Advice to become Director or any senior leader.
Apr 29, 2021
10 Comments
Currently I am working as an individual contributor (software engineer) and want to see my self as a director or any senior leader in next 10-15 years.
How do I proceed ?
What are the best tips ?
How to find opportunities and grab those ?
Is MBA worth ?
I know it’s hard to get all these answers. However I would really appreciate any valuable feedback.
No trolls please.
YOE-5
TC-180k (shitty ) I am in process of interviewing for more senior roles.
comments
Edit: How does MBA help? Technology is a tool to solve customer problems in a way that's economically sustainable for business. MBA per se is not a silver bullet, but is a useful tool in your arsenal as it helps improve understanding around business, finance and organizational issues and opportunities, especially for potential leaders who grew up in tech and may not have this exposure.
You build trust. Key word: build.
How do you get there?
You manage the strategic direction of a smaller product with fewer moving pieces and the careers of tens.
How do you get there?
You manage the strategic direction of a team and how it aligns with higher order organizational goals while managing the careers of <10.
How do you get there?
Be the person who defines the technical direction of your team to make your team’s strategy succeed, and help other engineers to be better. Be a force multiplier.
How do you get there?
Learn to be a rock star IC that can be trusted to take ownership of an ambiguous project and run with it. How can you lead a team if you can’t lead a project independently and successfully? Do the annoying work that everyone appreciates (e.g. do CRs until your eyes bleed).
Etc. etc.
Step 2: Kiss their ass nonstop
Step 3: Repeat Step 2
You can skip one step or two if you jump from EM of a big company to a small company.
To become EM, usually the path is: senior SWE - TL - manager.
Sounds like you are not senior SWE now. So maybe try to become a senior SWE first.
Good luck.