Dr Subhash Chandar is an accomplished & award-winning HR expert, currently serving as the Global CHRO of Laminaar Aviation Infotech Group.
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As an IT professional, honing your skills to attain a senior-level technical position is often the career trajectory you envision. But as you reach a certain point when building your expertise, you may find yourself at a crossroads: continuing as a technical expert or moving into a leadership role, such as a people manager (PM).
This transition, which has its pros and cons, isn't just a change in your job title. It's actually a fundamental shift in your responsibilities, skills and mindset. In this article, I'll discuss all aspects of making this change, including all of the challenges, considerations and new skills you'd need to succeed.
What To Consider Before Transitioning To Leadership
Becoming a people manager may be a natural step in your career progression because it provides more opportunities to achieve high-level roles within an organization. But there are many key factors to consider when you're considering this shift.
How Your Work Priorities Will Change
If you're considering a shift into leadership as an IT professional, you must be mindful of the ways your day-to-day work life will change. Particularly, you'll be less involved in the hands-on technical work. If that's where your passion lies, then moving into leadership may not align with your interests. But if you enjoy guiding others and thinking at a high level, becoming a PM may be a welcome challenge.
Here are some of the new responsibilities you'd have as a people manager.
• Handling Conflict Resolution: As a PM, one of your top priorities is team cohesion. So you'll need to help navigate interpersonal issues and resolve conflicts within or among teams.
• Monitoring Performance Metrics: Success in a managerial role is often measured differently than in a technical role. This means, as a PM, you'll focus your success metrics on your team performance, employee satisfaction and project outcomes.
• Maintaining Team Balance: Understanding and optimizing how a team works together can be complex. When you're a leader, it'll be your responsibility to identify individual team members' strengths and weaknesses. This will help ensure you can create and maintain a balanced, productive environment.
How Your Career Can Benefit From This Shift
There are many positives that come with leaving behind a technical role and moving into leadership. Of course, the first thing you may think of is the increase in compensation and benefits that comes with a higher-level position. But there are other benefits.
Managing a team can be a great opportunity for both professional and personal growth. It builds valuable leadership experience and perfects your understanding of interpersonal dynamics, which you can apply across various aspects of life and work.
You'll have a direct influence on team and project success, which contributes to the organization's culture and strategic direction. You may also find it incredibly fulfilling to help team members achieve their goals and watch their growth.
The Skills You'll Need To Be A Successful People Manager
If you're interested in becoming an IT people manager, it's important to think about the various skill sets and attributes this role will require.
• Leadership: This is, of course, a cornerstone of people management. You'll need to lead by example, take initiative and inspire your team. Effective leaders are proactive and set the tone for their teams, so consider whether you feel confident in your ability to guide others toward success.
• Strategic Thinking: People managers align their team's efforts with organizational goals, which requires the ability to strategize. Assess your capacity to make high-level decisions, as PMs must make moves that ultimately benefit the entire organization.
• Communication: Effective communication fosters understanding and cohesion within a team. As a PM, you need to be good at articulating your vision, providing clear instructions and offering constructive feedback.
• Emotional Intelligence: Being empathetic and attuned to people's thoughts and feelings are invaluable qualities for building strong working relationships. Reflect on how well you understand the needs and concerns of your team, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Delegation: This is another critical skill for people managers because effective delegation allows individuals to grow and thrive. Consider your willingness to empower team members by entrusting them with tasks and responsibilities that you might have done before.
• Coaching And Mentorship: Being a guiding hand is integral to helping team members reach their potential. As a PM, you'll need to understand how to support others' professional development and get them to where they want to be.
• Adaptability: Finally, being able to change is crucial in the fast-paced IT industry. Consider your willingness to stay updated on evolving technologies while keeping your team motivated and engaged as these shifts occur.
Tips For A Successful Transition
There are a few ways that you can prepare yourself for a people management role in IT.
• Focus On Skills Development: Once you understand the skill set you'll need as a people manager, determine which skills you'll need to improve. Then, pursue training, coaching or mentorship programs to help build up your skill set.
• Seek Guidance: Experienced PMs in your organization or industry can provide invaluable insights and support as you start on this career path. You may want to find a mentor (formally or informally) who has successfully made the transition from technical expert to leadership.
• Consider A Gradual Transition: While still in a technical role, ask to take on some management responsibilities when possible. This will showcase your initiative and help you adjust to the expectations of a people leader.
Conclusion
Becoming an IT people manager after working for years as a technical expert is a significant career move. It involves developing a new set of skills and facing new challenges, and it can be incredibly rewarding. Of course, the decision to choose this path should align with your personal and professional goals. But whether you choose to continue your technical journey or embrace the role of a people manager, your established experience in the IT sector will undoubtedly shape your future success and contributions to the industry.
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