Why are you stuck as a manager?

I’ve got a thought about why engineering managers can get stuck in their careers.? And this can be particularly true for those who are also introverts.

When I say “stuck” I mean that they feel locked into their current role, unable to get a promotion or qualify for any kind of transfer.? They are caught doing the same set of tasks, overseeing the same kind of projects, year after year.

For those who like that routine and predicability, that’s fine! Keep doing what you are doing.

I am talking about those engineering managers who want to do more but can’t seem to either make a move or even know where to go even if they could move.

It starts with what helped them become managers in the first place.

Being an amazing engineer

When engineering students go through school, the programs are specifically designed to be gruelling.? Large numbers of people drop out in the first couple of years because they simply cannot handle the relentless schedule of courses, projects, and conflicting priorities.

This is by design and is intended to ensure the people graduating from the program are capable of solving complicated engineering challenges while strictly adhering to standards - especially safety standards. ?

As a result, engineering graduates are smart, exceptional analytical thinkers, and very hardworking. ?

Being an amazing employee

And when they are hired to be a real engineer, these same qualities help them succeed on the job.? The individuals who can get their work done, accurately and on-time, and are good team players are the same ones who are given more opportunities including being advanced into more senior roles.

Including being promoted into management.

This is where the disconnect happens.

Engineering managers can usually get by reasonably well in their new leadership role because it can feel somewhat like an extension to what they were already doing.? They can talk to their engineering team about engineering things and everyone is able to get the engineering work done.? It is a bit like they are a group leader back in school - only with better pay. ?

Sure, they now have more meetings and HR is on their back to complete their silly performance review forms.? But they get their job done, the lights stay on, and their people keep working. ?

Except

Nothing in their environment has explained that being a leader actually requires a different set of skills than what they have spent years developing and refining.? Many haven’t even received training to be a manager - so how could they know what they need to be doing differently?

And so time passes, they watch other people getting promotions or moving onto exciting new projects, and they remain where they are.

Every once in a while they put in an application, maybe they get an interview, but most of the time nothing happens, and they remain where they are. ?

Something is not working right.

They are smart, aren’t they?? They work hard.? They get their job done, right? ?

These are the things that always helped them move forward before - why aren’t they working now?

Qualification is not enough

Having been a manager of a recruiting function means that I’ve looked at a lot of resumes and I have participated in countless interviews.? I’ve seen the qualities that move forward…and the ones that don’t.

One thing I have noticed is a focus on qualifications. ?

When applying for director level roles, engineering managers will often write their resume exactly the same way they did when they were just engineers.? They list all their technical qualifications, their formal training, and list - in exhaustive detail - the projects they completed.? Their resumes are comprehensive, organized, and brimming with facts and figures about their career. ?

All that it is fine.? But it only serves to demonstrate how they are NOT ready for promotion.

To be clear, this is not a problem with resume writing (although that could be a part). ?

It is because they misunderstand what is required to lead at the next level.

What is missing?

Having the experience and technical qualifications is only enough to keep your resume from being screened out at the first step of the selection process.? It is the minimum that is required. ?

A director is not a fancier manager with a bigger paycheque.? It is the EIT equivalent for senior leadership. ? And what is required to be a leader is not the same as what is required to either be an engineer or a manager.

Being smart, being hard working, and being good at solving problems are all qualities that can serve you in a director or leadership-level role. ?

The real distinction comes in your ability to express a vision for the future and inspire people to join you.

It is about effective communication.

It is about cultivating influence - even with people you disagree with.

It is about having an impact.

And, if you are a woman in an engineering manager role, you will have additional barriers to overcome (which are both cultural and unfair). ?

The bottom line is that engineering managers get stuck in their current role because they simply don’t realize that what helped them be successful up to this point is not what is required to be successful moving forward. ?

And in order to advance, they need to make a change.

Over the coming weeks I will be continuing to explore this topic.? This will include discussing effective communication, determining a vision for yourself (and the company), and creating influence. ?

In the meantime, if this has sparked a question and you want to discuss it further, let’s chat!? Click here to set up a call. ?

This week, I also published several videos exploring a variety of topics.

Having Difficult Conversations

Managers can be tempted to avoid having difficult conversations simply to avoid having to face someone who is argumentative or being confrontational. ?

In this video, I outline steps you can take to prepare for a difficult conversation so that you can get through it successfully.

Why do you want that promotion?

Sometimes people pursue promotion simply because it is the next rung on the corporate ladder.? Advancing their career must, logically, involve a promotion, right?

In this video I challenge that assumption.? WHY do you want that promotion?

Communication Mindset for Introverts

Introverts can hold themselves back by inadvertently approaching all their meetings in a defensive posture.? This ensures they don’t communicate nearly as much as they need to and they will not be able to have an influence.

In this video, I outline a different mindset you can take that will actually help you start making a difference and have people listen to you for the right reasons.