Too Many Managers and Politics Overshadow Engineering Excellence - Senior IT Engineer Applications Ares Management Employee Review

1. The IT department is treated like the core business units, even though its operations and needs are fundamentally different. This one-size-fits-all approach causes inefficiencies. 2. The excessive creation of managerial roles fuels politics and leads to siloed teams within IT. Instead of focusing on engineering excellence, too much attention is given to internal competition and power struggles. 3. Engineers often feel pressured to move into management roles for financial growth, which limits their impact. Management and engineering are distinct career paths, and job security and career progression for skilled engineers should be on par with management roles. Pushing engineers into management roles without proper understanding or training often results in great engineers becoming ineffective managers. 4. The overuse of titles like VPs and Principals within IT dilutes their meaning and doesn’t reflect true responsibilities. This leads to a bloated managerial layer without actual leadership, further dividing teams and reducing efficiency. The IT organizational structure would benefit from aligning titles and roles more appropriately. Instead of pushing all favored engineers into management roles—which can make those who remain in engineering roles feel inferior—the company should allow great engineers to continue contributing with their respective titles and viewed as success in their career. 5. Companies like Amazon have streamlined middle management to enhance efficiency, recognizing the importance of valuing engineers for their technical expertise without forcing a transition into management.