The first three months in any new Tech leadership role are critical. Yet, despite this importance, onboarding remains one of the most overlooked aspects of technical leadership development.

5 Uncomfortable truths about onboarding

Before diving in, I want to acknowledge some uncomfortable realities about onboarding:

  1. Reality will often be different from interview promises: Very rarely, the glowing picture painted during recruitment will match what you'll find on day one. The challenges will be more complex, the technical debt more significant, and the team dynamics more nuanced than described.
  2. You don’t have any track record, and people are going to be skeptical: Despite the top leadership vote of confidence, team members will naturally question your abilities and relevance to their challenges. You must earn their trust, not assume it's been granted.
  3. You have more to learn than you think, and you can't postpone it: You'll encounter unfamiliar tech, organizational, and cultural challenges. Even with extensive experience, daily learning will be essential. Delaying this will exacerbate knowledge gaps, potentially compromising your performance and credibility.
  4. Your manager’s view of what's broken may differ from the team's perspective: In my experience, top leadership views on priorities can diverge from those of the engineering team. As a consequence, you will need to adjust and get the buy in from both parties.
  5. Expect discomfort, it's a positive sign: Each leadership role has unique challenges. The initial discomfort signals growth and adaptation, not inadequacy.

With these realities in mind, let's explore the structured approach I use for successful onboarding.

My 3-phase framework

Phase 1: Sponge Mode (0 → Month 1)

Key Principles: