What does a software engineering manager DO?

great video as always, John. thankyou.

It's sad that the general assumption is that managers don't do much but in reality they do a lot of thankless tasks that impact everyone in the team. Thank you for sharing all this information.

I'm still having a hard time letting go of taking up coding tasks, and i too have been burned recently by picking up an interesting task, and that resulting in stalling the team because there where fires i needed to put out.

Hey John, I was wondering if I could get your opinion on Product Management? If its a good career choice?

What advice do you have on being the bearer of bad news, delivering something from higher ups that wouldn't be well received by your reports?

This is great list of things EM do. I had a question on managing up. How do you say "No" to your director? In situations like some headcount is taken away (temporary- loaner to other team), Projects pushed on to you and the team where as team is not best positioned to deliver it

This is so helpful! I recently got moved from IC to manager. Thanks!

Hey John, thanks for a most informative video! This really sheds some light on what my managers are up to! I really appreciate your wisdom!

I am exaggerating but things in 1 are 2-hr work each. You are leaving out the biggest time sunk: meetings that you need to show face in.

Probably one of the most comprehensive videos on Software Engineering Management. Please never stop making videos. Your points are so relatable and I will be sharing this with many of the new EMs I have had the chance to know. Thanks again for creating this, so much to learn from your wisdom and depth of experiences!

Is it indeed so grim? All of the admin work and no decision making (or at least facilitating) fun/satisfaction? Are good engineering managers: a) people management experts or b) technology super-generalists/visionaries?

This guy literally don't understand (or pretend to) the fact that there are more managers who do very little and earn x10 more than the best ICs in the company, then managers who actually deserve their title, over-saturated salary and benefits package etc..

and I don't refer to team-leads or lower-tier "factory floor" managers who actually do work really hard...

I talk about all of the "execs" or C-level officers, in medium to large companies most of them not promoted from the factory floor due to hard work and dedication, but are being hired from the outside and are usually either connected to one of the company owners or board members in some way, they fetch anywhere between x10 to x50 times more salary then the most highly paid senior IC in the company (whose contribution is in many cases the sole reason for the success of the company) but spend their work week between long phone calls (many times with "pals" discussing whatever...), useless meetings (where they will waste other people's time with their PowerPoint presentation so that they can look as if they actually do anything of value), and many private "business meetings" in the middle of the day, sometimes they attend their corner office just 2 days a week since they are "busy" with "meetings" etc.. that type of execs are also the type that when things get tight, they will fire anybody but them self, just so that they don't have to take a salary cut or god forbid return their company supplied Mastercard or Luxury company car.

source: I am 20 years in tech, including management roles.. also as Engineering Manager.