You'll fail as a lead developer, here's why ...
Senior developers are champions. They was master of the craft, go-to problem solvers and have great expertise in their domain.
But here's the secret: being a senior developer doesn't automatically make you a great lead developer.
As junior and senior developers follow the process of learning on the go, this does not necessarily work for a lead developer. Thrown into a lead role without much preparation could lead to uncontrollable situations and you could find yourself struggeling between project estimates, client meetings and team management.
The technical skills that got you in the lead position are not enough.
Think of it like this:
Senior Dev: Your world revolves around code. You mentor juniors, tackle complex problems, and constantly improve your technical skills. It's all about individual brilliance.
Lead Dev: You're the team captain. You bridge the gap between developers, stakeholders, and the project itself. Communication, leadership, and collective success become your new battlegrounds.
It's a shift in focus, and without proper support, it can feel like you're got into a whole new game with different rules.
How You Can Avoid The Mistakes?
Not asking for help, followed by a thought process of 'will figure it out'. Ask for help, training resouces, guidance whenever required.
Oversharing/Overfriendly: Be mindful of what you share, manage expectations, and communicate changes clearly.
Over focusing on technology: forgetting that the client just wants a working app on time, not a masterpiece of algorithms. Prioritize client needs and budget.
But What are the KPIs to measure lead developers?
Team Performance: Happy developers, happy project, happy client
Task Completion: Did you achieve what you set out to do?
Ticket Trunaround Time: Are bugs and issues getting resolved quickly, efficiently and on time?
Deployment Automation: Is your code clean and production-ready and auto deployed?
Leading a team is an ongoing learning experience. Be prepared to make mistakes, adapt, and seek help. Remember, your success is measured by the success of your team.
Written by - Dishant Sethi
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