| I work in a largish (~30) geographically distributed team, itself nested in a much larger product structure. At our scale, we simply cannot function without hierarchy. We have techleads, a program manager, a technical program manager, and other managers. We had to organize ourself into a handful of smaller teams (3-5) that each have tech lead and manager roles, sometimes the same person, but not always. FTA:
> - When there are newcomers, we need a strong coach. This tech onboarding doesn't have to be done by the tech lead necessarily. It's done by a mentor who works closest to the newcomer's starter project. The rest they absorb by osmosis and (shock) documentation. > - When there are architectural challenges, we need an experienced architect. This is the correct role of a techlead. > - When there are internal conflicts, we need a mediator. This is the role of a manager. > - When there are external blockers or lack of resources, we need a concierge. This is the role of a manager. > - When we need to negotiate and integrate with other teams, we need a ambassador. This is a project manager or general manager role. Tech leads are involved but may not be the primary drivers. |