From Engineer to Executive: Navigating the Career Shift with Purpose.
This post reflects on my journey of transitioning from a technical expert to a strategic leader, highlighting key mindset shifts, challenges, and lessons learned along the way. Use this as a guide to inspire your own career trajectory, or just shake your head because you’ve had to deal with this yourself.
Personal Journey
Early in my career at a large corporation, I encountered a pivotal moment that catalyzed my shift to leadership. As an engineering architect, I faced a recurring issue with a critical accounting system requiring manual disk space cleanup every week due to insufficient server capacity. The inefficiency frustrated not just me but the entire team, especially knowing this could be easily fixed. Our managing director focused on cost-cutting and not spending a dime, didn’t recognize the hidden expense of lost productivity and frustration. His decisions made our lives difficult year after year, so when a leadership position opened to oversee the replacement of an older accounting system, I jumped on it. I was convinced that I couldn’t do worse and that it would pay a lot more, so I pursued and secured the role. This company paid so much more for leadership positions than they did in tech, I couldn’t help myself. Little did I know that transitioning to my new role of coordinating people, managing diverse priorities, and solving complex organizational challenges would be the best decision I ever made.
Key Challenges and Fears
Stepping into leadership was daunting. I worried about disliking the role, but more worried about failing than anything. Limited management experience made the transition nerve-racking, but I leaned on my technical expertise and took the plunge. I had leadership experience in the past, but I had never chased the sun with global teams working 24/7. My fallback plan was to return to architecture if needed, but I really didn’t want that to happen. I wish I could say there was a magical formula to get over my nerves, but it really just came down to time. I have overcome a lot of problems in my career; I still get anxious sometimes, but as I get older and have more experience, the more confident I become. I hate that’s how it worked for me, but it is what it is. Some things just take time.
Lack of Mentorship
At the time, I lacked mentors or guidance on leadership. I had awesome mentorship before, which drove my software engineering career quickly, but here I was on my own. I’d never read anything about management or leadership; I’d only ever cared about tech. Luckily, I had plenty of motivation, stemming from personal circumstances as a father striving for financial stability. Taking a chance on leadership was a gamble that ultimately paid off, shaping my career and personal growth in profound ways. In the end, I got lucky after a few years to actually get mentorship, and boy, did my career take off from there. I cannot stress enough how important it is to find respectable and qualified people who will take the time to befriend you and teach you what they have learned. Books are great, but you cannot beat an honest conversation with someone who gives a @#$%.
Mindset Shifts
1. Elevate and Delegate
Moving from individual contribution to leadership required trusting my team and focusing on coordination rather than execution. As an architect, I controlled decisions; as a leader, I learned to empower others to make them. This DID NOT happen overnight. I had worked for enough managers in the past to know at least that micromanagement is not the way to go. If I found myself making decisions for people on how to do something, I would have to remind myself to think about why. Were they not good for the role they were in? Did I just think I knew better? If the employee gets the role, wants it, and has the capacity to do it, your job is to help remove blockers, help them focus, and ask questions to be curious. Nobody wants to be told they aren’t doing something the right way in tech. We’re putting our intelligence in front of everyone, so when someone questions you, it’s very easy to be offended. In the end, I have learned to become curious about everything, be more concerned about the throughput of our value streams, and only step in when absolutely necessary for the team.
2. Strategic Thinking
The shift from solving technical problems to influencing broader business strategies was/is challenging. Early on as a manager, there was just no chance for it. The large corporation I was working at was so large and driven by process and governance that we were all just cogs. Over time, consistent learning and mentorship helped me understand how IT leaders must align technical priorities with organizational goals. More so, as you climb the corporate ladder, it’s important that you cascade “WHY” the decisions were made. How many times has an engineer thought a request was the dumbest thing they ever heard? I know I did plenty of times. Not that everyone is always going to agree with everything, but if we communicate frequently, they can be more receptive and likely to row in the same direction.
3. Building Relationships
Networking with recruiters and tech councils opened doors to talent acquisition and organizational influence. Facing resistance—from doubts about my youth to skepticism of my experience—taught me the value of clear communication and resilience. To improve, I’m working on setting stronger boundaries and expectations while maintaining a friendly leadership style.
Skill Development
1. Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Mastering EQ was essential for effective leadership. I embraced radical candor, prioritized continuous feedback, and shifted my focus from individual productivity to team empowerment. This transformation enabled my team to thrive and innovate.
2. Bridging Technical and Business Conversations
Using analogies helped me bridge gaps between technical complexities and executive priorities. Explaining software development as akin to constructing a skyscraper made abstract concepts relatable, fostering understanding and collaboration.
3. Continuous Learning
In my early career, I dedicated at least an hour daily to skill-building. Books like The Phoenix Project reshaped my perspective on IT operations, helping me approach leadership through the lens of lean operations and value streams.
Lessons Learned
1. Challenges
Leadership introduced new dynamics, such as managing personal conflicts and learning to delegate effectively. Over time, I realized that technology management is just like manufacturing, which streamlined my approach and boosted efficiency.
2. Mistakes
From losing my temper to overextending trust, I’ve faced many setbacks. Promising deadlines prematurely and misjudging priorities taught me to approach leadership with greater accountability and foresight.
3. Confidence Strategies
Maintaining confidence during uncertainty required recognizing the value of my decisions and learning to accept constructive criticism. Embracing feedback as a growth tool remains a work in progress.
Actionable Advice
- Evaluate Your Why: Understand your motivations for pursuing leadership. If financial gain is your primary driver, ensure you’re ready to embrace the challenges of meetings, reporting, and strategic thinking.
- Skill Up: Develop a foundational understanding of project management, theory of constraints, and influence strategies. Building relationships and learning to delegate effectively is crucial.
- Experiment and Learn: Adopt an inquisitive mindset. Test new approaches thoughtfully, analyze outcomes, and refine your methods.
Call to Action
Transitioning from technical roles to leadership is a journey of growth and self-discovery. What challenges have you faced during this transition? Let’s share insights below and learn from each other’s experiences!
You get what you expect, and you deserve what you tolerate.
