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Technical leadership: reviews, mentoring, incidents and influence · Expert · Lesson 90 of 98 · 28 min video, then about 5 hours of practice
Influencing without authority
After this you can move a technical decision you do not own by understanding the stakeholders, addressing their concerns, and building agreement before the meeting.
Why it matters
Most important technical changes require agreement from people who do not report to you. Influence comes from credibility (a track record of being right and of following through), from understanding what others care about, and from doing the groundwork: talking to people one at a time before a decision meeting, so objections are heard and addressed early. Glue work (unblocking others, writing the docs, coordinating across teams) is often what makes projects succeed, and it is often invisible. Learn to do it deliberately and to make it visible. Trap: winning the argument and losing the relationship.
How to use this resource
Tanya Reilly's talk on glue work and technical leadership. Essential viewing for anyone heading towards staff level.
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