[luckycharms810]

Articles like this make me think about how the software community has chronically under-invested in developing managers. It is not crazy to think that a manager could actually -

* Have the time to know what you are working on

* Set aside time to talk to you about your career development goals

* Help you work and progress towards them - with a plan that is personalized for you.

[twblalock]

The reviews aren't for your manager. They are for your manager's manager, and so forth, up the chain to the people who make the compensation and promotion decisions. Reviews give your manager some ammo to deal with those people.

[rektide]

One of the favorite things I've heard of comes from a friend's new job, where he had a upward manager he reports to, but also an engineering manager who works on career/environment/developer-experience topics. Making sure the engineering side of the org is running well, while the more product-driven side does what businesses typically do.

Semi-related, I've somewhat started calling the engineer-advocacy work in the org the "Lorax" position; speaking for the trees, who are not as able to. Where & how this happens varies, & it's not usually a role or position, alike emotional support.

[ahuth]

You’re totally right. Companies should invest more in developing managers.

I didn’t talk about this in the article, but (right, wrong, or indifferent) I find it helpful to think about how to help my manager help me.