Silence and inaction are the other side of the coin, but have similarly profound effects. A missed question in a discussion, an unanswered email, or a curt response to a question can all too easily be misinterpreted by the team.
Likewise, it can be discouraging when good work is not praised. However, failing to address subpar performance will most likely only help ensure that it remains unchanged. So your silence is just as powerful as your words. That’s why you should also consider what you don’t say – the silence could be “filled” with wild conclusions.
You are the boss and can promote employees, demote them (depending on labor law) and grant salary increases and bonuses. These powers are important – but people will also view you in a similar light.
This means that even serious attempts to be warm, friendly and collegial are always overshadowed by your authority. This creates an underlying concern among the workforce that cannot be overcome. And ensure that your daily mood is analyzed in detail.
As a lead developer, you are probably also a skilled programmer. But now you don’t get paid to develop anymore. That’s your team’s job. And you should let them fulfill that.
While you can and should get involved in technical and design decisions, your team will want to decide for themselves how things are implemented. If you let that take over, you will suck the energy out of your team. Instead, create an environment that empowers your professionals to write good code and design good systems.
