Women in Tech: Building a Path to Leadership
Transitioning from a hands-on technical role into leadership can feel daunting. For women in technology, it often comes with additional challenges, such as navigating bias and breaking through traditional career expectations. However, as more women rise into leadership positions, their stories reveal patterns of success and strategies to bridge the gap between technical expertise and leadership influence.
In a recent episode of So You Think You Can Dev, Janie Longfellow, Chief Officer of Product, Technology, and Customer Success at Nicus Software, shared key lessons from her career. Her insights shed light on the skills that can help women make the leap into leadership roles while thriving in a male-dominated industry.
1. Communication: The Foundation of Leadership
As Janie moved from software development to management, she was surprised to discover the importance of communication. “Having a great idea isn’t enough,” she explained. “You need to sell it and align with others’ goals to have a big impact.” For leaders, clear communication helps ensure technical solutions are understood by non-technical stakeholders and that teams align around shared objectives.
Women entering leadership roles should focus on refining skills like active listening, empathetic negotiation, and adapting their tone to foster collaboration. Whether you’re restating requirements for clarity or rallying a team around a shared vision, communication becomes your superpower.
2. Building Confidence and Advocating for Yourself
For many women, stepping into leadership means overcoming internal and external doubts. Janie recalled moments early in her career when she downplayed her ideas to avoid stepping on toes. “I would say things like, ‘Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about, but…’ just to smooth egos,” she shared.
Developing confidence in your expertise is key to succeeding in leadership. Women should practice advocating for their ideas clearly and directly, resisting the urge to undermine themselves with qualifiers. As Janie emphasized, “Your work speaks volumes. Show what you know, and people will see past any bias.”
3. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Seeing the Bigger Picture
Transitioning to leadership often means moving from a siloed technical focus to managing across departments. For Janie, collaborating closely with product and customer success teams helped her better understand the end-user perspective. “The best teams I’ve worked on are where product and development appreciate each other’s complexity and goals,” she said.
Women looking to lead should embrace opportunities to work outside their core technical comfort zone. Whether it’s engaging with customers, marketing, or operations, exposure to cross-functional work builds the perspective needed to manage at a higher level.
4. Cultivating Resilience in the Face of Bias
Women in tech leadership still face subtle biases, from assumptions about their technical expertise to feedback on their management style. Janie shared how, in larger companies, she was told to “be softer” while her male colleagues weren’t held to the same standard. Despite such feedback, she advises women to stay true to their authentic leadership style.
“People may make assumptions about you,” Janie explained. “But as soon as you’re doing the work together, that quickly falls away.” Resilience, paired with a focus on delivering results, is essential for navigating these challenges.
5. Leveraging Diverse Teams for Innovation
Diversity plays a critical role in driving collaboration and innovation. Janie highlighted how even small changes in team dynamics can shift the culture. “All it took was there being another woman in the room to change the vibe,” she said, recalling how having an ally made it easier to challenge outdated behaviors and propose new ideas.
Women in leadership can foster diversity by advocating for inclusive hiring practices and creating environments where all voices are valued. Building diverse teams not only helps reduce the isolation many women experience in tech but also leads to better problem-solving and creativity.
Empowering Women to Lead
Stepping into leadership as a woman in tech isn’t just about mastering technical expertise—it’s about building the communication, collaboration, and resilience needed to thrive in complex, cross-functional environments. By focusing on these skills and seeking out supportive allies, women can break barriers and pave the way for a more inclusive industry.
As Janie put it, “Talent and capability break through assumptions quickly.” With the right mix of confidence, adaptability, and a commitment to growth, women in tech can take charge and lead the way to a more innovative future.
