Leadership in Tech
Leadership in Tech
#276 – January 11, 2026
don't wait for your manager to tell you what to do
Creating your own opportunities
5 minutes by Matheus Lima
Engineers often wait for managers to give them growth opportunities, but according to Matheus the best career development comes from creating your own chances. He suggests to look for ways to add extra value to routine tasks. Instead of just completing assignments, find problems that help the whole team and solve them strategically. Choose high-impact work that compounds over time, like building reusable tools or automating painful processes.
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Advice for individual contributors
4 minutes by Stay SaaSy
This guide explains how individual contributors can have a big impact in software organizations. It encourages ICs to take smart risks, act like leaders, own clear goals, and communicate progress regularly. It also highlights the value of talking to senior leaders to understand business needs and solve important problems that matter to the company.
When change outruns us
11 minutes by Mike Fisher
Mike shares the story of Nokia that dominated the phone market in 2007 but died from exhaustion, not complacency. After the iPhone launched, Nokia reorganized six times in five years, creating an "acceleration trap" where constant change outpaced employees' ability to adapt. This pattern affects many modern companies that mistake motion for progress, leaving workers too saturated to learn or innovate effectively.
The slipstream model of competence
8 minutes by Maarten Dalmijn
Maarten explains the relationship between trust and competence using the "Slipstream Model." The ideal situation is giving people slightly more trust than their current skill level deserves. This helps them grow and become more competent. However, too little trust creates drag that actually makes competent people perform worse. Companies often hire talented people but then limit their decision-making power, causing the best employees to leave.
Creating space
4 minutes by Jason Cohen
Focus means doing less to create space for what matters most. Jason says that when you stop pursuing everything, you gain time and energy to excel at the important things. This applies to sales, customers, metrics, and personal habits. Having one clear priority makes all decisions easier and helps you stay on track toward your main goal.
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