The Manager's Path

The definitive career guide for tech leaders at every level. Camille Fournier, former CTO of Rent the Runway, walks you through each rung of the leadership ladder, from tech lead to managing managers to VP and CTO, with practical advice for every stage.

Why Read This

Where Larson gives you frameworks for thinking about engineering organizations as systems, Fournier gives you a roadmap for your career. The Manager’s Path is organized chronologically: each chapter covers a different level of leadership responsibility, from mentoring an intern to running an engineering department, and each chapter addresses the specific skills, pitfalls, and mindset shifts that level demands.

Fournier is honest about the parts nobody tells you: how to have difficult conversations, how to manage former peers, how to handle the loneliness of senior leadership, and how to know when management is not for you. The book works both as preparation for a leadership role and as a reference you return to each time your scope expands.

What to Expect

A practical, clearly structured guide organized by leadership level. The prose is conversational and the advice specific. Shorter and more accessible than An Elegant Puzzle. Published by O’Reilly, the standard for technical books. Essential reading before, during, and after any tech leadership transition.