
What advice do you wish someone gave you when you moved from dev to management? - ohjeez
What advice would you give someone on how to make the transition from developer to project manager?<p>A freelancer is asking for input for an article. The goal is to share useful suggestions for someone who is contemplating making the change from &quot;coder&quot; to &quot;new project manager&quot; or &quot;project lead.&quot; That advice could be based on your own experiences or watching others stumble.<p>Imagine that a friend just got such a promotion -- or has decided to look for a new job where she can move into project management. What would you tell her?
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swatcoder
Every developer is different and the most effective management is rooted in
what they need, not what you needed when you were in their position.

In my case, as a developer, I was independently very responsible and
communicative. I didn't need much attention to do my job well and could
sometimes grow prickly under too much oversight. As long as my managers could
answer (/dispatch) my questions and explain what they needed, things would
just get done and risks/issues would be reported.

When I began managing projects, I learned that some developers would totally
flounder if I managed them the way I had needed to be managed. Some needed me
to anticipate their needs more pro-actively, some needed me to prompt them to
report their concerns or to ask questions, some needed regular reporting or
frequent deadlines just to stay on track, some needed very detailed guidance
to feel confident about what they were doing, etc.

There wasn't anything worse about the work they'd do when well managed, but
their needs were different.

Despite what some books and pundits might suggest, developer/project
management is not a one-size-fits-all thing.

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anotheryou
\- Read this (and even if it's just for a peace of mind to feel prepared):
[https://www.amazon.com/Managers-Path-Leaders-Navigating-
Grow...](https://www.amazon.com/Managers-Path-Leaders-Navigating-
Growth/dp/1491973897/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1535885331&sr=8-2&keywords=managers+path&dpID=51-BMEJ525L&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch)

\- make sure this is something you want

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dmitripopov
First of all, don't do it if you really like to write code. Management is
something completely different, so you'll get nothing but pain.

Second, never approach management like you approach coding. People are
complicated and irrational.

Third, try to turn your department into a gang and yourself into a gang
leader.

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TheAndruu
Start working on soft skills
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_skills](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_skills)

