Engineering Manager & Tech Lead Coaching

You were a great engineer. Now you’re managing people—and it’s a completely different job.

If you’re a Tech Lead, Engineering Manager, or Director of Engineering struggling with the transition from individual contributor to leader, you’re not alone. The skills that made you a great developer don’t automatically make you a great manager.

Common challenges I help with:

• First-time manager overwhelm—suddenly responsible for people, not just code
• Managing former peers (awkward conversations, authority questions)
• Running effective 1:1s that actually help your team grow
• Hiring developers and building a team from scratch
• Giving feedback and having difficult performance conversations
• Balancing technical work with management responsibilities
• Feeling like an imposter in your new role

Sound familiar? Let’s talk.

I’m Stephan Schmidt. I’ve been an Engineering Manager, VP of Engineering, and CTO. I’ve made every mistake in the book—and learned from them. Now I coach tech leaders at every level, from first-time managers to CTOs.

What Makes This Different

Most “management training” is generic corporate stuff that doesn’t apply to engineering teams. I focus specifically on tech leadership:

• How engineering teams actually work
• The unique dynamics of managing developers
• Balancing technical decisions with people management
• Growing from manager to senior leader

My coaching model combines:

• Consulting: Solving immediate problems blocking you
• Mentoring: Knowledge transfer from 25+ years of engineering management
• Coaching: Changing behaviors that hold you back
• Branding: Being seen as the leader you want to be

Schedule a Welcome Call

Book your free 30-minute discovery call below. Let's talk honestly about your challenges and whether coaching is the right next step for you.

Current availability: Booking 2-3 weeks out for new coaching engagements

What You Get

Concrete tools and guidance—not just abstract advice:

Career Consulting

• Career path planning: EM → Senior EM → Director → VP → CTO
• Salary negotiation strategies for your next role
• When to stay vs. when to move companies
• Building your personal brand as a tech leader

Interview Preparation

• What you’ll be asked in Engineering Manager interviews
• How to answer “tell me about a time you had a difficult conversation”
• System design interviews for managers
• Mock interviews with real feedback

Management Frameworks

• 1:1 templates that actually work
• Performance review frameworks
• How to give feedback that changes behavior
• Difficult conversation scripts (PIPs, layoffs, promotions)

Hiring & Team Building

• How to write job descriptions that attract good developers
• Interview question bank and scoring rubrics
• Onboarding checklists for new team members
• How to build diverse teams

Day-to-Day Operations

• Running effective standups and retros
• Managing up: keeping your boss informed without micromanagement
• Dealing with underperformers
• Navigating company politics as a new manager

Who This Is For

Tech Leads transitioning from code to leadership

• Learning to influence without authority
• Guiding technical decisions across a team
• Mentoring junior developers

First-Time Engineering Managers

• Navigating the IC-to-manager shift
• Building trust with your team
• Running your first hiring process

Experienced Engineering Managers

• Scaling your impact as teams grow
• Preparing for Director/VP roles
• Managing managers for the first time

Directors of Engineering

• Strategic thinking beyond day-to-day
• Building engineering culture
• Working effectively with product and executives

Your Path Forward

Not everyone wants to become a CTO—and that’s fine. Some of the best engineering leaders I know chose to stay close to the code and the team rather than climb to the executive level.

Whether your goal is:

• Becoming a better manager where you are
• Growing into a Director or VP of Engineering
• Eventually becoming a CTO
• Returning to IC work with leadership skills

I’ll help you get there.

If you do want to pursue the CTO path, I also offer CTO Coaching for senior technology executives.

Schedule a Welcome Call

Book your free 30-minute discovery call below. Let's talk honestly about your challenges and whether coaching is the right next step for you.

Current availability: Booking 2-3 weeks out for new coaching engagements

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from CTO coaching? CTO coaching focuses on executive-level challenges: board relationships, company strategy, scaling organizations. Engineering Manager coaching focuses on the fundamentals: people management, team building, the IC-to-manager transition.

I’m not sure if I need coaching or just more experience. Experience helps, but it’s slow and you’ll repeat mistakes others have already solved. Coaching accelerates your growth by giving you frameworks and feedback you won’t get on the job.

How much does it cost? Let’s talk first. Book a free discovery call and we’ll figure out if coaching is right for you and what format makes sense.

Can my company pay for this? Yes—many companies have L&D budgets for exactly this. I can provide invoices and documentation for your employer.