[bryanmillstein]

During my college job as a cashier I made the transition to a lead position. About ten years later I went from developer to manager.

I found both transitions to be remarkably similar. My focus shifted from performing tasks to building trust and learning how to motivate.

My main advice: I cannot stress enough the importance of consistent and considered 1:1s. Many in the software industry view these meetings as unimportant status updates and often neglect them. This is a missed opportunity and you would be wise to give them the proper prioritization.

Take advantage of these private sessions to go beyond the projects they are working on. Explore what motivates them and dig deep to uncover their true passion. It will take time for them to open up but you can accelerate this process by sharing personal feelings and putting yourself in a vulnerable position.

I had six direct reports and met with each of them weekly for a one hour session. This is a substantial time commitment and can be emotionally exhausting. In my first few months these meetings intimidated me and it felt like I wasn't making progress. Eventually they became my favorite hours of the week and energized me in a way that software development never had.

[throwaway5752]

Came to say the exact same thing about 1:1s. The key is to realize your work product is the efficiency and productivity of your team, so investing in them (accounting for their personal preferences) is critical.