Promoting developers into leadership roles is a natural progression in tech teams, but it’s rarely as simple as it seems. Leadership isn’t a role you can assign overnight—it’s a skillset that requires time and intentional development. One of the most common mistakes is assuming that the best developer will automatically make the best lead. That's rarely the case and it often creates unnecessary pressure for both the individual and the team.
Instead, here’s a step-by-step guide, drawn from my experience, to help you nurture developers into confident and capable tech leads.
The foundation of leadership: building trust
Before anyone can lead, they must earn the trust of their team. This trust operates on two levels: technical competence and interpersonal reliability.
Technical trust
A potential tech lead should already be someone the team turns to for advice or brainstorming on technical challenges. If they don’t naturally fill this role yet, help them grow into it. Start by assigning them a smaller project to lead within the team - something that allows them to demonstrate their technical expertise and problem-solving skills.
Key areas to observe during this process:
- How do they approach the project?
- Do they guide others effectively?
- Do they take ownership of the outcomes?
This hands-on experience not only builds their confidence but also positions them as a trusted technical resource within the team.
Interpersonal reliability
Leadership is more than just technical influence. A tech lead must also be seen as someone who looks out for the team members' best interests. This includes:
- Sharing credit for successes: Recognizing and celebrating the contributions of team members.
- Owning mistakes: Taking responsibility when things go wrong and using those experiences as learning opportunities, rather than shifting blame.
- Being approachable and supportive: Creating an environment where teammates feel comfortable seeking guidance or sharing challenges.
Building interpersonal reliability is often more difficult than earning technical trust, but it’s just as critical. One way to foster this is by encouraging individuals to mentor others on a smaller scale. Mentorship helps them develop the empathy and communication skills necessary to support teammates effectively. It also provides a safe space for them to practice leadership behaviors without the added pressure of managing an entire team.
Align ambitions: does this dev want to lead?
Before grooming someone for a leadership role, it’s essential to have an open and honest conversation about their career goals. Not every (great) developer wants to be a tech lead, and forcing someone into that position often results in stress and frustration for both the individual and the team.
While some developers naturally gravitate toward leadership, others may need encouragement. Look for these signs that someone might be a good fit:
- Initiative: Do they proactively solve team problems without being asked?
- Natural leadership behaviors: Are they already mentoring teammates or coordinating efforts during challenging tasks?
If they express interest in leadership, support their aspirations by providing a clear growth path and access to resources. However, if they’re hesitant or uninterested, respect their decision. Leadership isn’t the only way to advance a career. A strong developer who thrives in their current role often contributes more value than one who feels forced into a position they don’t want. Aligning opportunities with individual motivations ensures that leadership roles are filled by those who genuinely want to lead, creating a more motivated and, overall, stronger team.
Once you’ve identified developers who are interested in leadership, a mentorship experiment can validate their readiness.
Mentorship experiment: how to identify leadership potential
One experiment we’ve found valuable is asking team members to identify who they would like to be mentored by. This simple exercise can reveal a great deal about trust, influence, and interpersonal dynamics within the team. Here’s how to run the experiment:
- Ask the team for their preferences: Request that each team member list one or two people they would choose as mentors.
- Frame it carefully: Emphasize that this exercise is about personal development and is not tied to performance evaluations.
- Analyze the results: Pay attention to individuals who are frequently mentioned—this often indicates that they are already trusted, approachable, and viewed as capable leaders.
If someone is consistently mentioned, it’s a strong sign they are seen as a natural lead within the team. Use this feedback to identify and validate emerging leaders. Afterwards, have a candid conversation with the identified individuals about their interest in pursuing leadership roles.
Start small: mentorship and projects
Promoting someone directly into a tech lead role can be overwhelming, so it’s better to start small. Begin by assigning the tech-lead-to-be one or two mentees, allowing them to develop mentorship skills without the pressure of managing an entire team. Set clear goals for both the mentor and mentee:
- Mentee outcomes: what should the mentee learn or accomplish?
- Mentor responsibilities: how should the mentor support them while giving them space to grow?
Beyond mentorship, give the aspiring lead responsibility for smaller projects they can guide from start to finish. This provides an opportunity to observe how they take initiative, make decisions, and handle technical and delivery responsibilities.
Observing their performance on these smaller tasks will help you gauge their readiness for larger responsibilities and highlight areas where they may need additional support.
Iterative growth: leadership takes time
Leadership development is not a one-size-fits-all process. It requires patience, ongoing support, and iteration. Be upfront with the potential tech leads about what the journey entails:
- Leadership is a journey, not a checklist: There’s no fixed timeline or guaranteed outcome. Growth happens at different rates for everyone.
- Your role as a manager is to guide, not dictate: Focus on providing support, coaching, and giving honest feedback as they progress.
Help your potential tech leads grow by gradually expanding their responsibilities. This approach allows them to develop their skills step by step while minimizing overwhelm:
- Start with small technical projects: Assign tasks that allow them to demonstrate ownership and problem-solving.
- Add mentorship duties: Introduce one or two mentees, encouraging the aspiring leader to guide their development and provide constructive feedback.
- Gradually introduce delivery responsibilities: Assign projects where they’re responsible for ensuring on-time delivery and quality standards.
Evaluate at each step, and don’t hesitate to adjust if you see gaps. If someone is resistant to taking ownership or struggles with the additional pressure, it might not be the right time for them to lead—or they might prefer a different career path altogether.
Coach through challenges
Resist the urge to solve problems for your aspiring tech leads. Instead, use challenges as opportunities for them to grow:
- Point them in the right direction: When they face an issue, ask guiding questions to help them brainstorm solutions. Encourage them to take full ownership of the problem and its resolution.
- Debrief afterwards: Once the challenge has been addressed, discuss what worked well and what could have been handled differently. Use this reflection to foster continuous improvement and self-awareness.
This approach builds independence and decision-making skills, which are critical for leadership success.
Evaluate and expand their role
Once the potential tech lead has shown competence in smaller-scale leadership tasks, expand their responsibilities. Here’s how to approach it:
- Assign larger projects: Give them more complex projects with broader scope and more team members involved.
- Evaluate at scale: Watch how they handle technical, delivery, and interpersonal challenges in a larger setting.
- Seek team feedback: Check in with their teammates. Do they feel supported? Are they learning and growing under this person’s leadership? Teammates’ trust and morale are some of the best indicators of a leader’s effectiveness.
If their team members feel supported and are growing under their leadership, that’s a strong indicator they’re ready for more responsibility.
How not to grow tech leads
Developing tech leads is as much about avoiding pitfalls as it is about following best practices. Here are three common issues that can derail a great lead-to-be—and how to address them effectively.
Over-reliance on you
A common issue with new tech leads is that they defer too many decisions to their managers. While it’s natural for someone new to leadership to seek validation, over-reliance can slow down decision-making and undermine their growth. This dependency often occurs when managers are too quick to solve problems or override decisions. Instead:
- Encourage the lead to present their proposed solutions rather than asking for yours outright.
- Let them make decisions and learn from their outcomes, even if you think there’s a better approach. Mistakes are a valuable part of growth.
- Gradually reduce your involvement to foster their independence and confidence.
Leaders who can’t make decisions independently create bottlenecks for their teams. By addressing over-reliance early, you’ll help them develop the critical decision-making skills they need to succeed.
Blame-shifting
A leader who can’t take responsibility for mistakes isn’t a leader. Ownership is a non-negotiable skill for anyone stepping into leadership. If someone consistently blames others for failures, it’s a clear sign they’re not ready for the role.
Ego-driven behavior
A good tech lead prioritizes the team’s success over personal recognition. If someone focuses too much on showcasing their own achievements, it can erode trust within the team.
Final thoughts
Growing a tech lead is a gradual, iterative process that requires investment and patience. It’s not something you can achieve by assigning a title and walking away. Instead, focus on building trust, fostering mentorship, and providing opportunities for growth in manageable steps.
By experimenting with strategies like mentorship selection, coaching through challenges, and gradually expanding responsibilities, you can identify and nurture the leaders your team needs. Remember, leadership is a journey—not just for the aspiring tech lead but for you as their mentor and guide. If done right, you’ll create a leadership culture that strengthens your team and organization as a whole.
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