Developing Leaders

Leadership readiness assessment and decision framework for transitioning to management

Transitioning to management is a significant career decision. This guide helps individuals and organizations assess leadership readiness and provides frameworks for making informed decisions about management transitions.

Management is not a promotion—it's a career change. You'll trade hands-on technical work for people development, team coordination, and organizational problem-solving. Make sure this aligns with your interests and strengths.

Leadership Readiness Assessment

Strong management candidates typically demonstrate behaviors across these four categories. No one is perfect in all areas, but you should see consistent patterns in most.

Interest & Motivation

Genuinely enjoys helping others grow and succeed
Excited about team dynamics and organizational challenges
Comfortable with less individual technical work
Energized (not drained) by 1-on-1s and coaching conversations

People Skills

Gives clear, constructive feedback regularly
Resolves interpersonal conflicts effectively
Builds trust and psychological safety on teams
Adapts communication style to different individuals

Leadership Behaviors

Naturally mentors and unblocks others without being asked
Thinks about team health and process improvements
Coordinates work across people and influences without authority
Advocates for team needs and priorities

Self-Awareness

Understands own strengths and growth areas
Seeks and acts on feedback from peers and managers
Reflects on failures and adjusts behavior
Comfortable with ambiguity and learning new skills

Self-assess honestly and seek feedback from peers and managers. Strong IC contributors don't always make great managers—and that's okay! Both tracks are valuable.

Test Before You Commit: Interim Experiences

Before making a full commitment to management, try interim experiences that give you a taste of management responsibilities without permanently leaving the IC track.

Tech Lead

Lead a project or feature team without formal management authority

3-6 months

What You'll Learn

Coordinate work across engineers
Balance technical decisions with team dynamics
Influence without formal authority
Run meetings and facilitate discussions

Formal Mentorship

Mentor 1-2 junior engineers with structured goals

6-12 months

What You'll Learn

Provide regular coaching and feedback
Help someone grow their skills
Track progress against development goals
Experience the satisfaction of developing others

Interim Manager

Cover for a manager on leave or act as temporary team lead

1-3 months

What You'll Learn

Run 1-on-1s and team meetings
Make prioritization and resource decisions
Handle performance and interpersonal issues
Experience day-to-day management responsibilities

Hiring Lead

Own hiring process for a role: sourcing, interviewing, closing

2-4 months (per hire)

What You'll Learn

Screen resumes and conduct interviews
Sell candidates on team and company
Make hiring decisions and tradeoffs
Onboard new team members

Should You Become a Manager? Decision Framework

Use this flowchart to guide your decision. Answer honestly—there are no "right" answers, only answers that are right for you.

1. Do you enjoy helping others grow more than your own technical work?

Yes: Good sign for management. Proceed to question 2.

No or Unsure: Consider staying IC or trying hybrid roles (Tech Lead, Staff Engineer).

2. Are you comfortable with reduced hands-on technical work?

Yes: Good fit. Proceed to question 3.

No: Consider W-shaped topology with Technical Leadership track or high-autonomy IC roles.

3. Have you tested management through interim experiences?

Yes, and I enjoyed it: Strong candidate for management. Proceed to question 4.

No or Mixed feelings: Try 1-2 interim experiences before committing.

4. Are you ready to invest 6-12 months learning management skills?

Yes: Ready for management transition. Talk to your manager about opportunities.

No: Wait until you have bandwidth for the transition. Management requires significant learning investment.

Supporting New Managers

Organizations play a critical role in setting up new managers for success. Provide:

Training & Resources

Management fundamentals training (1-on-1s, feedback, performance reviews)
Access to management books, courses, and communities
Budget for executive coaching or management programs

Mentorship & Support

Pair with experienced manager mentor for first 6-12 months
Regular skip-level check-ins with their manager's manager
Peer support group with other new managers

Realistic Expectations

Reduce IC work expectations during first 6 months
Smaller initial team size (4-6 people max)
Patience for mistakes and learning curve
Clear success criteria for first 90 days

The transition to management is hard—even for naturally talented people leaders. Set new managers up for success with training, mentorship, and realistic expectations. Poor support leads to burnout and high manager turnover.

Returning to IC Track

Some people try management and realize it's not for them—and that's completely okay! Organizations should support "boomerang" transitions back to IC work without stigma:

Frame it as valuable learning, not failure
Preserve level and compensation when returning to IC track
Value the management skills they developed (coordination, communication, empathy)
Create space for future re-entry to management if interests change

Learn more about management expectations at each level: Management Levels.