I came across this post on Substack by Arpit Bhayani where he talks about how to decide a path between an Engineer and Manager. He lists these 6 points.

  1. You prefer mentoring people.
  2. You want to make sure people grow.
  3. You are patient, observant, and a good listener.
  4. You can get people excited to chase a goal.
  5. You communicate well.
  6. You are organized and have an urge to keep things in check.

I shall add a few from my experience

  1. You can celebrate every success big or small.
  2. You can genuinely care for them.
  3. You can bring the best of them without being toxic.
  4. You can do all the above with some empathy

I have had some managers who may have been good (or even awesome) Engineers. But they were horrible Managers. They lack many of those things listed above. Engineer to Manager is not a promotion is a step function change in how you operate. If you cannot signup for that then DO NOT take up that role. You will not only spoil your career but also many others in your team.