tech lead resources & tidbits

A couple days ago I posted a tweet asking the twitterverse for suggestions on useful tidbits and resources on how to be a successful tech lead, and, WOW! Thank you to everyone for the overwhelmingly positive responses. I compiled a list of resources that everyone recommended including a few of my own. Here’s the tweet, if you’re interested in reading the thread! Looking forward to referencing these resources as I embark on this exciting new journey!!

Books

• Resilient Management by Lara Hogan
• Becoming a Technical Leader: An Organic Problem-Solving Approach by Gerald M. Weinberg
• High Output Management by Andrew S. Grove
• Radical Candor by Kim Scott
• Starting Strong: A Mentoring Fable
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
• Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams by Tom DeMarco
• Accelerate: Building and Scaling High-Performing Technology Organizations by Nicole Forsgren
• The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master by Andy Hunt, Dave Thomas
• Code with the Wisdom of the Crowd by
• The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups
• The Manager’s Path: A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth and Change
• The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You
• The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues
• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
• The Coaching Habit
• The Ultimate Sales Machine
• Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error
• The Hidden Power of Social Networks: Understanding How Work Really Gets Done in Organizations
• 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership

Blog Posts/Articles

• What Does a Tech Lead Do? by Jake Voytko
• Teams Are Like Bread
• A Typology of Organizational Cultures
• Cannot Measure Productivity
• Productivity for the Depressed
• How the Best Bosses Interrupt Bias on Their Teams

Twitter Threads

• Inclusivity via Stretch Opportunities @mekkaokereke

Podcasts

• Soft Skills
• Harvard Busness Review Podcasts
  • HBR IdeaCast
  • Women at Work
  • Dear HBR
• Battle Tactics For Your Sexist Workplace

Useful Tidbits:

@tsycho

1. Block off time on your calendar in advance to think about the big picture. 2. Understand what management actually wants, so that you can prioritize the parts of the work that can actually be finished. 3. Your team has adults; treat them like adults, be honest with them.

@jbrains

When I first took this role, I learned the hard way that I could no longer take responsibility for delivering specific tasks, and especially no task where the cost of delay is high. I focused on staying responsive to the group and doing little things to get them out of the way.

@StephRCampos

Meet people where they are - the type of leadership people need is different for everyone so be empathetic to this while steering the ship.✌🏼

@tw0handt0uch1

1:1’s are sacred and should never be rescheduled/cancelled.