Beyond Code: The Skills That Make Tech Leaders
Code less to become more of a leader.
You might have heard this before. I admit I was confused when I first heard it.
It almost sounds counterintuitive. But I can say from experience that this is 100% true.
Today I want to answer the following questions:
While this post might be geared more toward software engineers, what I have to say applies to anyone who wants to grow as a leader. It's all about proving your potential. And to do that, you have to act like a leader, which means taking on other duties.
Before I share how I've helped lead teams in the past, keep this in mind:
Every company is different.
That means being a leader looks different from company to company. However, there are many similarities across product development teams. So the following examples should still apply.
领英推荐
Mentoring & 1:1s with peers
One-on-one face time with your peers is priceless. In just 30 minutes every few weeks, you can slowly build a relationship based on trust and empathy with your coworkers and check your team’s pulse. Also, it's an excellent way to practice something all leaders and managers do.
The best leaders in the world listen more and talk less. And there's a reason for that. People feel seen and appreciated when others listen to them. Also, when leaders listen, they gather data and use that information to help their team.
Look for opportunities to mentor junior members of your team. And if that's not an option, schedule a recurring 1:1 with a teammate. Practice your listening skills and help others solve problems and grow their skills.
This is exactly what I did as a Senior Software Engineer. No one told me to meet one-on-one with my peers. But I knew this was a key skill to acquire as an engineering leader.
I started mentoring Junior Engineers and meeting regularly with other Senior Engineers. This gave me a boost of confidence and prepared me for future 1:1s as a Tech Lead and an Engineering Manager.
Want more tips on how to lead? Read the full article:
Engineering Manager | Guiding software engineers to become leaders in tech
2 周Leadership starts before the title, David. Stepping up in mentorship, project management, and communication makes a real impact. Great breakdown on how to grow beyond coding! Just subscribed to your newsletter ??
Some great ideas in this article. I like that you took initiative to create management training for yourself. Mentorship is the key with junior developers.