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"Great engineering managers are like coaches - they get their deepest thrill from seeing a team perform at the top of its game, not from performing vicariously. They understand that they are not going to be on the field between the starting and finishing whistle. They understand that there will be decisions to be taken on the field that the players will have to make for themselves, and their job is to prepare the team physically and mentally for the game, rather than to try and play from the sidelines. A great coach isn't trying to steer the movement of the ball from during the game, she's making notes about the coaching and team selections needed between this match and the next. A terrible coach is a player that won't let go of the game, wants to be out there in the thick of it, and loses themselves in the details of the game itself. An engineering manager is an organiser and a mentor and a coach, not a veteran star player. They need to love winning, and love the sport, and know that they help most by making the team into a winning team. The way they get code written is by making an environment which is conducive to that; the way they create quality is by fostering a passion for quality and making space in the schedule and the team for work which serves only that goal."