I was asked by a senior manager engineering how we could be promoted to be senior manager. This question is bothering me, as I am still engineer and now I have been doing from engineering and also in human capital area, and I proud of what I have done.

Learning from several articles, I found that promotion as an engineer to be management is actionally a carrier change (http://fractio.nl/2014/09/19/not-a-promotion-a-career-change/). Learning from transforming and leading a corporate university, I know that to be success in management has to be able to do leadership effectively. To be able to do leadership effectively, we have to understand what are and different between management and leadership and between leader and manager.

Leadership has a different set of skills compare to engineering and also management. I was lucky that before entering college I got 1 week training on basic human philosophy and i like to learn, read, hear and discussion from others by books, joining seminars and watching video.

When there are two engineers with the same skills, who will be promoted? Engineer who are team player. Who will be promoted and needed more by employer, they are having professional expertise (competences), experience which will lead to a wisdom, and soft skills character trait, interpersonal skills and communication skills.

Sometimes, engineers are too proud on competencies and experiences, but underestimate soft skills. In real world, when the carrier is higher, soft skill becomes more pivotal. Learning soft skill, at the beginning is not easy, but after practising it is enjoyable and I still learning on doing this in addition to hard skill.

Go back to management, from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/management-skills-list-2062427 to be success in management we have to be strong in management and leadership skills. Management skills is POAC (planning Organising Actuating, Controlling) but I prefer to use five basic, fundamental functions: planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, and oversight (more than controlling).

Then, how to be a good leader? You should have vision, acountable and ready to take responsible not necessary credit, inspiring by example and enthusim, communication savvy, act strategically, good speaker and listener at the same time, empowering & delegating, value people and political savvy.

My personal experiences, the above explanation and I prefer to 3 words; trustworthy, networking and competence.

Hoping this article to inspire and help engineer who would like change their carrier into (top) management. Any inputs is welcome.