4 Essential Learnings to be Successful as a Tech Lead (and in Life)
Current or aspiring Tech Lead? These 4 key insights will set you up for success and make you the top candidate when opportunities arise.
For one and a half years I have lived in the same community in Shanghai. During this time I had plenty of opportunity to observe the garbage man and his wife.
They reminded me of what really counts when you want to be successful in life and as a Tech Lead. I was able to draw conclusions from what I observed and want to share those learnings with you.
A Simple Life
The garbage man and his wife are responsible to collect and transport the trash that people generate in our community. In our community that means trash from around 15 buildings with 8 to 20 floors.
Next to the trash bin room they have a small common room with a couch and table. They sleep and take breaks here. Sometimes they stay overnight. They get up at 5:30am, when the sun rises in summer, and go to bed at 10:00pm. Opposite of the common room is a bigger, high room that accommodates the waste press.
They do not wear fancy clothes. Often they wear a simple black shirt and trousers.
They do not use fancy machines to move and sort the trash. They ride an old cargo bike they cannot even sit on to move the trash to the collection place. They sort trash by hand.
They are always helpful. When you carry something heavy to the bins, they meet you half way. When they meet you riding their cargo bike with trash in your hands, they stop and let you put the trash on the bike.
Turning Trash into Treasure
Shanghai has waste bins for dry and wet trash. Usually, the trash is sorted in a bigger waste collection centers by hand and with machines.
The garbage man and his wife could just rely on this system and transport the trash to one of those centers. However, over the years, they got creative. They sort the trash by type (like metal, paper, fabric, etc.) and resell it for recycling. They built up a network of people who they sell the sorted trash to.
Doing that, they were able to buy an apartment in Shanghai. A city that currently has an average price per square meter of ~ RMB 40.000 (~ USD 5500).
Conclusion
The humble garbage collectors of Shanghai, through their daily work, exemplified qualities that are surprisingly relevant to tech leadership.
From my observation, I gleaned several valuable lessons for a successful life and work as a technical lead. Four important points stood out:
Persistence is key
Transitioning into a Tech Lead role requires time to adjust and acquire a new skill set. This journey is a marathon, not a sprint. While some may find quick success, most Tech Leads develop their abilities through consistent effort and learning over time.
Be nice to people independent of their role
The Tech Lead role relies on building up connections. More than ever, you'll need to collaborate with people outside your immediate team. Your success will largely depend on the quality of the network and relationships you build. Remember, today's junior developer might be tomorrow's key stakeholder or industry expert.
Find ways to be creative in your work
As a Tech Lead, you'll often have the final say in decisions. However, the best decisions come from evaluating multiple perspectives. Stay open to diverse opinions and options. There are always ways to innovate, improve processes, and create value - just like our resourceful garbage collectors turning trash into opportunity.
Identify and seize opportunities
Even if you're not yet in a Tech Lead position but aspire to be, stay proactive. Create options for yourself by building a network of people who know and trust you. Deliver excellent results, support your manager, and make yourself the go-to person for challenging tasks. When a Tech Lead position opens up, you want to be the first person that comes to mind.
In essence, the path to becoming a successful Tech Lead mirrors the admirable qualities we observed in the garbage collectors: persistence, kindness, creativity, and opportunistic thinking. By embodying these traits, you'll be well-equipped to lead your team to success, turning everyday challenges into valuable opportunities.
What are astonishing success stories that you stumbled upon in your life? What learnings could you take from them? Could you apply any of those in your life?
