Managing while being technical with Phil Calçado

The legend says that when you promote a Senior Developer into a Manager, you end up with a subpar Manager and you lose a great Engineer. We have heard these stories of lose-lose outcomes over and over again. Then once in a blue moon we find that perfect blend of a skilled engineer who is competent, can clearly voice their ideas, understand the business domain, are tuned to the needs of the management as well as to the needs of the developers and can rally people towards a mutual goal. Then, we end up with an admirable Engineering Manager. 

On the topic of misalignment between development and management we talk with Phil Calçado, a Director of Engineering at SeatGeek. 

What can we learn from someone who headed engineering for companies with 150 million users and no revenue or with $150 million revenue and no users?

Have developers become too self-centered? 

What can engineers learn from a basic business education? 

Should you as a manager be technical then? 

How should you explain complex technical concepts to C-level management? 

What is the role of the manager and their accountability? 

And what happens if your realise that management is not for you? Can you go back to being a full time engineer?

Phil Calçado

Personal website: https://philcalcado.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pcalcado
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pcalcado