You're in charge of a team of software developers. How can you make sure they're all working effectively?

Don’t micromanage. Assign tasks and trust the team. Trust the team with their timeline and task completion. Follow up once a day. Don’t just assign tasks but do some tasks on your own this specifies that you too are actively engaged in the development. Be an example not just a leader.

As the leader of a team of software engineers, remember that your primary job is not to code, but to communicate, remove inhibitors, and ensure that everyone on your team is on the same page. In order to do that, you need to ensure your team is aligned with the goals of the organization, with the stakeholders of your team's work (be it end users, internal clients, or whoever else), and is aligned internally as well (individual team members aren't in conflict with each other). If you see a lack of alignment, take action to rectify it. This might be focusing on communication, more effectively using your planning tooling, or setting clear expectations by restating or underscoring goals, policies, or procedures you need your team to follow.

There's more tools than ever for collaboration and effective work in software development. Figure out how the members of your team best communicate: Do they prefer asynchronous communication like email and discussions in GitHub issues? Or do they like more synchronous communication like Slack or Google Meet. Do they like keeping track of issues in a GitHub Kanban board? Or do they prefer a todo list in an app like Asana or Notion? These and many others are all decisions you need to make. Just keep in mind that changing tooling takes a while for people to get used to. If it doesn't work right away, give it time and really try to understand the pain points. Only give up after you have a clear understanding of why it's not working.

Members of the most effective teams feel like they can stop to help each other—and they are recognized and rewarded for doing so. One of the worst things you can do as a leader of a team of software engineers is ruthlessly drive them to achieve goals without taking the time to support one another. Create a team that feels like they can ask each other—and you—for help, and like everyone will benefit from doing so. You will heighten the effectiveness of your team.

Provide regular feedback to team members on their performance, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. Encourage a culture of constructive feedback and recognition. Empower team members to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Trust in their abilities and provide support when needed.