Technical Leadership Skills

Architectural Decision Records (ADR)

Write down every significant architecture decision: Context, Decision, Consequences, Alternatives. This creates institutional memory and reduces "why did we do this?" conversations 2 years later.

Setting Technical Standards

• Don't mandate from on high - build consensus by writing a proposal and soliciting feedback.
• Use RFCs (Request for Comments) for major decisions. Give teams 1 week to review.
• Linters + Automation: Enforce standards in CI, not in code review. Automate formatting, imports, security checks.

Mentoring Approaches

• Situational Leadership: Direct early, coach as they grow, delegate when ready.
• Socratic Method: Ask questions instead of giving answers. "What happens if this service goes down?"
• Stretch Assignments: Give juniors a small design doc to own. Review closely, let them drive.