I am transitioning to a new job, leaving my current company, and embarking on a new journey with a small company in downtown Boise. I have never actually mentioned the name of my current employer, nor will I mention my new employer so as not to have any conflict of interest.

I accepted this new offer three weeks ago, and have begun trying to prepare myself for what lay ahead. Presently, I am a software developer. At this new position, I will be developing, but I will be a development manager with a current team size of five with plans to hire more. The management piece of the equation is new to me. My interests are in software architecture, and I am sure they will remain there, but now I have to consider another side of this business, and hopefully find both enjoyment and success.

The transition to a new career is stressful. There are so many unknowns. Leaving a comfort zone to try something completely new seems crazy, but this is an opportunity I believe I would regret for not accepting. I have been advised that when starting a new position, it is always good to be "stretched."

When I started my first programming job after college, I used to think it was only a matter of time before they figured out that I did not know what I was doing. I figured they would fire me. I continually worked at my trade, familiarizing myself with new technologies, and applying basic fundamentals. After a while, I became a developer. I hope to be able to "become" a good manager using a similar approach.

With management on my mind, I am reading two books, The Marine Corps Way: Using Maneuver Warfare to Lead a Winning Organization, and The Feiner Points of Leadership: The 50 Basic Laws That Will Make People Want to Perform Better for You. The former is co-authored by my new manager, Vincent Martino, so I figured it would be smart to understand his approach to management. The second book was recommended to me by a good friend who was taught by Michael Feiner while attending MBA School at Columbia University.

At any given point, I still have those technology books within an arm's reach that I do enjoy reading. I am still learning more about patterns, frameworks, and how to become a master at my trade. Now I need to find the right balance that allows me to pursue both. If you have any suggestions for reading material for a new manager, please email them to me. I will keep you updated on my progress.