Transformation from strong technical personnel to project supervisor

In the project at hand, there is a test supervisor, an old tester with 4 years of experience, and a good tester in the company. In the past, no matter what projects, pictures tested by others, she was always able to detect bugs. The bug rate was also very low when the pictures she tested were in the customer's hands. So many projects used to pull her into the final stage for validation testing.

Technical Talents, like super-tech programmers who have grown into project directors, on the one hand, out of their own development aspirations and on the other hand, out of the considerations of the company's talent training, in this project, the experienced tester is arranged as the test supervisor.

However, like the new supervisor from all technical backgrounds, her transformation has encountered many problems:

1. Testers in the project almost do not need to work overtime, but her overtime is the most among all the project staff.
2. reviews the test style books of testers. The review time exceeds the standard.
3. I am not sure about the test plan, test method, and key points, and I need to control them.
4. I think the most important thing to do when entering the testing stage is to confirm the test again by taking the picture tested by the tester.
5. Do not speak properly (this person is cheerful and outgoing ). I don't care.

At last, I had a hard time and a lot of pain, but I was not able to manage things.

This should be a common problem in the transition from technology to management. In my opinion, apart from insufficient experience, the most important thing is the problem of role conversion.

Generally, companies that have been promoted to grass-roots management positions are technically strong, either in development or testing. Of course, the other things that are top-notch in technology tend to keep them on the technical path and become senior engineers and technical experts. It is a confusing question about how to assume your role when you are in a management position. The above problems should be the most common.

I think we should pay attention to the following points for the transformation from a strong technical engineer to a project supervisor:

1. What does the technical advantages mean?

As mentioned above, under normal circumstances, new directors are old technical experts who should be at the forefront of developers at the same level. So what aspects should the technical advantages be used after you become a supervisor:
A: As A tool for building prestige
After all, there are a few people who have been promoted from developers to supervisors. The new supervisor may be new graduates who have joined the company with themselves, or even elders who are older than their seniority. Some people may be very weak in technology, but many others may be similar to themselves, or they may think they are similar. In this case, some of their minds are more or less not convinced, and some of them will not be paid to the new supervisor. If we need to establish prestige in front of them, our technical advantages will be a powerful tool. After all, our strength is the most convincing.
B: As the capital to guide subordinates
Only skilled people have the capital to guide others. Otherwise, they do not know how to teach others. New supervisors often hold grass-roots management positions. developers need to solve problems in development directly. Therefore, the technical advantages are shown here.
On the other hand, the word "Guide" is very important. It refers to the key points and guidance. When a subordinate encounters a problem, give the subordinate sufficient opinions and give enough dial-up. Instead of doing everything by yourself, we have done all the problems and even the work of our subordinates.
C: Used as the basis for decision making
How long does coding take to give an experienced programmer a year and a batch test to a three-year experienced test engineer. Although companies with relatively high development and management levels generally have their own prediction tools, the experience judgment of supervisors is also very important. Where is the basis of the judgment? It is based on its own technical advantages.

2. Where should managers focus?

As a general developer, you only need to focus on your work, but as a manager, you must focus on the team. You must consider the following questions:
A: What my team is doing, what we are doing now, and what we will do next.
B: I know who my team is, how well everyone is, and whether I know them.
C: How is the current progress, quality, and cost of my team (maybe the Grass-roots supervisor does not need to consider the cost)
D: What problems have my team encountered, where are the causes, and how should I solve them?
E: What problems may happen to my team in the future? What should I do if a problem occurs? How should I avoid it?
F: Where is my team in the project, who is my superior and at the same level, and how to communicate with them?
......
I think of what a Senior Project Manager once said: "PM must have enough time to think about the problem ". I think that is true for all managers. Don't take all your time into a specific transaction. You must take the time to think about the problem above.

3. Influence of managers on subordinates

Like the test supervisor mentioned above, the person who can be promoted to the supervisor is generally technically competent and cheerful, otherwise, no one can imagine that a person with great technical skills can manage his subordinates. Since you are cheerful, it is very likely that you will be confused when talking.
However, as managers, their emotional control is very important. Remember this sentence: "The good mood of a manager may not necessarily improve the mood of the entire team. However, the bad mood of a manager will definitely make the mood of the entire team worse ".
For example, if my subordinates say "I don't care" and "What should I do?", the subordinates will naturally think: Even the supervisor doesn't care, and I have to care about it. If you have complaints or complaints, you can give them to the Project Manager in private or discuss them at the project management meeting. However, you must not be discouraged by your subordinates.
The combat power of a team comes from the spirit of the team. To some extent, the supervisor is the spiritual pillar of the team. If the spiritual pillar falls down, then the entire team will be dispersed and lost.