zlib.pub_the-managers-path-a-guide-for-tech-leaders-navigating-growth-and-change

Tech lead is not the job for the person who wants the freedom to focus deeply on the details of her own code.

automatically be given to the most experienced engineer, the one who can handle the most complex features or who writes the best code, is a common misconception that even experienced managers fall for.

My job as tech lead was to continue to write code, but with the added responsibilities of representing the group to management,

My job as tech lead was to continue to write code, but with the added responsibilities of representing the group to management, vetting our plans for feature delivery, and dealing with a lot of the details of the project management process.

we know from the title that it is expected to be both a technical position and a leadership role, and that it is often a temporary set of responsibilities rather than a permanent title.

The tech lead role is not a point on the ladder, but a set of responsibilities that any engineer may take on once they reach the senior level. This role may or may not include people management, but if it does, the tech lead is expected to manage these team members to the high management standards of RTR tech.

If a tech lead is not managing directly, they are still expected to provide mentorship and guidance to the other members of the team.

They focus on the whole team’s productivity and strive to increase the impact of the team’s work product. They are empowered to make independent decisions for the team and are learning how to handle difficult management and leadership situations. They are also learning how to partner effectively with product, analytics, and other areas of the business.

Tech leads are in the position to act as strong technical project leaders, and to use their expertise at a larger scale so that their whole team gets better. They can make independent decisions, and they play a big role in coordinating with other nonengineering partners that their team might have.

it’s a mistake to tie the notion of tech lead to one that boils down to the best or most experienced engineer on the team. You can’t lead without engaging other people, and people skills are what we’re asking the new tech lead to stretch, much more than pure technical expertise.

Being a tech lead is an exercise in influencing without authority. As the tech lead I am leading a team, but we all report to the same engineering manager. So not only do I have to influence my peers, but I also have to influence up to my manager to ensure we are prioritizing the right work.

in the future. Becoming a tech lead required me to change my focus. Work is now less about me and working on the most technically challenging idea or the most fun project; instead, my focus is more on my team. How do I empower them?

Becoming a tech lead required me to change my focus. Work is now less about me and working on the most technically challenging idea or the most fun project; instead, my focus is more on my team. How do I empower them?

the biggest trick of being a good tech lead: the willingness to step away from the code and figure out how to balance your technical commitments with the work the whole team needs.

you must gain mastery over your time and how you use it.

with appropriately sized blocks to work in. The worst scheduling mistake is allowing yourself to get pulled randomly into meetings. It is very difficult to get into the groove of writing code

The worst scheduling mistake is allowing yourself to get pulled randomly into meetings. It is very difficult to get into the groove of writing code if you’re interrupted every hour by a meeting.

Your highest priority as a tech lead is taking a wide view of the work so that you keep the project moving.

This role requires you to have a good sense of the overall architecture of your systems and a solid understanding of how to design complex software.

This role requires you to have a good sense of the overall architecture of your systems and a solid understanding of how to design complex software. It probably also requires you to be able to understand