Navigating Challenges: Being a Good Technical Lead, part 5
Kristijan Pušić | July 31st, 2024
In previous articles, I have explained four essential skills for Technical Leads, they were leadership, mentorship, onboarding, and hiring. The fifth and the last skill we measure in the Technical Leads competence matrix is called customer communication. Customers in our article can be another department inside the same larger IT company or outside clients. Today, I will talk about Technical Leads skills to be a working contact with the customer on the behalf of the outsourcing IT company they work for.
Customer communication as a skill is superior to all developers skills, as it directly influences the success of projects and the satisfaction of your customers. Business continuity is at stake in this case. Effective communication of your technical lead with customers ensures that technical solutions align with business needs and expectations. It is not called done when a developer pushes their code to git, it is not done when a task is closed in Jira, and it is not done when QA checks and approves the solution. It is done when a TL presents a whole solution and gets approval for it by the customer.
Enhancing TLs Communication Skills
Excellent writing skills are an important part of a TLs communication skills. They often have to effectively communicate with their teams through email, especially in remote or hybrid working environments. Crafting clear and concise written messages eliminates confusion and often saves time on projects. Lots of communication with the client also happens in a writing form.
Technical Leads must also continually enhance their speaking communication skills to effectively collaborate with customers. This involves active listening, clear and concise articulation of ideas, and the ability to understand and address customer concerns. Regular feedback sessions with the team and customers can also help in refining these skills.
Since the Agile Manifesto was published more than 20 years ago, software development has gone through some drastic changes. Many of those changes like asynchronous communication and tools that support it (e.g. Slack & Teams) become the default form of communication. If people are texting when they’re able to reply, but not immediately replying back and forth, they’re asynchronously communicating.
“At GitLab, we have people spread across 65 countries, so almost every time zone is covered. But, that also means that someone on your team is likely in a vastly different time zone. In fact, they may be asleep the entire time you’re up working.” – Darren M., GitLab’s Head of Remote
TLs need to be promoting and using asynchronous development and asynchronous communication as models in their work. You can learn how to embrace asynchronous communication in remote work here.
Effective communication is dependent on three key elements: clarity, conciseness, and consistency. The 3 C’s play a vital role in the everyday work of a TL. They need to be able to convey information accurately and efficiently. Let’s now check how the levels look in a competence matrix.
Technical leads levels of competency in customer communication
Level 1: Junior. At the junior level, a Technical Lead is accustomed to working on projects where direct communication with the customer is handled solely by the Project Manager (PM). The Technical Lead relies on the manager to relay technical solutions and expects the manager to keep them informed of all customer correspondence. The focus here is on understanding and discussing technical solutions with the manager rather than the customer.
Level 2: Middle. Middle-level Technical Leads work well in environments where the team does not directly communicate with the customer, with the PM acting as the intermediary. They form their own hypotheses about technical solutions and explain these to the PM. They may attend customer calls but do not lead the conversation, leaving that responsibility to the manager.
Level 3: Middle+. Middle+ Technical Leads are ready to actively participate in conversations with the customer alongside the manager. They take responsibility for their part of the conversation, explaining solutions and their alternatives, and defending the decisions made by the team. This level shows a shift towards more direct interaction and accountability.
Level 4: Senior. Senior Technical Leads are prepared to take full responsibility for conversations with the customer, with the manager serving only as a facilitator or moderator. They actively involve team members in the dialogue, relying on their expertise. They are the best at explaining and defending the chosen solutions to the customer’s technical experts and always have well-reasoned answers to the question “Why?”
Level 5: Architect. At the Architect level, Technical Leads take complete responsibility for the entire course of customer conversations. They act as moderators, ensuring comfortable communication for all participants. They predict customer behavior, manage risks, and mobilize the development team in negative scenarios. They can resolve deadlock situations by offering solutions that account for all risks, maintaining composure and supporting the teams throughout.
Understanding Customer Needs
Understanding customer needs is a continuous process that involves proactive engagement and the ability to anticipate future requirements. Technical Leads, in an outsourcing company, should not only respond to immediate queries but also seek to understand the strategic goals of their customers. This involves regular check-ins, comprehensive requirement gathering sessions, and fostering an environment where customers feel comfortable sharing their long-term visions.
With the aligned business process in such a way, more senior technical leads can ensure that their teams deliver solutions in time. Moreover, not only meet but exceed customer expectations on the done work. This is what business continuity really is, enabling the path for lasting partnerships and business success.
Effective communication with customers is a supreme skill for Technical Leads. It ensures that technical solutions are aligned with business needs and customer expectations. As Technical Leads progress from Junior to Architect levels, their role in customer communication evolves from passive participation to active leadership. This progression not only benefits the projects and the organization but also contributes significantly to personal and professional growth. If you have further questions, please contact me via the form below or on LinkedIn.
Why is direct communication with customers important for Technical Leads?
Direct communication ensures that the Technical Lead fully understands the customer’s needs and can align the technical solutions accordingly. It also helps in building trust and credibility with the customer.
How can a Technical Lead improve their customer communication skills?
Continuous practice, seeking feedback, and participating in training programs focused on communication can help improve these skills. Additionally, shadowing more experienced colleagues during customer interactions can provide valuable insights.
What challenges might a Technical Lead face in customer communication?
Challenges include managing customer expectations, handling technical questions effectively. The Technical Lead needs to ensure that the team’s solutions meet the customer’s needs. Addressing these requires a mixture of technical expertise and soft skills like empathy and patience.
Ready to Enrich Your Team?
Kristijan Pušić
IT consultant and Business developer
Our consultant is at your disposal from 9 AM to 5 PM CET working days from Monday to Friday for any additional questions.
Recent Posts
- From University English Teacher to Language Training Specialist: A Journey into the Business World
- Stress Interviews: Hot Trend or Red Flag Central?
- Ensuring Reproducibility in AI Experiments
- Culture-Driven Coding: Leading IT Teams in a Global Landscape
- How Setronica Created an AI Slack Bot, Part 1: From Idea to Blueprint
