Finding the Right Level of Technical Involvement as a Leader

I once worked with a tech lead so focused on coding that he missed what the team truly needed—like a photographer zoomed in too closely, losing the full scene. Another leader adjusted the lens perfectly, balancing technical excellence with the team’s needs. The difference? A balanced level of technical involvement.

As a technical leader, adjusting your technical involvement is like fine-tuning a camera lens. Done well, your team benefits from your expertise and high standards while having space to learn and grow. Balancing these aspects unlocks your team’s potential and amplifies their impact.

So, how do you figure out the right level of involvement? There’s no universal answer—it depends on factors like your role, the project, and your team. However, even without a one-size-fits-all solution, there are general guidelines to help you.

Role-Specific Perspectives

Understand your role’s expectations to set a starting point.

As a new tech lead, focus on designing, implementing, and testing systems. As a director, broaden your perspective to align technology with business goals and stability. At the executive level, focus on how technology drives growth and profit.

If you’re new to a role, confirm your assumptions about expectations with your manager, peers, and team. Their combined perspectives will help you pinpoint the right starting point for your technical involvement.

High-Stakes Projects

Not all projects are equal—some demand closer attention. Critical projects require focus on technical details while staying strategic, such as:

? Delivering a vital feature to retain a major customer.

? Revamping a system burdened by technical debt to build a solid foundation.

In these cases, go beyond business-as-usual involvement. This doesn’t mean writing code or reviewing PRs. Instead, understand key technical decisions, ask the right questions, and ensure the team’s choices align with project goals. From design to rollout, stay informed and involved.

Team Skills and Experiences

The skills and experience of your team also affect how involved you should be.

If the team is still developing their skills, you’ll need to be more hands-on to help them succeed. However, if the skill gap is too large, getting too involved isn’t sustainable. In such cases, you must ask for support and find the right people to fill the gap.

On the other side, if your team can solve problems effectively, trust them, step back, and give them the space to grow while following up appropriately. Particularly, if you’re lucky to have a very reliable team lead with a proven track record. Like in Jason Calacanis 's book Angel: How to Invest in Technology Startups, sometimes the investors don’t pick ideas—they choose the founders no matter what they do. Give them more space and back them up only when it’s truly needed.

Common Pitfalls

Over-Involvement

Some leaders stay too involved in technical details because they enjoy solving problems themselves instead of helping others. It’s like wanting to be the star on stage rather than the one working behind the scenes to make the performance happen.

If this sounds like you, ask yourself whether leadership aligns with your strengths and what truly makes you satisfied. If not, consider returning to an individual contributor role, where you can excel and feel fulfilled.

If you want to lead but struggle to let go, I recommend ?? Michael Bungay Stanier 's book that helped me embrace a coaching role: The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever. It helps your team get the best out of themselves while you become the one who sets up the stage and makes the performance happen.

Pulling Back Too Soon

On the other hand, some leaders step back too early or too often. Things work fine when everything is smooth. But how will you guide your team through tough situations? If you’re not strongly involved, you might be unprepared to help when challenges arise.

To avoid this, stay connected with technical work.

If you manage managers, try to have one or two senior engineers as your direct reports. On one hand, it allows you to empower your senior engineer because you can share your broader understanding of organizational priorities. On the other hand, your senior engineer helps you continue learning and staying connected to technical realities.

Once again, being hands-on doesn’t always mean coding; it means being genuinely curious and asking the right questions—especially the ones others hesitate to ask.

Conclusion

To succeed as a technical leader, think of your role as adjusting a camera lens. Sometimes you zoom in on the fine details. Other times, you pull back to see the bigger picture, ensuring your team aligns with broader, long-term goals.

Leadership lies in reading the dynamics and adjusting your involvement. When you and your team achieve this balance, you succeed together—and that’s the greatest reward.