Deeper Thoughts

Long-form essays on technology, leadership, and the craft of building

Six ascending platforms representing the levels of an engineering leadership career

The Six Levels of an Engineering Manager Career — and Why They Matter

July 21, 2024

A framework for understanding the fundamentally different jobs at each rung of the engineering leadership ladder — IC, Manager, Director, VP, C-Level, and CEO. Being promoted isn't doing your current job better; it's a new job with new skills, new mindsets, new success criteria, and new failure modes.