Quick Study: The principles of technology leadership
This is the Quick Study page for the principles of technology leadership and the leadership point of view (you can find all the Quick Study pages here). Most of the topics covered under principles are fairly general concepts that set a framework through which your contributions as a career technologist and technology leader can be viewed.
In these posts I’m talking about the basic philosophies and approaches that have helped me to become an effective technology leader. I focus first on principles that apply to you right now—at whatever stage of your education and career—and into the future regardless of the path you take. Then, because many successful leaders are also asked by their organizations to become part of the management team, I talk about how you can bring these principles specifically to the task of being responsible for more than just yourself.
Here is a big idea from the very beginning of this project: you probably will not become a leader.
That’s not because I don’t like you or your look funny in a suit. That’s because you probably are a leader. Right now you are influencing the behavior, thoughts, and actions of someone around you. Right now, somewhere, somehow, you are probably leading. Without position or title, probably without money or fame, and without anyone calling you “ma’am” or “sir,” you are leading.
The only essential trait of a leader is that a leader has followers.
The principles of technology leadership
- The big idea
- Why does it matter? Part 1 and Part 2
- Leaders at all levels
- Mentorship
- Balance
- It doesn’t have to be only about winners and losers
These are just what I think of as the high points in this topic area, and there is a lot more to learn. For a complete listing of posts relating to these topics, dig around in the archives. A good place to start is the category archive pages for leadership philosophy. Follow the threads that interest and apply to you now, leaving the things that don’t make sense for you until later, when they do.
