I have a client who is an accomplished software engineer with 10+ years of experience. They’ve worked at household name companies, worked on highly-visible projects, and have received several recognitions.
Recently, they moved into their first engineering management role. They had been in the role for over a year, and things appeared to be going okay. Their team was delivering work, and they were collaborating cross-functionally. Yet, they were unsure if they were actually doing a good job.
They were uncertain about…
~ Having a performance conversation
~ Being perceived as strategic
~ Areas of Improvement
They, like many engineering leaders, have not had leadership training or they’ve only had general leadership training, which doesn’t fully cover the challenges that are specific to engineering, such as …
↳ Navigating Continuous Industry Changes
↳ Learning and Evaluating Tools and Technologies
↳ People Management Fundamentals
Kudos to my client not only for their awareness of opportunities to grow as a leader, but also for seeking feedback.
My client started by seeking feedback from their manager. However, their manager only shared that they were doing a good job. No further notes.
(We’ll talk about the importance of delivering actionable feedback in another post.)
Back to my client, in their quest to improve, they reached out for coaching. They admitted they didn’t know what coaching would entail. However, they walked away with several takeaways.
Client’s Takeaways:
💡 Felt Prepared to Have Performance Conversations
💡 Strategy — Concept is No Longer in the Clouds
💡 Navigating a Team Member’s Departure — Tasks, Transitions, and Emotions
Leaders, just like you studied new frameworks as an IC to keep growing, continue to study your craft of leadership.
💎 Exceptional Leader Practice:
⭐ Develop Your Leadership Craft
⭐ Seek Feedback – 360 if available
⭐ Develop Your Self-Awareness
️⭐ Read Leadership Books/Articles
⭐ Find a Mentor
⭐ Reach out for Coaching
If you’d like an outside perspective from someone who’s been in your role and wants to see you succeed, reach out.
You got this!
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💎 Leadership is an inside-out game.
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When someone you know is ready to lead with certainty, transition into a bigger role, or prepare for what’s next, reach out for a complimentary 30-minute strategy consultation.
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