Going from individual contributor to “management”, you really get a fresh perspective.  I complained for years to get promoted into a management role.  I didn&#x27;t complain very loudly, so it took a while.<p>Mainly, I felt like I couldn&#x27;t grow without it.  A management role would give me a fresh perspective, and I&#x27;d have more access to higher ups, who have smarts I don&#x27;t have.  Important things I can learn.<p>I found out - I was right.<p>Useful info about how businesses work and what is really important, is hidden from subordinates.  A little more is concealed, every level you go down from the top.  Nothing fishy - just the way it is.<p>So now, I manage a pretty big team and when things aren&#x27;t going right with someone - I get to hear about it, from upper mgmt or clients.   That’s a pressure individual contributors don&#x27;t have to worry about - but I always put so much pressure on myself as an individual contributor my whole life, I don&#x27;t really notice it too much.  I still believe it&#x27;s harder to work - than direct someone else&#x27;s work - IF you&#x27;re working your ass off - that is, you are a star.<p>It really boils down to stars.  As a staff member, you should want to be one.  As a manager, you want a team full of them.  Recognizing a star is kinda like obscenity. “I know it when I see it”.<p>I&#x27;m older.  Seems the younger&#x2F;sv area crowd are more into &quot;culture fit&quot;.  That seems a little too college fraternity to me.  People say &quot;one asshole can ruin the team&quot;.  I suspect that&#x27;s bullshit.  The stars on the team are going to be stars - they can&#x27;t even help themselves.<p>This is one of the reasons why you can&#x27;t have a totally flat org - you need managers.  Managers (among other things) are there to deal with assholes.  You can cool people out without firing them.<p>There&#x27;s lots of managerial advice out there.  It&#x27;s hard to find any truly useful information out there, I&#x27;ll say it all comes down to stars.  They are making it happen.
Stars and “Moving up”