6 Tips for Leading Software Development Teams
Right now the software world is booming, and with it, new organizations and ideas are pushing the limits of the market and creating new tech solutions at a mind-blowing rate. These solutions depend on the teams of talent developers, designers, DevOps and QAs that make it possible to have a product. The quality and velocity of the product, therefore, depends on team interaction and leadership in the organization.
Understanding how to lead and unite a talented software development team is not quite as easy as you might think. From the greenest guy on the team to your most experienced developer, you need to refine your strategy to make the energy flow. It is important to understand your role as a leader within a group. That doesn’t mean you are the “boss,” but rather that you guide and help your team, not just tell them what to do. In the end, it’s like Steve Jobs said: “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do.” With this in mind, here are 6 tips for leading software development teams.
You are Not the Holy Grail
As a team leader, your credibility is essential. But it is not earned by imposing your position or your criteria on the rest of the team. You are probably the leader based on your experience and ability, but that does not mean that only you have the right solution to every problem. One of the most common errors that I see among those leading software development teams is that they put their ego before the team and only allow for things to proceed as they imagine them in their mind. Being a developer is a complicated profession; you probably work with a talented group of smart people with a great attitude who are eager to contribute. So guide them; don’t try to impose your ideas on them. Win over their trust with a more collaborative dynamic. As a leader, part of your job is making sure the rest of the team feels part of the project, not like monkeys obeying the boss.
Understand Your Team
All of us have different skills. As a leader, one of your tasks is understanding the dynamics of your team and using that knowledge when setting goals. A lot of the science behind having great group collaborators is creating a professional environment and great synergy between them. Assign tasks based on the skills of each one in order to lead the team successfully through a project. Identifying the right people for the job is key to navigating through a challenge as a team.
Let Them Be
When I have led software development teams, I have always found great people willing to collaborate and get their hands dirty. Many leaders have a bad habit of squashing this impulse. As a leader, you need to understand that everyone has a different personality and that all of us show and express our ideas in a variety of ways. Invest time in mentoring, not simply saying “no” to everything just because it is different from your vision. Accept ideas from others and learn to listen to perspectives from other sources, even when those sources have less experience.
Lead By Example
As a leader, one of the key points to success is your team believing in you. Develop your credibility as a person who solves problems, delivers solutions and supports the group. Always strive to increase your credibility inside the group by sharing your knowledge with them, sharing links you find interesting, leading software development workshops, telling them about good practices, etc. Let them know that they can always come to you if they need help.
Delegate Responsibilities
One of the most effective ways to make the team feel more involved in the project that they’re working on is to foment a sense of belonging among them. The best developers enjoy feeling that they are able to make decisions regarding the product and collaborate. More than just pushing code, they want to feel like they played an important role in the product’s development. Gaining your team’s trust, delegating decisions and understanding that your solutions will not always be the best ones — these are the moments when your role as a mentor needs to shine. It’s part of the synergy of being a good leader; the team accepts your guidance because they trust that you’re helping the group grow as professionals.
Create Other Leaders
Last but not least, the best leaders don’t hog the spotlight. They understand that the responsibility of a leader is not to shine brighter than the team, but to let the team shine of its own accord. Letting others take responsibility and stepping aside is part of what a good leader does, in addition to identifying those who are up to the challenge and those who need more time to reach that goal. Determine who the next great leader on your team is, mentor and work with them, gain their trust and guide them. Helping others to be leaders is one of the most important things that a leader does. Put a big part of your effort into future leaders.
Conclusion
The role of a leader is not to impose his or her criteria on everyone around them, but rather to benefit the team through guidance and mentoring. Set aside the “holier than thou” attitude and focus on the team, always taking into account that almost everyone wants to help, collaborate and grow as a person. Don’t forget that you’re working with people who have feelings and may not share your vision on a lot of things — and that’s a good thing. Two minds are better than one!
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