WORKSHOP: How to handle the "technical" in technical leadership

Note: These are the slides I used while running this workshop at LDX3 in London, June 2025. They're not designed to work as a standalone resource, but I'm sharing them here for reference for those who attended these workshops.

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

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. How to deal with the “technical” in “technical leadership" @ClareSudbery
2. 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
3. @ClareSudbery RAISED HANDS MEANS QUIET PLEASE, ATTENTION NEEDED! 00:00 – 05:00 MANY
4. @ClareSudbery Workshop lasts 80 mins We’ll have a 10-min break after approx 35 mins We finish Mon 13:20, and Tue 12:50 00:00 – 05:00 MANY
5. @ClareSudbery You won’t leave this workshop magically more technical! 00:00 – 05:00 MANY
6. @ClareSudbery Use post-its for notes and questions Top post-it tips! 00:00 – 05:00 MANY
7. @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
8. @ClareSudbery This half of the room, put your sticky notes up Spread them out along the wall 05:00 – 10:00 MANY
9. @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
10. @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
11. @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
12. @ClareSudbery 3 minutes Write down ONE piece of advice to address your worry On a sticky note Individually (not in pairs) [Note for Clare: Put big stickies up] 15:00 – 20:00
13. The big sticky notes @ClareSudbery 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
14. @ClareSudbery Leadership is more than being technical 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
15. @ClareSudbery 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
16. @ClareSudbery Surround yourself with people who know more than you 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
17. @ClareSudbery Use questions to help everyone discover what matters 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
18. @ClareSudbery Work on a "need to know" basis 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
19. 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
20. Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native SonarQube Golang AWS AiOps PySpark Recursion THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
21. Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native SonarQube Golang AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
22. Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native Golang AWS AiOps 398373 Encryption PySpark THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
23. Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
24. CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
25. Hadoop iOS Native AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
26. iOS Native AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform CentOS 7 THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
27. AWS AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
28. AiOps Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
29. Recursion Encryption PySpark SonarQube Golang Terraform CentOS 7 Hadoop iOS Native AWS THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
30. Terraform Data analytics Hadoop iOS Native SonarQube Golang AWS AiOps Encryption PySpark THE WHEEL OF CONFUSION
31. 10 MIN BREAK @ClareSudbery 40:00 – 50:00
32. @ClareSudbery Emphasise your strengths 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
33. @ClareSudbery Ignorance becomes learning becomes exciting 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
34. The Lucky 10,000 @ClareSudbery 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
35. @ClareSudbery Don't accept prejudiced judgments about what you should be able to do 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
36. @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:
37. @ClareSudbery Question what you want and need 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
38. @ClareSudbery You’re not alone! 20:00 – 40:00 MANY
39. @ClareSudbery FORM TWO QUEUES, HALF THE ROOM EACH EACH QUEUE LEADING TO ONE END OF THE ROW OF BIG STICKIES TAKE WITH YOU: • A PEN • YOUR ADVICE STICKY • A BLANK STICKY 50:00 – 55:00
40. Read all the big sticky notes You should have: A pen, your advice sticky, a blank sticky - Take your advice and add it to any similar big sticky - If nothing similar, put in separate area ~~~~~~~~~ - Circle back to the end of the queue - Find a sticky DIFFERENT to yours - Copy it down onto a blank sticky - Take it back to your pair 50:00 – 55:00 @ClareSudbery
41. @ClareSudbery 2 minutes Discuss the sticky notes you have In your pairs Are they useful? Why? Why not? 55:00 – 60:00 MANY
42. @ClareSudbery 3 minutes Write new stickies headed either “INSPIRED” or “STILL WORRIED” In your pairs Make sure you include the headings on the stickies! It will help me. 55:00 – 60:00 MANY
43. Landing in a neat pair-synchronized way. https://www.instagram.com/p/BsY1qBeg5Qg @ClareSudbery 70:00 – 75:00 MANY
44. @ClareSudbery [Summary slides now, then Q&A] 70:00 – 75:00 MANY
45. @ClareSudbery
46. @ClareSudbery ALL LINKS FROM TODAY
47. 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
48. TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP RESOURCES @ClareSudbery
49. Q & A @ClareSudbery 60:00 – 70:00
50. THE END @ClareSudbery