# Choosing the Management Track | blog.danielna.com

<https://blog.danielna.com/choosing-the-management-track/>

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- Saved: October 29, 2020 (2020-10-30T03:18:47Z)
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## What Jamie wrote

I wish I would have written this article. I agree with nearly all of it. It is a great perspective on the path of engineering management. He hits many topics that I have seen dozens of new engineering managers struggle with. 

I agree with his position in managers coding. I tend to see it as an anti-pattern. When managers are coding it has often meant that there are harder problems, often that they feel unsure how to solve, that they are putting off. 

> My advice: find time to scratch the coding itch outside of work.

Totally agree. Many in engineering managers have loved coding. It can still be a great hobby. Or find ways to use those coding skills to automate tasks in your position. But never take sprint points. 

This next point is stated so well. 

> The power dynamics of management are serious and livelihoods are at stake. Don’t trivialize them with jokes.

I really dislike jokes like this. It is an absolute "no go" zone in my book. 

And yes, while you are not coding spent points you absolutely must be up-to-speed on the technical aspects. 

> But you must have real smells and opinions on how technical projects are delivered, agnostic of their implementation details. And you must be technical enough to know when a project feels like it won’t deliver and intervene appropriately to force it back on track.

The way I often say this is that I think of engineering leaders as great food critics, but not actually chefs. 

And this is a great way to think about why this is worth all the effort. 

> Management is a privileged position to provide that environment for others. And when it’s working - the team is healthy and collaborative, ICs are growing via stretch projects, and you play a role in the development of autonomy/mastery/purpose of a teammate - there is no better feeling in the world.

Seeing teams succeed and win, and being part of making that happen, is one of the greatest things.

## Facts

- Kind: [Page](https://links.thingelstad.xyz/kinds/page/)

## Appears in

- [WT163: Weekly Thing #163 / BeOS, Management Track, Writing is Thinking](https://weekly.thingelstad.com/archive/163/), Must Read

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