Path to an Executive Position 8

[kontiki99]

Lately I've been wondering about becoming an executive.

Maybe it's being in the trenches that doesn't feel like a good fit any more.

I seen all those people listed in Who's Who listed in AWS&T for years. I've never known any of them

Whats the best way to transition? How does someone wind up director or VP of a larger company?

We all compete for engineering lead spots when they open, but that doesn't even seem like much of a step up. Very few of the even more Sr. management I've ever met didn't seemed to have any special gift or perception at all.

Is changing companies a better time to try the transition?

 

[ysm]

What about a higher degree in Engineering Management or Systems Engineering? I have seen many high level officials especially in govt with degrees in one of these. With the same amount of experience they are placed higher than the guys who have PhDs in "regular" engineering (Mechanical, Electrical etc)

ysm

 

[ornerynorsk]

Golf, network, hang out where the execs do. It's not about skills when you get to that level. It's who you know and how convincing you are in letting people know that you do NOT need a job! Really.

 

[IRstuff]

"engineering managers are becoming more and more non-technical"

Old news; Zenger Miller management courses pushed non-technical managers nearly 3 decades ago. I've had good managers, both tecnical and not.

The salient feature of a good manager is to know what NOT to do, i.e., you paid a salary to someone to do something, so you should get out of their way. The worst managers are those that attempt to do engineering or attempt to out-engineer their subordinates, while neglecting to mind the store.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[bcd]

Play golf well, get advanced degrees, join the right country club, relentlesly brown nose, dress for success, selling yourself with an incredible gift for gab, pure luck of being in the right place at the right time. May of us have seen these work for associates who chose this path. However, all are totally self serving and in general, do not create a long lasting management career. They alienate your co-workers whos help you need to be successful in your new position.

To get into Management, here is a sure fire way:

1. Ensure you are in a growing company. Companies downsizing or stuggling to make a small profit are not good areas to get ahead. Companies with a big age gap between the experienced employees and new hires is an exception to this rule.

2. Instead of looking up the management chain looking for opportunities to exploit one of the techniques above, focus downward. Ensure all the tasks you are given are done completely and thoroughly. Never be arrogant or bully your co-workers. Treat everyone equally as they are all important for the company to operate. Continue this practice once you are awarded your first supervisory position. Take care of your team and fight to ensure they have the tools and environment they need to be successful. Keep the focus downward and ensure the work gets done and you are building a sustainable team. Be the person whos team can relied upon to get something done correctly.

This works. It can and usually does take longer. But ultimately, you will have the full responsibility of Management and shape the future direction of the company. Taking the short cuts listed above causes you to become an empty suit. Nice title, good salary, but a head that is going to be deemed unnecessary in a financial crises. When times get tough, you will be surprised how fast top levels of management will turn on each other to survive. Best golfing buddies would cut each others throats in order to keep their jobs.

 

[spongebob007]

Play golf, kiss lots of ass, but most importnatly you must adopt the mantra: "The companys goals are my personal goals."

 

[zuccus]

I am trying to become the first executive in our company who has been promoted within. It is tough. All the other execs knew each other from previous jobs and such. It is tough looking at an opening above me every day for the last two years.

Back in January, the VP told me we need to start talking about how to move me up, but i haven't heard anything since then.

Come Monday he and I are having a heart or heart. It has been a fight for the last two years.