## Metadata * URL:: https://charity.wtf/2017/05/11/the-engineer-manager-pendulum/ * Author:: [[Charity majors|Charity Majors]] * Published Date: [[2017-05-11]] * Tags: [[An EM needs to be technical|An Em Needs To Be Technical]] ## Highlights * The best frontline eng managers in the world are the ones that are never more than 2-3 years removed from hands-on work, full time down in the trenches. The best individual contributors are the ones who have done time in management. * And the best technical leaders in the world are often the ones who do both. Back and forth. Like a pendulum. * hybrid manager+tech lead. This is an unstable combination, because your engineering skills and context-sharpness are decaying the longer you do it. * you’re a manager, your job is to get better at management. * tech lead is a manager … but their first priority is achieving the task at hand, not grooming and minding the humans who work on it. * They still need the full manager toolset.