How hands on are you?

How hands-on should an engineering manager be, and what do we lose or gain as we move away from the code? In this episode we dig into the messy middle between technical work, people leadership and the hunt for that spark that keeps us excited. Using our own careers as the backdrop, we unpack what “hands-on” really means. Is it code, system thinking, process, delivery, people, or all of it at once? We talk about losing technical confidence, finding excitement again, navigating vulnerability, and working out when you’re still adding value… or just getting in the way. And yes, unicycles somehow made it into the episode. If this sparks any thoughts, tell us what you think about the episode or about being hands-on yourself. You can find us both on LinkedIn. Chapters 00:00 – Intro and what we mean by “hands-on” 01:23 – Code, contribution and confidence 04:35 – Technical work beyond coding 08:39 – Losing old skills and chasing excitement 11:54 – Enabling engineers and knowing who to bring in 18:51 – Vulnerability, updates and not knowing the detail 22:22 – Learning complexity over time 26:39 – EMs without engineering backgrounds 29:56 – Missing hands-on work and finding balance 31:52 – EM archetypes and where we fit 45:42 – Staying technical through side projects 48:03 – What we miss, what excites us and takeaways 53:46 – How to share feedback and keep the chat going Links Pat Kua’s 5 Engineering Manager Archetypes: https://www.patkua.com/blog/5-engineering-manager-archetypes/ Simon Wardley - From here to there and back again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEjjCI3kTM4 Connect with us Tell us what you think about the episode or about being hands-on yourself: Si on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sijobling Neil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilyounger Credits Created by Si Jobling and Neil Younger Recorded and edited in Descript Hosted on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube Produced, artwork and publishing by Unstyled Studios Check out our podcast host, Pinecast. Start your own podcast for free with no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-b0b82e for 40% off for 4 months, and support Managing Engineers. Read transcript