I have been given the opportunity to becoming a team leader recently. From my experience and readings, it is very clear that software engineering and team leading don’t require the same skills set. Great engineers don’t usually make the best of managers. Although less likely to happen, the same goes for the opposite.

To prepare myself I read some material discussing the ins and outs of team management. It showed me certain aspects that I weren’t aware of, as well as giving me some ideas on how to handle my new responsibilities. One can learn a lot from readings or courses but nothing replaces experience. The person I now manage has been with us only for a week but I quickly realised that theory alone is not enough. In the last book I read the author stated that no matter what you always “screw up” at the beginning. It is part of the learning process. So I guess I just have to brace myself for my first screw-up.