Chapter 1 · Practice 1 of 4
Agree in writing what you own and what your manager owns
From Define the role
Why it matters
The tech lead role overlaps with engineering management, product management and senior engineering, and every company draws the lines differently. Unclear lines cause the classic failures: two people giving conflicting direction, or important work that nobody does.
Sit down with your manager and write a short list of who owns what. Typical splits look like this:
| Area | Often the tech lead | Often the manager |
|---|---|---|
| Technical direction and design | Yes | Consulted |
| Code review standards | Yes | Informed |
| Breaking down and sequencing work | Shared | Shared |
| Hiring decisions | Input | Decides |
| Performance reviews and pay | Input | Decides |
| Career conversations | Supports | Owns |
Revisit the list after a few months. The point is not the exact split but that both of you, and the team, know it.
Do
- Write the ownership list and share it with the team
- Review it after your first quarter
Avoid
- Assuming the role is obvious because you have the title