The Case for Real Tech Managers
It’s time to talk about people management in tech. Many software engineers aren’t fulfilling their potential in a remote working world and are lacking the support that would bring them to the next level.
I think that I’ve never seen a great manager in a tech firm, but I’ve seen the impact of poor managers, and I think this is contributing to turnover in roles, communication issues and a general lack of accountability in the industry.
Communication
The catch-up
My tech lead wanted to schedule a catchup. I wondered what it might be about, am I underperforming? Is there something they are not happy with?
Unfortunately (or fortunately) we never had it. I appreciate that this isn’t a big deal, but I also had some points to raise, and I held them over to this meeting.
I have no idea what pressures the tech lead might be under, but for me this problematic. I don’t know where I am in terms of performance, was the initial meeting good or bad for me? I’ve been left in a position where I feel concerned and anxious.
My Reading of the Situation/..//./
I’m left feeling that not important enough to make time for unless there is an emergency.
Since we are working remotely, I’m unable to read people’s body language and even have real face-to-face contact with people in authority. It leaves me in a position where I look through emails and Slack messages desperately looking for information or a clue about how I’m perceived.
This isn’t a me issue, it’s a company culture and a people management issue and I’m bearing the consequence of others not doing their job properly.
Why It Matters
Staff turnover is typically caused by poor management, and it is expensive to recruit and train good staff.
A Lack of Accountability.
Accountability
The Missing OKRs
We have a performance review every year. I have those.
At the beginning of the year, we set targets (I didn’t have this) and then review these every quarter (we don’t have these).
I decided not to demand objectives when my ‘new’ manager took over, a big mistake. They’ve never set any expectations, and I get “good enough” performance reviews and a yearly bonus.
My manager isn’t doing their job, and equally, I’m now not doing mine. Why bother to try to exceed expectations when you don’t have any? Yeah, I’ve taken that to the extreme by pretty much giving up working at all, but the point still stands.
My Reading of the Situation
We all don’t seem to care. Employees, employers, who really cares about anything? What is the point in trying?
This is where quiet quitting came from and continues to live. It’s not a good culture to breed and not a good way to run a business.
Why It Matters
A manager is the gateway for employees to access a whole host of help, benefits and pathways to creating great software. If you want training, you’ll go through your manager. If they don’t care (and you don’t care) those training sessions simply don’t happen.
The Team Culture
The “Wednesday Wonder” Session
Since we are a 100% remote company we decided to have the fun session online. We decided to have a charades session! Great!
As one of the few times that people in the company would actually see me with the camera on, I decided to turn my camera on. Of course, I felt that people actually being able to see me would be in the spirit of the team-building session.
The game started. Usually, I’d expect a game of charades to be laughter, chaotic guesses, embarrassing performances…which didn’t happen.
I was the only person with their camera on throughout, as everyone else waited for their “turn” in the game and turned their camera on. I hope that you can already tell the session didn’t work.
In fact, the scrum-master couldn’t even organize whose turn it was. In fairness half of the group didn’t turn up, and the other half typed “AFK” into the chat midway through the game and so were not available when it was their turn.
My Reading of the Situation
My company can’t organize creating software, so why I’d think they can organize a team to play any sort of game I’m not sure.
Why It Matters
It’s important stuff and must be looked at to create healthy productive work environments and cultures. This isn’t all about me, and here are many general signs of poor management seen in tech companies we can watch out for.
Solving The Challenges
A great manager can do so much to make the environment for software developers great. If we can make great software development environments, productivity and quality code generally follows.
So, here are (in my opinion) the essential components of a tech manager.
The components of a great tech manager
Communication Skills
Great managers communicate expectations, feedback, and concerns. They ensure everyone on the team understands their roles and how they contribute to the project’s success.
Empathy and Understanding
They understand their team members’ strengths and weaknesses and provide support where necessary. They foster a supportive and inclusive environment, ensuring all team members feel valued.
Delegation and Trust
Effective managers delegate tasks effectively, trusting their team members to complete their work while providing guidance and support when needed.
Vision and Strategy
They have a clear vision and strategy for their team, aligning their goals with the company’s overall objectives. They help their team understand how their work contributes to the larger picture.
Adaptability
They are adaptable and open to change, are able to adjust strategies as needed based on feedback and changing circumstances.
Feedback and Development
They provide constructive feedback and are committed to the professional development of their team members, helping them grow and advance in their careers.
How to Be a Great Tech Manager
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but please read this guide on how to be a great tech manager and take this advice on board!
Listen Actively
Spend more time listening than speaking. Understand your team’s challenges and concerns and be open to challenges and change.
Provide Clear Direction
Set clear goals and expectations. Ensure your team knows what success looks like. Support them to achieve and provide leadership to help the team to be the best they can be.
Encourage and Support
Encourage innovation and creativity. Support your team by protecting them from demands from higher management and protect them when they make honest mistakes. Give your colleagues what they need.
Foster a Positive Environment
Create a culture of respect, collaboration, and inclusivity. Recognize and celebrate achievements. Model this behavior — lead by example. Be accountable, ethical, and committed.
Promote Continuous Learning
Encourage your team to seek out learning opportunities and challenges. Provide feedback and coaching to help them grow, and where the gaps are in their technical skills and behaviors.
Conclusion
Managers are crucial to great software development. A great tech manager does more than just manage tasks; they inspire, guide, and support their team toward achieving team goals.
We have problems with technical managers because some know nothing about coding, and others know nothing about management. How about we get some managers who know something about both technical issues and managing people? That can’t be too big of an ask, can it?