It's no secret that a tech startup is only as good as its engineering team. It's tempting to follow that statement by saying an engineering team is only as good as its talent. That's true, to some extent, but it takes expertise and leadership to get the most out of your talent—and, of course, to identify and recruit the right employees in the first place. To use the most obvious analogy, even an all-star soccer team is unlikely to win a championship without a savvy coach at the helm. Similarly, even the most stacked engineering team (pardon the pun) risks falling short without a smart and persistent leader.
As the engineering lead at a growing up startup, I've experienced success and navigated numerous challenges. While a leader's role is multifaceted, steering the ship through difficult times is one of the most critical aspects. So let's take a look at the three biggest challenges I've encountered and how they can be overcome.