Three tips I wish I had got when I started as a Tech Lead
The move from Developer to Tech Lead involves significant challenges, from understanding the new responsibilities assumed in the new role to monitoring and developing the team. This transition consists of a change of mindset; it’s as if you increase your field of vision, going from being an individual collaborator who is responsible for its deliveries to a leadership position, which involves taking care of deliveries and people, in other words, everything that consists of the team (often not just your team, as you also collaborate with other teams, aiming at the organization’s macro objectives).
For those of you who are going through this process or accompanying someone who is, I share three tips that I wish I had received when I started my leadership journey so that you avoid repeating the same mistakes as me. Let’s go!
1. Align expectations about your new role
The leadership transition is challenging, as it involves new expectations and responsibilities, which are essential to understand and embrace. When I took on the Tech Lead role, I was assigned to a client by a technology consultancy, and both organizations had slightly different definitions of this role.
I wasn’t expected to monitor people’s careers at the client because that was the Tech Manager’s responsibility. On the other hand, my job at the consultancy was to monitor and develop the team members allocated to the client with me.
In making this transition, I focused on the team, holding recurring one-to-one meetings, following up on career development, and maintaining constant alignment with the Tech Manager on issues relating to the team and the consultancy. These responsibilities took up a lot of my time and, at the same time, I realized that all the board tasks I was pulling on ended up taking a lot longer than they used to, and this started to frustrate me a lot (every time I stopped to code, someone would call me, whether it was to take part in a meeting, solve a problem, ask a question, etc.). So, I decided to take on fewer critical tasks and concentrate on developing the team and monitoring their deliveries.
The client didn’t know I was assisting the people allocated to me and got confused about why I was slowing down my delivery pace (my Jira points have plummeted; you’ll understand!).
After much time and stress, we finally chatted about my new responsibilities, and everything cleared up. Still, it didn’t have to be this way. So please don’t make the same mistake I did. As soon as you take over (or even before, to confirm that this is what you want):
- Ask about the responsibilities and expectations for the position;
- If the company has one, read the job description and clarify any doubts;
- Talk to people working in the role to understand their routines and responsibilities better.
2. Organize your schedule and communicate it to the team
As you can see from the previous tip, balancing leadership responsibilities with code development can be tricky. Whenever someone called, I was available and would jump from one subject to another. It was wild! The day flew by, and at the end of it, I was exhausted and felt like I hadn’t produced anything.
To avoid this happening to you:
- Create a routine and share it with the team;
- Test time management tools to identify those that can help you;
- Use the 2-minute rule: if the task takes less than 2 minutes to complete and you can do it right now, then do it immediately to eliminate it from your backlog;
- Regularly review the team’s processes and commitments.
Read more: “Time Management Insights for Tech Leads”
3. Make a Plan for the First 90 Days
Starting in leadership can be confusing, and you’re expected to feel lost. To help you get organized, it’s worth putting together a plan for the first 90 days — your onboarding process in a structured way. With it, you’ll be able to make a smoother and more successful transition. In this plan, you can set goals and monitor your progress throughout this initial period.
When I made the transition, I didn’t make my own. Still, today, I realize that it would have helped me avoid several mistakes I made, from not having clear objectives to not properly aligning expectations for my new role (as I shared with you at the beginning of this text).
The plan doesn’t have to be rigid and unchanging; on the contrary, it should be flexible enough to adapt to changes and new information.
Talk to your leadership so you can define a plan and how you will follow it up.
Some items you can include in your First 90 Days Plan:
- Clear objectives: define specific and measurable goals for the first 90 days, such as improving team efficiency, successfully leading a critical project, or implementing improvements to development processes;
- Leadership and decision-making: explain how you intend to lead the team, make decisions, resolve conflicts, and maintain the team’s motivation and engagement.
- Process improvements: identify opportunities to improve development processes, whether in code management, automation, software quality, or any other relevant area.
In conclusion
When transitioning to leadership, it’s important to prepare yourself for the challenges and responsibilities of this new role. Being clear about your new expectations, organizing your schedule effectively, and drawing up a plan for the first 90 days can help make the transition smoother and more successful.
I hope these tips help you make a smooth transition and that you can help your team develop and achieve great results.
Success on your journey!
This article was originally published in: https://www.solsoares.com/post/3-dicas-que-queria-de-ter-recebido-quando-migrei-para-tech-lead
#leadership #techLead #transitionDevTechLead #SoftwareDevelopment
