Take a Step UpFrom coder to leader

Special Thanks

• Special thanks to Alan Stevens, developer and speaker extraordinaire. for letting me rip off much of his content from Devlink 2012.

• And of course to you for listening.

Be Current

• Being update on your technical skills is assumed.

• You MUST know what you’re doing technically.

What you need to know

• Trust• Tell a Story• Value Others

• Leadership is not a formal role assigned in a business or group.

• Leadership is the process of influence in which one person can encourage and direct others to assist in accomplishing a common task.

Leadership Myths

• Leadership is Innate• Leadership is possessing power over

others• Leaders are positively influential• Leaders entirely control group outcomes• All groups have designated leaders• Group members resist leaders

Leadership IS

• Leadership is an attitude

• Leadership requires pushing back

• Leadership means accepting reality

• Leadership requires you to abstain from hype

How to Lead

• Trust• Tell a Story• Value Others

Trust

• Trust others• Food• Humor• Create a culture of Safety

Tell A Story

• Emotions are not Facts• Use a metaphor• Invite them to join you on a journey• Share your vision

• Leadership is about a vision, not a task, project or even objective

Value Others

• Raise the value of the whole team• Encourage others to value you, by

showing that you value them• You can’t raise yourself up by keeping

others down.• A Players hire A+ players; B Players hire

C players.

Dancing Leader

What?

• It was the 1st follower that transformed the lone nut job into a leader.

• There is NO movement without the first follower.

• If everyone was the leader, that would be really ineffective.

• The BEST way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow.

First Followers

• Being the first (or even just an early) follower is an under-appreciated form of leadership.

• New followers emulate other followers, not the leader.

Change isn’t easy

• Be willing and prepared to stand out

• Be confident in your ability, but humbled by your support and followers