Technical Leaders for Humanity – the helpful card game

[These are the slides used for this workshop at Agile on the Beach on July 4th 2025.]

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”.

This workshop uses a game format based on the game Cards Against Humanity* to help participants to explore their fears around technical leadership, as well as introduce several useful pieces of advice. Participants will make snap decisions that will earn them points as well as laughs, but will then have an opportunity to explore those decisions in more detail.

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

* Cards Against Humanity contains a lot of content which may cause offence. Don’t worry, this game does not contain that type of content! But the humorous spirit of the original has been retained.

Takeaways:
• 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

Transcript

1. Technical Leaders for Humanity – the helpful card game @ClareSudbery
2. Please leave feedback @ClareSudbery
3. Sudbery Software Engineering Ltd Does your team want help to improve their software delivery? Coaching, keynotes & workshops Events and info: bit.ly/claresudbery Mastodon: mastodon.social/@ClareSudbery LinkedIn: bit.ly/lin-csudbery Podcast: bit.ly/3XvyNbU
4. @ClareSudbery RAISED HANDS MEANS QUIET PLEASE, ATTENTION NEEDED! 00:00 – 05:00 MANY
5. @ClareSudbery Workshop lasts 1 hr 40 mins We’ll have a 10-min break after approx 45 mins We finish 12:40 00:00 – 05:00 MANY
6. @ClareSudbery You won’t leave this workshop magically more technical! 00:00 – 05:00 MANY
7. @ClareSudbery Use post-its for notes and questions Top post-it tips! 00:00 – 05:00 MANY
8. @ClareSudbery 2 minutes Write your biggest worry on a sticky note Be specific (not just "I worry I'm not technical enough") Write clearly – people need to read it Add your name and remember what you wrote! 05:00 – 10:00
9. @ClareSudbery This half of the room, put your sticky notes up Spread them out along the wall 05:00 – 10:00 MANY
10. @ClareSudbery Other half of the room, take one sticky note each One that’s close to your worry …or is a worry that you share 05:00 – 10:00 MANY
11. @ClareSudbery Walk around, waving your sticky note Find the person who wrote it Form a pair / three with them Introduce yourselves! Name + role 10:00 – 15:00 MANY
12. @ClareSudbery Which category are you? • Leadership after being hands-on technical • Leadership after NOT being in a technical role • Senior developer aspiring to leadership • [new categories] 15:00 – 20:00
13. @ClareSudbery 2 minutes Write down ONE piece of advice to address your worry On a sticky note Individually (not in pairs) 15:00 – 20:00
14. @ClareSudbery Exercise One: 5 minutes In pairs: Use the words/phrases to fill the 7 blanks You will have one word/phrase left over THREE words/phrases are “wildcards” – from the CAH game TWO real answers have been removed It’s OK to be silly! And also serious. Try to guess which are wildcards & what’s been removed! Fill in the questionnaires for marking later 05:00 – 10:00
15. @ClareSudbery What was your funniest answer? What was your wisest? 05:00 – 10:00
16. The answers! @ClareSudbery 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
17. @ClareSudbery LEADERSHIP: More than being technical 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
18. @ClareSudbery 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
19. @ClareSudbery Embrace CHANGES in knowledge 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
20. @ClareSudbery Surround yourself with PEOPLE who know more than you 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
21. @ClareSudbery Get OTHERS to summarise for you 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
22. @ClareSudbery Use QUESTIONS to help everyone find what matters 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
23. @ClareSudbery ASK: What do I need to know? 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
24. @ClareSudbery Attitude and APTITUDE beat knowledge 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
25. Ilianna: Terraform Kirsty: Hadoop Mircea: iOS Native Esra: SonarQube Georgia: Golang Rob: AWS Scott: AiOps Andy: Encryption Anik: PySpark Jon: CentOS 7 THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
26. Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native SonarQube Golang AWS AiOps PySpark Recursion THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
27. Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native SonarQube Golang AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
28. Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native Golang AWS AiOps 398373 Encryption PySpark THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
29. Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
30. CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
31. Hadoop iOS Native AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
32. iOS Native AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform CentOS 7 THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
33. AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
34. AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
35. Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native AWS THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
36. Terraform Data analytics Hadoop iOS Native SonarQube Golang AWS AiOps Encryption PySpark THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
37. @ClareSudbery ANSWERS TO EXERCISE ONE Give yourselves one point for each correct answer
38. 10 MIN BREAK @ClareSudbery 40:00 – 50:00
39. @ClareSudbery Exercise Two: 5 minutes In pairs: Use the words/phrases to fill the 7 blanks You will have one word/phrase left over THREE words/phrases are “wildcards” – from the CAH game TWO real answers have been removed It’s OK to be silly! And also serious. Try to guess which are wildcards & what’s been removed! Fill in the questionnaires for marking later 05:00 – 10:00
40. @ClareSudbery What was your funniest answer? What was your wisest? 05:00 – 10:00
41. @ClareSudbery Work at a higher level: BIRDS’ EYE VIEW 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
42. @ClareSudbery Emphasise STRENGTHS 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
43. @ClareSudbery Value KNOWLEDGE that is abstract and transferrable 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
44. @ClareSudbery Ignorance becomes learning becomes EXCITING 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
45. The Lucky 10,000 @ClareSudbery 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
46. @ClareSudbery Don't accept JUDGMENT about what you should be able to do 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
47. @ClareSudbery The Stupidity Manifesto LET’S STOP MAKING EACH OTHER FEEL STUPID. INSTEAD, LET’S… • ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ASK QUESTIONS • Lead by example: Be honest when we’re confused • Value curiosity over knowledge • Prioritise clarity over jargon • Remember we all forget stuff • Get excited about teaching and learning • Acknowledge the broad range of knowledge in our industry, and avoid judging someone if their knowledge doesn’t match ours • LET’S STOP MAKING EACH OTHER FEEL STUPID. Sign the manifesto:
48. @ClareSudbery Question what you want and NEED 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
49. @ClareSudbery You’re not ALONE! 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
50. @ClareSudbery ANSWERS TO EXERCISE TWO Give yourselves one point for each correct answer
51. @ClareSudbery Did anyone score 20 out of 20? (Or 19, 18…) 50:00 – 55:00
52. @ClareSudbery [note for Clare: put big stickies on wall] 05:00 – 10:00
53. @ClareSudbery Take your original advice sticky Write TWO new stickies (2 mins)… One has the original advice BUT WITH ONE WORD/PHRASE REPLACED BY A BLANK The other has the missing word/phrase 50:00 – 55:00
54. @ClareSudbery FORM A QUEUE – take your new stickies with you 1. Place your single word / phrase in the first area 2. Place your sentence with a blank in the second area 3. Go back to the end of the queue 4. Second time round, take a word / phrase from the first area (not your own!)… 5. …and place it above a sticky whose blank you think it will fill. 6. Go back to the end of the queue! Read the results. 50:00 – 55:00
55. @ClareSudbery What was your funniest combination? What was your wisest? 05:00 – 10:00
56. @ClareSudbery [note for Clare: put big stickies on wall] 05:00 – 10:00
57. @ClareSudbery All these exercises were designed to get you thinking and interacting with my advice and with your advice Thinking about it in different ways (Better than me just passively presenting) 05:00 – 10:00 Interaction gets people thinking
58. @ClareSudbery 5 minutes Write new stickies for either “INSPIRED” or “STILL WORRIED” In your pairs Make sure you include the headings on the stickies! It will help me. Then stick them on the wall in the designated areas. 55:00 – 60:00 MANY
59. Landing in a neat pair-synchronized way. https://www.instagram.com/p/BsY1qBeg5Qg @ClareSudbery 70:00 – 75:00 MANY
60. @ClareSudbery [Summary slides now, then Q&A] 70:00 – 75:00 MANY
61. @ClareSudbery
62. @ClareSudbery ALL LINKS FROM TODAY (including a link to these slides)
63. Sudbery Software Engineering Ltd Does your team want help to improve their software delivery? Coaching, keynotes & workshops Events and info: bit.ly/claresudbery Mastodon: mastodon.social/@ClareSudbery LinkedIn: bit.ly/lin-csudbery Podcast: bit.ly/3XvyNbU
65. TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP RESOURCES @ClareSudbery
66. Q & A @ClareSudbery 60:00 – 70:00
67. Please leave feedback @ClareSudbery
68. THE END @ClareSudbery