Why Engineers Struggle as Tech Leads

Getting promoted to Tech Lead should feel like a step forward. So why do so many brilliant engineers struggle the moment they get there? Pat Kua — former N26 CTO, ThoughtWorks technical principal and founder of the Tech Lead Academy — explains the hardest transition in software engineering: going from being the person who does the work to the person who makes everyone else better at it. What you’ll learn: • Why the move from Software Engineer to Tech Lead is so much harder than it looks • The shift from a maker mindset to a multiplier mindset, and how to make it • How new Tech Leads become the bottleneck without ever noticing • Why meetings, coaching and communication become your highest-value work • How to build leadership skills without losing your technical credibility • Measuring your impact by what your team ships, not what you ship For senior engineers eyeing their first leadership role, new Tech Leads finding their feet, and Engineering Managers who want more impact from the same hours. Free download Maker to Multiplier: 5 Questions Every Tech Lead Should Ask: https://www.buildyouredge.org/tools/maker-to-multiplier-5-questions-every-tech-lead-should-ask No email address required — no sign-up of any kind. Episode notes: https://www.buildyouredge.org/podcast/episodes/why-engineers-struggle-as-tech-leads Pat Kua on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patkua/ Build Your Edge helps ambitious people in tech think smarter, lead better and deliver more. One focused topic per episode, one guest who has done the job, and a free tool every time. New episode every other Tuesday.