May 11, 2026
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Key takeaways:
- Engineering managers shape the conditions that let teams do their best work.
- Stay technical, just differently. It builds credibility, trust, and makes you a better advocate for your team.
- The role is defined by the team, not the title: what an EM does shifts constantly. Adaptability isn’t a bonus skill – it’s the job.
Engineering managers are often described as “human routers.” It’s not a bad definition. We connect the right people, pass along important information and context, coordinate actions in order to drive outcomes and, ultimately, deliver value to the business.
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May 11, 2026
