Turn Your Best Developers Into Managers
There are a couple of reasons for this.
I apologize for my previous outburst. However, I do have some more positive thoughts to share.
As you might have noticed, I’m part of a small yet expanding group that advocates for programmers to have career advancement opportunities that do not require them to leave their coding work.
There are compelling reasons for this stance:
1# why programmers should have the option to advance their careers without having to leave the coding aspect of their work is that programming is often a passion for the best programmers. Taking them away from what they love can have a significant impact on their motivation and morale. We have probably all encountered development managers who cannot resist meddling in the code.
It’s not necessarily because they’re interfering or power-hungry. Deep down, they may have a strong desire to code themselves. They might even be imagining the code in their minds while discussing it. It would be unfair to deny them this passion. In a way, it’s like denying Admiral Kirk his starship.
2# why programmers should have the opportunity to progress their careers without having to leave coding is that experienced programmers have a lot to offer. By allowing them to continue coding, their considerable experience can be shared with less experienced programmers on the team. In my experience, the lack of experienced programmers on software teams is a problem. While newer buzzwords like “test-driven behavior” and “domain-oriented backlogs” are important, experienced programmers still have valuable insights to offer when it comes to delivering functional software.
It’s worth noting that many of the principles of software engineering management were developed long ago. However, some of us young programmers may be unaware of this fact and believe we have discovered something new. Perhaps this is partly because we haven’t been exposed to those who have been around long enough to remember these lessons. Consequently, teams may waste time relearning the same lessons that were already learned decades ago.
I believe it’s unfair to assume that just because someone continues to code, they cannot also contribute to strategic or executive decision-making. A surgeon who still performs surgeries can still play a significant role in how a hospital is managed. Similarly, a lawyer who still represents clients can hold a prominent position in a law firm.
Therefore, why couldn’t a programmer who continues to develop software sit on a company’s board and have an equal say in its management? Is it because they lack the qualifications? Are the Director of HR or the VP of Marketing better qualified? I think not.
Many well-established professions have shown that it’s not only feasible but also beneficial to motivate the most proficient practitioners to continue doing what they do best and reward them for improving their skills. They encourage these top-performers to help less experienced colleagues improve as well. Additionally, they recognize that experience is the best qualification for making decisions about how things should be done.
Some forward-thinking companies have adopted this approach. They provide unrestricted career advancement opportunities in technical roles and place a high value on the expertise, originality, and decision-making capabilities of their most experienced and skilled practitioners.
If we can transform our attitudes and disprove the misconception that someone who enjoys coding cannot be a strategic thinker or make rational business decisions, we may anticipate a future where individuals who are passionate about developing software have greater autonomy in how they go about it. I believe this would result in the creation of superior software products.
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Software jobs are well paid enough that moving into management can often be a trap.
Not uncommon to get a 20% bump in salary, for 100% more work and responsibility.
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Enough of them have said “you don’t want my job” that I believe them
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Yep. The managers I was close with said they hated the change. You go from creating things to managing people, which sucks for most codecels.
Krayon sexually assaulted his sister.
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I liked managing people under me when I was team lead, but absolutely hated dealing with customers and department heads.
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The big difference between lead and manager is that lead still gets to code IME. Lead seems like a good spot if you are good at coding and just want to code and maybe manage a bit.
Krayon sexually assaulted his sister.
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Yep, witnessed the same for a couple of devs I know
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