Episode 509: I hate AI software dev, so should I become a manager and leading, not doing

Episode 509: I hate AI software dev, so should I become a manager and leading, not doing

Author: Jamison Dance and Dave Smith April 20, 2026 Duration: 36:09

In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions:

  1. I am a senior software engineer at big tech and need a career change. With the rise of AI, I no longer enjoy this profession and panic everyday just waiting for a huge round of layoffs. At this point I feel like I am on some assembly line hitting enter like a monkey. Therefore I have been thinking of changing lanes and would like to get into engineering management. On the one hand I have enjoyed mentoring, strategic planning and coordinating projects across vendors and across teams, but besides that I don’t have clear evidence that this profession would fit me. In my current job there is no immediate opportunity to step up and manage a cross team project at the moment, so I am not sure how I can figure out if engineering management is the right choice for me. How do I figure this out without doing the job and how does one transition into it, probably as an external hire or transfer hire?

  2. Paolo asks,

    I’ve stepped into a senior role recently. I’m no longer the primary driver on projects. I’m supposed to create space for junior developers to lead, make decisions, and own outcomes. My job is to mentor and support, not to take the wheel.

    But I’m seeing projects drag because of passivity. Sometimes the solutions are inefficient. Other times it feels like the core problem isn’t fully understood before execution starts. In a few cases, momentum just stalls, and weeks go by without real progress because no one is pushing the work forward. It’s worth mentioning that I check in multiple times to offer help yet these problems keep happening.

    I believe people grow by struggling, so I don’t want to jump in at the first sign of friction. But if a project slips or fails, that responsibility ultimately rolls up to me.

    So how do you strike the balance? How do you give someone real ownership, not just symbolic ownership, while still maintaining standards and accountability? And how do you avoid becoming either the micromanager who swoops in too quickly or the absentee leader who lets things drift?


The weekly advice Soft Skills Engineering podcast, hosted by Jamison Dance and Dave Smith, operates on a simple but profound premise: writing excellent code is only one part of a successful career. The real challenges-and opportunities-often lie in everything else. This is a show dedicated entirely to the human side of software development. Each episode tackles the messy, complicated, and frequently unspoken questions that developers face daily. You’ll hear thoughtful discussions and practical advice on navigating office politics, having difficult conversations with managers, negotiating salaries, managing time and energy, collaborating effectively on a team, and building a sustainable, long-term career without burning out. It’s the crucial curriculum that most computer science degrees never cover. Jamison and Dave bring a blend of experience, empathy, and humor to these topics, offering perspectives that are both actionable and relatable. For anyone who has ever wondered how to handle a toxic coworker, get promoted, or simply find more fulfillment in their work, this podcast provides a much-needed forum. It’s a consistent source of guidance for the parts of the job that don’t involve a compiler, reminding listeners that their growth as a professional is inextricably linked to their growth as a communicator, a colleague, and a person. Tune in for honest conversations that go beyond the technical screen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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