Software Misadventures The hard power of management and the soft power of senior ICs | Josh Wills
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Mar 19, 2024 Josh Wills, former data leader at Slack and angel investor, shares insights on transitioning from management to IC roles, emotional intelligence in engineering management, challenges in Climate Tech, and practicality in engineering. He also discusses his journey into angel investing and criteria for evaluating startup investments.
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Transitioning Back to IC
- Josh Wills transitioned from Director of Data Engineering back to IC at Slack.
- He realized he hated sprint planning meetings and felt his coding contributions were disproportionately high for a manager.
The Ladder of Management
- Many engineers view promotions as the next rung on a career ladder, pursuing them even if they dislike the work.
- They often realize later that titles don't bring happiness, echoing the "pie-eating contest" analogy.
Importance of Hiring
- Good engineering management, especially hiring, is crucial.
- Hiring is the most impactful aspect of management, influencing culture and careers.