Tech Leadership Is More About People Than Tech

TechLead Conference

TechLead Conference 2024

Anemari Fiser

C3 Dev Festival

C3 Dev Festival 2024

Becoming a Tech Lead: From Tech to People

JS Nation

JSNation 2025

The tech lead role is one of the most misunderstood and overlooked positions in the tech industry. Developers are promoted for their coding skills, yet success in this role is measured by leadership, not just technical ability. This shift can be disorienting because being a tech lead isn’t just about technology, it’s about people.Drawing from my experience as a tech lead at ThoughtWorks and coaching over 300 tech leads, I’ll explore why this role is uniquely complex. Positioned at the intersection of people, technology, and business, tech leads must develop critical soft skills like delegation, conflict resolution, and team alignment, yet most are thrown into the role without support.In this session, we’ll uncover why most tech problems are actually people problems and how to address them. We’ll discuss the three key mindset shifts tech leads need to succeed and the seven essential soft skills to develop, with practical steps to get started.Shifting from a technical role to leadership is difficult, uncomfortable, and often messy. But it’s also an opportunity for growth, not just as a leader, but as a person. Whether you're aspiring to be a tech lead, new to the role, or an experienced leader refining your approach, this talk will shed light on one of the most misunderstood roles in tech, by focusing on people.This session offers a glimpse into my upcoming O’Reilly book, Leveling Up as a Tech Lead, where I dive deeper into the challenges and strategies for mastering this role.

The role of a Tech Lead is more about leading than tech. Tech is a part of it, but people are the rest. In my talk, "Tech Leadership is more about people than tech" I'll explain why people skills are crucial in tech leadership. We'll dive into the essential skills every tech leader needs: listening, empathy, and effective feedback.But more than just knowing these skills, you'll learn how to develop them. I’ll share some practical, day-to-day strategies that can help you improve your people skills over time. This session is ideal for anyone aiming to not only manage but truly lead by focusing on the human element in tech.