Inbox Zero achieved in Outlook, desktop and OneDrive cleaned up. I finally got around to archiving folders for my former teams and for people management in general. Although my time as a manager officially ended in September, I remained in a transitional phase to support my teams and the new management through two reorganizations.

“Never backward, always forward. Always.”

I didn’t expect that this seemingly small and trivial task of filing would make me feel a bit nostalgic and reflective. After almost four years, this marks the end of my management career — at least for now. Who knows what the future holds? I’m not opposed to stepping into a managerial role again someday, under the right circumstances, with the right level of autonomy and empowerment.

Becoming a manager helped me look beyond the technological aspects. It allowed me to see the bigger picture and make better decisions. There’s so much more to consider than just technology: business needs, practical constraints, inherent necessities like budgets, company politics, timelines, timings, hiring, skillsets, and customer expectations.

Sometimes, the “boring old technology” is the right choice. Other times, you need to accept short-term technical debt to enable long-term improvements — or simply to make money and ensure the profitability of your team, your group, or even the entire company.

I believe that we “techies” sometimes focus too much on the technology itself and overlook the rest. This shift in perspective and the experiences I’ve gained have helped me grow, both professionally and personally.

“Sometimes backward to move forward. Always.”

Now, I’m back to where I started: as an Individual Contributor. For the time being, I’m looking forward to wrapping up my current project and starting fresh in 2025. The outlook is bright — there’s no shortage of exciting new projects and opportunities.

Over the next few years, I’ll focus on deepening my existing knowledge, earning a couple of certifications, and becoming the best Solutions Architect I can be. Ultimately, my goal is to achieve the title of Fellow Architect — a Director-level role on the technical track that doesn’t involve managing staff.

Let’s do it!