Every Software Developer Should Read Leadership Books to Accelerate Their Career.

Learning to lead without authority is a key skill for everyones career.

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Welcome to Developing Skills - Skills for Developers looking to develop their careers.

Tip of The Week: Read A Leadership Book This Week

Software engineers of all levels can benefit from becoming better leaders.

N.B. I’m talking about being a leader. Being a leader is something you decided to do, it is not a role you are appointed to. Managers on the other hand are appointed, sometimes they have leadership skills, sometimes not.

To really understand what leadership is, watch the excellent 3 minute TED talk on how to start a movement by Derek Sivers.

So Why Does Leadership Matter?

Leadership skills matter, because learning to lead without authority will help you increase your sphere of influence, increasing your impact and allowing you to use your engineering expertise to steer the team/organisation.

Here are 12 tactics you can use to lead effectively without a formal leadership position:

1. Build Strong Relationships: Invest time in understanding the people you wish to lead and building trust. Strong relationships form the foundation of influence. People are more likely to follow someone they trust and respect.

2. Demonstrate Competence: Competence builds credibility. When people recognise your skills and knowledge, they are more likely to follow your lead.

3. Effective Communication: Being an effective communicator helps convey your thoughts and ideas compellingly. It ensures that your perspective is heard and understood.

4. Lead by Example: Walk the walk - model the behaviour you wish to see in others. Actions speak louder than words. By exemplifying the qualities you value, you inspire others to follow.

5. Be a Problem Solver: Contribute to solving challenges and addressing issues. Taking initiative to solve problems demonstrates leadership. It shows that you are invested in success.

6. Foster Team Collaboration: Encourage teamwork and create a collaborative environment. People follow someone who promotes a supportive and cooperative atmosphere.

7. Seek Input and Feedback: Value the opinions of others and seek feedback. Inclusive leadership involves considering diverse perspectives. Getting input creates a sense of ownership and engagement among team members.

8. Adaptability and Resilience: Be adaptable in the face of change and resilient in challenging situations. Demonstrating resilience and adaptability instills confidence in others. It shows that you can navigate uncertainty and lead through change.

9. Advocate for Others: Support other peoples' ideas and give credit where it's due. Advocating for others builds goodwill and trust. It creates a collaborative environment where individuals feel valued.

10. Continuous Learning: Embrace a mindset of continuous learning and improvement. A commitment to learning and growing inspires confidence. It shows that you are invested in personal and professional development.

11. Inspire a Shared Vision: Paint a compelling picture of the future and align others with that vision. Inspiring a shared vision creates a sense of purpose and direction. It motivates others to actively contribute to achieving common goals.

12. Navigate Office Politics Wisely: Understand the dynamics of the workplace and navigate office politics diplomatically. Navigating office politics requires tact and strategic thinking. Being aware of the organisational landscape helps you influence without getting entangled in conflicts.

Leading without authority is about influencing others positively, fostering collaboration, and contributing to the overall success of the shared vision. It requires a combination of interpersonal skills, competence, and a genuine commitment to the collective vision.

Anyone can do it once they decided to.

To help you with that journey here are some leadership books that provide more in depth context.

Leadership Books

Here are some of the leadership books I’d recommend to get started:

1. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Manga Edition: An Illustrated Leadership Fable - a leadership book from the excellent Patrick Lencioni as a Manga graphic novel.

2. Leadership Is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don't by L. David Marquet.

3. Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman.

4. Radical Candor by Kim Scott.

Four Ways I May Be Able To Help You Level Up As A Software Engineer:

1. I write another FREE newsletter **Coding Challenges** that helps you become a better software engineer through coding challenges that build real applications.

2. I am available for 121 coaching and mentoring.

3. I have a course Become a Better Software Developer by Building Your Own Redis Server (Python Edition) which guides you through solving the Redis Coding Challenge in Python.

4. I occasionally run a cohort based course: Coding Challenges Live: Redis Edition!