[yareally]

> Lastly, do everything you can to limit their distractions. Instruct coworkers in non-technical disciplines to direct all questions to you, be the development team's "shield" against pesky interruptions. Managers who have done this for me have won my respect much quicker than those who have not.

Maybe the definition of tech/team lead is different from company to company, but where I work, I still have an engineering manager that takes care of the personnel issues and pesky questions from project managers and other non-technicals for me. The role of a tech/team lead for us is a developer that removes the technical roadblocks, spearheads new ideas/projects and acts as developmental resource for the team. It's sort of a symbiotic relationship--I keep the technical aspects of managing the team off the engineering manager and he keeps the stuff I rather not deal with off of me and the team.

I agree about shielding your team though, but more on a technical aspect. Taking on the tasks no one else wants to do and making the tasks everyone has to do more efficient. Also, being the advocate for your team when the company is making major changes that will affect them. I do write code, but it's not as much as everyone else.