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The First Day, Setting the Stage for Long-Term Success (For New Engineering Managers)

This article offers practical, empathetic advice for new engineering managers, focusing on the crucial “soft skills” – building trust, listening, understanding – that underpin long-term success. The advice is grounded in experience, and this framework offers a useful structuring device for the first 90 days.

The Importance of Connection​

Your first day as an engineering manager isn't about immediately solving problems or implementing changes. It’s about laying the foundation for a positive, impactful relationship with your team. You're inheriting a team, a product, and a culture – and your initial approach will significantly shape how effectively you can lead and support them. It's tempting to jump in with solutions, but resist that urge. Building trust and understanding first will ultimately lead to more effective changes. Many new managers feel pressure to prove themselves quickly, but genuine connection is far more valuable in the long run.

The First 90 Days: A Framework for Success​

While Day One sets the tone, a successful transition requires a longer-term strategy. Here’s how I like to approach the first 90 days…

This framework is broken down into three phases: Listen, Assess, and Pilot. Each phase builds on the previous one, gradually shifting from understanding the current state to driving positive change.

Listen (Days 1-30): Focus on building rapport and understanding the team’s dynamics, challenges, and successes.

Assess (Days 31-60): Begin to analyze the team's processes, technical debt, and skill gaps.

Pilot (Days 61-90): Introduce small, focused changes based on your assessments, gathering feedback and iterating as needed.

The 90-Day Framework in Detail​

Listen (Days 1-30)​

  • One-on-Ones: Schedule individual meetings with each team member. The primary goal isn't to discuss tasks or projects, but to get to know them as individuals – their backgrounds, career aspirations, and perspectives on the team.
  • Team Meetings: Observe existing team meetings to understand communication patterns and dynamics.
  • Active Listening: Truly listen to your team’s concerns and ideas, without interrupting or offering immediate solutions.
  • Informal Conversations: Take the time to chat with team members casually – grab coffee, eat lunch together – to build rapport and foster a sense of connection.

Assess (Days 31-60)​

  • Process Review: Understand the team's current development processes – from planning and coding to testing and deployment.
  • Technical Debt Identification: Identify areas of technical debt that are hindering the team's progress. Look for frequently refactored code, areas with high bug counts, or complex, poorly documented systems.
  • Skill Gap Analysis: Assess the team's collective skill set and identify any gaps that need to be addressed through training or hiring.
  • Bottleneck Identification: Pinpoint areas where the team is consistently blocked or slowed down – for example, CI/CD pipeline bottlenecks, slow testing processes, or inefficient code review practices.

Pilot (Days 61-90)​

  • Small, Focused Changes: Introduce small, targeted changes based on your assessments – for example, automating a repetitive task, improving the CI/CD pipeline, or implementing a new testing framework.
  • Gather Feedback: Actively solicit feedback from the team on your changes – what’s working well, what’s not, and what could be improved.
  • Iterate and Refine: Based on the feedback you receive, iterate on your changes and refine your approach.
  • Celebrate Successes: Recognize and celebrate the team's successes, both big and small, to build morale and foster a positive work environment.

1:1s: Your Most Valuable Tool​

These 1:1s are your most valuable tool for building rapport and understanding your team. Here's how I approach them:

  • Regular Cadence: Schedule recurring 1:1s with each team member – ideally, weekly or bi-weekly.
  • Focus on the Individual: Use the time to discuss their career goals, challenges, and perspectives on the team.
  • Active Listening: Truly listen to their concerns and ideas, without interrupting or offering immediate solutions.
  • Provide Support: Offer guidance, mentorship, and support to help them achieve their goals.
  • Actionable Follow-Up: Take notes and follow up on any action items or commitments you make.

Remembering the Bigger Picture​

Ultimately, remember that a job is temporary, but the impact you have on your team, product, and culture is permanent. Approach your role with humility, empathy, and a genuine desire to support your team’s success. A strong team, built on trust and collaboration, is far more valuable than any individual accomplishment. By prioritizing connection and fostering a positive work environment, you'll create a lasting legacy and set your team up for long-term success.