EPISODE · Feb 16, 2026 · 52 MIN
Leadership Levels
from Tech Leadership Deep Dives · host Marco Melas and Raphael Bauer
In this first episode, we unpack “Leadership Levels” in software engineering:➡️ How responsibilities shift from IC → Team Lead/EM → Director/Head → VP/CTO➡️ Why “leaders who still code too much” can become bottlenecks (even with the best intentions)➡️ How to set clear expectations with career frameworks (and why that changes everything)➡️ Promotions without the Peter Principle: acting roles, de-risking, and coaching people into success➡️ Why strong IC career paths matter just as much as management tracksIf you’re building or scaling an engineering org - or you’re a new (or seasoned) leader - this one’s for you.# References## Books### The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership-Powered Company- **Authors:** Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, James Noel- **Website:** [Leadership Pipeline Institute](https://leadershippipelineinstitute.com/)### Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love- **Author:** Marty Cagan- **Website:** [SVPG — Inspired](https://www.svpg.com/books/inspired-how-to-create-tech-products-customers-love-2nd-edition/)### The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't- **Author:** Robert I. Sutton- **Website:** [Bob Sutton — The No Asshole Rule](https://bobsutton.net/book/no-asshole-rule/)### How Google Works- **Authors:** Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg (with Alan Eagle)- **Link:** [How Google Works — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Google_Works)### The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong- **Authors:** Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull- **Link:** [The Peter Principle — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle)## Concepts### Conway's Law- **Originator:** Melvin E. Conway (1967/1968 paper "How Do Committees Invent?")- **Website:** [Mel Conway — Conway's Law](https://www.melconway.com/Home/Conways_Law.html)### Dunning-Kruger Effect- **Originators:** David Dunning and Justin Kruger (1999 paper "Unskilled and Unaware of It")- **Link:** [Dunning–Kruger effect — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect)### Imposter (Impostor) Phenomenon / Syndrome- **Originators:** Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes (1978 paper "The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women")- **Website:** [Dr. Pauline Rose Clance — Impostor Phenomenon](https://paulineroseclance.com/impostor_phenomenon.html)
What this episode covers
In this first episode, we unpack “Leadership Levels” in software engineering:➡️ How responsibilities shift from IC → Team Lead/EM → Director/Head → VP/CTO➡️ Why “leaders who still code too much” can become bottlenecks (even with the best intentions)➡️ How to set clear expectations with career frameworks (and why that changes everything)➡️ Promotions without the Peter Principle: acting roles, de-risking, and coaching people into success➡️ Why strong IC career paths matter just as much as management tracksIf you’re building or scaling an engineering org - or you’re a new (or seasoned) leader - this one’s for you.# References## Books### The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership-Powered Company- **Authors:** Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, James Noel- **Website:** [Leadership Pipeline Institute](https://leadershippipelineinstitute.com/)### Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love- **Author:** Marty Cagan- **Website:** [SVPG — Inspired](https://www.svpg.com/books/inspired-how-to-create-tech-products-customers-love-2nd-edition/)### The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't- **Author:** Robert I. Sutton- **Website:** [Bob Sutton — The No Asshole Rule](https://bobsutton.net/book/no-asshole-rule/)### How Google Works- **Authors:** Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg (with Alan Eagle)- **Link:** [How Google Works — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Google_Works)### The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong- **Authors:** Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull- **Link:** [The Peter Principle — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle)## Concepts### Conway's Law- **Originator:** Melvin E. Conway (1967/1968 paper "How Do Committees Invent?")- **Website:** [Mel Conway — Conway's Law](https://www.melconway.com/Home/Conways_Law.html)### Dunning-Kruger Effect- **Originators:** David Dunning and Justin Kruger (1999 paper "Unskilled and Unaware of It")- **Link:** [Dunning–Kruger effect — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect)### Imposter (Impostor) Phenomenon / Syndrome- **Originators:** Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes (1978 paper "The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women")- **Website:** [Dr. Pauline Rose Clance — Impostor Phenomenon](https://paulineroseclance.com/impostor_phenomenon.html)
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Leadership Levels
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