You don’t have to wait until you have the job to gain experience as a Tech Lead
During one of my one-to-one conversations with a senior developer on the team, she shared that one of her goals was to gain experience as a leader. Aware that the current context offered few opportunities for promotion, she was willing to wait for the ideal opportunity.
And so I asked: Why wait?
Leadership transcends the title
Leadership is not limited to a job title but rather to a set of skills that you can develop regardless of your position. If you pay attention to your surroundings, I’m sure you’ll find opportunities to put various leadership skills into practice.
Effective communication, guiding and developing the team, monitoring deliveries, facilitating meetings, and giving good feedback are some essential skills for effective leadership. If you want to grow as a leader, don’t wait for the opportunity. Create it!
Creating opportunities to develop as a Tech Lead
Talk to your leaders about your desire to develop these skills. If your initiative is well received (if not, it could be a warning sign), try to identify opportunities within the team or organization to put your leadership skills into practice. Here are some tips to help you:
- Take it upon yourself to mentor and develop other team members;
- Lead important projects;
- Facilitate meetings and promote active team participation;
- Monitor applications in production and anticipate possible problems;
- Update the team’s documentation;
- Onboard new developers;
- Participate in technical interviews and review candidate tests (if this is part of your team’s selection process);
- Maintain your integrity and always keep your promises when you commit to something.
Remember, personal development requires persistence and determination. Stay focused on your goals and keep looking for opportunities to grow.
Article originally published in: https://www.solsoares.com/post/você-não-precisa-esperar-por-um-cargo-de-liderança-para-adquirir-experiência-como-líder
