When thinking about moving from an Individual Contributor (IC) to a Manager, it’s crucial to understand why you want to make this change in the first place. It’s not just about getting a new title; it’s a big shift in what you’ll be responsible for, the work you’ll do every day, and even how you think.
Knowing the right reasons for making this change will help you decide if it aligns with your true career goals. It will also make the transition smoother and more sustainable in the long term.
Read this post with a grain of salt, though: it is going to be subjective, and my goals/values are (probably) different than yours.
🔴 Bad
Money
Don’t get me wrong, money is great; I like it, too. But switching to management only to get a higher salary can lead to dissatisfaction because:
- It’s not necessarily true that the management track will lead to more money. In fact, if you’re a Senior Engineer, for example, aiming for Staff+ will probably give you more money — at the same time, leaving you more employable.
- Even if you do make more money, it’ll get old really fast (hedonic adaption is a bitch), but your new responsibilities will still be there Monday morning waiting for you. Don’t like a calendar full of meetings? Guess what…
Simply put, if you only think about money when considering a switch to management, you may end up unhappy since the initial excitement won’t last long. At the same time, you’ll have a completely different job than you’re used to in front of you.
Status
It’s human nature to look for status; it’s natural, and we all do it to some extent. But, just like with money, it’ll get old quickly. Also, switching to management means that your job will be less about me and more about we. So, if you’re the kind of person who thinks a lot about your position in the company (i.e., status), growing others might not be the thing for you.
Growth
In the (not so) good old days, it was common for the only path of growth to be management. I’ve been there before. I remember, as a 25-year-old Senior Engineer, asking my manager: “How can I grow here?”. His answer, a very disappointing one, “Management, of course!”.
That’s far from true anymore. It’s easy to find companies where you can grow endlessly as an IC. And, if management is the only path forward in your company like it happened for me back in the day, I promise you: it’s much easier (and sustainable) to change companies than careers.
External motivations
Moving into management because it seems like the “next logical step” or because your peers are doing it (or because your mom will finally understand your job) can result in an unfulfilling and misaligned career path.
Being influenced by external motivations isn’t inherently negative as long as you critically evaluate the decision and ensure it aligns with your personal growth and vision.
Having a seat on the table
A very common reason for people to want to switch to management is the lack of transparency on how decisions are made by Leadership. Here’s a different perspective on this by Steve Jobs:
“(…) the only good reason to be a manager is so some other bozo doesn’t be the manager — and ruin the group you care about”
People crave being in the loop so badly that they want to let go of what they currently love (i.e., IC work) and move to something completely different (i.e., management).
If you fit this case, I advise looking for a company with better, more transparent Leadership. And yes, they do exist.
✅ Good
As I mentioned before, I think there’s only one good reason to switch to management, and that is: when you realize that you’re spending more time focusing on others instead of you. Even if subconsciously or indirectly, the moment you see yourself thinking more about your team, your peers, or company-wide processes than about you being the star, it’s time to consider a transition to management.
So far, I’ve been intentionally nudging you to avoid management. But if you come this far, I’ll try to convince you to give management a shot. I’ll do it by bringing three powerful words to the table: impact, leverage, and vision.
Impact
As an IC, like it or not, you have limited impact. Let’s say that you grow 30% year-over-year. That’s great, and congratulations to you! — but company-wide, that won’t make a lot of difference. As a manager, though, growing your team by 30% year-over-year can be a game-changer. Your impact as a manager can be exponentially bigger.
Leverage
Then there’s leverage. It’s about making things easier and better, not just for you but for everyone. As a manager, you can change how things are done. You see a slow process? You can speed it up. Something’s unnecessary? Get rid of it. You now have the power (or the authority™) to fix problems and make the workday smoother for everyone. This doesn’t just help your team; it helps the whole company do better.
Vision
Imagine being the person who gets to dream up what your team could do next. As a manager, you get to think big — like coming up with projects that matter or finding new ways for everyone to work better together. It’s about having a big idea and then making it happen, step by step. You’re the one leading the charge, turning “what if” into “we did it!”
So, if you’re the kind of person who’s constantly thinking about how to lift others up and make things better for everyone, management might be the right path for you. It’s about using your skills to make a greater impact, create leverage that leads to success for everyone, and put your vision into action.
Switching to management is a big step, so think carefully about why you want to do this and what you want in your career before making this important decision.
I’d love to hear about your reasons for considering management: what was the turning point that made you consider a transition to management? Share your stories and insights below or contact me directly.
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