How to transition from Good to Great for a tech lead?

Trasnitioning from Good to Great TL at Meta, requires a multifaceted approach that balances deep technical skills with leadership capabilities. Here are several strategies to consider:

1. Strategic Vision and Planning

• Broaden Your Technical Vision: Great tech leads have a strong understanding of how their work fits into the bigger picture. Start by expanding your knowledge of industry trends, emerging technologies, and how they can be applied to solve larger business problems.
• Strategic Alignment: Ensure that your technical decisions and project directions are aligned with the company’s strategic goals. This means understanding the company's vision deeply and how your team's work contributes to that.

2. Leadership and Influence

• Mentorship and Coaching: Great tech leads don't just manage; they mentor. Invest time in coaching your teammates, helping them grow their skills and careers. This could be through formal mentorship or informal coaching sessions.
• Stakeholder Management: Enhance your ability to manage expectations and communicate effectively with stakeholders, including non-technical ones. This involves improving your negotiation, persuasion, and conflict resolution skills.

3. Technical Excellence and Innovation

• Continuous Learning: Stay abreast of new technologies and methodologies. This doesn’t mean jumping on every new tech but having a well-reasoned perspective on what is worth adopting.
• Foster Innovation: Encourage a culture of experimentation and learning within your team. This can involve organizing hackathons, dedicating time for exploring new technologies, or encouraging participation in tech conferences.

4. Execution and Delivery

• Process Improvement: Continuously seek ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of engineering processes. This could involve adopting new tools, refining existing workflows, or implementing best practices in software development.
• Quality Focus: Ensure your team delivers high-quality code. Establish and enforce coding standards, conduct thorough code reviews, and maintain a high bar for testing and debugging.

5. Communication and Collaboration

• Enhance Your Communication Skills: As you move up, your ability to communicate clearly and persuasively becomes even more critical. Work on tailoring your message for your audience, whether it's writing technical specs, presenting to senior leadership, or providing updates to your team.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Great tech leads work effectively across teams and departments. Look for opportunities to collaborate on projects or initiatives outside your immediate team to build bridges and gain new perspectives.

Personal Development Plan

• Set Specific Goals: Define what greatness looks like for you in your role. This could include technical mastery in certain areas, leadership qualities, or contributions to strategic projects.
• Seek Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from your peers, managers, and mentees. This will help you identify areas for improvement and measure your progress.
• Find a Mentor or Coach: Consider finding a mentor who has successfully navigated this transition. They can provide valuable insights, guidance, and feedback.

LOL, there's actually a training program within Meta called Good to Great which I took. I believe your manager has to nominate you for that, I'd ask if that's a possibility for you.

It's a few days long and it helps to make connections with others high-level ICs (the content was decent too).