This is the second part of a series on the TLM role.

In the previous post, part 1, I covered:

• Context: what the role is and different ways it may come about
• Emotional perspectives: why many people already have very strong views about TLMs, and what you need to know to understand others' reactions

In this post, I'll add in my own advice, covering:

• Patterns and anti-patterns of the TLM role
• Decision-making suggestions when you are considering the TLM role to solve an organizational problem

🤷‍♀️ When does a TLM role work?

Let's break down several very different circumstances when companies turn to the TLM title, grouping them into patterns and anti-patterns. We'll start with the negatives.

❌ TLM as anti-pattern

There are several clear ways that the TLM role can cause organizational problems:

1. TLM as management training path

"This person is already a good senior engineer, so let's ease them into management part-time by letting them keep using their strong engineering skills the rest of the time."

This is generally a mistake. The primary challenge for most new managers is to stop trying to make technical decisions and start paying more attention to people, process, and organizational dynamics. It is much harder, not easier, to navigate that transition while also remaining responsible for the team's technical direction.

2. TLM as EM compromise