To be a Manager? 3

[SmartEngineer]

Someone can ask himself one day,
Am I going to be a manager one day?
I'm just posting this question to share the views and thoughts of the members here about this subject as it's concerned most of us.
Another question raised as well, how can I be a Manager one day ?what things should I do or achieve to be so?

let's share our views and thoughts

Cheers
SmartEngineer

 

[PSE]

Depending on how anyone answers the first question for themselves, they should ask a second. Do I want to be a manager one day? If so, look at the opportunities around you, decide on a path to take into management as there are various ones, hone your people skills and communication skills. If you feel you need formal education, get it. You have to be active in promoting yourself, no one is likely to come to you asking if you would like a management position.

Regards,

 

[HDS]

Is it possible to advance in salary without becoming one these days? It seems like there is no other option after 10 years of engineering.

 

[Nella95]

Without a doubt... depending where you started to begin with. I may have reached a ceiling, myself.

 

[Comcokid]

To quote a 10/29/99 Dilbert by Scott Adams:
1] Alice - "It takes years of training to be an Engineer."
2] Alice - "But you don't need any training whatsoever to be an Engineer's boss."
3] Alice - "It's unskilled labor without the labor."
Tina the tech writer - "I could do that."

I keep this in my desk drawer to remind me why some people are promoted to management. 80% of the management I have ever reported to are explained by this one comic strip.

 

[Ashereng]

Some companies, like Du Pont, do have parallel technial and managerial ladders.

 

[SmartEngineer]

Thanks for the contributions
Let me express my view as well:
Being a manager is the one of our goals in the future of most of us that we are looking for to get one day. Even it is early for some people to think about the managerial position but it gives the power and push to do the best in the job and then for personnel development from day to day till the opportunity comes to be strong candidate for a manager position.
Also, the important things to do along with your day to day activities:
- Establish good communications with people around you and costumes if any
- Develop the skills of good relations
- Other skills, many things, to be achieved in Technical side.

Cheers
SmartEngineer

 

[SomptingGuy]

One of the reasons I chose to work for my company was the parallel technical/managerial stream ideology. But I'd say that only goes so far. The ultimate role of a purely technical person is after-dinner speaking. In all projects someone has to take financial and legal responsibility and that person is going to have to be a managerial person.

 

[epoisses]

Keeping in mind that manager can mean anything from hamburger manager at golden arches to CEO of a multinational, I guess the main thing is to be able to have people do things "for you" in an effective and efficient (sorry there we go, read to many books) way without making too much of them leave the company. So "people skills", being able to delegate, being able to see the big picture and things like that. Not sure how much of this can be learnt.

Other than that, you'd obviously have to know what you're talking about, so if you get promoted from engineer to department manager, you'd suddenly have to have a basic understanding of what the non-engineers in your department do. This you can learn. Take courses like "finance for non-financial people" and the like.

I can continue but why write a book if there are already millions available...

Would you WANT to be a manager? It's like the movie Bruce Almighty, you don't know until you try...

 

[kchayfie]

I have no inherent desire to be a "manager" but I do want to become a better and more capable engineer. In the environment in which I work, that means that I'll eventually end up supervising junior engineers and new graduates and they'll take on the simple tasks on my projects to gain experience whilst freeing me up to spend time on the more complex and challenging problems. Which means I'll inevitably end up managing the junior engineers to ensure the work they are doing for me is up to scratch. So it looks like I'll need some kind of management skills in my repertoire if the company is going to trust me with the interesting technical work in future.

 

[MedicineEng]

I do both things, technical and managerial, but lately I am more concentrated in the managerial part and I only involve in difficult issues. I delegate most of the routine work since I believe that's what managers should do: delegate the routine, concentrate in efficiency, motivation and out of the ordinary problems/solutions. I do believe that's what I like to do.
One of the common big mistakes in the companies is to promote the best technicians to managerial roles.
Not uncommon at all is to loose a good technician and get a lousy manager.

 

[machmech]

I think the best way to become a manager is naturally...If you work hard and enjoy your work eventually your many experiences place you at the top and people start seeking your input.

Once everyone is looking at you for advise, With or without the "Title" your a Manager.

 

[SmartEngineer]

machmech
I think most of the managers fall on your explanation as you did give the usual way of the people who become managers..


Cheers
SmartEngineer