Manager vs. Super IC: How To Make Your Next Career Move
Yue Zhao
CPTO, Executive Coach, Writer
Your career ladder just got a new rung. Do you know how to best climb it?
The old playbook said: manage people to get ahead. But with AI, managers are being pushed into IC roles. Super ICs are taking over the work of multiple people. How do you navigate these shifts and come out ahead?
People around you are giving you a lot of hot takes ("management is dead!" "SaaS is dead!" "We're all builders!"). But it's daunting to figure out what's right for you based on your strengths, your situation, your career goals.
This workshop gives you the tools to reflect, map, and iterate on your career path (because no one else is going to do this for you). Whether you're debating whether to go Super IC, trying hard to stay in management, or figuring out what to do now that you've been pushed into a Super IC role without asking for it, this is the workshop that will help you map a path forward.
Workshop agenda
The New Career Landscape
Why AI has fundamentally changed the Manager vs. IC calculus. Brief overview of how companies are actually restructuring and what that means for your options.
The Decision Framework: Should You Go Super IC?
A structured way to think through the choice. Your superpowers, your environment, your goals. Live coaching component.
How To Be a Successful Super IC
The biggest mistakes companies and individuals make when setting up Super IC roles. What executive presence looks like without a team, and how to build your influence.
How to handle a forced transition
What to drop, what to delegate, what to build with AI, and when to look for a way out.
Live Q&A
Bring your specific situation.
Learn directly from Yue
Yue Zhao
Chief Product & Technology Officer, First PM @ Thumbtack, Ex-Instagram & Meta.
Who this workshop is for
The Manager Who Misses Building: You've been a manger and are good at it. You got into management because it was the only way to move up.
The Manager Who Got Pushed To IC: Your company just eliminated a layer, or stopped backfilling, and you're asked to take on IC work.
Early Career Figuring Out the Path You're trying to understand how AI is changing the career ladders. You want more than a "hot take".
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Yue Zhao in a real-time, interactive format.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Community of peers
Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Influence Without Authority Cheat Sheet
The specific moves Super ICs use to build credibility, drive decisions, and show up with more presence than people with positional power
Yue's curated Newsletters archive
Access to relevant posts on executive presence, influence without authority, and navigating career transitions in the AI era
The Manager vs. Super IC Decision Framework (PDF)
A one-page tool you can use to reflect and revisit what may be best for you.
Maven Guarantee
Your purchase is backed by the Maven Guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
$300
USD