Over the last five years, I’ve worked with several companies—across B2B SaaS, FinTech, and services—helping them build and launch products. And one pattern I’ve seen repeat itself, time and again, is this:
- Projects get delayed.
- Dev teams feel disconnected.
- Founders are frustrated.
- And engineers? They feel stuck and underappreciated.
Every time I dig deeper, the root cause circles back to one thing: engineering leadership—or the lack of it.
The issue isn’t a shortage of technical brilliance. In fact, most of the engineers I’ve worked with are top-notch problem solvers. The real problem begins when an engineer is promoted into a leadership role without a transition plan—because what made them a great engineer doesn’t automatically make them a good leader.
From Code to Coordination: The Role Changes, But We Don’t Prepare for It
Here’s the reality.
When you’re a developer, your success is measured by how well you solve problems. You thrive on writing elegant solutions, breaking down complex architecture, and delivering high-quality code.
But the moment you step into an engineering leadership role, that metric flips. Your job isn’t to solve the problem anymore—it’s to get the problem solved by your team.
And that’s where most new engineering leaders struggle.
The dopamine hit from solving a complex bug is now replaced by the grind of meetings, feedback sessions, roadmap planning, and unblocking others. You’re no longer an individual contributor—you’re the multiplier. Your impact now comes from how well your team performs, not how much code you ship yourself.
This shift is massive, and unfortunately, many engineers don’t see it coming.
Why Good Engineers Often Make Bad Leaders
Let me be honest—I’ve seen brilliant engineers completely fail in leadership roles. And not because they weren’t smart or hardworking, but because they didn’t realise that the game had changed.
Here are some of the most common gaps I’ve observed:
1. Leadership Is a Team Sport, Not a Solo Mission
A good engineering leader knows how to delegate. But many engineers are wired to take ownership of everything—“It’s faster if I just do it.” That approach leads to burnout, delays, and demotivated teams.
Leadership good qualities include trust, delegation, and patience—none of which are taught in engineering school.
2. Communication Becomes Your Core Skill
This is probably the biggest missing piece. Leadership isn’t just about assigning tasks—it’s about connecting with people, understanding their motivations, resolving conflicts, and aligning everyone to a shared goal.
You need to know when to be soft and when to be firm. That balance isn’t easy, and most engineers aren’t trained in what leadership is beyond technical hierarchy.
3. Stakeholder Management Is Often Ignored
This one’s especially painful for businesses.
I’ve seen engineers build technically perfect solutions that are completely misaligned with business needs. The best technical solution isn’t always the best business solution. Engineering leaders must develop business acumen and the ability to align with product, marketing, and sales.
That means making trade-offs, communicating with non-technical stakeholders, and adapting when the market shifts.
These are core leadership skills—and without them, even the best teams can derail.
The Real Cost of Poor Engineering Leadership
Bad leadership shows up silently at first. Delays get rationalised. Morale dips, but people don’t complain. And founders keep assuming the team needs more time.
But over time, bad leadership becomes expensive:
- Missed timelines due to micromanagement or poor delegation
- High attrition because engineers don’t feel supported or challenged
- Frustrated cross-functional teams due to lack of alignment
- Stunted product innovation because the leader is too focused on code and not on outcomes
If you’ve experienced these symptoms in your company, chances are the issue isn’t your team—it’s how it’s being led.
Engineering Leadership Is a Learnable Skill—If You’re Willing
Here’s the good news: engineers can become amazing leaders. But only if they’re ready to embrace the transition.
The first step is mindset—understanding that your role is no longer about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about building a team that thrives without you solving everything.
The second step is upskilling. You’ll need to get comfortable with:
- Managing people, not just projects
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Learning how to delegate based on individual strengths
- Aligning team goals with business objectives
- Navigating conflict and building trust
These are the new good leadership qualities you’ll need. And yes, your previous skills—algorithms, systems design, DevOps—are still valuable. But they now take a back seat. Your value comes from how well your team performs, not how deep your tech knowledge goes.
A Note to Founders and Hiring Managers
If you’re a startup or company that’s struggling with engineering leadership, here’s my advice:
- Don’t promote engineers into leadership roles by default. Assess whether they’re ready—not just technically, but emotionally and interpersonally.
- Invest in leadership coaching for your tech leads. The ROI is higher than hiring another developer.
- Define the leadership path clearly. Not everyone has to become a manager. Create dual career tracks—technical and managerial—so people can grow in the direction they’re suited for.
- Remember: good leadership is scalable. A good leader enables three more engineers to be effective. That’s a 3x ROI on one well-supported role.
Final Thoughts
I’ve worked with teams where good engineers failed as leaders and it slowed everything down—velocity, morale, and trust. But I’ve also worked with engineering leaders who understood the transition, embraced the learning curve, and built teams that moved fast, stayed aligned, and delivered results.
Engineering leadership isn’t about writing more code—it’s about writing better stories with your team.
If you’re an engineer stepping into leadership, know that it’s not a promotion—it’s a transformation. And if you’re a founder building a team, make space for that transformation to happen.
Because at the end of the day, leadership isn’t about being in charge—it’s about taking care of those in your charge.