7 lessons learned in my painful transition from IC to manager

8 years ago, I was unaware that my life was about to take an unexpected turn. I never aspired to become a manager. It wasn’t in my career path. But as fate would have it, I found myself becoming one. You could say I was either at the wrong place at the wrong time or, perhaps, at the right place at the right time. Back then, my workplace had a flat structure. We were all individual contributors. However, as the company grew, the need for a managerial layer became painfully evident. So, the founders did what seemed logical at the time — they picked the most experienced people in each discipline to become managers. Sounds good on paper, right? Well, let me tell you, being a rockstar IC doesn’t automatically make you a good manager. That’s where my not-so-smooth journey began. Despite my doubts, I accepted the challenge because, well, isn’t that what you’re supposed to do if you want to climb the career ladder? Spoiler alert: It’s not that simple. I can’t say I regret my decision because I’ve found fulfillment as a manager. But looking back, there are 7 things I wish I’d known before diving headfirst into the role. <a href="https://uxplanet.org/7-lessons-learned-in-my-painful-transition-from-ic-to-manager-624cd9a5bc1">Learn More</a>