9 Tips for Becoming a Successful Tech Leader

Actions and examples are more important than titles or positions when it comes to leadership. People don’t follow titles, they follow those who they admire and respect. Certain qualities, characteristics, and actions must be applied in order to lead a team or gain followers. While a leader in a software firm should be skilled technically, they should also possess extraordinary team management skills to help command respect from their teams and be tactically and strategically skilful to ensure that customers are happy. The team leader is an important cog in the project wheel. Therefore, I have identified 9 actions that every leader should perform to establish themselves as a respectable and successful leader. 

1. Prioritize others and listen attentively to their concerns and ideas

This will earn trust and strengthen your relationship with your team members. A true leader doesn’t lead a team by dictating what should be done. They are always open to ideas from team members. This makes team members feel more invested in their project, because their ideas become a part of it.

In a software development team, a leader can prioritize others by:

• Actively seeking input and feedback from team members on project plans and designs, making sure that everyone’s voices are heard and their ideas are considered. 
• Providing support and resources to team members to help them succeed in their tasks.
• Recognizing and rewarding contributions to the team’s success. By trusting and respecting your team members, your team will trust and respect you. It’s a two-way street!

Success is best when it’s shared.

Howard Schultz

2. Clearly communicate and outline your values, vision and objectives

Team members will be willing to join a cause if they believe it is worthwhile. Effective communication is crucial for fostering collaboration, promoting clear understanding, and building trust within a team.

In my teams, at the project inception phase, we discuss and define the project vision, the set of values required and objectives that everyone can agree on. An example of this could be: 

• Setting clear and measurable goals for the team to work towards. 
• Identifying ways to increase the team’s productivity. 
• Discussing and then finalizing a set of metrics to measure the quality of the software. 
• Conveying specific deadlines for product releases so everyone understands their priorities. 

To ensure that everyone is on the same page, the team leader should regularly measure progress towards these goals, gathering feedback and ideas from team members on how to improve. Additionally, the team leader should establish a set of values or principles that the team will adhere to in their work, such as a commitment to collaboration, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction. By working together towards a shared vision and values, the team can improve their performance and achieve their objectives more effectively. 

3. Recognize excellence

Giving thanks and praising team members can help improve software quality in a few ways:

• Positive reinforcement: Recognizing and praising team members for their contributions provides positive reinforcement for good work and encourages team members to continue doing their best. 
• Improved morale: When team members feel appreciated and valued, they have higher morale and motivation, which leads to better quality work.
• Increased collaboration: This fosters a positive and supportive work environment, which encourages team members to work together more effectively and share ideas, leading to better quality software. 
• Better problem solving: When people feel good, they tend to be more creative and open to new ideas, which leads to more efficient problem solving and better software quality.

In my teams, we celebrate every possible moment from team release parties to an individual “Great Work” email from customers.

Celebrating small victories reminds the team of the overall goal.

4. Communicate regularly and effectively

Clear and regular communication from a manager can help a software development team in several ways:

• Clarity of goals and expectations: By communicating clearly and regularly, a manager can ensure that the team understands the project goals, timelines, and expectations, 
• Improved collaboration: Clear and regular communication helps team members to share ideas and information more easily, and to work together more effectively to achieve the project goals.
• Better problem solving: Clear and regular communication can help to identify and solve problems more quickly, and can also help to manage risks, and make sure that the team is following the best practices. 
• Increased accountability: When team members know what is expected of them, and receive regular updates on progress and performance, they may be more accountable for their work and feel more motivated to perform at their best. 
• Greater transparency: Clear and regular communication can help to build trust and transparency within the team and also with stakeholders, by keeping everyone informed about the project status and progress. 

A good leader should also be able to create an environment where the team is open to any kind of constructive criticism or feedback. Constructive criticism/feedback helps to improve individual and team performance by providing specific, actionable insights and promoting open, ongoing communication.

Note: It’s important that the manager should be able to balance the level of communication, not overwhelming the team with too much information, but also not leaving them uninformed. They should also encourage the team to communicate among themselves, in order to build a strong team dynamic.

5. Be decisive and show others how to act

Be a person people want to follow, and act quickly and effectively when making crucial decisions. A decisive manager can help to make a software development team more productive in several ways. Let’s take a look at an example to help illustrate this.

Example: A customer reported that they are faced with a critical bug in the production system. The team quickly assesses the situation and determines the root cause of the issue. The manager reviews the root cause and the plan of action made by the development team to ensure that everything is in place. The team quickly works on the solution and implements the necessary fixes. Throughout the process, the manager is in touch with the team and receives regular updates for each completed milestone. This way they are able to answer any queries of the organization as well as customers during the entire process. By being decisive, available and leading by example, the manager is able to effectively manage the crisis and restore normal system operations. 

Note: It is important to note that while a decisive manager is important, they should also be able to weigh the pros and cons of different options, and make decisions that are in the best interest of the team and the project. They should also be open to feedback and be able to change course if needed.

6. Delegate to team members who are up for challenge

In a team, there is no one-man show, but there are always a few team members who are ready to take on new responsibilities along with their daily work. Identify those members and help them develop the skills that are necessary to take on new tasks. This will not only increase their productivity but will help them grow in their career path. Doing this will bring many benefits:

• Specialization: By delegating specific work to specific team members who have the appropriate skills and experience, the team can take advantage of each member’s strengths and expertise, which can lead to more efficient and effective work.
• Increased ownership and motivation: When team members are given more responsibility and autonomy, they may feel more invested in the work and be more motivated to perform at their best. This can lead to better quality work and improved productivity.
• Improved time management: Delegating work to team members can help to distribute the overall workload more evenly and can help to ensure that deadlines are met and that the team is working as efficiently as possible.
• Better problem solving: By delegating work to different team members, the manager can ensure that multiple perspectives are being considered when solving problems, which can lead to more effective problem-solving and better software quality.
• Increased collaboration: By delegating work to different team members, the manager can encourage collaboration, by promoting open communication and teamwork.

Note: It is important to note that delegating work effectively requires the manager to trust the team members to carry out the work competently and also to provide them with the necessary resources and support to be successful. The manager should also be able to give constructive feedback when/where it is needed, to ensure that the team members are developing their skills and knowledge.

7. Trust and respect is a two-way street

People who show respect to others are easier to treat with respect in turn. A software leader should respect their fellow team members for several reasons:

• Mutual trust and respect: A leader who respects their team members is more likely to earn their trust and respect in return. This can lead to a more positive and productive work environment, where team members are more willing to collaborate and work together. 
• Improved communication: When team members feel respected, they may be more willing to share their ideas and communicate openly with their leader. This can help to identify and solve problems more quickly, and can also help to manage risks, and make sure that the team is following the best practices. 
• Better problem solving: When a leader respects the team members, they are more likely to listen to their ideas and consider different perspectives when solving problems, which can lead to more effective problem-solving and better software quality. 
• Increased motivation and productivity: When team members feel respected and valued, they may have higher morale and motivation, which can lead to better quality work and improved productivity. 
• Greater accountability: When team members feel respected and valued, they may be more accountable for their work and may feel more motivated to perform at their best. 
• Professionalism: Showing respect to team members is a fundamental aspect of professionalism, and it is an essential element for a leader to establish a positive and respectful work environment to foster a positive culture in the team.

Note: It is important to note that respect should be mutual, and that a leader should also expect respect from their team members in return. A leader should also be respectful of diversity and individuality, and should not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment in the team.

8. Motivate and inspire

Motivating each team member to improve their skills and competencies can improve software project quality in several ways:

• Specialization: By focusing on each team member’s strengths, the team can take advantage of each member’s unique skills and expertise, which can lead to more efficient and effective work. This can also result in higher-quality software, as team members are able to utilize their strengths to their fullest potential. 
• Increased ownership: When team members are given the opportunity to focus on and improve upon their skills, they may feel more invested in their work and be more motivated to perform at their best. This can lead to better quality work and improved productivity. 
• Improved problem solving: By encouraging team members to improve their skills and competencies, the team leader can ensure that multiple perspectives and diverse skills are being considered when solving problems, which can lead to more effective problem-solving and better software quality. 
• Professional development: Encouraging team members to improve their skills and competencies can help them to develop professionally, which can lead to higher job satisfaction and retention.

Note: It’s important to note that this process requires an effective feedback loop, wherein the team leader provides constructive feedback and coaching, and the team members take ownership of their own development. This will also require the team leader to have a deep understanding of the team members’ strengths and weaknesses, and the existence of resources and opportunities for the team members to improve their skills.

9. Maintain momentum

All of life moves in cycles – up & down, boom & bust. There will be periods when morale is lower or goals are not being achieved as forecast. It is the responsibility of the leader to remain calm, provide support and ensure that the plan stays on course.

Conclusion

The best leadership advice is to observe the actions of other successful leaders. Aside from this, the aforementioned actions are crucial to developing a strong leadership presence and a devoted team or followership. Good leadership begins with concern for others and a desire to see success benefit everyone. Even if leadership isn’t the goal, these actions can still help build success and improve relationships.