Creating Technical Leadership in Context - StaffPlus New York 2024

Explore strategies for establishing effective technical leadership structures in growing engineering organizations through this conference talk from StaffPlus New York 2024. Learn how Plaid addressed challenges of scaling bottoms-up technical steering by implementing a parallel technical leadership structure. Discover insights on overcoming obstacles such as maintaining shared mental models, addressing technical debt, and resolving disagreements inclusively. Gain valuable lessons from multiple iterations of Plaid's technical leadership program, including strategies for aligning with team structures and responsibilities. Understand the importance of organizational context in creating successful leadership programs, and gather tips on advocating for such initiatives and securing necessary buy-in from engineering management. Apply these learnings to navigate the tipping point where traditional approaches no longer suffice and a more structured technical leadership becomes essential for organizational growth and efficiency.