From engineer to manager 3

[buoy]

I am about to transition from being an engineer to managing a small group of engineers. I would love recommendations for books, professional organizations, or other resources on managing an engineering team. I really liked this article. Presently I plan out and manage my own efforts, but soon I'll be doing it for the team, plus I'll need to "manage up", i.e. respond my boss's requests for the team's efforts. We are a fast-paced "research" organization so it can be hard to anticipate what a project will require.

 

[saf12]

1. DO NOT micromanage
2. You have a team, be a leader not a dictator.
3. Go to [URL unfurl="true"]http://www.manager-tools.com/[/url]
4. Be a manager that people want to work for.

 

[DRWeig]

Good suggestions saf12.

My adder: my job as engineering manager for many years was primarily to be a solid and impenetrable buffer and translator between the engineers and upper management. In executive team meetings and board meetings, I'd have to spew out bizness buzzwords (BB language: we need to build a framework to get our arms around a proactive strategy... ad nauseum) to keep them happy. Then I'd have to go back to non-phony language with my team (Engineer-speak: let's figure out what the problem is, so we can stop it before it happens again).



Best to you,

Goober Dave

Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies

 

[DRWeig]

Correction to the translation in my post above: (Engineer-speak: let's figure out what the problem is, so we can stop it before it happens again. Let's head over to the pub and discuss it there over a few pints. My treat.)


Best to you,

Goober Dave

Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies

 

[buoy]

Any thoughts on the fact that my team members will be smarter and more technically skilled in many areas than myself?
I suppose I ask them for the big picture so I can make project decisions, and let them own the execution.

 

[saf12]

Ever hear the saying " your only as smart as the people you surround your self with"? same goes with success.
Most of those people are going to be saying "What the hell do you know your just a desk jockey".

- Well, in all honesty they are correct.
The fact is you are their boss. So, you have to make desk jockey decisions that they have no understanding about.

Sounds like you are all in the same boat. So, while in that boat how are you and your team going to get from point A to point B?

Yes, you are going to need to make changes; listen and get input from your team. Engineers have propensity to over analyzing, taking on too much, under communication, be bull headed (always another way to skin a screaming cat) and not delegate work.

-In my background i have worked under many arrogant Engineers/Managers, all of them younger than me. i did have one who was down to earth and human. all of it was because he started out at the bottom like i did and empathised with my position and my back ground. when he and i debated on subjects; no hurt feelings and a beer after work. work was work.

-I always look at it this way... what can i do to help you? what have WE missed and how can WE fix it?..if they feel, see and know that you are listening and are willing to work just as hard WITH them they in return are helping you be more successful.

OK ... i'm done just some thoughts.

 

[DRWeig]

You're gonna get a lot more answers, so don't listen to just me... I managed a group for many years and it was overall a good experience. I'll relate my experience a bit for you.

1) Don't say "big picture" or "own the execution" to engineers if you can avoid it. That's a personal peeve of mine in case you can't tell.

2) I think what you described is great. I supervised amazing folks, way more experienced than I was. First and foremost, I tried to learn from them. That was not only fun and educational, I think it made me appear more human to them. I got great support that way. When they'd come to me for decisions, I always asked them, "What do you think?" I'd have to say that their proposal was the best nearly every time. When it wasn't (after earnest discussion), I did my best to explain to them why I disagreed. I gave lots of compliments, whenever I could. They seemed to appreciate that.

Since the company paid me way more money, I did try to take them all out for an afternoon at a pro baseball game or a visit to a local plant or other site of interest to a professional engineer. I did it once per quarter. A good start would be a metropolitan-size newspaper printer, a beer brewery, a wastewater treatment plant, or something else cool. I always did that for an afternoon, so I didn't intrude on their personal time, knowing that they put in more than 40 hours. For the baseball games and such, I paid from my pocket since the company frowned on paying from the discretionary budget. The company would have to do it for all the other departments too, so that's understandable.

You'll be surprised how many of them will come to you with personal problems. Being a sympathetic listener goes a long way to winning trust. But don't try to play counselor or psychologist. Be prepared to suggest resources if you can, or get with HR to see what the company can do to help. The place I worked helped a couple alcohol / drug addicts get sober after they came to their manager and fessed up. On the other hand, you have to work with them to avoid the personal problem affecting their work.

If you have a bad egg or two, discipline and even termination can fall in your lap. Just be prepared. I wasn't very good at this, so I avoided it as much as possible. Now that I have my own company, it's a lot easier but still distasteful.

One great idea I learned from a good HR person (a rarity) had to do with disputes between two employees or two groups. One of the characters would come to me and start to tell me all about what wrong things the other person was doing. I'd stop him or her right there and bring in the other person. We'd sit at the table and I'd tell them that we weren't leaving until it's resolved. That worked WAY better than listening to each one's story and trying to make a decision which story was most compelling. When they were both in there with me, I think the exaggeration was eliminated for the most part. Even though it was a tense meeting, they knew from the start that they'd either agree to a solution or else I'd make a solution for them. Word got around about the way that stuff was handled, and the disputes seemed to resolve themselves after that. If they wanted to vent about someone in confidence, I'd direct them to HR.

A lot of things that the engineers came to me for were budget requests. Fortunately, my group was really good and the company was a cash cow. I don't remember having to deny any requests. Your experience may be different.

Sorry I'm rambling, but your question brought back lots of fond memories.

In sum, I agree pretty much with what you proposed in your second post. You set priorities. They do what they do best. Good results happen.



Best to you,

Goober Dave

Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies

 

[truckandbus]

Your own personality as well as the personalities of your upper management and your team members will shape the type of manager you become.

Draw from whatever resources you can find - I have a collection of reference material in a binder that ranges from a copy of The Lone Ranger's Creed and John Belushi's It Isn't Over Until We Say It's Over speech to Kelly Johnson's Skunk Works Rules. I haven't found any one single source for advice.

Make sure you understand the limits of your authority - many new managers (and I was one of them) promise the moon to their staff but don't realize they don't have the horsepower to make it happen

Make aure you are consitent in your actions (unless you are wrong - in which case admit it freely and frequently and move on)

 

[IRstuff]

"Any thoughts on the fact that my team members will be smarter and more technically skilled in many areas than myself?"

That's the way it's supposed to be. What would be the point of surrounding yourself with idjits? I'm only managed a couple of times, but I've observed lots of managers. The biggest issue with the transition is LETTING GO. Once you've crossed that threshold, you are NOT an engineer, and you shouldn't be doing engineering that your subordinates are supposed to be doing. Moreover, even if you know the answer to a problem, SHUT UP; your subordinates are being paid to do the work, so let them. You can certainly steer them by asking the right questions. Avoid giving them the answers. Your job is to remove obstacles in their way, give them support, train them directly or indirectly, and manage them.

TTFN
faq731-376

Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529

 

[DRWeig]

That's the way it's supposed to be. What would be the point of surrounding yourself with idjits?

Lovin' it.

Best to you,

Goober Dave

Haven't see the forum policies? Do so now: Forum Policies

 

[buoy]

Here are two useful articles that I dug up on this topic,
Geek in the Lead
Can a Good Engineer Make a Good Project Manager?