Tips for Personal Growth as an Engineering Manager

In my previous post, I introduced the first "G" of the 4G manager framework - helping your people ✨ Glow ✨. While this requires skill-building and intention, helping your team Glow is both gratifying and feels good. Many managers are inherently driven to excel in this area. 🚀 However, the second "G" - guiding people to 'Grow' through constructive feedback, productive stretch, and career conversations - can feel disconcerting and uncomfortable to most managers. And yet, avoiding it has real costs to employee development 🌟 Here are some tips to make this G - Grow - feel more approachable and effective: 1️⃣ Constructive Feedback: Focus on pinpointing specific, observable behaviors and their impact on the business or the team. Steer clear of speculating about motives and instead, concentrate on the tangible. Real-time, concrete feedback builds trust far better than waiting for bi-annual reviews to discuss developmental opportunities. 💡 📣 Pro tip: Remember, you're responsible for delivering feedback constructively and objectively, not for how someone chooses to respond. Keep your focus on their growth 🌱, not on expressing yourself. 2️⃣ Productive Stretch: Empower your team to step outside their comfort zones into the realm of "productive discomfort." 🔥 This is where they flex new muscles, learn fresh skills, and ascend the steep slope of their learning journey. 🌈 📣 Pro tip: While it may be challenging to watch someone grapple with challenges before mastering a skill, allow them the space to figure it out independently before stepping in. The steep climb is a vital part of the growth process and isn't meant to be a cozy journey. ⛰️ 3️⃣ Regular Career Conversations: Engage in open, supportive dialogues about your team members' aspirations, focusing on values and desired skills. By doing this, you empower them to embark on new S-curves. 🛤️ 📣 Pro tip: For newcomers to your team, career conversations can center on thriving in their current role, without an immediate focus on their next move. Remember, not all career discussions are about the next step. 🌟 Do you have additional insights on helping your people 'Grow' as we head into review season? Do share!🌱✨ #Management #Leadership #EmployeeDevelopment #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalGrowth

As an engineering manager, your ability to influence people makes all the difference in leading your team to success Whether you're rallying your engineers around a project, negotiating resources, or fostering innovation - the art of influence is a LEARNABLE skill you can't afford to overlook Here are a few key strategies to sharpen your influence game: 1️⃣ Understand Your Team: Effective influence begins with understanding your team's goals, values, and challenges The better you comprehend their motivations, the more effectively you can lead and guide them 2️⃣ Active Listening: In any conversation, whether it's 1:1 or in a team meeting, listen actively - and give everyone a chance to express their ideas and concerns This not only demonstrates respect but also allows you to identify opportunities for collaboration and alignment 3️⃣ Lead by Example: Influence isn't just about talking the talk - it's about walking the walk and being a role model for your team When they see your commitment, integrity, and dedication, they're more likely to follow your lead 4️⃣ Build Relationships: Invest time in building strong relationships with your team members - and show genuine interest in their well-being, both personally and professionally Strong relationships foster trust, which makes it easier to influence and inspire 5️⃣ Clear Communication: Be clear and concise when communicating your ideas, expectations, and goals Ambiguity can lead to confusion, which is the enemy of influence - so be sure to speak with clarity and purpose 6️⃣ Embrace Flexibility: Not every team member is motivated or influenced in the same way… Adapt your approach based on individual preferences and personalities - some may respond better to data and logic, others are more inspired by your vision 7️⃣ Show Empathy: Understand your team's challenges and struggles, and offer support and empathy when needed This not only strengthens your bonds but also demonstrates that you genuinely care about their well-being 8️⃣ Celebrate Successes: When your team achieves milestones or completes a project, celebrate those victories together and acknowledge their hard work and success Recognizing and rewarding their efforts can motivate and influence them to maintain their dedication 9️⃣ Continuous Learning: Stay committed to personal and professional growth - especially with skills and areas that don’t come natural to you A growing, adaptable leader who recognizes their blindspots and works to overcome them is more likely to influence change and inspire innovation! Influence is the single most powerful tool for engineering managers, because it's the key to inspiring and motivating your engineers to achieve their best work! If you’re an engineering manager who wants weekly tips, tools, and insights on how to increase your impact throughout your team and organization 👇 Subscribe to my email newsletter - LEADING ENGINEERS #EngineeringManagement #Leadership #Engineering

It's easy to remember all of the things I've done wrong as a leader, all the learnings and missteps and still today I know I have a lot of growth a head of me. But then I get messages like this. Someone I recruited and hired, managed and promoted and someone I've watched over the years grow and blossom reaches out to remind me of the impact I've had on them personally and professionally. It's so easy for me to focus on the things I've done wrong, and the areas of development that still need developing, but today I will remind myself that despite all of that I am a good leader. So here are my top 5 areas of personal/professional growth over the years: 1) Be Authentic: I no longer pretend to be someone I'm not. I openly share stories and experiences, I own my mistakes and my successes, I can admit when I don't know something and more importantly I ensure my team sees me as one of them to build a relationship built on trust and respect. 2) Be Adaptable: I'm no longer ridged in way of working, I'm flexible and agile. I understand that in ever changing environments I will need to adjust to do what's best in that moment. My way is not the only way ... and is sometimes, not the right way. 3) Be Resilient: Gone are the days of defining myself by my mistakes or failures, I've learned to take lesson from these opportunities and forge forward. I've learned how to cope and lead through trying times and more importantly how to compartmentalize. 4) Be Empathetic: I've learned how to actively listen and internalize while putting my personal agenda aside. I've been more vulnerable, opening myself up to folks to build a strong foundation for relationship development. And I am able to be more compassionate expressing deep care for those around me. 5) Be Self-Aware: I spend more time now then I ever have thinking about how my decisions and actions might impact others. I've learned to slow down before saying or doing things to anticipate the ramifications. I also know my limitations and weaknesses and no longer view those as shortcomings but areas of potential growth. While I am still a work in progress, I know that I've had an impact on people, teams, businesses and customers. Happy Friday!