Welcome to episode 52 of the Nerd Journey Podcast [@NerdJourney]! We’re John White (@vJourneyman) and Nick Korte (@NetworkNerd_), two VMware Solution Engineers who are hoping to bring you the IT career advice that we wish we’d been given earlier in our careers. In the second half of our discussion with Charlie Nichol, we talk about his advice for those considering management as a career, as well as the ins and outs of team development.
Original Recording Date: 07-28-2019

* Charlie is currently a Senior Solution Engineering Manager for VMware’s Central US region (focusing on Enterprise) and has been with the company for 8 years. He manages a team of field pre-Sales SEs spanning Texas to Wisconsin.

Topics – Considering Management Careers and Developing Teams with Charlie Nichol
03:51 – Advice for Those Thinking about Becoming a Manager

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Charlie recommends Ben Bergeron’s Chasing Excellence Podcast

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Questions to consider

* What is important to you?
* Where do you want to be when you retire?
* What do you like about your current job?
* What skills are needed to get to where you would like to be, and how do you get experience with those skills?
* What skills do you have now that are already a good fit?

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Charlie gives the example of eventually running a company and what could be done to master the financial side of that.

* Ideas…

* Read leadership books
* Listen to leadership podcasts
* Ask for a 1-1 with a leader to get feedback on awkward situations. Most managers are willing to have this kind of meeting with you.

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How do you know if you want to be a manager?

* Do the things discussed in our previous episode sound exciting?
* Are you ready to step away even further from the keyboard? You are not an expert on the technology any longer.
* Are you ready to focus more on the people and helping them succeed?
* The best way to find out is to go do it! You won’t know for sure until you try it.
* Have career conversations with your manager like we discussed in Episode 45.
* Go find someone who has something you want, and interview that person.
* Don’t rule it out as an option automatically. Maintain a growth mindset.

* If you are good at it, great!
* If you don’t like it, identify the reasons for this. Is it company culture, lack of a mentor, a dislike for dealing with people, etc.?
* Being a manager does not have to be forever.
* If people are telling you to pursue it, they may be right about your potential.

* Keep in mind individual contributors may already be acting as leaders.

10:50 – Developing a Team

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This was something Charlie had to learn.

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A really good SE (or other individual contributor) may not make the best manager.

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Helping a struggling employee is not just telling them the answer / pointing them to how you would do it.

* People have to fail.
* Sometimes not stepping in when people are headed down the wrong path is the right thing to do. Providing coaching later allows them to learn.

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Charlie has been in a number of leadership trainings since joining VMware.