Good Engineering Managers Just "Don't Exist"

hype7 writes "Here's a provocative article; the VP of engineering of a Sequoia-backed startup in Silicon Valley makes the case that good engineering managers aren't just hard to find — that they basically don't exist. The crux of his argument? The best engineers get all the benefits of being leaders, but without needing to take on the rather painful duties of management. So they choose not to move up. Compare this to the engineers who aren't as strong, and use the opportunity to move up as a way to get their voice heard."

Comments

Re: It's personality

[Anonymous Coward]

you got it. engineers usually suck at just about everthing but engineering. including negotiation. that is why they usually get paid like shit.

Re:they exist but do not have titles?

[u38cg]

A common complaint and one that is absolute nonsense. Certainly a manager must understand his company's work, and more, but a a manager does not do the job of his underling and being able to do the job of his underling does not teach him how to be a manager. Indeed, management and programming are in some ways similar - a poorly understood profession that is difficult to evaluate except when the project ends in failure.