Developer First Leadership

People don’t leave companies, the saying goes, – they leave managers.

As a technology leader passionate about the people side of software development, I have always been captivated by the impacts of great and horrible bosses; on the individual, team, and organization.

I have witnessed several new managers, including myself, struggle with the psychological and emotional shift from an individual contributor role to suddenly leading a group of people.

According to a recent CareerBuilder study, only 40% of new leaders receive formal training or development when they become a boss for the first time. A majority of managers are forced to get scrappy to quickly equip themselves with new skills, techniques, and mindsets to effectively transition into their new roles.

THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF GREAT LEADERS IN TECHNOLOGY

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there were less than 50,000 Computer Science graduates in 2017 and over 500,000 open positions in the United States. At this rate and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections data, the number of openings for Software Engineering positions will exceed qualified applicants by 1 million in 2020.

Organizations will continue to face an increasingly difficult uphill battle as we try to recruit top technical talent. The unfortunate reality is that there simply are not enough qualified candidates for the increasing demand.

Therefore, there is a dire need to significantly change our approach to leadership if we want to continue building and retaining strong, empowered, motivated, and loyal teams.

ENTER DEVELOPER FIRST

Developer First leadership is the drive to focus on the growth and advancement of your team members before yourself.

Be prepared to challenge your preexisting perspectives of technical leadership as we explore non-traditional approaches and techniques in this immersive, hands-on workshop.

In this talk, we will cover 7 tactical ways to shift your mindset and focus on the people side of software development.