The essentials of hiring a manager.

"Mistakes made during the selection of people cannot be corrected by any means" – Please let me know if you recognize the author!

As far as I recall, this phrase originates from books related to intelligence services. Given the impact of a manager, I find the it 100% applicable. It might be slightly less relevant to roles like administrators or sales managers, where leadership and people management are less central.

Now, let's set aside the discussion about a manager's influence and focus on the specific topic – hiring priorities for software development management.

Disclaimer: This is my subjective view, based on 15 years of management experience and consulting. Feel free to have different opinions; I welcome diverse perspectives!

My top priorities are...

1?? Culture fit. ?? Ding-ding-ding. ???

If your organization prioritizes being money-driven, like a struggling outsourcing vendor, the biggest mistake would be hiring a project-first or product-oriented manager who prioritizes project interests over all else.

These managers are likely to sell service better, but the problem arises when company prioritize profits over customer success, creating insurmountable obstacle in collaboration between company and this type of managers. In such cases, it’s better to hire cynical managers and motivate them through profit-sharing based on bill volume.

2?? Philosophy comes in second place ??

It's essential to understand where a person finds the strength to take responsibility for situations and others during tough times and to recognize and inspire success in more favorable project phases.

A manager, as a servant leader, must have internal resilience; otherwise, they will function merely as administrators, relying on instructions, and in stressful times, they will absorb rather than share energy.

You also need to assess whether you can align with that philosophy and how it will interact with others (teams, other managers, and stakeholders) in the work environment.

3?? Self-irony – third ??

... which also includes the ability to learn.

It's evident that with the first two qualities and the ability to learn with self-irony, a person can work effectively with various people and in diverse environments, as long as they are not asked to act against their culture and philosophy.

This person will be like a rocket ??, learning quickly, being self-aware, and possessing internal tools to navigate ??? the complexities of themselves, others, organizations, and more. It is required to have considerable internal space to absorb the range of situations a persons must manage.

Complex abstractions are the most challenging aspects of management, and recognizing this, along with the ability to acknowledge one's imperfections, is crucial, as seeing these traits in myself means accepting them in others.

4?? Hard skills.

Here we finally approach what many job listings emphasize – skills in tools, processes, etc.These skills can often be taught quickly, perhaps even to a monkey in 2 weeks. ?? ?? I might be exaggerating here, and I apologize for any impudence, but I sometimes get discouraged when I see companies hiring so-called 'managers' through test-tasks or similar methods.

I mean, what are they testing? The ability to write an email?

I recall one company that proposed a test task to me. I reviewed it, and it mostly involved writing stories using the Cucumber story pattern and other company-specific tasks. Really?

Overall, testing whether someone can fit into your specific practices and procedures right away seems like a strange approach, especially to me. I believe the most important thing is to help people do their best, even if that means programming while lying on an air mattress in the middle of the sea. As long as the job is done and the team is happy, the method doesn't matter.

Anyway, even if you have standards to apply, such testing is useless, especially for senior managers, as it should be addressed during onboarding. This approach would also broaden your hiring options.

Training a less qualified person is often cheaper than finding seniors who fit your procedures perfectly.

Even 8 or 9 years ago, this approach was a dealbreaker, but now it's a clear sign of mismanagement if an organization hires managers this way. This suggests that the company values procedures over people, which is why I recommend avoiding such companies.

That’s probably it. The most important parts are covered. I invite you to leave your thoughts below ?? in the comments. I'd be glad to read your insights, as I'm more practical than theoretical.

My perspective is also shaped by long-term study of psychology as a hobby and a way to become a better person over the last 15-17 years.

Cheers, ??

Your Management Advisor,

Illia K.