From Debugging Code to Debugging Teams
Why Engineering Management Isn’t Just a Promotion—It’s a Crash Course in Leading People, Embracing Ambiguity, and Achieving Quiet Wins
👋 Hi beloved Optimist Engineer, Marcos here, coming with another collaboration to bring you new points of view.
Today’s issue features a special guest,
. Here is Rafa’s introduction.Rafa is a Senior Engineering Leader with over 20 years of experience in the software industry. Over the past 7+ years, I’ve specialized in leading and scaling engineering platforms and teams across multiple unicorn startups in dynamic remote environments.
I want to recommend Rafa’s newsletter for all those Software Engineers aiming to grow into leadership roles—whether as Team Leads, Engineering Managers, or Staff and Principal Engineers.
Without taking any more time, I'll hand the word 🎤 over to Rafa.
Ever feel like there’s more to building software than writing code? That nagging feeling that you could do more if you had a bigger say in how things get done? For many developers, this itch leads to a new path: becoming an Engineering Manager.
Managing people isn’t just a career change—it’s a mindset revolution. Let’s dive in and explore what that really means.
How I Promoted Myself into a Leadership Position
The first time I stepped into a people management role was in 2015 when I was working for a fintech company in London. Technically, my manager promoted me. But in practice, I promoted myself. Let me explain how I did it.
First, I took on a challenge that no one else wanted: debugging and fixing our legacy codebase. While most engineers and leaders enthusiastically were building our shiny new platform, I found it critical to fix the messy monolith. That legacy application was the heart of our business, the one that was truly delivering value to our customers.
Second, I offered to manage a team of outsourced software engineers based in Sofia. This meant leading a distributed team of engineers in both the UK and Bulgaria. It brought extra challenges, like communication issues, cultural differences, and distance barriers. Occasional travel was also part of the deal. While many workmates shied away from this, I was eager to take it on.
Then, after a few months of keeping our legacy monolith alive and steering our distributed team, I was officially promoted to Lead Software Engineer—a role often known as Team Lead or Engineering Manager in many companies. I began by managing around six engineers, and eventually, that number grew to twelve by the time I left the company.
That experience taught me that leadership is about seizing opportunities and stepping up when others hesitate.
Why You Might Want to Be a Manager
The move isn’t for everyone, but here’s why it might be for you:
1. You Want Broader Impact
As a developer, the code you write mostly defines your scope of influence. As a manager, you shape how work gets done. You’ll:
Advocate for sustainable engineering practices.
Build processes that reduce burnout and turnover.
Mentor engineers into future leaders.
2. You Enjoy Solving Human Puzzles
Technical challenges have clear answers. People challenges? Not so much. You’ll question:
Why is a talented engineer suddenly disengaged?
How do you align conflicting priorities between Product and Engineering?
What’s the real reason a key project is behind schedule?
3. You’re Drawn to Strategy
Managers operate at the intersection of technology and business. You’ll:
Translate vague company goals into actionable engineering plans.
Decide what to build, not just how to build it.
Balance technical debt against feature velocity.
These challenges require empathy, adaptability, emotional intelligence and the ability to read between the lines.
Why You Might Not Want to Be a Manager
Management isn’t a promotion—it’s a different career. Here’s why you might pause:
1. You’ll Miss Hands-On Coding
Your days of diving into code will fade faster than a forgotten test environment. Expect:
Coding time shrinking to 10-20% of your week (if you’re lucky).
Solving technical puzzles indirectly through your team’s wins.
Side projects becoming your secret coding therapy sessions.
2. Your Wins Are Quiet
No one applauds you for preventing a disaster they never knew existed. Success looks like:
A junior engineer confidently leading a meeting.
A once-struggling team hitting deadlines without burnout.
A stakeholder finally understands why “quick fixes” aren’t quick.
3. You’ll Become a Professional Communicator
Meetings. So. Many. Meetings. You’ll spend your days:
Translating “We need to refactor” into “This saves $500K next year.”
Negotiating deadlines with Product Managers and key stakeholders.
Explaining, for the tenth time, why “urgent” and “impossible” aren’t synonyms.
If you’d rather debug code than mediate a debate about tabs vs. spaces, think twice.
Is Management Right for You?
Managing engineers is challenging. Ask yourself:
Do I thrive on collaboration? If you relish teamwork over solitary deep work, management might be your calling. But if you prefer uninterrupted focus, leading a team could feel draining.
Am I comfortable with less technical control? Trust your team to make technical decisions—even ones you might not agree with. Embrace their independence and let them grow.
Can I handle conflict gracefully? As a manager, you’ll mediate daily disagreements—both technical and personal. Your ability to navigate these conflicts is crucial.
“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.”
— Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Key Red Flags to Watch For
Becoming a manager for the wrong reasons could harm your career. Be aware of:
Chasing Status or Salary: If you’re pursuing the role solely for the perks of status or a higher paycheck, it might be a sign you’re not ready for the true responsibilities of leadership.
Equating Leadership with Authority: Believing that leadership is about wielding authority rather than empowering others can limit your effectiveness as a manager.
Avoiding Feedback: Disliking giving or receiving any kind of feedback, especially constructive one, can hinder your growth and the development of your team.
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.”
— Ken Blanchard, The One Minute Manager
Hard-Won Lessons from the Trenches
During my career, I made many mistakes. Here are my personal tips so you don’t repeat them:
Protect Your Team’s Time: Learning to say “no” to low-impact work is as important as saying “yes” to projects that truly drive value.
Focus on Impact, Not the Number of Reports: A larger team doesn’t equal success. Doubling your team without increasing your impact isn’t truly a win.
Lead with Intent, Not Control: Micromanaging stifles creativity. Set clear goals and then empower your team to achieve them.
“Humans, by and large, feel good when they set small goals and meet them regularly.”
― Camille Fournier, The Manager’s Path
Final Thoughts: Management Is a Choice, Not a Destiny
Transitioning to engineering management isn’t about climbing a ladder. It’s about choosing a new adventure. Some days, I miss the simplicity of coding, but watching a team I’ve nurtured deliver something extraordinary is a different kind of magic.
Great engineering managers are enablers, not heroes. You may not always be in the spotlight, but you light the way for your team. Much of your work will remain unseen, as illustrated by “The Manager’s Iceberg.” It’s about creating an environment where everyone can do their best.
And if you try it and hate it? That’s okay, you can always move from a manager back to an individual contributor. The tech world needs brilliant individual contributors too.
P.S. Keep a side project if you miss coding. Remember, there are many ways to stay technical as a manager beyond writing code. The choice is yours.
🫂 Thanks Rafa!
Marcos back!
I want to send a deep Thank You to
for sharing his experience with all of us. To learn more from Rafa, take a look at his newsletter 👇We are ✨960 Optimist Engineers✨!! 🚀
Thanks for your support of my work here, really appreciate it!
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 | A guest post by
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Thank you, Marcos, for allowing me to write this article. I'm passionate about this topic. I hope your readers like it and leave some comments about their thoughts!
Hey! 👋
I’ve been a lead for many years now — with or without the title.
If there’s one thing I still need to learn, it’s how to translate technical work into business value.
Huge thanks to Rafa and Marcos for helping me realize this!