Over the past 25 years, my understanding of management has undergone a profound evolution. I started by managing code and data structures; today, I help people work together. To me, management isn't about control or giving orders. It is more like tuning a complex mechanism: ensuring that a diverse array of talents acts as a single entity to achieve far more than they ever could alone (1+1=10b).
My transition into management happened organically when the volume of orders at Softac exceeded my physical capacity as a developer. I had to hire people and learn how to organize their work on the fly. We learned to work in short cycles, intuitively experimenting with Agile methodologies, only to realize much later that we had been practicing Scrum before it became a global trend.
The ultimate revelation was that time invested in clarifying architecture eliminates the need for constant oversight later. When a developer sees the "big picture," they independently choose the right algorithms and write appropriate code, which naturally removes the need for micromanagement.
However, as a former developer, I struggled for a long time to overcome the temptation to "just do it myself." It was hard to force myself to spend time explaining and defining tasks when I knew I could code it faster. Yet, it was precisely this internal struggle that taught me how to set the right objectives and manage the process effectively rather than simply doing someone else’s job. Interestingly, this exact skill is what helps one transition from managing people to managing AI agents.
Teaching at the College of Electronic Devices during that same period became my first experience in building a "talent incubator." In my Software Development Technologies course, I watched students choose their paths: some went deep into code architecture, while others were drawn to development process management. Training future Project Managers became a distinct mission. This niche requires a blend of a solid technical foundation, organizational skills, and analytical thinking. Sadly, even today, I rarely see universities successfully producing such specialists.
In 2006, sales of SmartDoc (Softac's flagship product) plummeted. I began to wonder where to go next. By chance, I came across a vacancy for a branch director at SoftServe.
When I took the helm of the SoftServe development center in Ivano-Frankivsk, the scale of tasks changed radically. This was no longer the "friendly" management of a startup; it was the challenge of building structured, systemic management. I had to simultaneously design local organizational structures and interact with a vast number of people across various company departments. I immersed myself in creating an environment where engineering teams could tackle complex projects for global brands.
Building the team became my top priority and my greatest challenge. At the time, the local IT market was only just emerging. Specialists were scarce, and for the specific technologies we used, they often didn't exist at all. To make hiring predictable, "hunting" wasn't enough. We took another path: we began to cultivate talent. We started by collaborating with universities and external trainers, and eventually, I opened a Learning Center within the branch. This allowed us to sync education with real business needs, preparing exactly the professionals the company required "here and now."
Later, at the request of the executive leadership, I took on the coordination of processes across all dev centers. My task as a company-wide coordinator was to unify standards. Since developers from different locations often worked on the same project, it was vital to align processes so that the team in Ivano-Frankivsk moved in perfect rhythm with other offices and the headquarters.
Key takeaways from that era:
A manager doesn't necessarily have all the answers but must build a system capable of finding them.
A company with a vague corporate culture can stifle the drive of even the most motivated employees.
People usually quit their managers, not their companies.
Overall, it was a fantastic and unique experience. It helped me realize that I didn't want to spend decades in a large corporation. I wanted to build startups.
My role as Co-founder, Executive Vice President, and COO at bvblogic was a balancing act between strategic vision and operational efficiency. Our main challenge was: how do we scale the company while preserving the identity and "drive" of a tech startup?
To fuel this growth, I focused on building the internal framework through four key pillars:
Clear Functional Separation: We decoupled organizational departments (Sales, Finance, Legal, HR) from production. This allowed developers to immerse themselves fully in the product while the business team handled strategy and metrics. Everyone focused on their core expertise.
Resilient Technical Foundation: The development process required a robust infrastructure—from developer workstations to virtualization, web servers, and databases. As we grew, we ensured the technical base scaled to support seamless team interaction at every project stage.
Process-Orientation and Metrics: Some might call it "bureaucracy for the sake of unread reports," but in reality, processes provide repeatability. It allows you to lead based on proven methods and data rather than just intuition. We developed tools to see the health of every project in real-time. Sales, finance, and production all became transparent.
Corporate Code as the "Operating System": I believe internal culture is the system's "default settings." If these are set correctly, the team acts professionally even in situations no manual could predict. Thus, a corporate code isn't a glossy brochure for newcomers; it’s a living set of traditions and vision.
In 2018, my career at bvblogic reached its peak. I felt my inner drive fading. There were no more "impossible" tasks or exciting goals left. The work stopped bringing me joy. At the same time, my partner and I began to see the company's future differently. Since we couldn't reach a unified vision, I decided to take a pause and stepped down from operational management. I needed time to stop, re-evaluate my experience, and figure out my next move.
Working in the public sector (2021–2024) was the ultimate "maturity test" for my management model. Managing the digital transformation of an entire region as CDTO meant working with a massive array of stakeholders with often conflicting interests. It was work on two levels: local tasks and national projects from the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
On the flip side, it was an opportunity to apply engineering logic to the scale of an entire region. Our goal: to rethink the very essence of government services—eliminating lines and paperwork to make interaction with the state fast, comfortable, and as digital as possible.
A parallel project involved developing broadband internet. We built networks in remote villages so that a resident of the smallest mountain hamlet had the same opportunities for communication, education, and work as someone in the capital. Ultimately, you need the internet to access digital services.
My strategy relied on three pillars:
Result over Process: In civil service, it’s easy to drown in endless meetings and approvals. I pushed for a business approach: KPIs, deadlines, and tangible results.
Inclusive Leadership: Every specialist in the team had the right to take initiative. Amidst COVID-19, war, and energy crises, this allowed us to be faster and remain functional where traditional hierarchies stalled.
Service Model: I trained my staff to see the citizen as a "client" and the government office as a "service provider." Client-centricity is sometimes lacking even in business; introducing it to government service was truly unconventional.
By the end of 2024, I completed my term as CDTO. I achieved most of the goals set at the start. Despite there being plenty of work left, I noticed my drive and efficiency waning. I chose to step down at the right time to seek a space for new changes.
I have returned to the IT business. During my sabbatical and time in the public sector, the industry changed fundamentally. New technologies, AI tools, and "vibe coding" have set a completely different pace. And it's exciting!
Now, launching new projects, I am once again rethinking the leader's role. In the era of Artificial Intelligence, management is shifting from "execution control" to "context and meaning management."
This is how I see it:
Skepticism toward hierarchies: Flat structures where information flow speed is the priority.
Management by Meaning: Creating the environment and the "why," rather than engaging in situational management (though I’ve always advocated for this).
Constant Learning: Investing significant time in R&D to truly understand tools and innovations.
We must prepare for the era of AI Management. We need to get used to the idea that soon, we won't just be managing humans. Managing a team of AI agents is a future that will arrive much faster than conservatives think.
Every stage of my long career has confirmed that the true value of management lies in creating a space where talents flourish and a common goal becomes more powerful than any set of instructions. Today, the leader's role is taking on a new, distinct form. We are becoming the guardians of meaning and the architects of context (a definition that sounds quite futuristic itself). The fusion of human logic and computational power opens incredible horizons. But management will always remain what Lee Iacocca once described: "nothing more than motivating other people."
Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.
Bohdan Futerko: programmer, engineer, entrepreneur, and manager. My worldview is shaped by technical expertise, systems thinking, and a passion for innovation. This is where I share my ideas, projects, and insights on technology, systems, and creativity.