On Becoming a Tech Lead – Swizec Teller, TechLeadConf 2023

Discover the key qualities and responsibilities of a successful tech lead, including breaking down complex systems, influencing teams, and taking calculated risks. Learn how to navigate the role and grow into leadership.

Key takeaways

As a tech lead, you’re not responsible for managing people directly, but rather for making technical decisions and influencing the team.
The role of a tech lead is to break down complex systems and make them understandable, and to help the team make good technical decisions.
Tech leads should focus on the outcome, not the process, and should prioritize the team’s work over their own.
It’s important to trust the team to do their work independently and to have faith in their abilities.
Tech leads should be willing to let their team members struggle and learn from their mistakes, and should not try to do the work for them.
The best tech leads are those who are strong engineers and are able to communicate effectively with their team.
As a tech lead, you should be willing to take on more responsibility and to make difficult decisions, but you should also be willing to listen to and consider the opinions of others.
Tech leads should be able to work at a high level, making decisions about the overall direction of the project, and should also be able to get their hands dirty and write code when necessary.
The role of a tech lead is not to be the “hero” who does all the work, but rather to be a guide and a facilitator who helps the team to do their best work.
Tech leads should be willing to take risks and to try new things, and should not be afraid to make mistakes.
The best way to become a tech lead is to start by working on smaller projects and to gradually take on more responsibility as you gain experience and confidence.
As a tech lead, you should be willing to learn and to adapt, and should be open to new ideas and perspectives.
The role of a tech lead is to help the team to be more effective and to make good technical decisions, and should not be seen as a stepping stone to a management role.
Tech leads should be able to communicate effectively with their team and with stakeholders, and should be able to articulate the technical vision and direction of the project.
The best tech leads are those who are able to balance the technical and business needs of the project, and who are able to make decisions that align with the company’s goals and values.

On Becoming a Tech Lead – Swizec Teller, TechLeadConf 2023

More talks