How to Hire Technical Leads That Actually Lead

The Problem with Promoting Senior Engineers

Many companies assume that technical excellence automatically translates to leadership ability. It doesn’t.

What Makes a Good Technical Lead

Technical leads need three distinct skill sets that senior engineers often lack:

1. Communication - Translating technical decisions for non-technical stakeholders
2. Delegation - Knowing when to step back and let others grow
3. Strategic thinking - Balancing technical debt against business priorities

The Interview Process

Instead of just coding challenges, assess:

• How they’ve handled technical disagreements
• Examples of mentoring junior engineers
• Times they’ve made unpopular technical decisions

Red Flags

Watch out for candidates who:

• Can’t explain technical concepts simply
• Always want to write code themselves
• Dismiss business constraints as “not my problem”

Conclusion

Hire for leadership skills first, technical skills second. You can teach the tech stack, but leadership is harder to develop.