Technical leadership isn't about coding vs managing.
It's about sound judgment.
After 20+ years in tech, here's what I've learned:
∙You don't need to write code daily
∙You don't need to be involved in every technical discussion
∙You don't need to prove you're still "technical"
You need to be technical enough to have sound judgment.
This creates trust in two directions:
∙Engineers trust you because you understand their perspective
∙Leaders trust you because they know your team delivers
How to develop technical judgment:
∙Join design reviews with genuine curiosity
∙Ask questions that expose hidden assumptions
∙Help engineers stuck on complex problems
∙Read engineering blogs and whitepapers
∙Listen to unfiltered feedback from your team
Your judgment is on point when:
∙You spot issues others miss by connecting dots
∙Engineers say "I hadn't thought of that" to your questions
∙You know when to go deep vs. skim the surface
∙You detect execution problems before metrics show them
∙Others seek your input
Sound judgment helps you be proactive, not reactive.
Sound judgment drives better long-term decisions.
That's what separates technical management from technical leadership.
My colleagues Steve Huynh, Rajdeep Saha, Sundas Khalid, and Ethan Evans are all sharing insights on effective technical leadership. Check out their perspectives.