Old Man Manager's Weblog

What makes good engineer?

I hear the complaint, "Those people are not as good." That makes me wonder, "What's the basis of such statement? Is it true or false?"

It turns out a site will not necessarily be considered productive when the managers are satisfied. Engineers know that managers come and go, they are the one who stay for the long haul. For a site, like China ERI, to be successful, both the management and engineering ranks must agree that the site is productive. No, they must agree the people here are good.

Let's demythify this.

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What makes good engineer?   May 26, 2005

What make you a better software engineer? This discipline is a strange mixture of engineering, science, and art. How can one excel?

From the manager's point of view, a good engineer delivers what was expected. A better engineer do more - faster, better, more thorough, more robust, better documented, etc. But the manager's main concern is the elimination of surprises, particularly the wrong kind. Less surprises, better engineer.

Your peer engineers view it entirely differently. Invariably, software guys size each other up and decide to admit each other into their cliques. Those elusive memberships may matter more than how your manager measure you.

First is the mastery of the tools. Engineers admire those who employ the more efficient and elegant ways to accomplish the tasks. Those who accomplished the tasks crudely don't get respect. Mastery of development methodologies and processes are also respected, but somehow less.

Next is your elegance. This element of elegance manifests itself in many areas. Software, in many ways, resembles literature. It is created directly from the mind of the author. Elegance is in the nuances. Are characters named cleverly (variable names)? Are the word-choice most fitting and appropriately sophisticated (use the best operator for the expressions)? Can you prose with fewer words, but not less?

But most important is your creativity - the ability to be different and elegant at the same time. Are you a clerk who scribes in technical language, even masterfully, or an artist who create classic beauties for other to imitate? Creativity manifests itself in few common ways: new solution to an old problem, old solution applied to a new area, or new solution for something no one dealt with before. This separates good engineers from average ones.

Posted at 08:08AM May 27, 2005 by oldmanmanager in Practical Engineers  |  Comments[1]

Management 101

I will talk about career management a lot -- frequently as if they are rules for promotions. In fact, there are few hard and fast rules in promotions. I am also sorry to admit that many promotions are not done for the right reasons. Senior management makes foolish mistakes too.

But you cannot bank on the mistakes to come in your favor. The only sure way to advance in your career is to be ready for the promotion. As ready as you can possibly be. Then, one day, when you are the best candidate, you get the nod.

What I will write here is a series of personal experiences that were largely validated throughout the years I have been managing at the silicon valley high-tech industry. My target audience are those 1st line managers in the software engineering field. Sometimes, I will strayed into other aras. You will be disappointed if what you are looking for are tips to get into the board room.

Nothing guarantees the good judgement of your boss and, remember, luck is always a factor.

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Management 101   May 22, 2005

All managers must be reasonable smart and savvy. This is why the best individual contributors are considered for promotion. The first filter is on brightness and basic approaches to common tasks. Promotion from the individual contributor rank should be based on intelligence and emotional IQ, not on the technical skill level. Line managers must focus on the basic tenets - plan, deliver, and communicate.

• Planning: Laying out the logical steps to accomplish the objectives. Secure the resources, at the optimal time, for the tasks. Understand the dependencies. Anticipate the contingencies and have the alternatives ready to deploy.
• Delivering: No plan executes flawlessly. Things rock the boat. The manager must track the progress, re-plan constantly, and never take the eyes off the goal.
• Communicating: The boss needs to know. The team must be informed. The community should buy-in. The suppliers must synchronize. The dependents must adjust the expectation. When and what to communicate? What's the best channel? On any day, I am happy with a manager who can do the basics. I call them the solid managers. You will not go anywhere till you become a solid manager. This is the foundation for your entire managerial career. Practice the basics like an athlete trains for Olympics. These must become your 2nd nature to the point that you run your life the same way.

Only solid line managers will be considered for promotion. You cannot have any flaws in the basic set.

The Promotion

Few years into the job and you feel pretty solid. It is time to access your strengths and weaknesses. Sign up projects or assignments that play well for your strengths. These projects should get you noticed and increase your visibility. When a suitable opportunity emerges, grab it and capitalize. It is a good idea to find a mentor or coach at this stage. This is a difficult stage to do everything alone.

Executive Level

Two elements separate executives from managers: influencing skills and strategic thinking. What you have been good at is managing resources that you control directly. Now, change your focus to those that you don't - such as your peers, distant peers, and the "big picture."

Posted at 10:50AM May 22, 2005 by oldmanmanager in Practical Managers  |  Comments[2]