DEV Community

Level-up Engineering

Transition from Engineer to Manager: Jeff Perry, Engineering Leadership Coach

You've just become a manager, and don't know where to start? You're close to a promotion, and want to be ready? It's unclear what you should focus on, how to get accepted, and how to streamline your ocean of tasks?

Jeff Perry has faced all these problems, and he'll help you find the way to success in this new role.

In this interview we're covering:

  • Challenges of becoming an engineering manager
  • Misconceptions about becoming a manager
  • The process to transition to management
  • Common mistakes of new engineering managers
  • Necessary skills for a great engineering manager
  • How to get accepted as a new manager
  • How to manage former teammates
  • And more!

Excerpt from the interview:

"Listening is critical for leaders. I struggle with this because I'm quite a talker. It’s amazing what you can learn when you ask a question and truly listen to the other person without interrupting or letting your mind wander.

Here’s a quote from Stephen R. Covey, “Seek first to understand and then be understood.” We’ll understand more if we start by listening more than we talk.

To help with this, I have an exercise the whole team can do together..."

Read the full interview here!

Episode source