Management isn't for everyone, but without it we'd probably be unable to get anything done in a corporate structure. It's planning, organizing and leading, delegating tasks and letting other people succeed. These skills aren't completely diametrically opposed to strictly technical positions, but it's pretty close. It's probably why everyone is familiar with some of the most talented engineers struggling to succeed in a management role.
With that being said, it can be done, and if you' have the right temperament and frame of mind, you can not only succeed at it but you might even enjoy management. Here's a couple of points stick out that are good to keep in mind.
- You don't get to manage 10 of you. You were put into this role because you probably outperformed your peers, so don't think that you'll get to manage ten top performers. However, hopefully you'll get complimentary set of skills that you can leverage to
- Build a team, a team is a group of individuals working towards a common goal. Be a constant reminder of what your team is working towards.
- Realize your words carry more weight than they did before, so choose them carefully. Have select people to confide in "off the record" is important, but it's also important to not vent everything to your team.
- Think small at first. It's amazing how a series of small, incremental improvements can affect employee morale, you won't be able to complete restructure the organization, but you can make your team more customer service focused and as a result, end up with happier customers, either internal or external.
- Get to know who is working for you, weekly or bi-weekly informal one on one sessions are great. Ask lots of questions, find out how they tick, every single person has a unique viewpoint and way of thinking and working. By learning how your team members think and learn you will be better suited to managing them and assigning them the work most likely to keep them happy.
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