Your first 90 days as a new Tech Lead

Make the transition from coder to leader smooth.

Stepping into a Tech Lead role is exciting—and a bit scary.

I still remember the moment I realized I had to start paying attention not just to the code, but also to people, delivery, and way too many meetings.

I wasn’t ready. It felt overwhelming.

So to save you from that same feeling, I put together a plan I wish someone had handed me back then.

It breaks your first 90 days into four simple phases—each with one clear focus.

Let’s dive in 👇

Week 1–2: Observe and Listen

You probably feel the urge to prove yourself and take action quickly.

Resist it.

Instead, spend the first two weeks listening and observing.

• Schedule 1-on-1s with every team member

• Ask about current blockers, team dynamics, and what they’d change if they could

• Review key projects, stakeholders, and delivery expectations

👉 Write down 3 open-ended questions you’ll ask in every 1-on-1. Keep it simple.

Week 3–4: Clarify Expectations & Goals

If you’re not clear, people will fill in the blanks themselves—and that rarely works out well.

• Align with your manager on what success looks like in your role

• Start setting expectations with the team: how you’ll support them, how decisions are made

• Share your working style and invite feedback

👉 Write a short “Tech Lead ReadMe” and share it with your team. Nothing fancy—just a few bullet points about how you work.

Week 5–8: Create Stability

By now, you should have a sense of what’s broken or at least messy.

Your job is to create a calm and productive rhythm.

• Look for low-hanging fruit: small process improvements, recurring blockers, or noisy Slack threads

• Pay attention to team morale signals and address them early

• Start low-risk delegation to help others grow

👉 Pick one task you're doing that someone else could own. Make it safe to delegate—and follow up.

Week 9–12: Make Strategic Moves

Now it’s time to go beyond the day-to-day.

This is where you shift from managing tasks to leading people.

• Propose one improvement that benefits the whole team (e.g. better onboarding, clearer definition of done, or communication norms)

• Strengthen relationships with stakeholders—ask what they need and how you can support

• Start coaching individuals based on their growth goals

👉 Pick one challenge your team struggles with. Draft a small proposal to improve it.

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You don’t have to be perfect in your first 90 days.

But if you listen well, stay curious, and focus on the basics—you’ll build trust.

And that’s what leadership is really about.

– Gábor