August 20, 2025 at 3:25 pm
Hello SSC,
Wishing everyone happiness and health and hope you are all doing well!
I have a question about Data Warehouse Management...
I have been a SQL Server Developer for 20+ years using SSIS, SSAS, SSRS and of course T-SQL. I recently have been given an opportunity to manage in a new company with no prior management experience (which my company knows about). My role is Data Warehouse Manager. I have never managed before so I am like a fish out of water. I find myself reverting back to being a developer, but the tasks that I have been assigned are very different. Like, impact analysis, data architecture, approving changes, leadership etc.
My boss on the other hand is not technical at all, but she is extremely intelligent and is trying to mentor me, but I think she expects me to already know how to do certain things. She seems to get upset when I do something incorrectly, so I am hesitant to ask questions. I would rather just learn on my own.
So, my question is where do I start? I would like to develop a checklist on things to address in the morning, as well as what to learn. I composed a list below that I have been trying to follow, but I feel like I am missing important steps as a manager.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
1) Check SQL Agent Jobs for failures.
2) Review user stories from my team.
3) Find user stories to test and approve.
4) Look for ways to improve processes.
5) Download management courses from sites like Udemy.
The are no problems, only solutions. --John Lennon
August 21, 2025 at 4:10 pm
Thanks for posting your issue and hopefully someone will answer soon.
This is an automated bump to increase visibility of your question.
October 18, 2025 at 8:34 am
First off, I really want to appreciate how honest and self-aware your post is. Not many people openly admit they’re struggling to find footing after moving into management — and that honesty already shows leadership. You’re not lost, bro — you’re just in the middle of a shift that every technical person eventually faces when their value starts coming less from “what they build” and more from “what they enable others to build.”
You’ve spent over two decades as a SQL developer — that’s an incredible foundation. The good news is: the best managers in data engineering are almost always ex-developers who learned to zoom out. So you’re in the right place; it’s just about adjusting focus.
Here’s how I’d think about it:
1. Your job now isn’t just to fix problems — it’s to build systems and people who don’t need constant fixing.
You’ll still check job failures and review user stories, but your bigger value lies in patterns. For example:
Why are the same jobs failing repeatedly?
Why are developers blocked on similar things?
What’s the weakest part of your data flow — ingestion, modeling, or delivery?
If you start spotting and fixing causes instead of symptoms, your leadership will stand out immediately.
2. Build your morning rhythm.
Your list is already solid — here’s how you can expand it without overloading yourself:
Check SQL Agent jobs, disk space, and backup status — a 10-minute glance saves embarrassment later.
Skim your team’s board — see what’s “In Progress” and what’s “At Risk.”
Send a quick note or ping if something looks delayed, not as pressure — just awareness.
Block 15 minutes to read something small every day — a blog, a course module, or even an article on data leadership. Small bites every day beat long study marathons.
3. Focus on communication, not perfection.
Since your boss is non-technical, you’ll gain trust faster by translating tech into impact.
Instead of saying, “The ETL failed,” try, “Yesterday’s sales dashboard may show incomplete data because the ETL didn’t finish.”
That one change in how you phrase things makes non-technical leaders feel you’re on top of both technology and business.
4. Make time for your team — really make time.
Even short 10-minute one-on-ones go a long way. Ask them:
What’s frustrating you?
Anything slowing you down?
What do you wish was done differently?
These talks build loyalty faster than any certification ever could.
5. Learn people and process the same way you once learned T-SQL.
You didn’t become a great SQL developer overnight — you practiced, debugged, and learned from mistakes. Managing is the same. Read The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins and Managing Humans by Michael Lopp — they’re gold for technical leaders.
6. Finally, give yourself grace.
No one expects you to be an instant manager. The best leaders are learners first. The fact that you’re creating a checklist, asking questions, and caring about improvement — that’s leadership in action already.
You’ve got this, bro. You just moved from writing code to writing culture, and it’s one of the hardest but most rewarding transitions in any career. Stick with it — your developer instincts will become your superpower as a manager.
October 20, 2025 at 5:41 am
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