choong pw

Working through the company ladder is like walking up the pyramid. The higher you get the lesser the opportunity.

Or is it?

Nevertheless, I am just taking this chance to jot down and reflect on an interesting podcast I heard as I was doing one of my weekly runs. This was one of those rare podcasts, where I was putting priority on listening more than focusing on my breathing.

Let’s get started…

Not all leaders are managers, and not all managers are leaders

Mix of both

Generally, the higher up in the organization you are, the more likely this is the case.

An example of some are both is this. The reality is VP and directors usually have people they manage and also people they DON’T manage. Yet, these roles still need to be influential enough for the organization to be functional. This is the case where solutions to a problem are driven by leaders who can’t influence based solely on authority.

Tech Management

This is the role that is usually sandwiched between the strategic planner and the operation. Nevertheless, is still a demanding role to operate in.

Management means manage?

Yes, and we often expect a little more from our manager. Like serving as a coach to help their team members to level up. Eg. Applying Skill-Will metrics for their individual growth and achieving the goal.

The key distinction between a manager and a leader is the ability to influence with authority. The authority is usually derived from management tools (position) to provide positive or negative reinforcement to achieve management goals and results.

Tech Leadership

Anyone can be this. Including the individual contributor.

An example of such a role would be Tech Lead or Chapter Lead. Each is leading some form of product or domain that they specialize in. Starting from the local team level and slowly spanning it across squads or even departments.

Is hard to do great things alone. Our capacity to learn and implement things is restricted by the hours that we have per day. Having a group of like-minded people can help to accelerate the outcome we want to achieve.

One way to lead is to create alignment on a vision. The smart, capable people understand the “why”. And tries to tame the ambiguity they operate in, and they are free to build solutions without constantly having to check in.

There is no limit to how many leaders are in a team. Especially for a large company, where a lot of cross-team collaborations are constantly happening. This is where seniors need to learn to step out of their comfort zone, not just focusing on technical knowledge, but rather on technical leadership.