Ask HN: My team lead is incompetent

[throwaway1006]

I've been working with my team lead for 3 years now, and I genuinely think they're dead weight. I'm the defacto team lead because I'm the most technically competent on the team and also because I: mentor the less experienced devs on the team, created the design and roadmap for our software, and help the team lead with practically every decision.

The team lead has difficulty completing simple tasks. They aren't learning the technologies we're using (Git, React, etc.) even though they're allowed to spend all the time they want to learn them. They don't seem competent in our core language (C#), and when given a task to write something new, they wrote it in Basic even though no one else on the team knows it. The team lead doesn't mentor. They don't have a solid grasp on the current state of our software. They rubber-stamp pull requests. When I asked for mentoring regarding interviewing a potential new hire, we didn't really evaluate the candidate in the interview at all (and I received no mentoring on the topic).

I've come to a point where working under the team lead is starting to seriously bother me, and I'm not sure what to do. Any advice?

[rigel_kentaurus]

Observe your team lead, he/she might be dead weight... or maybe not. It's true that a tech lead should be pro-efficient in the language and technology, but there are tons of things that a tech lead is supposed to do.

Bringing people together, keeping the motivation of the team going, solving conflicts as soon as they happen. Also communicating with management (maybe you haven't realized that you are free to focus on the tech side because someone else is absorbing the drama?)

A tech lead is also expected to be able to distribute work and keep everyone engaged, working through the process and making sure the team has the resources including QA, hardware, other teams, coordinating release schedules, aligning stakeholders, controlling scope creep and product managers. And sometimes the manager relies on him to even do admin work.

Sometimes people are in a position for a reason. The ironic thing that could happen to you would be that someday you get that job and suddenly realize that it requires a completely different set of skills.

[nicesave]

I agree with OP that writing a task in a non-core language is concerning, and also agree with you that there might be more going on.

I've worked with both types of team leads -- those that are there because they are technically proficient, as well as those that are good at handling the politics so the team doesn't and relies upon Sr. engineers to guide the project technically.

It's completely situational as to what is appropriate. Are you a 6+ person team in a large org (or in a small dysfunctional org)? Then you want some one who can handle the politics. Are you a 4 person team that owns your company's entire tech stack? Then you want someone who is really technically proficient.

Since OP mentioned the manager of this person, I suspect it's a larger org where politics is king, otherwise they would report to a VP or higher directly.

[throwaway1006]

> Bringing people together, keeping the motivation of the team going, solving conflicts as soon as they happen. Also communicating with management (maybe you haven't realized that you are free to focus on the tech side because someone else is absorbing the drama?)

This is probably their strongest suit.

> Sometimes people are in a position for a reason. The ironic thing that could happen to you would be that someday you get that job and suddenly realize that it requires a completely different set of skills.

lol, indeed

[greenyoda]

> Sometimes people are in a position for a reason.

I agree with most of what you said, but sometimes people are in a position for the wrong reason. For example, they may have just been an old friend of the person who hired them.

[uberman]

You have projected things you think are important onto the responsibilities of the team lead. Those things might not be what they or their boss feel are important.

If it bothers you that much, quit.

[throwaway1006]

Good point

[sloaken]

I have had a similar team lead. Mine spent all his time on the phone talking to his buddies - not work related. I often ended up picking up the pieces of his mess. I quit. Best day of my life! Went on a 3 month bicycle trip - LOVED IT. Found a better job.

[jlengrand]

Just to add to all that has been said already : If he is in that position for 3 years and he stays there; there is something in him that fits the organisation he is in. He might be doing _some_ things right that you value less than others or can't see. Even if you end up leaving, you can get value from searching what that can be.

It might also be worth checking how he feels himself int he role (without confronting him of course). Does he think he is doing well? Maybe he is afraid of being judged so he sticks to what he knows.

In any case, good luck with it :)

[GoToRO]

Simply stop doing their job. He is a team lead because of you.

[palidanx]

I think it would be good to learn what else your team lead is doing? Often team leads have more responsibilities than just technically leading a team. Such as

1) Working on budget and forecast

2) Developing project plans

3) Tracking milestones and project status

Of course it is more beneficial for the team lead to know what the team is doing, but it depends on how large your org is. I find that the larger the company, the less technical the lead usually is.

[bjourne]

It appears that the team lead's incompetence is not your problem. Then you should mind your own business.

[thabothabo101]

100%.

[kleer001]

Where do you work where something like this can go on that long?

I suspect somewhere with over 2000 employees. No way a slouch like that could hide otherwise.