Should Software Engineering Managers Be Technical?

First Principles Thinking

Following "First Principles Thinking", let's first answer a fundamental question. Why are Engineering Manager (EM) roles needed the first place?

An EM serves several critical functions:

• Strategic alignment: Ensuring the team’s goals align with business objectives.
• Support: Removing blockers to help the team work efficiently.
• Structure: Maintaining productivity through effective processes.
• People development: Coaching and growing individual contributors.
• Technical oversight: Guiding the team in adopting sound engineering practices.
• Execution: Delivering strong, measurable results.

In essence, an EM is a leader, coach, and enabler. But here’s the key insight: some of the most impactful aspects of the role—like people development and technical oversight—require a strong technical foundation.

The Value of a Technical Foundation in EMs

An EM with a strong technical background can:

1. Appreciate engineering talent and craftsmanship:
   Just as a seasoned musician recognizes the nuance of a symphony, a technical EM can identify and celebrate the beauty of elegant code, scalable designs, or innovative problem-solving.

2. Offer meaningful mentorship:
   By understanding the technical challenges engineers face, an EM can provide actionable feedback and thoughtful guidance.

3. Foster credibility and trust:
   Engineers often respect leaders who “get it.” A technical EM can build stronger relationships with their team by speaking their language and understanding their challenges.

My Own Personal Aha Moment

I’ve always valued the importance of technical expertise in leadership, but my perspective deepened through an unexpected parallel: learning tennis.

Before I started playing tennis seriously, I enjoyed watching matches but didn’t fully grasp the complexity of the game. Once I began training with a coach, practicing hundreds of top-spin shots, I saw pro-level tennis in a completely new light. I could appreciate the kinetic chain, swing path, and precision it takes to generate the “shape” of a monster top-spin ball.

The same applies to engineering management. Without hands-on technical experience, it’s hard to truly appreciate the “beauty” of an elegant system design or a piece of brilliant code.

The Takeaway

While not every EM needs to code daily, a strong technical foundation enables them to lead with empathy, credibility, and insight. So, should EMs be technical? If they aim to bring out the best in their teams and drive impactful results, the answer is a resounding "yes".