choong pw

This year, one pivotal moments that shaped my growth as an engineering manager is this. Shift from managing tasks to owning outcomes. It was also due to the shrinking in team size, that we have to make a tough call to merge team. Definitely not the proudest moment in my career, but is needed to keep the business moving.

The Dex (a.k.a. the platform) team owned many services since the making. With the merger, some things as to go, and some things has to be delegate. Is also because of the change has enlighten me to see and take ownership in different light.

Task vs ownership

For a long time, I approached my role through the lens of task management. I diligently assigned tasks, tracked progress, and ensured deadlines were met. While this approach brought a certain level of efficiency, I felt something was missing. There was a sense of constantly reacting, of being pulled in different directions, rather than proactively shaping the team’s direction and impact.

The turning point came when I started to think in terms of ownership. It wasn’t about just getting things done, but about taking responsibility for the what and the why behind the work. Making sure to have continuity even when there isn’t anyone actively assign or working on it. It meant understanding the bigger picture, prioritizing efforted, and making tough decision to drop things.

Raci

The RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) became an invaluable tool in this transition. By clearly defining roles and responsibilities, I could effectively delegate tasks while retaining ownership of the overall outcome. I realized that my value wasn’t in doing everything myself, but in ensuring that everything got done effectively.

This shift in mindset brought several key benefits:

• Increased Efficiency: By delegating tasks appropriately, we were able to accomplish significantly more as a team. This freed up my time to focus on strategic initiatives, mentorship, and removing impediments.
• Empowered Team Members: Delegation, when done right, is empowering. It provides team members with opportunities to develop new skills, take on more responsibility, and grow professionally.
• Improved Outcomes: Ownership fosters a sense of accountability and pride in the work. When everyone understands the “why” behind their tasks, they’re more invested in achieving the desired outcome.
• Greater Influence: As engineering managers, we have a unique level of influence within the organization. By taking ownership and proactively driving initiatives, we can effectively navigate complexities and get things done. This influence multiplies when we empower our teams to own their parts of the process.

Unexpected enlightenment

This year has been a journey of learning and growth. Moving from a task-oriented approach to an ownership mindset has been a big mindset shift for me. It’s about strategically distributing it to maximize impact. As I look ahead, I need to continue put more thoughts into delegating ownership to free up capacity and using this opportunity to allow other to grow.