Becoming an engineering manager (EM) can feel like entering uncharted territory.

The landscape has changed, and now you are responsible for navigating and determining your course of action. To be a successful explorer, you can’t wait for the path to be laid out in front of you – you need to: 

  • Do research
  • Consult maps
  • And chart your course 

As an EM, you must adopt this same mindset.

One of the first steps is scheduling a meeting with your manager. And this isn’t just a formality, either – it’s an opportunity.

Approach this meeting as if you were that explorer setting out on a new expedition. Rather than sitting back and waiting for directives, take the initiative to ask the right questions and map your own route. Do this regardless of the onboarding process.

Don’t let onboarding determine your results

Onboarding can vary significantly from company to company. 

For example, in larger companies, you might have: 

  • Clear guidelines
  • A structured orientation
  • Handbooks
  • And role structures

Onboarding is more informal in a smaller company. Your manager may give you a brief introduction and some basic information, for instance. 

Who you report to can also vary widely. In a startup, you may report to a VP of Engineering, the CTO, or even the CEO. 

But regardless of the hierarchy or onboarding process, the important part is figuring out as much as possible on your own. Rather than relying on others or a company’s processes, you have to find out what your manager expects of you.  

Align with your manager

Ensuring you and your manager are on the same page is essential for your success as an EM. After all, two people can work together but still move in completely opposite directions. 

Your day-to-day responsibilities might include ensuring the engineering process runs like a well-oiled machine. But it’s having an awareness of the broader goals and expectations that will define your success. 

Remember, your supervisor’s goals are your goals. 

They report to someone higher up just like you do, and they also have specific expectations and objectives to meet. Making this effort also shows you have their best interests in mind, which goes a long way toward career advancement. 

Plus, this inner drive to seek understanding and the will to do it helps you navigate your new responsibilities and demonstrate your commitment. Your manager will respect this attitude. 

So, when you meet to discuss your role, know exactly what you want to discuss and why.

Key topics to discuss in the meeting

First and foremost, ask questions! 

You want to find out how your manager:

  • Defines your role
  • Wants you to focus in your day-to-day work
  • And thinks what percentages of your time should go where

Also, remember to take notes and follow up afterward with communication detailing the key points of your discussion. This ensures you heard everything correctly. 

Otherwise, here are the topics to discuss with them.

Problems your manager needs help solving

You were likely hired to address particular problems, so knowing what those are is essential. 

For instance, perhaps there is some existing process that already works, but you need to improve or streamline certain parts. Or maybe you’ve been hired to a small or new company. In that case, there may be no process at all, and you need to design, build, and maintain one.

There may be other areas they want you to focus on as well, such as: 

  • Delivery times: Is there a need to improve how quickly features are delivered?
  • Conflicts: Are there any team dynamics requiring attention?
  • Technical debt: How can you help manage or reduce existing debt while maintaining delivery of new items?

To help get an idea of where you should focus most, you’ll also want to ask, "What are the top three priorities you see for my role?"

Methods of communication

To work well together, you’ll need to know how and when your manager likes to receive updates. So, discuss:

  • Meeting frequency: Ask how often they want to meet for progress discussions. Maybe it’s weekly or bi-weekly – you need to be clear on this.
  • Reporting: Find out what specific updates they expect and how often they want them. Do they want weekly status reports on how the team is doing and the problems you’re facing, or perhaps a short daily status update on specific items? 
  • Preferred channels: Discuss their preferred methods of communication. Do they want to use email, messengers like Slack, or meetings?

Metrics

This is one of the most important topics to cover. You need to understand the performance metrics and KPIs relevant to your role. 

For example, the metrics may include:

  • Feature delivery velocity: How many features can your engineering team deliver within a sprint or quarter?
  • Bug rates: Address outliers with unusual amounts of bugs, track, and fix them.
  • Decomposition: How many features take longer than one sprint to complete?
  • Estimates: Are your and your ICs’ estimates accurate?
  • Deadlines: Are you meeting them?

Clarity

You want to leave this meeting with zero ambiguity. If you still have uncertainties, don’t hesitate to schedule a follow-up.

Although this is dependent on the company you work for, in general, you want to clarify expectations around some of these key areas, such as:

  • Project and delivery: Understand expectations regarding timelines and project oversight (if any).
  • Team development and hiring: What is your role in mentoring team members and participating in recruitment?
  • Decision-making authority: Determine the scope of your decision-making power. What can you decide on your own, and what should be taken to your supervisor?
  • Cross-team collaboration: Are you engaging with other teams and departments? What is expected in terms of communication and cooperation?
  • Planning and road mapping: Depending on the size of your company, you want to discuss how involved you will be in setting long-term goals and the roadmap for the team.
  • Technical leadership and architecture: Understand your responsibilities regarding technical direction and architectural decisions.
  • Company-specific processes or frameworks: Find out any existing ones you'll need to adhere to. 

Make it a point to ask directly, “Are there any responsibilities you'd like me to take on that we haven't already discussed?" A straightforward question like this will highlight anything that may have been overlooked.

Ask who you should meet with next

Maybe there is a certain manager, team, or other key people you need to talk to after meeting with your supervisor. 

For example, perhaps designers have an issue with frontend engineers you should oversee. So, you need to talk to the design manager and understand the kind of problems they have so you can help address them.

From this initial meeting, it’s then a matter of:

Then, you’ll have even more questions! 

But, as you talk to more people and ask the right ones, you’ll gradually piece everything together. You’ll know what your new responsibilities are, the challenges you face, and the direction you need to take. And then you’ll be well on your way to making the impact you want as an EM.

The short version: take the initiative and start the conversation

Know that, first and foremost, the main expectation is that you are a manager now, so you have to manage yourself! This means not waiting for someone else to tell you what to do. This also means taking the following steps when you enter the role:

  • Don’t let onboarding determine your results: no matter what process a company has, it’s still your responsibility to take initiative and learn the necessary information
  • Schedule a meeting with your manager as soon as possible: there’s no better way to learn their expectations for you, your team, and so on
  • Align with your manager: their goals are your goals, and showing them your drive and care goes a long way to building a positive relationship with them
  • Discuss key topics in the meeting: learn the problems they need help with, communication methods they prefer, essential metrics, and ensure you are clear on everything
  • Ask who you should meet with next: you may need to talk with another manager, team, or other individual to continue learning necessary information or begin helping with various issues

Also, keep in mind that understanding your manager’s expectations isn’t just a one-time discussion – it’s an ongoing process. Regular check-ins will help ensure you remain on the same page. 

Above all, exercise your agency in navigating this transition. Remember, the work starts with you. Don’t wait for someone to tell you what is expected of you – be proactive, ask questions, and figure out what you need for yourself. 

Want more tips on leading effective software engineering teams?

Join my newsletter if you’ve found this content useful

Originally published on Medium.com