One of the most dangerous assumptions in technology management is this: The best engineer should be the manager.
It’s a logical fallacy. We see a developer who writes brilliant code, solves complex architectural problems, and works faster than anyone else. We think, “They are the expert; therefore, they should lead the team.”
But coding and leading are two entirely different skill sets.
- Coding is about controlling the machine. It requires deep focus, logic, and individual execution.
- Leading is about influencing the humans. It requires empathy, communication, and strategic delegation.
Promoting your best individual contributor (IC) to management often results in a tragedy: You lose your best engineer and gain a mediocre manager.
So, if technical brilliance isn’t the only indicator, how do you identify the real future leaders in your tech organization?
Here are the 5 subtle signals that reveal high-potential technology leaders, and how to nurture them.
Signal 1: They Raise the “Bus Factor”
Most engineers hoard knowledge (accidentally or intentionally). They become the only person who knows how the billing system works. This makes them “indispensable,” but it’s a failure of leadership.
The Potential Leader does the opposite. They document everything. They mentor junior developers. They actively try to make themselves less essential to the day-to-day code so they can focus on harder problems.
- Look for: The engineer who writes the best documentation or volunteers to run the “knowledge share” sessions.
Signal 2: They Solve “People Problems” with Code (and Empathy)
Average engineers complain about “user error” or “stupid requirements.”
The Potential Leader seeks to understand the root cause. If the Sales team keeps entering data wrong, they don’t just blame Sales; they build a better UI validation tool to help them. They view non-technical colleagues as partners, not annoyances.
- Look for: The developer who talks to the Customer Support team to understand why a bug keeps happening.
Signal 3: They Think in Systems, Not Just Features
Junior engineers focus on the ticket: “Build the login button.”
The Potential Leader focuses on the system: “If we build the login button this way, how will it affect our security compliance next year? How does this impact the mobile app?”
They demonstrate Strategic Foresight. They are willing to slow down today to prevent technical debt tomorrow.
- Look for: The person who asks “Why?” in sprint planning meetings, challenging the roadmap to ensure it aligns with the long-term architecture.
Signal 4: They Own the Outcome, Not Just the Output
A coder says, “I wrote the code, it passed tests, my job is done.”
The Potential Leader says, “The code shipped, but are customers using it? Is it solving the problem?”
They take extreme ownership. If a deployment fails at 2 AM, they are online helping, even if it wasn’t their code that broke. They care about the success of the team, not just their own commit history.
- Look for: The person who follows up on a feature two weeks after launch to see if it’s actually driving value.
Signal 5: Peer Respect (The “Unofficial Lead”)
Leadership is not a title; it’s influence. Who does the team turn to when the boss is out of the room?
The Potential Leader is the person other engineers naturally go to for advice—not just for technical answers, but for “gut checks.” They are the emotional thermostat of the team, keeping people calm during crunch time.
- Look for: Who the team looks at when you ask a tough question in a meeting.
The “Test Drive”: How to Verify Potential
Once you spot these signals, don’t promote them yet. Management is a hard transition. Give them a Low-Risk Leadership Trial.
- The “Tech Lead” Role: Let them lead a single project. They are responsible for the technical delivery and coordinating the team, but not HR/People management.
- The Mentor: Assign them a new hire to onboard. Watch how they teach. Do they empower the new hire, or do they just do the work for them?
- The Delegate: Ask them to run the daily stand-up or the sprint retrospective. Can they facilitate a meeting and get others to talk?
Creating Dual Career Paths
Finally, remember that not every leader needs to be a manager.
In a healthy tech organization, you need two distinct tracks:
- Management Track: Engineering Manager -> Director -> VP -> CTO. (Focus on People & Strategy).
- Individual Contributor (IC) Track: Senior Engineer -> Staff Engineer -> Principal Engineer. (Focus on Architecture & Technical Depth).
Your job is to help your high-potential employees find the right path.
Need help assessing your team? At Authentic Bridge, our IT Talent Development services help you audit your organization, identify your high-potentials, and build the career paths that retain your best talent.
Contact us today to start building your future leadership bench.