Lead an Engineering Team for the First Time
16 weeks · 6 milestones
Transition from individual contributor to engineering manager. Your output is now your team's output — not code you wrote. This 16-week outcome maps the hardest career transition in software engineering.
Milestone map
Milestone map
6 milestones
30 people currently working through this outcome
In your first two weeks, hold a dedicated 1:1 with every person who reports to you. Not a status update — a conversation about them: their career goals, what they want to learn, what frustrates them, and what you can do to help. Take notes during or immediately after each conversation.
Proof required
Submit your 1:1 notes for each direct report with names redacted. Notes must include: one thing each person wants to learn, one thing that frustrates them, and one specific commitment you made to them. Add a 150-word reflection on what surprised you most about these conversations.
What gets checked
- Notes exist for every direct report — not just the ones you were already close to; every person gets the same quality of conversation
- Each note has a specific commitment from you, not 'I'll think about it' — a commitment is a defined action with an implied timeline
- The surprise reflection identifies something that actually surprised you — generic 'they want to grow' reflections indicate you did not listen deeply enough
Resources
Enroll free to unlock learning resources →Mastery
The Manager's Path
Read chapters 1–3 before your first 1:1. It sets correct expectations for the IC-to-manager transition and explains why 1:1s are your most important recurring meeting.
Unlocks after completing Foundation + Depth