What do you do if your software design skills are overshadowed by leadership responsibilities?

I transitioned from coding to leadership, i initially felt a pang of nostalgia for the days spent immersed in code. But with each project, i embraced their new role, guiding their team with strategic insights and unwavering support. Despite missing the hands-on coding, i realized that influence now extended far beyond lines of code, shaping the success of their team and projects in profound ways.

While transitioning from handdon dev to leadership brings about us own challenges, there is also lot of responsibilities that come with it. Being a leader you're inspiring more people, imparting your knowledge to make more people efficient, having a sense of the whole picture. That to me in itself is a step forward in career. And if you make sure to have your coding skills and technical upgrade intact, that will make it a win-win situation in both aspects there by making you stronger in technical meetings where insights will be valuable. The day we differentiate between people leader and technical leader you're sorted!

Aunque sus responsabilidades de liderazgo puedan ocupar la mayor parte de su tiempo, es importante mantenerse actualizado en las últimas tendencias y herramientas de dise?o de software. Esto le permitirá tomar decisiones informadas sobre la dirección técnica de su equipo y proyectos.

As a leader, one of your primary responsibilities is to delegate tasks and empower your team members. By identifying talented designers on your team and assigning them design tasks, you free up your time to focus on leadership responsibilities while still ensuring the design work gets done effectively. Initially you may need to be more involved to ensure the quality of output is consistent but over a period of time with training and guidance you can build trust in their deliverables

Recognize that moving into a leadership role is a natural progression in many careers and brings new opportunities for personal and professional growth. Embrace these new responsibilities as they come, understanding that leadership itself is a skill that can be highly rewarding to develop. This doesn't mean leaving your technical background behind; instead, it means applying your expertise in new ways to lead others.

Asegúrese de proporcionar una capacitación adecuada y recursos a los miembros del equipo a los que se les deleguen tareas. Esto les dará la confianza y las habilidades necesarias para tener éxito en sus nuevas responsabilidades. También es importante establecer expectativas claras y medibles para las tareas delegadas. Esto ayudará a garantizar que todos estén en la misma página y que las tareas se completen de manera oportuna y eficiente. Además, es fundamental monitorear el progreso de las tareas delegadas y brindar retroalimentación regular a los miembros del equipo.

Effective delegation is key in leadership. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of your team members and delegate tasks that suit their skills and promote their development. This not only ensures high-quality work but also frees up your time to focus on maintaining and enhancing your own technical skills.

On a beau essayer de partager toutes les connaissances et compétences aux maximum il arrive tout de même que dans une équipe certain savoir reste mieux connu par certaine personne. C’est pour cela qu’en tant que lead il intéressant d’identifier ces particularités pour mieux déléguer aux équipiers les plus aptes et ce dégager du temps pour les taches prioritaires et pourquoi pas avoir le temps de d’écrire ou relire un peu de code.

The best way to stay updated is to stay curious. Engage with products and vendors, explore new ways to build, talk to professionals--both in your organization and in others. Structuring time to stay up-to-date on industry trends is important, but even more important is allowing your curiosity to be piqued enough to go do something and get hands-on experience with new tools.

Es importante recordar que la ingeniería de software es una disciplina en constante evolución, y lo que funciona hoy puede no funcionar ma?ana. Por lo tanto, es importante mantener una mentalidad abierta y estar dispuesto a cuestionar las suposiciones y probar nuevas ideas. La experimentación y la innovación son clave para el éxito a largo plazo en la ingeniería de software.

Set aside dedicated time to keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and methodologies in software design. Whether it’s through reading articles, taking short courses, or attending workshops, staying informed will help you remain technically proficient and relevant in your field.

Il est essentiel de garder un oeil sur ce qui se fait car ne pas prendre part personnellement au code ne veut pas dire que nous allons pas participer à des discussions autour du code et des technologies. Avoir ce r?le de lead c’est aussi justement comprendre les besoins et orienter aux mieux vers les bonnes solutions. On ne nous demande pas de tout savoir mais au moins de conna?tre les sujets de pouvoir aiguiller et déléguer si besoin avec la bonne impulsions qui mettra la demande sur les bons rails.

Years ago I popped into my manager's office. I had been working on a solution to a problem that our department needed to solve. We chatted for what felt like ten minutes, and I left. When I got back to my desk, I realized that it had been more like an hour and that we had, in that time, completely overhauled my ideas. They did, however, still feel as though they were my ideas. I learned a lot from that and similar experiences. By helping our teams find and "see" better solutions themselves, we both delegate tasks and help others grow in both knowledge and experience.

Mentoring is, frankly, the single most important thing you can do as a software engineering leader, period. Not only does mentoring require you to refine your own ideas and understanding, nor even does it just upskill your colleagues, but it also teaches leaders to lead from a place of empathy. To mentor well, you have to understand your mentees, how they best think and how they best learn. Practicing this empathy will make you a more effective manager, practitioner, and human being.

Use your position to mentor others, transferring valuable knowledge while reinforcing your own skills. Teaching is an excellent way to deepen your understanding of subjects, and it also helps in keeping your technical skills sharp.

Much of software design and engineering needs to happen in uninterrupted multi-hour focus blocks, which conflicts with half-hour meeting tempos. This becomes even more true if, as a leader, you're expected to be available for other folks to drop meetings on your calendar. Carving out explicit, pre-planned blocks on your schedule can help manage this. Take a day or two a week to dedicate two-to-four hour blocks to IC-style responsibilities. Beyond just staying sharp in the long run, an engineering manager is nearly always more effective when they remain more intimately involved with the concrete product development.

Block out time in your schedule specifically for hands-on design work or personal projects. This not only allows you to apply your technical skills but also fuels your creativity and passion for the craft, which can be rejuvenating amid administrative or managerial tasks.

Regularly reflect on your role and responsibilities to evaluate how well you are balancing leadership and technical work. Reflect on what you can improve and set goals for maintaining or enhancing your design skills alongside your leadership duties.

I found that my design background allows me to communicate effectively with my team, understand their challenges, and provide valuable insights. It also helps me bridge the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring that our projects meet both business goals and user needs. Moreover, this role has allowed me to develop new skills, such as strategic thinking, conflict resolution, and team management. I have grown to appreciate the broader impact I can have on the organization by fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment. In summary, while my day-to-day tasks have shifted away from design, the essence of design thinking still influences my leadership style.

Consider the long-term trajectory of your career. Decide how much you want to focus on leadership versus technical expertise and plan your professional development accordingly. It might be beneficial to pursue formal training in leadership if that's where your role is heading. Also, develop a network of peers in similar positions for support and advice. Lastly, ensure you communicate clearly with your superiors about your career aspirations and the balance you wish to maintain; they can offer resources or adjustments to help you achieve your goals.

Un autre moyen qui permettra à la fois de garder le lien avec le code de jouer son r?le de leadership, est de participer régulièrement au review de code des développeurs. C’est un moment d’échange et de transmission qui a le mérite de montrer ce qui se fait très récemment.