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PaperclipPerfector  11mo ago (text post)   2632 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 7, 2023

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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What advice does The Motte have for someone who has never managed people before?

I'm starting a new manager role. I will have 4 reports who are customer facing engineers.

Camille Fournier, The Manager’s Path is a good book.

Some tips from me:

  • learn to delegate. "I want to do it" or "I can do it" should no longer be valid reasons for you to do something yourself instead of delegating. Even "I am the best one to do this" is no longer a slam dunk

  • learn what makes your subordinates tick and what deflates them, what they like and hate, when their birthdays are and the names of their kids. Write it down if you're not good with this

  • one-on-ones are important. They are a pain to schedule, but necessary

  • communicating the deadlines is not you shifting the responsibility or playing forwardball. Your subordinates can't meet the date you haven't given them and they can't challenge it either. Your stakeholders can't adjust their plans and expectations if you don't tell them about delays in advance.

  • give feedback and solicit feedback. Both are fucking uncomfortable, but you will feel better after you're done

What do you do if you're managing incompetents and you know that if you let them do something, they're going to screw it up and that you'll have to clean up the mess?

Recommend them for promotion or to another position

Open a new tab and go to LinkedIn. Either I am managing incompetents or I am an incompetent manager myself, in both cases we will be happier apart.

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