It’s been a little while since I’ve stepped into my current role as a Manager of Cloud Engineering and it feels like a good time to reflect on some things I’ve learned so far. Before becoming a manager, I was mostly a tech lead and would only provide guidance that was mostly related to projects. All of the sudden I had more than 10 brilliant engineers directly reporting to me and I didn’t really know what I was doing. So, I leaned on what has got me to this point and doubled down on trusting the process.

The Amazon Leadership Principle for Earn Trust says:

Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders do not believe their or their team’s body odor smells of perfume. They benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.

Trust is essential to being a manager. Without trust, it's difficult to build a strong and cohesive team that can work effectively together. One way to earn trust is by being transparent and honest with your team. This means communicating frequently and openly about the progress of projects, any issues that arise, and the overall direction of the team. It also means being willing to admit mistakes and take responsibility for them.

Another important aspect of earning trust is leading by example. As a manager, you should be willing to roll up your sleeves and work alongside your team members when necessary. Work hard and always try to deliver results. You should also be willing to take feedback and criticism from your team and use it to improve yourself and the team as a whole.

Finally, it's important to be consistent in your actions and decisions. Your team members should be able to rely on you to follow through on your commitments and to treat everyone fairly and equally. By being consistent, you can build a sense of stability and predictability that can help your team feel more secure and confident in their work.

Earning trust is crucial for a manager. Working hard, being transparent and honest, leading by example, and being consistent in your actions and decisions, have helped me to build a strong and cohesive team that can work effectively together.

Empathy is crucial in any team, especially in an IT team where it's common to work under tight deadlines and with complex projects. As a manager, it's important to understand the challenges that your team members might face and work with them to address those challenges. By showing empathy, you can build a better relationship with your team members, which can improve communication and collaboration.

Being nice and empathetic can go a long way in building a positive work environment. It's important to show appreciation for your team members' hard work and to recognize their contributions to the team. Small gestures, such as saying thank you or providing positive feedback, can boost morale and create a sense of camaraderie among team members. Additionally, being approachable and open to feedback can help foster a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration within the team. Being nice and empathetic is an essential trait for a manager of a cloud engineering team. It can help you build a better relationship with your team members, improve communication and collaboration.