Good engineering managers aren't just hard to find – they don't exist

All I can say is that I have numerous counterexamples of awesome engineering managers. These are people who understand software and hardware, understand how to solve problems, and understand the motivations, desires, needs, and lifestyles of the people on their team.

Not sure how to reconcile with the article, except to say "my experience differs drastically".

I do not agree.

Coercive and "Pace-Setting" styles of leadership are not sustainable. They are tools to be used in specific situations but as a way of life contribute to a work environment with much less effective outcomes and high turnover. (reference: http://hbr.org/2000/03/leadership-that-gets-results/ar/1)

I can't help but wonder if this type of attitude is what leads to cultures that are hostile to women and people of color.

> Unlike virtually every other function in a software company, engineers — particularly the good ones — don’t want to move up. This means that the people who want the engineering manager role are unlikely to be very good at it; and those who could be good at it don’t want anything to do with it at all.

This is an awesome article and resonates with me.

At IMVU, we matrix "technical leadership" separate from "coaching and HR" separate from "product definition and projects." It lets different people focus on what they're best at.