How to Prepare for Leadership Roles in Software Engineering

Struggling between the comfort of an individual contributor (IC) role and the desire to move into software engineering leadership? It's a tough fork in the road that many engineers face. The idea of stepping away from hands-on technical work to move into leadership requires mastering new skills, stepping into the spotlight, and strategic thinking. It feels like a major departure from their comfort zone of code development, testing, and debugging. But the truth is, growth happens outside the comfort zone.

Any software engineer can successfully move into leadership with the right preparation, transition, resources, and skills development.

Assess Leadership Readiness

It’s one of the toughest career jumps to make—moving from individual contributor roles to director or managerial leadership. It’s completely common for the “Am I ready to lead?” thought to come with anxiety and doubt. Sometimes, people are comfortable with their current job responsibilities. Maybe a manager often presents to executive leadership, and an individual contributor is used to sitting on the sidelines.

Remember that leadership isn’t about being perfect or having all the answers; it’s about driving change, influencing others, navigating ambiguity confidently, and making a bigger impact. Even if someone doesn't feel extremely ready, it may be the time. It could also be a less dramatic change than expected. For example, a senior software engineer could make the transition to engineering manager, or a quality assurance manager could move into a team lead role.

Here are some practical examples of IC experience that correlate nicely with leadership:

• Lead cross-functional teams.
• Complete complex projects with little oversight.
• Mentor a junior engineer.
• Feel energized by the thought of presenting, speaking in front of people, and working with executives.

Overcoming Obstacles in the Path to Software Engineering Leadership

Perhaps it’s self-doubt or navigating new engineering leadership. Maybe it's anxiety about a new role, or a promotion wasn't received in the past. Whatever the situation, thousands of other software engineers were in your shoes at one point. It’s completely normal to feel nervous about stepping away from what's familiar and embarking on a new, exciting career path. There are so many strategies and programs aligning mid-career engineers with evolving technologies and industry trends because this is such a popular transition to leadership.

How to Build Must-Have Leadership Skills for Software Engineers

For someone considering a transition, take this time to work on both soft skills and technical knowledge. Volunteer to lead a small project like a new software implementation, or offer to present the retrospective look back at the next sprint. Explore existing opportunities with a current employer for education reimbursements or ask if they’ll pay for any continuous learning and professional development. For employees looking to make a lateral move, explore training programs that encourage knowledge transfer.

Pay close attention to certifications that increase promotion potential and professional recognition. Here are things an individual can do:

• Consider the next-level certification within a preferred technology stack
• Upskill within AI, and even consider a mini-MBA from an esteemed organization
• Explore programs that empower engineers to move into leadership and management roles
• Talk with mentors who have navigated the same transition
• Perform a self-directed career assessment to self-reflect on growth and development
• Explore frameworks like the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) as an industry benchmark for software engineering excellence

Here are a few ideas for leveraging an employer and an existing organization:

• Practice working cross-functionally by proactively reaching out to other departments to forge relationships
• Seek out specific training programs to improve cross-functional collaboration
• Ask a manager for specific feedback on moving into leadership, and identify areas of opportunity

While technical skills are simpler to enhance, soft skills are sometimes more challenging. Here is a snapshot of the must-have leadership skills for software engineers:

• Strong communication skills
• Empathy and emotional intelligence
• Problem-solving and ambiguous decision-making strengthen
• Ability to remain calm and collected in high-stakes situations

Begin a Transition to Software Leader

Anyone can move into engineering leadership with preparation, conscious practice, and the right resources. Perform a thorough self-reflection to assess current strengths and weaknesses, and create a detailed plan to uplevel any areas. Reach out for help, and share goals with your manager or leadership.

Explore credible, industry-backed frameworks like SWEBOK that can accelerate career growth for experienced software engineers, as one of many programs aligning mid-career engineers with evolving technologies and industry trends. Feel confident about foundational knowledge and know exactly where to enhance skills with evolving technologies, emerging trends, and new frameworks.

Click here to download the free SWEBOK Guide.