Episode 11: Reasons why managing managers is not for everyone and so much more with Katie Wilde
Dec 23, 2023
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Katie Wilde, Senior Director of Engineering, discusses her journey into tech, challenges of managing managers, and the importance of regular skip-level feedback. She shares insights on balancing managing managers and direct teams, reflecting on the difficulties of overseeing managers and the emotional labor required.
Curiosity is crucial for tech leaders, especially in managing managers.
Balancing results and team well-being is vital for effective engineering management.
Deep dives
Understanding the Curiosity That Drives Leadership in Tech
Having a curious nature is key in the tech industry, as it allows leaders to investigate and understand various aspects of managing people. Kitty Wild, a Senior Director of Engineering, emphasizes how curiosity plays a crucial role in leadership, especially when managing managers.
Transitioning into Engineering Management and Managing Managers
Kitty Wild reflects on her transition into engineering management, sharing her experience at Buffer where she took on various managerial roles due to the self-managed structure of the organization. She highlights the lack of formal training in her early management days and the importance of seeking coaching to accelerate her career growth.
Signs of Effective Engineering Management
Kitty Wild discusses the importance of observing incremental progress within teams as a sign of effective engineering management. She emphasizes the need for engineering managers to balance delivering results with sustainability over time, ensuring that business goals are achieved without compromising team well-being.
Supporting New Engineering Managers
Providing support for new engineering managers is crucial, according to Kitty Wild. She recommends understanding individual manager's support needs, distinguishing between coaching and advice-giving, and nurturing a strong relationship with managers to aid in their development and transition into leadership roles.
Senior Director of Engineering, Katie Wilde and I chat about her unusual path into tech, "falling" into her first managing managers role and the signals that you can look out for to determine the performance of managers and their teams. She also offers a few reasons why managing managers is not for everyone. Listen to this episode to find out more.