Should Engineering Managers Code? It's Not That Simple

Whether engineering managers should code is like asking if a coach should still practice the sport. There’s no simple answer. Success comes from understanding how your work benefits the team.

You need to be realistic. Technology moves fast and effective leadership requires both learning and coding.

When to code and what to code is like playing 4D chess. You need to look ahead and ask where the team needs to be in a year. What can you code today that will make future decisions easier?

Future decisions don’t always mean “let’s try this cool innovative thing.” It can also mean asking “Should we spend time on tech debt?”

It’s not about being in the way of progress. It’s about helping the team focus on what’s most important right now.