I've made the transition from Developer to Manager and now realize it was a mistake for my personal happiness and will return to a Developer role. Here's what I learned as a manager;
- Communication is top priority: be explicit in what you want & what your goals are. Don't give tasks, give directions. Always make sure people understand the _why_, not just the _what_.
- Don't take things personal. As a Manager, you'll be on the receiving end of complaints, frustrations and internal debates. Separate work from private and don't take that stuff home. The old saying "shit rolls uphill" is very true for a Management position.
- Stay technical. Allocate some of your time to do small dev work yourself, or you'll quickly lose focus and touch with what is happening.
- Remove friction. As a Manager, your goal is to make sure your team can work and not be distracted. Make sure you deal with the small interruptions and the hassle, keep your team focussed.
- Communication is top priority: be explicit in what you want & what your goals are. Don't give tasks, give directions. Always make sure people understand the _why_, not just the _what_.
- Don't take things personal. As a Manager, you'll be on the receiving end of complaints, frustrations and internal debates. Separate work from private and don't take that stuff home. The old saying "shit rolls uphill" is very true for a Management position.
- Stay technical. Allocate some of your time to do small dev work yourself, or you'll quickly lose focus and touch with what is happening.
- Remove friction. As a Manager, your goal is to make sure your team can work and not be distracted. Make sure you deal with the small interruptions and the hassle, keep your team focussed.