Tech experts are poised to make strong technology leaders, but leading a technology team requires more than technical expertise. It requires a different mindset: focusing on the product, running productive meetings, and empowering teammates.
An excellent technical leader is naturally curious and eager to learn, and they instill those qualities in their team members. They also avoided blaming others for mistakes and missed deadlines.
Know Your Role
A successful technology team requires a skilled, confident manager who understands their role. Being a tech lead is more than just handing out tasks to team members and watching them work—it also involves supporting and allowing them to succeed.
Shohreh Abedi combines leadership in making technical decisions, like which programming language and frameworks a team should use, and they should be able to explain these decision-making processes to non-technical individuals. Additionally, they should be able to help referee and break stalemates between fellow coders.
Sometimes, it may be tempting for a tech lead to take over tasks their team could efficiently complete themselves. However, this is counterproductive. Instead, a better option is to coach them through their work and allow them to tackle the task independently next time.
Be a Mentor
Whether you’re the tech lead or not, mentoring your technology team members is essential. The best way to do that is by keeping a schedule of weekly or monthly mentoring conversations (in-person if possible, but video calls are fine now).
When you have a team member, you want to mentor, start by discovering their goals and where they want to be. Then, you can pair them with someone with similar career aspirations and who is already a senior-level engineer.
The mentor should also be able to provide constructive feedback and be willing to listen to criticism. It’s the best way to keep everyone on track, avoid misunderstandings and prevent conflict. This will also help you avoid micromanaging your team members — a common mistake that kills morale and prevents growth.
Be a Communicator
Everyone brings a unique perspective to the technology team, whether a seasoned senior executive or a junior specialist. It’s a good idea to listen to everyone equally – even if their opinions differ.
It is also essential to communicate effectively with your tech team. Ensure all your team members understand project expectations and have open channels to discuss challenges or changes to those expectations with you.
For example, consider hosting an impromptu team huddle with the individual needing feedback instead of sending a quick email. This way, they’ll feel like you care about their ideas and are invested in their success. This can be a significant morale boost. It is easier to answer questions in person than to send several emails in a row.
Be a Team Player
A good team player works well with various people and understands their contributions are essential to the project’s success. It’s also crucial to be reliable and deliver on your promises.
Be receptive to constructive criticism. So many mistakes in the workplace stem from misunderstandings and lack of communication, which can be minimized by being open to feedback.
Encourage your team to speak up during meetings and actively listen to their ideas. This will promote professional growth and skill development by accepting new challenges. Celebrate your teammates’ successes and stay up-to-date on their personal lives. This will make them feel valued and appreciated and show that you care about them as individuals. Additionally, it will increase morale and encourage them to work harder for you.
Be Flexible
Tech teams are the backbone of a business’s operations. They need to be flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of a business.
This includes being able to switch up your leadership style based on the needs of your team. For example, some software engineers may require more direction from their managers than others.
Changing up your approach to a project will help your technology team connect and build trust with you as their leader. It also shows your team that you’re open to listening and learning from their perspective.
Flexibility is a crucial component of keeping top talent. As a business leader, you should clarify that flexibility is essential to your company’s culture. This will give your team members peace of mind that their job will always be secure.
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