[annexrichmond]

I've had EMs who who really well versed in the team's technical work, because they were an IC on the team, and the complete opposite: EM was external hire

One downside of relevant coding experience is that the EM will get involved in more and more little technical details, which bleeds into micromanagement territory.

[sidlls]

Yep, that's what I'm experiencing. There isn't a requirements analysis or design review where he doesn't insert himself into the low-level details, right down to class/data specifications and even lower. Instead of bringing his knowledge of how our stuff has to integrate with other teams' work to inform the design, he acts more like an IC colleague participating in its construction. Then, when engineers come to design reviews with designs that are relatively under-specified (knowing he'll just start making decisions during the meeting) he complains.

It's a bit grating to be told that "you're the expert, I expect you to decide these things" and then have every detail nitpicked over and argued with anyway.

[_y5hn]

Tell him to do the work if he's interested in all the details.