Think Like a Software Engineering Manager (Final Release)

A superb software engineering manager needs to wear many hats: amazing communicator, effective decision maker, thoughtful mentor, and, of course, technical expert. This book helps you build your strengths and shore up your weaknesses so you can lead a productive team that consistently delivers quality software.

Most development teams are only as good as their leader. In this practical guide, you’ll explore all aspects of the software engineering manager’s job, from operational practices to the core skills of handling humans.

Think Like a Software Engineering Manager is full of all the skills you’ll need to thrive in software leadership, including

People and performance management
Empathy and feedback
Delegation and learning to let go
Hiring amazing engineers and handling attrition
Collaborating with cross-functional partners
Managing expectations at all levels
Implementing engineering and operational excellence
Time and organizational change management

Experienced team leader Akanksha Gupta helps you explore whether software engineering management is the right move for your career, guides you through preparing for the position, and gives you all the tools you need to thrive in the role. Thought-provoking exercises help you apply what you learn to your daily professional life, and prepare you for making the big decisions about software.

About the Technology
A software engineering manager needs to be an amazing communicator, an effective decision maker, and a thoughtful mentor. Your success depends on your ability to evaluate and manage projects, motivate and lead your team, and coolly handle whatever crisis each new day brings. It’s a big transition, and this book will guide you every step of the way.

About the Book
Think Like a Software Engineering Manager teaches you how to hire, train, and lead a successful development team. You’ll start with building and managing your team to maximize performance. You’ll then quickly progress to strategies for delivering large scale projects, cultivating excellence in your projects, and managing change. Author Akanksha Gupta’s battle stories and industry anecdotes from her work at Amazon, Audible, Robinhood, and Microsoft reveal how the experts handle the biggest engineering management challenges.

What's Inside
People and performance management
Hiring amazing engineers and handling attrition
Collaborating with cross-functional partners
Practice for success with insightful exercises