Transitioning from an individual contributor (IC) to a leadership role is both exciting and challenging.

This shift represents more than just a title change.

It’s about expanding responsibilities, adopting a new mindset, and embracing the broader impact you can make. This transition can be especially complex for women in tech, who may face unique challenges due to the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles.

According to McKinsey Digital Report (Jan 2023): women occupy only 22% of all tech roles across European companies. Over half of women in tech leave the industry by the midpoint of their career—more than double the rate of men—resulting in many fewer women reaching leadership roles.

Yet, there’s a shift happening. There is an increasing emphasis on diversity and inclusion is shining a spotlight on the importance of diverse leadership in driving innovation, fostering inclusive cultures, and mentoring the next generation of leaders. Here’s how you can successfully make the leap from an individual contributor to leadership.

1. The Importance of Education and Training

To thrive in a leadership position, it’s essential to continue learning. While technical expertise is vital as an IC, leadership demands a different set of skills. You’ll need to develop strong communication, team-building, conflict resolution, and strategic thinking abilities.

A report by McKinsey shows that 76% of companies believe that building leadership capabilities is their most critical internal challenge, yet fewer than 30% of women receive the same opportunities as their male counterparts for leadership training.

To bridge this gap, seeking out formal leadership education, mentorship, and executive coaching is essential.

However, it’s important to remember that leadership training is not a one-size-fits-all. Effective leaders are not made by simply mimicking others. Whether it’s through formal courses or on-the-job learning, it’s critical to develop a leadership style that feels authentic to you and leverages your strengths.

2. Leadership Styles: Finding Your Own

Leadership comes in many forms.

Discover what works for you and your team. Some common leadership styles include:

– Transformational Leadership: Focuses on inspiring and motivating teams to exceed expectations by fostering innovation and positive change.

– Servant Leadership: Prioritises the needs of the team, putting people first and focusing on their well-being, which fosters loyalty and trust.

– Democratic Leadership: Encourages team participation in decision-making, valuing diverse opinions and collaboration.

– Authoritative Leadership: Guides with a clear vision and direction, ensuring that teams know the goals and how to achieve them.

– Coaching Leadership: Focuses on developing people for the future, offering guidance and support to help team members grow.

It’s critical to take stock of your personality and strengths, as well as your team’s dynamics, to determine what style will best suit your leadership journey. Women, in particular, may benefit from adopting transformational and servant leadership approaches, which research shows can foster inclusivity and boost team morale. According to a Harvard Business Review study, women score higher than men in most leadership qualities, including developing others and driving results, but often face barriers due to bias and lack of representation.

3. Be Yourself, Not Someone Else

Authentic leadership is about being true to yourself, your values, and your strengths. Trying to mimic someone else’s leadership style will feel uncomfortable and may not work for your team. Authentic leaders inspire trust because they are consistent, honest, and transparent. This is particularly important in promoting diversity and inclusion, where trust and psychological safety are key.

Being authentic also means being vulnerable at times. It’s okay not to have all the answers and to learn from your team, which can build stronger relationships. An inclusive leader isn’t just someone with all the right answers but one who creates space for everyone’s voice.

4. Settling into the New Role: Practical Tips

Transitioning into leadership is not just about new responsibilities—it’s about shifting your mindset. Here are some practical tips to help you navigate this shift:

– Set clear expectations: Ensure you and your team are on the same page regarding goals and objectives.

– Focus on people, not just processes: While you were once responsible for tasks, now your success depends on how well you manage and empower others.

– Build a strong support network: Find mentors, both inside and outside your organisation, to help you adjust to your new role.

– Learn to delegate: As a leader, you can’t do everything yourself. Trust your team to take ownership of tasks and provide them with the guidance they need.

– Give and receive feedback: Open channels of communication are vital for growth, both for you and your team.

5. What to Keep in Mind and What to Let Go Of

As you embark on your leadership journey, there are a few things you should keep in mind—and some things to let go of.

Keep in Mind:

– The importance of diversity and inclusion: Creating an environment where everyone feels valued is critical for team success.

– Your learning journey isn’t over: Leadership is a constant evolution. Stay curious, stay humble.

– Different leadership styles work for different teams: Be flexible and adapt your approach to fit the needs of your team.

Let Go Of:

– The need to be the expert: You won’t always be the smartest person in the room, and that’s okay. Focus on guiding your team to find solutions.

– Micromanaging: Empower your team by trusting them to do their work and make decisions.

– Imposter syndrome: You’ve earned your spot in leadership. Embrace your role and your voice.

6. What to Watch Out For

Transitioning to leadership is not without its pitfalls. Watch out for:

– Burnout: Leadership roles come with high expectations and can lead to stress. Make time for self-care and delegate tasks appropriately.

– Bias, both external and internal: Women and minorities in leadership often face unconscious bias. Be aware of how it may affect you and others on your team, and actively work to create a more inclusive environment.

– Failure to adapt: Leadership is about growth. If your team or environment changes, be willing to evolve your approach.

Embrace the challenge, trust in your abilities, and lead with confidence.

Meet Sümeyye Bitomsky
Engineering Team Lead at Hygraph

I worked as a software engineer for 14 years before transitioning into a leadership role.

During my time as an individual contributor, I learned the power of prioritisation and how it can make life much easier. I’ve come to understand that I thrive when I have control over my own time. I can stay in a great mood, even with challenging problems on the table, knowing that I’ll tackle them in the right order, thanks to the time I’ve managed well.

This sense of independence was the first thing I had to let go of when I became an Engineering Lead.

I didn’t realise at the time that I was losing control over the most valuable asset in my life.

Luckily it didn’t take long to regain that control. And yes, we’re talking about time.