Asked • 05/21/19

Leadership/Management versus Technical Roles?

I feel like I am in a point in my career path where I need to start thinking more long term. Up until now I have been known as the technical guy who can figure out anything. I am the person who gets thrown onto the toughest projects and always completes the task. While this has been a lot of fun, I find myself bored quickly and the technical side no longer challenges me. I am starting to get more interested in the Leadership roles. I was wondering if anyone with a technical background who changed into a leadership role could summarize the different challenges and aspects to both sides. Also, what skill sets would be beneficial in a leadership role that someone in a technical role may not require.

Albert C.

Kudos to you for asking. Going with the flow, exclusively, has been done -- and done well -- but why not inquire what others have experienced? Good for you. First I will chronicle my own career path and then I will explain how I believe it may help you. I began my professional career as a technician and then an electronic design engineer. I did this from 1978 to 1989. During the latter half of that period my attention to detail, my eagerness to get it right and do what's best for the business was noticed and I was organically pushed into technical-lead roles. While I did not resist the increased responsibility, I did not seek it. After 1990 I shopped my "technical leadership" experience around and found a job as an engineering group manager. Again, I would have been happy with another 'contributor' role but this job offered an interesting challenge and a bit more in my paycheck. It also helps that someone at the new company had worked with me previously and vouched for my abilities. In the ensuing years, my people skills matured and more of the same occurred. I was "pushed" into, or invited to take on, more responsibility. Initially the extra work did not pay more -- but with patience, demonstrating that I had the chops to carry it forward, the money followed. I've worked with people, and had some work for me, who were fervent ladder climbers. They had their sights set on higher management or leadership positions -- and that was their prime objective. While less organic, per se, the ladder-climber approach worked very well for some folks. Others failed miserably -- jumping too quickly into roles they were not ready for. In my case, I focused on doing the best job I can and let the opportunities materialize. There are pros and cons to each approach. If you take the organic approach, as I did, your upward movement may be considerably slower than a ladder climber's. But you'll likely know your stuff better than someone moving quickly. If you do choose the ladder-climber approach, be smart about how you pass others on your way up. They may not choose to support you if your career is forced to reboot. And finally, some thoughts on salary. Some wonder why those in 'higher' positions are paid so much more. First, by and large, salary is inversely proportional to how many qualified people are waiting outside to take your job at a lower rate. Also note that the the more you make, the longer it takes to find a job -- because those jobs are few and far between. Plan accordingly. Life is short. Follow your passion and roll with the punches. Best of luck! Al
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05/24/19

Royce M.

The difficulty many techies have with management is that it is primarily dependent on good people skills. A lot of people who are tech-focused are introverts and not especially emotionally intelligent. That, of course, may not be your case at all. If you do decide to go the path of management, take some leadership training classes. Each individual has to be managed differently to get the best results. I'm an introvert but did very well in management because I listened to people, treated them well and worked with them to help them achieve their best results. However, this is not something everybody enjoys doing. It can be exhausting and there will be conflict. You need to be perceptive, empathetic, patient, calm and yet firm when you must. A lot of managers coming up the ladder from a hands-on role have trouble letting go of the actual doing and struggle with delegation. Also, moving into management will distance you from tech by putting you into a different, people-focused role with different goals and priorities. Understand what you're getting into. If you'd rather keep one foot in tech, consider a different or expanded role within it. This will broaden your skills while you further consider whether management is really for you. Good luck!
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06/10/19

1 Expert Answer

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Mario S. answered • 11/03/20

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Certification Preparation: IT, Cybersecurity, and Project Management

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I understand your situation and have personally been in both sides. I see that you are specifically looking for a summary on the challenges and aspects to both sides. You are also seeking for skill sets that result beneficial in a leadership role are universal regardless of previous technical roles, I assume that you have them as you mention having experience as a project team member.


The short answer is: soft skills. Being a leader requires interaction with peers and subordinates. Take a snapshot of your previous interaction during project meetings and coordination and you'll find some pros and cons that are tailored to your particular line of work and the type of interactions typical of professionals in your environment.


Some challenges of being a management professional are:

  1. tailoring your approach to multiple personalities
  2. time management to stay in track of all moving pieces and not only your piece of the puzzle
  3. staying technically relevant as your hands-on time is minimal to none



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