Learning Program

Transitioning to Software Leadership

Effective software leaders require both general leadership skills and skills unique to leading software professionals. And these days you also need to lead effectively in WFH and hybrid work scenarios.

Join Steve McConnell, author of Code Complete and More Effective Agile, to learn how to lead your software team and how to positively influence your entire organization.

Scroll down to learn more about this software leadership training, explore detailed course topics, and see how our learning programs work. Contact Us if you’d like to know more about private, customized learning for a group of 12 or more.

Great software leaders master these skills

In Transitioning to Software Leadership, you’ll learn all the skills below—the skills you need to lead within your team and within your organization.

Hone your leadership style

Be sure you are the right leader for your team and, if not, get on the path to becoming the right leader.

Become an expert communicator

Avoid common communication problems and connect whether remotely or face to face. Make your communication part of the solution—not part of the problem.

Diagnose team dynamics

Work with your software team’s current ground truth, and build from that toward high performance.

Guide your team through conflict

Read your individual team members, and work through conflict in positive ways that create mutual respect and understanding.

Raise your team’s EQ

Recognize the business value of emotional intelligence—even in software teams! Raise your team’s EQ to a level that can operate at the speed of trust.

Motivate your software team

Tap into motivators and avoid the motivation killers unique to software professionals; keep your team engaged and performing.

Resolve conflict within your team

Get past sticking points, transition to positive relationships, and keep your team aligned on your real goals.

Lead across your organization

Handle difficult conversations. Earn the respect of sales, product management, and company leadership.

Grow your leadership skills

You’ve learned the leadership basics. Now move beyond the basics to become a truly exceptional software leader.

Topics at a glance

Before Your Program Starts

Self-assessment related to software leadership
Brief leadership assessments from your manager and/or peers

Leading Teams

Team Leadership Basics
Characteristics of High Performing Teams
Benefits of Being Part of a High Performing Team
Stages of Team Development
Action Plan: High Performance Teams

Leading Diverse Personalities

Understanding Your Own Personality
Brief Personality Test
Personality Style Interpretation
Lab: Personal Style Worksheet
Understanding Others’ Personality Styles
How Would You Convince Different Personality Types of the Value of Teamwork?
Interaction Challenges for Different Personality Styles
Lab: Stressful Interactions
Lab: Team Composition by Personality Style
Action Plan: Leveraging Diverse Personalities

Leading with Emotional Intelligence

The Business Importance of Emotional Intelligence
Introduction to the RULER Model
Awareness of Self
Regulation of Self
Awareness of Others
Managing Relationships with Others
Lab: When Do Unregulated Emotions Affect Team Performance?
The Mood Meter
Empathy
Managing Meetings with Emotional Intelligence
Creating a “Desired State” Team Charter
Creating a “Transitory State” Team Charter
Creating a “States to Be Avoided” Team Charter

Leading for Motivation & Effectiveness

Motivation Basics
Internal vs. External Motivation
Differences in Motivation for Different Professions
Lab: What Can I Do to Help My Team Improve?

Leadership Communication

Three‐Part Model of Communication
Lab: Communication Challenges
Personality-Style Versatility
Preparing for Difficult Conversations Using Personality Styles
Preparing for Difficult Conversations Using Crucial Conversations
Bonus Lab: What Crucial Conversations Should Your Team Be Having?
Five Step Guide to Addressing Conflicts
Presentations to Executives
Action Plan: Leadership Communication

Continuing to Grow as a Leader

Understanding Your Full Capabilities: “Local Solutions”
Priority vs. Urgency
Back-to-Work Action Planning

The following topics can be added for private offerings.

Leading Collaboration

Supporting Collaboration with Liberating Structures
Leading Online Collaboration
Drawing Out Contributions from all Personality Styles (Including the Quiet Ones)
Effective and Ineffective Meetings
Building Your Social Network
Action Plan: High Performance Collaboration

Leading with Stakeholders

Understanding Stakeholder Personality Styles
Mapping Stakeholders
Leading Through Influence, Without Authority
Cultivating Relationships
Win/Win Negotiation
Action Plan: Building Your Organizational Presence

Leading Team Decision Making

Decision Making Styles
Personality Styles and Decision Challenges
Vision
Thumb Voting
Fist of Five
Dot Voting
Decision Matrix
T‐Shirt Sizing
Action Plan: High Performance Team Decision Making

Why are our Learning Programs so effective?

We interviewed more than 400 software leaders around the world and what did they request?

Customized, minimally disruptive virtual sessions that focus on real-world results through a balanced mix of coursework, self-study, and expert mentoring.

Always customized

Built to address the specific areas where your team needs to improve.

Immediate application

Focused on real-world skills you can apply directly to your work.

Personal mentoring

Active mentoring helps you apply your new skills to your actual challenges.

Easy virtual access

More active learning with easier logistics—no sitting in a classroom all day!

Incremental learning

Sessions are short and spread out so that they don’t eat your schedule and break your flow.

Free bonus content

Your Learning Program comes with full access to our library of online courses.

Ready to give yourself or your team state-of-the-art learning?

Get in touch, and we’ll get right back to you!

Get in Touch