Become a Tech Lead—Without Working Longer Hours

Many engineers focus on delivering what’s assigned to them. Leaders, on the other hand, think about why they’re doing something and how it impacts the bigger picture.

• Instead of just implementing a feature, consider how it contributes to business goals. Ask questions like:
  “How does this improve the user experience?” or “How will this impact system performance long-term?”
• If a task seems unnecessary, raise the concern rather than blindly executing. Leaders challenge inefficiencies.
• Offer alternatives: If a proposed solution is suboptimal, suggest a better one with clear reasoning.

Why this matters: Management notices people who think beyond their assigned tasks. It signals ownership and foresight—both critical for leadership.

Plenty of engineers assume that just doing great work is enough to get noticed. But managers are busy—they won’t always see your contributions unless you communicate them effectively.

• Provide clear, concise updates to your manager. Instead of saying, “I finished the API work” say:“The API is live, and response times have improved by 30%. This should reduce support tickets.”
• When you identify a problem, don’t just present it—bring a proposed solution. Instead of, “We’re blocked on X” say:“We’re blocked on X, but we can move forward if we adjust Y. What do you think?”
• Anticipate what your manager needs before they ask. If they frequently ask for progress reports, proactively share a summary every Friday.

Why this matters: Managers want people who make their jobs easier. If you can communicate well and solve problems proactively, they’ll see you as a future leader.

Strong leaders don’t just focus on their own work—they help the entire team succeed.

• If a teammate is struggling, offer help instead of waiting for them to ask. A simple “Need a second set of eyes?” can go a long way.
• Share knowledge. If you’ve solved a tricky bug, document it, so others can avoid the same problem.
• Step up when there’s a gap. If nobody is driving an important initiative, volunteer to take ownership.

Why this matters: Management wants leaders who elevate others, not just themselves. If you make the team stronger, you become indispensable.

Everyone can do good work when things are going smoothly. Leaders stand out in high-stress situations.

• When things go wrong, don’t panic—focus on solutions. Instead of saying, “The release is failing!” say:
  “The release is failing because of a database migration issue. Rolling back now—should be fixed in 10 minutes.”
• Take responsibility when mistakes happen. Saying, “That was my oversight. Here’s how I’ll prevent it next time,” earns far more respect than making excuses.
• Stay calm when others are frustrated. If a teammate is venting, acknowledge their frustration but steer the conversation toward resolving the issue.

Why this matters: Managers trust people who remain composed under pressure. If you’re the person who keeps a clear head, they’ll see the leader in you.

Countless developers avoid uncomfortable conversations. Leaders don’t. They address issues immediately, constructively and directly.

• If a process is slowing the team down, don’t just complain—propose a better way.
• If a teammate is making repeated mistakes, have a private chat instead of letting frustration build. For example:
  “Hey, I noticed some inconsistencies in the API responses. Want to pair on this to align our approach?”
• If you disagree with a decision, voice your concern respectfully. Instead of saying, “This won’t work,” try:
  “I see a risk here—how can we mitigate it?”

Why this matters: Leaders address problems head-on. If management sees that you handle tough conversations well, they’ll trust you with more responsibility.

Technical details are important, but management cares most about outcomes.

• Instead of saying, “I optimized the query,” say:
  “Query performance improved by 40%, reducing load times and improving user retention.”
• Instead of, “I fixed a bug in the payment flow,” say:
  “Users were experiencing failed transactions—this fix ensures seamless checkouts and prevents revenue loss.”
• Instead of, “I refactored the codebase,” say:
  “The code is now modular, making it easier to onboard new engineers and ship features faster.”

Why this matters: Leaders connect technical work to business value. This is what senior stakeholders and management pay attention to.

AI is already changing how tech leads work every day. To stay effective:

When you consistently show these behaviours, management will take notice. And when a leadership opportunity arises, you’ll already be the obvious choice.

Cheers,
Gábor