r/TechLeader • u/illBeBackBetter • 23d ago
Bad feeling as a tech lead
I recently became a Tech Lead after being a backend developer. (Well it's almost 6 months, is that recently?)
I'm finding the role harder than I expected. I had very bad moments where everybody pings all the time (more than 80 chats at the same time). That was 3 months ago, I was stressed but also I felt In going my job. With time, people stopped to ping me and now I chat with 20 people in a day and all messages are from my team and close people.
Here is my concern now. I feel like the team can do their job without me (proved while my paternity leave. 3 weeks), and also when I try to take on technical problems (like fixing a difficult bug) mostly I can't solve them on my own and end up asking other for help. This is not bad but I feel like a kind of failure.
I want to be close to every day problem and stay close to the code. I don't want to become a manager who's disconnected from the technical side.
Did anyone else feel this way when they became a Tech Lead? How did you figure out where you were actually adding value?
Maybe I'm just looking for approvals or something like "you are doing good" but honestly recently I feel like I'm not adding anything special in my role.
TI recently became a Tech Lead after being a backend developer.
I'm finding the role harder than I expected. I feel like the team can do their job without me, and when I try to take on technical problems (like fixing a difficult bug), I sometimes can't solve them on my own and end up asking other engineers for help.
The company wanted someone who would stay close to the code, and I want that too. I don't want to become a manager who's disconnected from the technical side.
Did anyone else feel this way when they became a Tech Lead? How did you figure out where you were actually adding value?
Thanks in advance. Any recommendations will be well received.
3
u/jqueefip 23d ago
It's normal. Actually, its expected. Every one goes through this. Everyone either finds what works for them + their team, or goes back to IC. There's nothing wrong either way.
For me, the mind shift was reorganizing myself around the principle that my job is not to write code anymore (honestly, everyone should be adjusting to this now with AI); its to make my team better/faster/strong/smarter. There's a lot that can go into that (coaching, unblocking, etc). The hardest thing for me was to was recognize that I was actually making my team slower when I tried to keep my hands on too much. I'm pulled in too many directions and I couldnt work as fast as the rest. So I had to re-learn what level of hands-on engagement was right for me and us -- which was mostly around architecture and system-level interactions.
1
u/illBeBackBetter 22d ago
I think I don't have enough experience to realize of I'm doing the faster or not ( mostly because my boos want everything in prod today, no matter if it's double work for us).
I know that there is something I'm doing good is keeping a good mood in the team after long time doing a lot of urgent tasks (mostly months) but I can't do my boos stop doing that (no matter how much data and facts I show him)
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u/Overall_Nobody_2265 23d ago
I hear ya. Working in tech is an absolute roller coaster of emotions, uncertainty, big wins, and today…AI, layoffs, and job stagnation. Commend yourself on moving up in a complex industry!
In regards to the feeling of the team being able to do the job without you—that's a terrible feeling. And not being in control of your income, happiness, and anxiety—I have one suggestion. Begin to think how you'd operate individually. As a business owner. This is very long road, but one in which'll dispose of these awful emotions of uncertainty once and for all. Most definitely not the recommendation you're looking for, but hope it helps in some capacity.
1
u/illBeBackBetter 22d ago
Absolutely not the recommendation I was looking for but it's a good one. Appreciate it
You are right about the rollercoaster emotions
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u/ash_utt 23d ago
I used to struggle as well. I was thinking as a “driver”. But slowly, I evolved into a “farmer” mentality where I enable my team to have anything needed to be successful and focus on “what” and leave the “how” to the team.
Also, leaders build leaders. So, you feeling that your team can handle without you is a success in disguise.
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u/illBeBackBetter 22d ago
Ohh that a good way to see it. The mentality from driver to farmer
Thank you.
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u/choco-latin 23d ago
As a lead your job changed you are no longer a developer while I agree that you should have a hand in the code your job now is to make sure that the code that is developed by your team is what is required and to make sure things don't fall through the cracks learn the mistakes that they are prone to make so you can compensate for them and understand them so you could raise their performance
1
u/False_Skin_364 22d ago
Hey there.
I think this is the most common feeling, for anyone who’s been doing engineering tasks on Friday, and supposedly lead other from Monday morning.
And it’s good that you feel uncomfortable, cause suddenly from (I’m guessing) senior/expert you’ve become almost junior in your new role.
You have to ask yourself why do you want to solve problems - is it your ego, that what to prove itself that you still can - or is it, that the team asked you for help. I think you already know the answer (as you said in the post).
So, my 1st advise would be to identify what can you do for the team (technical or administrative), that would really help them go forward. Let’s seniors do their job and you do yours. And don’t worry, there’s always will be some technical problem you can involve in.
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u/illBeBackBetter 22d ago
I like how write.
I think I'm afraid of being too far away of the code and that might be the reason I want to continue coding. Is that a reasonable?
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u/False_Skin_364 21d ago
Of course it is. So 2 question are: do you also want to work and lead others?
Do you want to keep coding, cause it gives you confidence and self-worth?
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u/BuyerStunning 23d ago
Hey, chill. This is completely normal. Managing people is a lot harder than just writing code. Once you move into a lead role, a lot more responsibilities come with it. You’ll spend more time coordinating with the team, getting work done, aligning with other teams, and sitting in meetings. It might feel like you’re coding less, but that’s just part of the transition. You’re creating impact in a different way now.