Be a Bridge Builder
How Engineers Become True Leaders
What propels engineers to advance to higher career levels? I’m not just talking about transitioning from a junior developer role to a senior one, but rather about making that substantial leap from a senior position to a leadership role, such as Staff or Principal Engineer.
Technical excellence is not just a stepping stone but the very foundation of a successful career in the tech industry. It’s what initially sets you apart as an individual contributor. However, to become a true leader, you need more than individual expertise—you must become a bridge builder. What does that mean?
I recently heard the term “bridge builder” during a leadership course, and it stuck in my head. It’s a powerful metaphor that illustrates how leaders foster connections between diverse teams, departments, and business areas, similar to how a physical bridge links two distinct locations.
In this post, I’ll delve into how engineers can move into leadership roles by mastering the art of building bridges within their teams and across the entire business.
Two Real-Life Engineering Leadership Stories
Story 1: The Technical Expert
I’ve encountered many highly skilled engineers in my career, but one of the most memorable is Alex (fictitious name). Alex was a senior engineer who could quickly solve the most complex technical problems. He was widely respected for their deep expertise in architecture, ability to debug intricate issues, and knowledge of cutting-edge technologies. When there was a formidable technical challenge, Alex was always the person we turned to.
However, despite Alex’s technical expertise, he preferred to stay within the confines of their engineering team. He rarely communicated with teams outside of his immediate circle and didn’t actively seek to understand the business goals. Alex thrived on technical excellence but struggled to collaborate with product managers, designers, and business stakeholders. He focused on solving the technical problem rather than considering how his work impacted the broader company goals.
While Alex was consistently recognized for his expertise, it became clear over time that he had hit a ceiling in career progression. He excelled as an individual contributor but never ventured into areas that would allow him to lead cross-functional teams or influence company strategy.
Story 2: The Bridge Builder
On the other hand, I’ve also had the chance to work with people like Barbara (another fictitious name). Barbara was also a senior engineer but took a different approach to work beyond the technical aspects. Although Barbara didn’t have the same level of technical expertise as Alex, she had something equally valuable—she knew how to build bridges between teams.
Barbara regularly met with product managers, designers, and stakeholders to understand their goals and challenges. She wasn’t just focused on delivering a feature; she was driven to ensure that the technical solutions aligned with the company’s broader objectives. For instance, when we faced a critical product scaling challenge, Barbara took the lead in organizing discussions with non-technical stakeholders, translating their needs into technical requirements her team could execute.
What set Barbara apart was her ability to communicate the technical aspects in a way that made sense to the business and vice versa. She ensured everyone—technical or not—was on the same page, leading to smoother execution and a greater alignment between engineering and business. Barbara wasn’t the most technical person in the room, but her ability to connect teams, break down silos, and influence business outcomes made her indispensable.
Who Was Closer to Being Promoted?
Based on both scenarios, it was evident who was closer to a leadership promotion, although there are always many factors to consider when pursuing a promotion.
While Alex was respected for his technical expertise, Barbara’s ability to bridge the gap between technical work and business strategy put her in a prime position for advancement. Companies don’t just need technical experts; they need leaders who can see the bigger picture, communicate effectively across departments, and guide teams toward goals that benefit the whole business.
In my experience, the people who build bridges—like Barbara—are the ones who rise into leadership positions. They can leverage their influence across the company, making them not just excellent engineers but true leaders.
A Word of Caution: Master the Essentials First
Before building bridges across teams or influencing business decisions, having a solid foundation in technical and soft skills is crucial. As much as leadership is about connecting with others, it’s equally about credibility in your domain. To excel as a software engineer and eventually grow into a leadership role, you must first master the essentials.
On the technical side, this means having a deep understanding of your craft—whether it’s backend development, frontend development, QA, architecture, or systems design. You need to deliver high-quality work and solve challenging problems within your area of expertise. This technical foundation gives you the credibility and respect you’ll need when interacting with other teams.
But technical skills alone aren’t enough. Soft skills—such as communication, empathy, and teamwork—are just as critical. You’ll use these tools to build relationships and navigate the complexities of cross-team collaboration effectively. Without them, even the most technically proficient engineers will struggle to influence beyond their immediate scope.
Only when you have both a solid technical foundation and well-honed soft skills can you expand your influence and build the bridges necessary for leadership. Skipping these steps can lead to frustration or setbacks when growing into more significant leadership roles.
Why Building Bridges Is Crucial for Innovation and Execution
Innovation doesn’t happen alone; successful execution isn’t the result of separate efforts. The most successful projects combine different views and skills. This is why building bridges between teams and departments is crucial. It creates the paths for innovation and makes execution smooth.
When teams work independently, they can miss chances to work together, leading to problems and missed innovations. On the other hand, when leaders make connections across the company, they bring out the company’s collective intelligence. This mix of ideas is where new, great ideas come from.
For example, consider making a new feature that needs input from product management, design, backend, frontend, and QA teams. Without strong bridges between these groups, misunderstandings and misalignment will likely occur. But when leaders actively build these connections, the teams work together, using their skills to create new ideas and get things done better.
Building bridges also helps manage risk and remove obstacles. A leader with good relationships across departments can quickly solve problems during projects. By keeping communication open, leaders can deal with concerns before they become significant issues and ensure projects stay on track.
In the end, building bridges creates a collaborative culture and shared responsibility. This supports innovation and ensures that projects are smooth, timely, and aligned with the company’s goals.
Practical Steps for Becoming a Bridge Builder
Becoming a bridge builder requires intentional effort and a willingness to step outside your immediate responsibilities. Here are some actionable steps to start building bridges:
1. Develop Strong Communication Skills
Practice distilling complex information into simple, understandable terms to connect with different teams and departments.
Action Tip: Host cross-team meetings to clearly explain your team’s work and ask for feedback to ensure effective communication.
2. Seek Out Cross-Team Collaborations
Look for opportunities to collaborate with other teams to build leadership skills and expand your influence across the organization.
Action Tip: Consider contributing to a project outside your immediate responsibilities by collaborating with another team to achieve mutual goals.
3. Understand the Business
Learn better about the company’s strategic goals, KPIs, and financial drivers to align your team’s work with broader objectives.
Action Tip: Schedule meetings with product managers or business analysts to understand how your team’s work fits the company’s goals.
4. Foster a Culture of Collaboration
Encourage teamwork and collective problem-solving within your team and across departments.
Action Tip: Host cross-departmental workshops or brainstorming sessions to solve company-wide problems.
5. Embrace Feedback and Continuous Learning
Seek feedback from peers in other teams and use it to improve your bridge-building efforts.
Action Tip: After each significant collaboration, ask for feedback from the teams you worked with. Reflect on what went well and where you can improve.
By consistently applying these practices, you can start building bridges beyond your immediate team, positioning yourself as a leader who drives technical success and fosters collaboration and innovation across the organization.
Final Thoughts
The most straightforward career advice I would give someone aspiring to leadership is to be a bridge builder.
Leadership in engineering isn’t just about managing teams or delivering great technical solutions—it’s about connecting the dots. Whether you’re an engineer aspiring to step into leadership or a seasoned manager looking to expand your influence, becoming a bridge builder is vital to success.
By building bridges with other teams, you foster collaboration and drive innovation. By connecting with the business, you align technical efforts with strategic goals, ensuring that your team’s work makes a meaningful impact. Leadership is about bringing people together to solve complex challenges and create something greater than the sum of its parts.
So, start looking for opportunities to build those bridges. Step outside your team, engage with other departments and strengthen your understanding of the business. The more bridges you build, the more effective and influential your leadership will become.
If you are waiting for someone to build a bridge for you, you better learn to swim.
—Matshona Dhliwayo
Call to Action: Where can you start building bridges today? Whether it’s reaching out to another team or learning more about the business, take the first step toward becoming a leader who connects, collaborates, and drives success.
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