Transitions to Management: Testing the Water Before Jumping in the Deep End

Have you had experience with poor management and feared making the same mistakes as a future manager? Have you ever wondered if you had management potential? Many engineers will make the transition from traditional engineer to manager at some point in their career. Unfortunately, this transition often comes with little or no formal guidance as to how to be a good manager. This paper discusses the skills and awareness needed to take the leap into management as well as the ways to test the management waters early in a career before becoming a manager.