gives you the perfect excuse to put the issue off to the side.
Sometimes, you have to. But as you manage other responsibilities and new ones arise, it’s tempting to continue putting that older issue off longer and longer until you’re in an indefinite loop. And this continual avoidance can be just as damaging as an impulsive or poorly thought-out reaction.
Take the example of an underperforming team member. Likely, you know they underperform – every time you review their work, it falls short of expectations.
The right course of action is to confront the issue head-on together, but this requires comfort and skill in doing so. Carefully considering an issue is one thing, but actually taking action is another.
So, you might lower your expectations for the team member, saying you’ll handle it later. Instead of solving the problem, this path leads to results you might expect, such as:
- Substandard results
- More work for you
- And an underperforming team member who will never improve
So, while you don’t want to rush into dealing with pressure, be mindful that you don’t avoid it altogether. Avoiding difficult situations just allows them to mount and create another type of pressure.
The short version: no pressure, no diamonds
As an EM, you will face countless pressure-filled situations. This is a normal part of the role, but handling them effectively requires calm consideration. Failing to do so can have serious repercussions for your team, especially since your words and actions carry so much weight.
As an introvert, you possess a natural strength that allows you to handle the role’s pressure well. In short, you:
- Take the time to carefully consider situations, requests, or proposals before making a decision
- React calmly and with understanding when problems arise
So, tap into your natural abilities and trust that you have what it takes to excel in the EM role, whether you’ve already started or are about to.
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Originally published on Medium.com
Content in this blog post by Alex Ponomarev is licensed under CC BY 4.0.