Most recruiters have this perennial complaint while hiring for engineering firms; it is very hard to find a good engineering manager. They say, good engineers are tough to hire but easy to find, while on the other hand, good engineering managers are not only tough to hire but also tough to find. But what exactly makes a good engineering manager? We will find out here.

Engineering manager is a weird job in many ways. While engineers that want to become engineering managers is because they want to move up, the truth is that becoming an engineering manager is a job that makes you “move down”. As an engineering manager you work for engineers and not the other way round.

A good manager is always able to apply a blend of managerial and technical skills to the way and ultimate conclusion of complex projects. This perpetually demands that they are able to perform well within teams and have the power to lead a group of engineers coming from different disciplines.

For example, a manager may have to lead a group of mechanical, electrical and systems engineers in an organization. To manage this team of engineers coming from different branches is really a daunting task and hence it is essential to have all-round project management skills.

The rise and fall, both depends on the knowledge and understanding of the manager. He/she needs to know that how these different disciplines work together.

Lets us discuss few points that can help an individual to become a good engineering manager:

• To become a good manager you need to learn the art of leading rather than managing.

Most professionals dream of becoming a manager one day, having a team of their own and getting work done. However, not every manager is as successful and respected as others. If you want to become a good manager, whether it is engineering or in some other trade, you need to stop managing and start leading. Good leaders are responsible decision makers, provide clear purpose, vision and goals, have some wonderful qualities like relationship building and effective listening. Good managers do not exercise authority; they delegate it to the right places.

Traditional organizations believe in competition among the co-workers but as per research, it creates a negative environment in the office. Instead of this, always try to promote cooperation and collaboration in the team.

• Hiring the best

One of the responsibilities of engineering managers is to get new engineers on board. When you hire for a new engineer job it is essential to hire the most efficient professionals to build a good and strong team. Keep in mind that with a smart and responsible team you can always lead and rank among the top managers of the company.

• Setting the ideals

Be an ideal manager and set a good context and objective for the team. And make sure to get of their way after setting an appropriate goal. It will not only boost their confidence but can also make them more responsible.

Pay your culture and technical debt both (Good skills + culture misfit = culture debt). Do not spend more time in solving conflicts in your team. Keep your team focused to a particular goal and just conduct business. Management is not parenting and everyone is an adult in the corporate. Defend your team from trivia which includes irrelevant processes, business meetings, working on the wrong product etc.

Learning to say ‘NO’ is very important. You need to make your team understand the cost of saying ‘YES’. You must learn the art of surviving. You will need to tolerate regular misalignment around the structure of the company, its strategy, process and culture. All these things are really tough and you need to keep patience.

• Seeking for better advice is always a good gesture. You can always reconfirm any decision or can ask questions like what can be done in a particular situation or what is missing etc.

• Never appreciate a bad attitude. Rewarding a person with a bad attitude is not good for a manager.

• Make things much easier for the team. Less complexity encourages a good environment in an organization. A good team of professionals, good process and a good infrastructure always lead towards success.

A simple mantra for any manager is, the more you value and understand the rules of the game, the better you can play it. So just follow the rules and be the winner.

Author Bio- Saurabh Tyagi is a blogger and a professional career author with proven expertise in writing for topics related to jobs, job trends, different job opportunities, various workplace and industry information, tips and strategies for job seekers.