Month: November 2024

Group Coaching for Technical Leadership

Help and support for technical leaders worried they are not “technical” enough

Luce Carter, Sal Freudenberg, Cynthia Lee and me in our winning team at Hack Manchester

Are you a tech leader, worried about the line between technical and non-technical, and keeping your technical knowledge and skills up to date?

I often meet technical leaders who worry they are “not technical enough”. This coaching is for those people!

How do you sign up?

Fill in my contact form and let me know you’re interested in the Group Coaching for Technical Leadership. We’ll take it from there.

More info

How technical do technical leaders have to be? Are you worried that you’re too hands-on, or not hands-on enough? Are you exhausting yourself trying to keep up with every technical detail in your domain?

Sometimes individual contributors are promoted to leadership positions and worry that they won’t be as hands-on as they used to be. Sometimes they worry that they no longer have time to stay up to date with modern technology and / or the state of their team’s code base(s). Sometimes it’s the other way around: Somebody who has never been hands-on in the technical realm is given a leadership position, and worries they’re “not technical enough”.

Whatever your position, this group coaching will help you to overcome your worries and figure out the best attitude and approach for you and your circumstances.

How will it work?

  • This coaching is available in two forms:
    • Online, for individuals to join a group of similar people
    • Online or in person, for companies to run as an in-house programme for their technical leadership
  • We will meet weekly for five* weeks
    • Dates will depend on availability of participants – express an interest and I’ll keep you updated
    • Times will be adjusted to best suit the time zones and preferences of participants
    • *The exact number of sessions is customisable for in-house company coaching
  • There will be no more than ten people in each group
  • The total cost will be £150 per person (working out at £30 per person per session), payable in advance
  • Each session will last for one hour and will consist of a combination of
    • Brief inspirational presentation
    • Group discussion
    • Q&A
    • Conclusions and actions
  • Connections formed will be long-lasting, and I will facilitate the possibility for group members to continue supporting each other for no extra cost
  • For those that wish, they can sign up for another five weeks (group members will probably change in each run)
  • Details will vary according to the needs and desires of each cohort, but I expect the following takeaways as a minimum:
    • How to embrace the difference between individual contributor and technical leader
    • How to take a step back from “knowing all the things”
    • How to make the most of the knowledge and experience of your team
    • How to identify when technical knowledge matters, and when it doesn’t
    • How to identify the things you need to know

Who is the coach?

I am a woman with over 25 years of software engineering and technical leadership experience. Halfway through my career I left the industry altogether, but returned four years later with a renewed determination to catch up. Since then I’ve achieved more than I ever believed I would. I was quickly promoted back up to leadership positions, and along the way met people over and over again who were worried about their level of technical expertise. Including myself! I now travel all over the world working closely with leaders in multiple domains, helping them to improve their technical leadership.

I am a member of the Samman Technical Coaching Society and I used to lead the Made Tech academy. I’ve always been passionate about increasing opportunities for under-represented groups in tech.

How do you sign up?

Fill in my contact form and let me know you’re interested in the Group Coaching for Technical Leadership. We’ll take it from there.