Many tech leads are handed power without posture. What you’re describing here is leadership through clarity and care, which is rarer than it should be. I’ve seen what happens when we skip the moral groundwork. It’s not pretty. Its great to see people like you building towards better ways of leadership.
For me, that's the most relevant signal that you are becoming a leader for your tema or organization.
If you're not there yet, my suggestion would be: add yourself in the conversations related to your area of expertise, participate, make an option. At some point people will turn to you looking for advice.
I enjoy coding problems much more than people problems. And feel that the salary change may not be very much if any, so I have planned to stay an IC for many years and so far haven’t changed my mind.
But it’s hard when you see the wrong people in positions such as CTO, who are not technical enough.
Many tech leads are handed power without posture. What you’re describing here is leadership through clarity and care, which is rarer than it should be. I’ve seen what happens when we skip the moral groundwork. It’s not pretty. Its great to see people like you building towards better ways of leadership.
Mark Browne, The Rocinante Method
"Do people come to you for help or advice?"
For me, that's the most relevant signal that you are becoming a leader for your tema or organization.
If you're not there yet, my suggestion would be: add yourself in the conversations related to your area of expertise, participate, make an option. At some point people will turn to you looking for advice.
I enjoy coding problems much more than people problems. And feel that the salary change may not be very much if any, so I have planned to stay an IC for many years and so far haven’t changed my mind.
But it’s hard when you see the wrong people in positions such as CTO, who are not technical enough.
Leadership without the title is the real proving ground.