Chapter 5 : How to Lead A Team

Leading a software engineering team effectively requires a combination of

technical expertise, strong communication skills, and the ability to motivate and
empower team members. Key aspects include setting clear goals, fostering
collaboration, providing constructive feedback, and promoting a culture of
continuous learning and improvement.
A software development team consists of such roles as product manager,
engineering manager, tech project manager, software architect, software
developers, designers, testers, and team/tech leads.

Roles in a Software Development Team

1. Product Manager

A Product Manager (PM) is the quarterback of your software development team, a

pivotal role in a software project. Their responsibilities cover a vast terrain:
crafting and implementing strategies, planning and monitoring product KPIs. PMs
typically set ambitious goals to achieve company targets through their products.
For this, they keep a keen eye on competitors, thoroughly analyze the market,
generate ideas, and manage pricing policies.

2. Product Owner

Another important role in a software development team is a product owner.

This expert is accountable for maximizing the value of a product. To do so, they
need to understand the client’s specific needs to define goals and create a cohesive
vision for each member of a software development team.

A product owner’s core responsibilities revolve around:

●​ crafting a compelling product roadmap

●​ managing the product backlog
●​ defining the product vision
●​ acting as a liaison between the development team and stakeholders
●​ evaluating feedback
●​ ensuring maximum value to the end-users
 3. Tech Project Manager

●​ The tech project manager (TPM) has become one of the

indispensable roles in a software engineering team. They bridge the gap
between technical teams and business objectives, ensuring projects are
delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with organizational goals.
Depending on the company, this role may also appear under titles like
Delivery Manager or Program Manager. TPMs are involved in all phases
of a project, from planning and execution to risk management and
stakeholder communication.
4. Business Analyst
Business Analysts study and gather all information about the product,
outline the target audience’s needs, and act as a bonding agent between
the market and engineers. They analyze users’ behavior/concerns and
then compile product enhancement and development recommendations.
In many agile environments, where product owners or product managers
absorb parts of this role, BAs often focus more on requirements
elaboration and process modeling.
5-7. Engineering Manager vs Team Lead vs Tech Lead

Criteria Engineering manager Tech Lead Team Lead

Core objective End-to-end delivery & team scalability Code quality & architecture Workflow & coordination

Typical Senior developer with a deep stack Experienced engineer with proven
Senior engineering role with deep tech expertise
background expertise skills

Reporting line Director / VP Engineering Engineering manager/architect Engineering/project manager

People Hires, gives performance reviews, and provides Allocates work, approves leaves, a
Mentors developers on tech skills
management coaching feedback

Technical depth across a single team’s

Span of control Multiple teams and cross-team initiatives Day-to-day operations within a sin
stack

8. Software Architect
This specialist takes the lead in orchestrating the internal arrangement of
the software and aligning it with product requirements and available
resources. Grounded in business needs, architects outline technical and
 functional instruments essential for product development. But they
aren’t mere planners – architects roll up their sleeves and get hands-on in
the development process. Not to mention that they craft the very design
of the system.

These experts should have a strategic vision as they plan for software
enhancements, extensions, and the addition of new features. A master of
optimization, a perfect software architect navigates the complexities to
find the optimal technical solutions that align seamlessly with
the product, while also driving adherence to coding standards and
influencing long-term tech direction through internal governance
practices like tech radars.
9. Software Developers
While discussing important roles in a software development team,
programmers are crucial. These are the wizards who bring the code to
life. They use various programming languages, frameworks, and
libraries to make it possible.
Due to their experience, coders have three ranks, and our latest salary
benchmark reveals what each level costs in the USA, Eastern Europe,
and LATAM:

Level Years of experience USA* Eastern Europe* LATAM*

Junior 1-3 years 89,500 37,500 28,800

Middle 3-5 years 100,236 46,680 41,742

Senior 5-10+ years 122,052 68,823 62,961

Alcor 2025 developer salary monitoring (average annual, USD, gross)

They all collaborate closely with designers, testers, product engineers, and
other team members. This ensures a seamless parallel workflow where
everyone’s expertise intertwines to build exceptional software, with
developers also taking ownership of unit testing and participating in code
reviews to uphold quality across the codebase.
 10. UX/UI Designers
Among the key roles in the software development team are also UX/UI
designers. User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) may be distinct, but
they are harmoniously intertwined. Both demand a blend of creativity and
technical prowess.
UX designers ensure the browsing experience and features are accessible to
users. They meticulously analyze the target audience’s behavior to sculpt an
interface that guides users effortlessly through the product. This often
includes close collaboration with product managers and product owners
during discovery workshops to align on user needs, goals, and product
direction.
On the other hand, UI designers translate those insights into pixels –
choosing fonts, colours, motion, and micro-interactions that express brand
and boost usability. Although these are two team roles in a software
development process, the UX/UI designer often wears both hats.
11. QA Engineers
Quality assurance anchors theapplication development team’s roles and responsibilities,
ensuring every release is thoroughly vetted before it reaches users. In a
high-velocity software engineering team, QA Engineers partner with the coding crew,
DevOps, and product management to keep quality metrics in the green and rework in
check.
A QA Engineer is a common role in the software development team, typically divided
into two specializations: Manual and Automation QA – both essential to safeguarding
software quality from ideation to deployment.
Manual QA Engineers take on the role of the user. They walk through real-life
scenarios, verify functionality, and identify usability gaps that automation may miss.
Their meticulous testing uncovers edge cases, validates new features against
requirements, and provides detailed bug documentation to steer developers away from
costly mistakes.
Automation QA Engineers, on the other hand, build scripts and frameworks to scale
testing efforts. They apply coding skills to automate regression checks, run performance
tests, and monitor system behaviors under pressure. After executing automated test
runs, they analyze results and compile reports – ensuring fast feedback loops without
sacrificing depth.
Tips for Building a Perfect Software Development Team
1)​Have a clear scaling vision
Having a clear product vision is a solid start – but it won’t get you far without a
plan for execution. That means figuring out the structure of your future team: size,
tech stacks, and hiring location.
2)​Prioritize hiring T-shaped programmers
Then, you can move on to filling different roles in your software development
team. As you may know, the workforce can be divided into two categories based
on their skills: generalists and specialists. My advice is to get the best of both
worlds and focus on hiring generalists who possess specialties. Such experts are
typically referred to as T-shaped developers. Not only do they have in-depth
technical knowledge and hands-on coding experience, but they also demonstrate
advanced collaborative abilities, emotional intelligence, proactivity, empathy, and
problem-solving skills.

3)​Tap into a foreign talent pool for rare expertise

Scroll a global tech job board and you’ll see Kyiv, São Paulo, and Bogotá
posting the same niche roles once found only in San Francisco. According to
our IT market analysts, emerging Europe boasts over 1.8 million tech
professionals – making it the second most concentrated region for ICT talent
after Western Europe – while venture investment in LATAM start-ups jumped
26% in 2024 and is forecast to grow again in 2025, reflecting a deeper bench of
experienced engineers.

4)​Set ambitious yet realistic goals for your

developers
Having business goals is a no-brainer, but you shouldn’t overlook the real
MVPs of your success – your software engineers. Getting a handle on each
team member’s career goals is crucial while keeping an eye on the overall
growth of the development team. Consider using the SMART approach to
set goals for software engineers. You’ve got a buffet of choices: career,
technical, interpersonal, leadership, and community goals, which can be divided
into long-term and short-term ones.

5) Establish clear communication

Clear and constant communication is a cornerstone of a highly productive and
successful development team. This holds even truer for remote teams that miss
 the luxury of instant communication. Tools help (yes to Slack, Notion, Jira,
etc.), but the rituals make the difference.
Weekly department check-ins keep everyone aligned. Monthly one-on-ones
provide an opportunity to discuss what’s working and what’s not. Feedback
should be honest and regular – sugarcoating kills productivity faster than
conflict ever will.

6) Create a pleasant work environment

The software development process can be quite overwhelming, exacerbated by
the risk of burnout from working overtime. According to a report by Haystack
Analytics, the pandemic increased burnout in 81% of software developers. This
led to decreased performance, a lack of motivation, and even instances of quiet
quitting. As a manager, it becomes crucial to prioritize and create a
healthy work-life balance for your programmers. This may include flexibility in
working hours, fair compensation adjustments, enhanced benefits packages, and
opportunities for growth.
Another thing to consider is corporate culture. According to Eagle Hill’s
survey, 76% of workers believe culture significantly influences efficiency.
Therefore, focus on clearly defining your company’s mission, core values, and
goals, and promoting transparency. This attracts top talent and improves
retention, creating a positive and thriving work environment.

7) Competitive employee value proposition

A first-rate Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is no longer optional when
you’re competing for senior developers who can pick from a dozen offers.
Salary still matters, but the edge often comes from benefits that speak to
long-term upside and daily quality of life.
Why developers say yes:
Market-matched basics: remote-first policies, learning budgets, and private
health cover keep you level with top competitors

True ownership: stock-option plans turn engineers into partners, not renters.
The promise feels real when backed by clear vesting schedules and fair exercise
windows.

Moving from an Individual Contributors role to a Leadership Role

Introduction:
Are you an Individual Contributor (IC) aspiring to step into a leadership role? The
journey might seem daunting, but in this article, we’ll explore the qualities and
qualifications essential for a successful career as an engineering leader and how to
actively cultivate them. Drawing from personal experiences and insights, my goal
is to provide clarity on the expectations and responsibilities of an Engineering
Manager (EM). Hope it will help you!

Qualities and Qualifications:

Engineering management demands a unique skill set, combining technical

prowess with interpersonal abilities, learned through hands-on experience.
EMs orchestrate, supervise, and streamline engineering projects, teams,
and operations, requiring an intricate understanding of the software
engineering lifecycle and business dynamics.

Core Responsibilities:

Let’s go over some Key Traits of Exceptional EMs.

1. Effective Communication: The ability to convey complex technical

concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders creates a shared
understanding within the team and the organization.

2. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Understanding

and
empathizing with team members creates a positive and collaborative work
environment, building trust and support.

3. Delegation Skills and Trust: Effective delegation empowers the team,

emphasizing the importance of trust in leadership.

4. Flexibility and Negotiation: Navigating trade-offs and being open to

compromise are crucial in challenging situations with multiple stakeholders.

5. Leadership and Vision: Providing a clear vision, aligning goals,

inspiring the team, delivering transparent and constructive feedback, and having a
strategic mindset contribute to long-term success.
Conclusion:

Success as an Engineering Manager goes beyond technical knowledge; it requires a

balance of leadership, communication, strategic thinking, and adaptability. By
blending these qualities, an EM can navigate the complexities of team management
and contribute to both individual and organizational achievements.
How to Lead a Team

●​ The engineering manager is responsible for the performance, productivity, and happiness
of every person on their team while still making sure that the needs of the business are
met.
●​ The tech lead (TL) is responsible for the technical aspects of the product, including
technology decisions and choices, architecture, priorities, velocity, and general project
management.
●​ The TL will usually work hand in hand with the engineering manager to ensure that the
team is adequately staffed for their product and that engineers are set to work on tasks that
best match their skill sets and skill levels.
●​ On small teams, the default is often to have a TLM: a single person who can handle both
the people and technical needs of their team.
●​ The job of TLM is a tricky one and often requires the TLM to learn how to balance individual
work, delegation, and people management.
●​ If you’ve spent the majority of your career writing code, you typically end a day with
something you can point to and say, “That’s what I did today.” But at the end of a busy day
of management, you’ll usually find yourself thinking, “I didn’t do a damned thing today.”
o​ As tempting as it might be to focus on purely the technical health of the team, the
social health of the team is just as important.

It’s time for leadership to grow up

“Before I got married I had six theories about raising children; now, I have six children and no
theories.” — John Wilmot
There’s a tension that keeps repeating over and over — when things don’t go well; there’s a
tendency to blame it on ‘the people.’
I help organizations build a culture of change — to become more experimental, innovative, and
adaptive. When I kick-off a project, I receive a brief from senior executives. Most of the times, the
diagnosis focuses on how their teams are not performing as they should.

A collection of the patterns that you don’t want to follow if you want to be a successful
manager:

●​ Hire Pushovers.
●​ Ignore Low Performers.
●​ Ignore Human Issues.
●​ Be Everyone’s Friend.
●​ Compromise the Hiring Bar.
●​ Treat Your Team Like Children.
A collection of positive patterns for successful leadership and management:

●​ Lose the Ego: Apologize when you make a mistake. You need to sincerely mean it.
Apologizing doesn’t cost money.
●​ Be a Zen Master.

A Zen master is a spiritual leader and teacher in the Zen Buddhist tradition, recognized
for their profound understanding of Zen teachings and practices. They guide students
through meditation, koan practice, and direct pointing to help them realize their true
nature and attain enlightenment. Zen masters embody wisdom and compassion, serving
as living examples of the transformative power of Zen.

●​ Be a Catalyst.

In the context of team building, "being a catalyst" means acting as a

facilitator or agent of change to encourage growth, collaboration, and
positive interaction within a team. A catalyst leader helps reveal team
members' strengths, aligns their values, and energizes them to work
effectively towards common goals
●​ Remove Roadblocks.

"Removing roadblocks" means eliminating obstacles or impediments that

prevent or slow down progress towards a goal. It involves identifying and
addressing anything that interferes with smooth workflow or
achievement. In a practical context, this might involve resolving logistical
issues, clarifying communication, or providing necessary resources.
●​ Be a Teacher and a Mentor.

A teacher acting as a mentor provides guidance, support, and professional

development to other teachers, particularly those new to the profession or
seeking improvement. This relationship is characterized by trust, mutual
respect, and a focus on fostering growth in the mentee. Mentors share their
experience, offer feedback, and help mentees navigate the challenges of
teaching.
●​ Set Clear Goals.

Setting clear goals means defining specific, achievable objectives with

well-defined boundaries and a concrete vision of what you want to
accomplish. This clarity provides direction, motivation, and a framework for
tracking progress towards your desired outcomes.
●​ Be Honest.

In the context of team leadership, "being honest" means acting with

integrity, transparency, and truthfulness in all interactions with the team and
 stakeholders. It involves communicating openly, providing constructive
feedback, and building trust through consistent and reliable
behavior. Essentially, an honest leader is someone who can be relied upon to
be truthful, fair, and ethical in their actions and communication.
●​ Track Happiness.

Different studies suggest that happiness indeed makes people more

productive. The direct relationship between morale and productivity prompts
employers to try to measure their own team's happiness. It's not surprising,
as there's a lot on the line here, business-wise.

A good simple way to track your team’s happiness is to ask the team member at the end
of each one-on-one meeting, “What do you need?” This simple question is a great way to
wrap up and make sure each team member has what they need to be productive and
happy.

●​ Hire [Link] concept of "hiring pushovers" refers to the practice of

hiring individuals who are easily persuaded, influenced, or defeated, often
lacking assertiveness or a strong backbone. While this might seem appealing
for short-term ease or control, it ultimately hinders team growth, innovation,
and overall success.

What are the benefits of being a pushover?

Being a pushover, or someone who tends to be overly accommodating and
agreeable, can have both positive and negative implications. Here are some
potential benefits:

1.​ Harmony in Relationships: Pushovers often prioritize others' needs, which can
lead to a harmonious environment and fewer conflicts. This can foster
positive relationships with friends, family, and colleagues.
2.​ People Skills: Being accommodating can enhance interpersonal skills.
Pushovers may develop a keen sense of empathy and understanding,
which can be valuable in both personal and professional settings.
3.​ Flexibility: Pushovers are often adaptable and willing to compromise, making
them easy to work with in group situations. This flexibility can be
beneficial in collaborative projects.
4.​ Avoidance of Confrontation: For some, being a pushover helps them avoid
confrontations and the stress that comes with them. This can lead to a
more peaceful day-to-day life.
 5.​ Supportive Nature: Pushovers are often seen as supportive individuals, which
can attract others who appreciate their willingness to help and
accommodate.

●​ Ignore Low Performers.

Ignoring low performers can negatively impact team morale, innovation, and
overall productivity. While it might seem easier in the short term, it's crucial to
address underperformance to ensure a healthy and effective work environment.

Ignore Human Issues

The instruction "Ignore Human Issues" likely refers to a directive to disregard or

minimize the importance of human-related problems, challenges, or perspectives in a
specific context. This could be in the context of a decision-making process, a design
project, or a scientific analysis, where the focus is on technical aspects or other factors
rather than human impact.

Ignore Human Issues

…………………………………….

Be Everyone’s Friend

Compromise the Hiring Bar

Compromising the hiring bar means lowering the standards or requirements for new
hires, which can negatively impact the quality of the workforce and potentially lead to
future problems. This can manifest as accepting candidates who don't fully meet the
necessary qualifications or failing to properly assess candidates' skills and experience

I regret every time I compromised on hiring. Compromised because of pressure,

desperation, or lack of better options.

My first hiring decisions were easy — pick a couple of the brightest interns, and
leave the one that is the funnest to work with. But as I grew more into management
it got more complex: limited candidates, different expertise requirements, remote
work, internal competition for the same candidate. And so I rushed and made some
mistakes.

I defined 3 avatars:

1.​ Low performer — instant to hire; produces 50% output;

2.​ Medium performer — takes a month to find; 100% median output;

3.​ Great performer(top 10%) — 300% output, but takes 6 months to find;

Also, I took into account the opportunity cost of not hiring — the company loses
money without an employee. And for simplicity’s sake let’s assume performance is
static over time.
Treat Your Team Like Children.
Treating a team like children, particularly with an emphasis on control and
micromanagement, is generally detrimental to team morale and
productivity. Instead, leaders should foster a mature, respectful, and trusting
environment where team members feel empowered and accountable.

Why Manager is a Four-Letter Word to Me

I have a personal disdain for the word “manager.” When I think of things to
manage, I think of a 401(k), irritable bowel syndrome or a crazy ex. When I think
of the word manager, I think of someone who is in charge that asserts their
authority. Often this authority is used negatively reacting to adverse situations.
That’s not who I am and not what I do. Yet I am a manager. This internal conflict is
the reason why “manager” is a four-letter word to me.
That’s what got me to thinking. People don’t want to be “managed” or “retained”
at all, they want to be engaged, taught and supported.
Engineering managers are experienced engineers who currently manage technical
activities in both large and small organizations. No matter the size of the company,
an engineering manager makes decisions that are part of the management chain of
command and impact the success of technical activities. Making data-based
technical decisions is at the core of what an engineering manager does. The success
of an engineering manager’s career depends on these decisions. And in today’s
ever changing technology-based world, these decisions are not easy.

Thus, engineering management is an in-demand, growing field that’s constantly

evolving to accommodate modern technical concepts like artificial intelligence
(AI) and big data and other technologies emerging from the fourth industrial
revolution. Engineering managers are needed in project management, director, and
executive roles across engineering fields, including mechanical, civil,
environmental, chemical, biomedical, biotech/pharma, industrial, aerospace,
aeronautical, and petroleum engineering. Aspiring engineering managers will play
a valuable role in the key technical decisions that will help these industries adapt to
an ever changing technological world.
If you aspire to advance your engineering career, an engineering manager role can
pave the way for many diverse leadership opportunities. The duties of an
engineering manager include planning, designing, and overseeing projects, as well
as managing finances and supervising one or more engineering teams. The higher
the engineering manager rises up the technical management ladder, the more
engineering teams and managers fall under him/her. The work of an engineering
manager requires a combination of skills and knowledge including engineering
expertise, personnel management, leadership skills, and financial and business
acumen.

What is an Engineering Manager?

An engineering manager is an experienced engineer who manages technical
activities and team(s) of engineers, related professionals, and support personnel.
This type of manager has likely already proven herself/himself to be a highly
competent engineer, who showed a sense of vision, teamwork, and responsibility.

At some point, an early-career engineer may face a career decision: either stay
technical (instead of leaving the engineering and technology directorates) and
remain an individual contributor engineer, or expand his/her skillset in order to
become an engineering manager. To climb the individual contributor ladder, that
engineer must typically earn graduate degrees in a field of engineering like the
Master’s degree or a Ph.D., in mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil, or
architectural engineering or in the computational sciences (i.e., computer science,
statistics, and computational and applied math). Those who decide to become
engineering managers can first earn a Master’s in engineering management (MEM)
degree, or as it is known at Rice, the Master’s in engineering management and
leadership (MEML) degree. Figure 1 below shows these two technical career
tracks for the engineer at a technology company. It should be noted here that in
both of these tracks, the engineer has decided to remain technical and work
amongst top technical talent.

For the engineering manager, he/she has decided to lead engineering without
leaving engineering. Yet, the engineering manager is a part of an organization’s
management chain of command, the levels of management that make both strategic
and operational decisions. The strategic decisions require that an engineering
manager communicate and ‘manage up’ to executives. The operational decisions
require that an engineering manager lead and manage down with the teams doing
the technical work and interact horizontally with management peers in other
divisions such as finance, marketing, human resources (HR), and information
technology (IT).
Across industries, an engineering manager’s strategic responsibilities involve
communicating with key stakeholders to determine project goals and objectives
and report on outcomes. These key stakeholders are normally executives and
customers.

An engineering manager’s operational responsibilities involve overseeing

engineering projects and teams. They help strategize, design, and manage projects
at every stage, ensuring that the projects are completed efficiently, correctly, and on
schedule. Engineering manager duties also include working with and managing
each member of the engineering team(s).

While the strategic and operational responsibilities of an engineering manager are

consistent across industries, the role will vary across engineering specializations.

●​ Mechanical engineers work with a team and oversee the execution of technical and

design operations. Mechanical engineering professionals are also tasked with

administrative aspects of the project including financial planning and budget and

coordinating work schedules. As the engineering field continues to advance, mechanical

engineers will leverage I4 technologies like Big Data, AI (machine learning), digital

twins, 3d printing, and thermal-mechanical sensors. These technologies enable

engineering managers to use simulation and data-driven innovations to test products and

troubleshoot potential problems.

●​ Chemical engineers work with teams and technicians to design and implement processes

to manufacture chemicals and other products. In addition to managing teams and

personnel, chemical engineering managers develop the procedures that define how a

project works to ensure teams are meeting deadlines and following best practices and

compliance regulations. Chemical engineers will use I4 technologies including chemical

and biological sensors, AI, and simulation based engineering to help digitally transform

operations. These advanced technologies will also help to create smart supply chains and

chemical processing plants and streamline internal processes.

 ●​ Civil engineers lead technical and design teams on civil engineering projects, like

buildings and infrastructure. The civil engineering manager is charged with supervising

team members and personnel and coordinating budgets and schedules. As the engineering

field continues to evolve with I4 technologies like building and environmental sensors,

AI, and mobile device based smart and connected platform products, civil engineers will

be able to digitize and automate various aspects of their jobs, leverage real-time data

processing thanks to IoT, and plan projects virtually before arriving on site.

Types of team leads at Google

●​ There are two types of engineering team leads at Google: engineering
managers and tech leads. They focus on people's needs and technical needs,
respectively.
●​ Engineering manager is responsible for the performance, productivity and
happiness of every person on their team, including their tech lead.
Engineering manager needs to find the careful balance between the needs of
the product and the team.
●​ Tech lead is responsible for the technical aspects of the product, including
technology choices, architecture, priorities, velocity, and general project
management. Most tech leads are also individual contributors.
●​ On small teams, there can be a "tech lead manager" handling both the people
and technical needs of the team. It's very hard to do both of these jobs well
in a growing team, however.
●​ All engineering team leads at Google are expected to have an engineering
background.

ANTIPATTERNS

Antipatterns are common, yet ineffective or counterproductive solutions to

recurring problems in software development, project management, or business
processes. They are the opposite of best practices, often leading to maintainability
issues, errors, and inefficiencies.

Management antipatterns
Antipattern 1: Hire pushovers
If you as a manager feel insecure, one way to ensure that no one questions your
authority is to hire people you can push around. Strive to hire people who are
smarter than you and can replace you. This way, you can learn and grow. If your
team doesn't need you anymore, you've succeeded.
Antipattern 2: Ignore low performers.
The most difficult part of dealing with humans is handling someone who isn't
meeting expectations. The most difficult cases are when someone isn't capable of
doing their job no matter how long or hard they work. Here applies the Google
SRE motto: "Hope is not a strategy." Do not hope that low performers magically
improve or go away. You need to act quickly, before the team morale gets sour or
you're so frustrated you can't help them. Set up a time frame and some very
specific goals to achieve in that period. Make the goals small, incremental, and
measurable. Either the low performer will notice themselves they can't keep up, or
they'll up their game to meet the expectations.
Antipattern 3: Ignore human issues.
It's common for managers to be stronger in the technical side and ignore human
issues. Managers can forget to treat their reports as individuals with specific needs
and, for example, enforce the same working habits for everyone.
Antipattern 4: Be everyone's friend.
Many newly-promoted leads don't want to lose the friendships they've cultivated
with their teams and therefore try very hard to maintain friendships after becoming
team leads. This can be a recipe for a disaster. You can lead a team and build
consensus without being a close friend or a monumental hard-ass. You can be a
tough leader without tossing friendships to the wind. One way to stay socially
connected without making the team uncomfortable is to have lunch with the team.
Avoid the situation where you end up managing a close friend who is not
self-managing and not a hard worker.
Antipattern 5: Compromise the hiring bar.
A common (bad) approach to hiring is that when a team needs to hire five
engineers, it sifts through a pile of applications, interviews 40-50 people, and picks
the best five candidates regardless of whether they meet the hiring bar. This results
in a mediocre team. The extra cost of finding the appropriate person pales in
comparison to the cost of dealing with an employee who should not have been
hired in the first place. This cost manifests in lost team productivity, team stress,
time spend managing the employee, and the paperwork and stress involved in
firing the employee. Without the raw materials for a great team, you're doomed as
a team lead.

Antipattern 6: Treat your team like children.

You must respect your team and trust it to get the job done. If it's permanently
necessary to micromanage people because you don't trust them, you have a hiring
failure in your hands. If you hire people worthy of trust and show these people you
trust them, they'll usually rise to the occasion (assuming you've hired good people).
Google trusts their employees enough to give them access to self-service "tech
stops" where they have free access to all sorts of technical equipment.

Positive patterns
Positive pattern #1: Lose the Ego.

Humility comes first in "humility, respect, and trust". Being humble is not the same
as lacking confidence.

Cultivate a strong collective team ego and identity. Trust your team and respect
their abilities and prior accomplishments. Giving your team ownership gives them
a greater sense of accountability and responsibility.

You do not need to have all the answers. If you act like you do, you will lose the
respect of your team. Find people who give you good constructive criticism. Avoid
the urge to be territorial.

Apologize when you make a mistake. You need to sincerely mean it. Apologizing
does not make you vulnerable. Instead, you will earn respect.
Positive pattern #2: Be a Zen Master
Engineers typically develop an excellent sense of skepticism and cynicism. As a
team leader, you need to be less vocally skeptical while letting your team know
you're aware of the intricacies and obstacles involved in the planned work.
Always maintain your calm. The higher you up in the company hierarchy, the
bigger effect your behavior has on the organization. The leader is always on stage
and always being watched. Do you show confidence or fear? You attitude spreads
infectiously to your team.
A VP of engineering at Google, Bill Coughran, was always so calm that people
used to joke that if someone told Bill that 19 of the company's offices had been
attacked by space aliens, Bill's response would be, "Any idea why they didn't make
it an even 20?"
As an engineer, you're always solving problems and answering questions. In a
leadership position, you need to leave the solution mode and enter the asking
mode. Help your team find the answers.
Positive pattern #3: Be a Catalyst
Catalyze your team. Help them build consensus. Do not rely on authority, unless
that's what the team accepts and needs.
Positive pattern #4: Remove Roadblocks
Help your team to get moving by removing technical or organizational roadblocks. For
example, help the team get the server resources they need. If an engineer is having
trouble with an arcane bit of Java code, help them connect with another engineer who
can help them. Knowing the right people is more valuable than knowing the right
answer.
Positive pattern #5: Be a Teacher and Mentor
It can be very difficult to watch a team member spend three hours working on
something that you know you could finish in 20 minutes. Giving people a change to
learn on their own is a vital component of effective leadership.
To be a good mentor, you only need three things: experience with your team's
processes and systems, the ability to explain things to someone else, and the ability to
gauge how much help your mentee needs.
Positive pattern #6: Set Clear Goals
To make your team move rapidly in one direction, you need to make sure that every
team member understands and agrees on what the direction is. You need to set clear
priorities and help your team decide how it should make trade-offs when the time
comes.
Create a concise mission statement for the team. After the direction and goals are
clearly set, give the team autonomy, and periodically check in to make sure everyone is
on the right track.
Teams can and do succeed without clear goals, but they typically waste a great deal of
energy.

Positive pattern #7: Be Honest

Honestly say when you don't know the answer or you're not able to say it. Tell your
new team members, "I won't lie to you, but I will tell you when I can't tell you
something or if I just don't know."
Giving redirecting feedback is hard. Do not use the "feedback sandwich", because
people can easily miss the critical message. Instead, employ respect. Kindness and
empathy are critical if you want the recipient to hear the criticism and not go on the
defensive.
As an example, if someone is bluntly criticizing every decision made in the team, do
not tell them to "stop being a jerk", but honestly tell them the effect their behavior is
having on the team.
Positive pattern #8: Track Happiness
Take time to gauge your team's happiness. Make certain your team is happy.
For example, keep a spreadsheet of all the grungy, thankless tasks that need to be done
and make sure they are evenly spread across the team. In one-on-ones, do not only
discuss technical issues but ask how they're enjoying the work and what they're
looking forward to next. At the end of one-on-ones, ask "What do you need?"
Carefully gauge also their happiness outside of the office. Be sensitive to personal
situations and give extra slack to team members going through a tough time.
Most people have goals for the next five years: being promoted, learning something
new, launching something important, or working with smart people. Whatever it is,
help your team work towards their goals and show you're paying attention to them.