The career question that changes everything
Before you become a manager, ask yourself: would you want to work for you? This single question, posed by Philip Su (distinguished engineer at Meta and OpenAI), cuts through career ambitions to reveal a fundamental truth about leadership readiness.
Most engineers pursue management for the wrong reasons. Higher pay, more influence, career progression. But management isn't a promotion, it's a career change. The skills that made you successful as an individual contributor (IC) often become irrelevant or even counterproductive as a leader.
Su's journey through six switches between IC and management roles at companies like Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI provides a rare window into what actually drives career success at the highest levels of tech.
The three drivers that accelerate everything
Career growth isn't just about technical skills or putting in hours. Three factors determine how fast you advance:
Luck matters more than people admit. Being in the right place at the right time creates opportunities that no amount of effort can manufacture. The key is recognizing luck when it appears and being prepared to capitalize on it.
Talent sets the ceiling. Not everyone can excel at everything. The most successful people identify their natural strengths early and lean into them rather than fighting their limitations.
Hard work amplifies the other two. When you have similar luck and talent to others, outworking them becomes the differentiator. But this comes with trade-offs in health and relationships. Know the price before you pay it.
Would you want to work for you?
This question deserves deeper exploration because it reveals the gap between management aspiration and management reality.
Most people fail this test initially. When this question is posed to aspiring managers, the honest answer is usually no. They wouldn't want to work for someone with their current communication style, decision-making process, or emotional regulation. This isn't a character flaw, it's a skill gap.
Self-awareness precedes leadership effectiveness. Before you can lead others, you need to understand your own patterns. Do you give clear feedback or hint around problems? Do you make decisions based on data or gut feelings? Do you stay calm under pressure or become reactive? Your future reports will experience all of these tendencies amplified.
The assessment goes beyond personality. Consider your work habits: Do you respond to messages promptly? Do you follow through on commitments? Do you give credit generously and take blame appropriately? These operational behaviors matter more than charisma or vision statements.
Practice leadership before the title. You can start answering this question positively by leading without authority. Mentor junior colleagues, facilitate team discussions, or coordinate cross-functional projects. These experiences reveal your leadership gaps in low-stakes environments.
Management amplifies everything. Your quirks become team culture. Your blind spots become organizational weaknesses. Your communication style becomes the template others follow. If you wouldn't want to experience these patterns as an employee, you're not ready to impose them as a manager.
The IC and management reality
Switching between tracks is possible but costly. The journey between IC and management often involves taking demotions to return to IC work. The "diamond" model shows transitions are easier early and late in your career, harder in the middle when expectations are highest.
Seniority is about scope, not just skills. At E7 (senior staff), you drive technical direction for about 50 people. At E8/E9, you multiply impact through qualitative leadership that's hard to define but easy to recognize. The jump isn't just technical, it's about influence and vision.
Ego reset is mandatory. Returning to IC work might mean reporting to someone who used to be your report. This requires letting go of ego and focusing on where you can contribute best. Your value isn't determined by org chart position.
Practical implementation guide
Don't specialize too early. Most people benefit from being generalists in their early careers. Specializing too soon becomes risky if your chosen field becomes obsolete. Try different roles before committing to a specialty.
Value writing as a superpower. Technical communication multiplies your impact. The best engineers improve their writing by reading great literature and rewriting their work multiple times. Don't dismiss "soft skills" as secondary to technical abilities.
Apply the market leader principle. Only join the market leader or not at all. Market leaders can afford to experiment and take risks, while followers are forced to play catch-up. This philosophy should guide your high-impact career moves.
Know what you want before chasing it. Don't be the "dog that caught the car." Many people feel lost after achieving their career goals because they never clarified what they actually wanted. Decisions are easy when your values are clear. Spend time understanding your values to make better choices.
The path between IC and management isn't linear, and that's okay. The key is honest self-assessment, especially around that central question. If you wouldn't want to work for yourself today, focus on becoming the leader you'd want to follow. Your future team will thank you.
These insights come from Philip Su's detailed discussion about career growth and leadership in this video conversation about navigating technical careers.
