Everyone can aim to become a technology leader, but not everyone manages to be truly effective.
What is the box of leadership skills that will help you deliver real value in the senior role you’ve worked so hard to achieve?
Moreover, if we’re talking leadership skills then they have to be developed and built over time but we point out here some of the key attributes that make great tech leaders;
1. Vision
Crucial for you to be able to take initiative and lead the plan, with a vision in mind. You need to see into the future and what changes are likely to take place that will impact your business and your team.
You need to be decisive and create a vision that others can share and engage with. There is no point having an amazing vision for the future but being unable to bring others along with you.
Good leaders have to be innovative and creative, but without excessive risk taking.
2. Empathy
We have talked with hundreds of tech leaders and all highlight that authenticity, transparency and empathy are significant factors behind success as a leader.
You need to understand people, adapt to their differences, find out what motivates them and make sure the messages you are giving are transparent and consistent.
Be recognised for these qualities and people will run through walls for you when you need them too.
3. Communication
Leaders exist because of the team that stands with them. The team that supports and understands the rules, the plan, and works to reach the final goal, with the leader.
However, this is only possible if the leader can effectively communicate ideas, concepts and responses to the team, while also actively listening to their opinions.
Body language, eye contact, personal meetings, and a comfortable professional bond, are all absolutely necessary for the team to be able to effectively communicate with their Leader while also allowing him/her to know their talents and concerns.
You also need to learn to communicate with non-technologists. It’s crucial in the modern company that you can articulate complex ideas into concise language. If you lose them in jargon, it’s tough to get them back.
4. Teams
When you reach a senior leadership role, you need to master the art of building teams and the wider ecosystem.
You need to execute effective hiring strategies, know how to interview, weed out the over confident and discover the truly competent, understand team dynamics and how to manage conflict.
Nothing to it.
Well not quite.
Conflict management itself is an art, especially when you are expected to keep a group of people together as a leader. A leader has to be aware of how one’s team members are, notice errors, and always step-up when the group environment isn’t working well. Make sure to appreciate them even on the little victories to help boost their morale. Stats suggest that about 79% of employees quit their jobs due to little or no appreciation from the leaders.
They have to be able to convince team members, talk to them honestly, and also have a straightforward approach. With a slight pinch of diplomacy and some good listening skills, a leader can gently guide its team members towards working as a single unit.
Every person is different and so opinions will always vary, but what matters is that there has to be a final mutual consent, only possible with a leader on duty.
5. Delegation
Leaders need to understand and be smart enough to realize that micromanagement is the worst trait of a leader.
Tasks must be delegated so that the leader can allocate their own time on priority tasks, along with reviewing the team’s work.
A project will only reach its goal, without any glitches, when a leader can establish roles and responsibilities, along with control measures, like deadlines and quality checks. Know where you are needed and where you can trust your team on your way to the ultimate goal.
You can also seek CTO coaching to help gain an edge over the other leaders and be the person people can look up to. Aspire to be the creator of more leaders and you’ll not just find success in your personal growth but also in the growth of others!