From Code-Slinging Engineer to Web-Slinging Leader: Lessons in Responsibility and Leadership

Stepping into a leadership role is like Peter Parker donning the Spider-Man suit for the first time. It’s thrilling, daunting, and full of unexpected lessons. As Uncle Ben wisely put it, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Transitioning from a coder to leading a team of 140 people meant learning to wield that power with care, trust, and intention.

Here’s a breakdown of the challenges I faced, the lessons I learned, and the hacks that helped me lead which I hope will help every young leader stepping into same situations.

Lesson #1: You Can’t Do It All Alone

Starting as a software engineer, I was all about writing perfect, bug-free code. Whether it was working on mainframes or as a full-stack developer at companies like Trendrr and Twitter and Pubmatic, I thrived on being hands-on.

When I started with DeepIntent as the first engineer, I became a one-person team—coding, architecting systems, hiring talent, and managing office logistics. But as the company grew, I realized that building a team and delegating responsibilities was essential for creating lasting impact.

The Villains: Challenges of Leadership

Every hero faces their share of villains, and leadership was no exception for me. These were my biggest challenges:

1. The Hands-On Habit (aka The Fix-It Syndrome): Transitioning from solving every technical problem personally to stepping back and mentoring others was one of the hardest adjustments to make.
2. The Calendar Carnage: As a leader, back-to-back meetings filled my schedule, leaving little time for deep work or strategic thinking.
3. Delivering Tough Feedback (The Green Goblin of Conversations): Giving constructive criticism while maintaining trust and motivation required careful balance.
4. Defending the Team While Giving Honest Feedback: Supporting the team against external pressures while addressing their areas of improvement internally was a constant juggling act.
5. The Trap of Overcommitment: Saying “yes” too often led to being stretched thin and losing focus on high-impact tasks.
6. Scaling Leadership for Growth: Leading a small, tight-knit team is very different from managing a large, structured organization. Scaling required adapting processes and delegating authority.
7. Team Morale During Tough Times: Maintaining positivity and motivation during setbacks or high-pressure situations was an ongoing challenge.

The Hacks: Tools and Examples for Success

Leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself—it’s about enabling others to shine. Here are strategies, tools, and real-life examples that helped me navigate the transition.

1. Time Management (aka The Web-Slinging Schedule)

• What to Do: Block off time for deep work and ruthlessly cut unnecessary meetings.
• Tool: Use tools like Google Calendar,Calendly, Clockwise, or Notion to prioritize and organize tasks.
• Example: I set recurring time blocks for coding reviews and strategy planning. By limiting my meeting hours to three per day, I ensured I had time for meaningful work.

2. Learn to Say No

• What to Do: Prioritize the tasks that truly need your attention and delegate the rest.
• Tool: Eisenhower Matrix (urgent vs. important chart) to evaluate tasks.
• Example: When asked to sit in on a meeting about office logistics, I politely declined and empowered to form a team to lead the discussion, boosting their confidence and saving my time.

3. 1:1s (Your Personal Spider-Signal)

• What to Do: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings to build trust, identify blockers, and coach team members.
• Tool: Use Lattice, Officevibe, or a simple meeting template to guide discussions.
• Example: A weekly 1:1 with a reportees revealed they felt overwhelmed with their workload. We re-prioritized their tasks together, which led to better performance and a happier team member.

4. Trust Your Team (Like Spidey Trusts the Avengers)

• What to Do: Delegate responsibilities and allow your team to own projects fully.
• Tool: Project management platforms like Jira, Trello, or Asana to track ownership and progress.
• Example: I handed over the responsibility of a critical feature release to a mid-level developer. While I provided guidance, I let them lead the discussions and decisions. Watching them succeed was immensely rewarding.

5. Grow New Leaders (The “Mini-Spidey” Strategy)

• What to Do: Identify team members with leadership potential and mentor them to take on larger responsibilities.
• Tool: Create a personal growth plan using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) or Skill Matrix frameworks.
• Example: A promising engineer was struggling to lead a small project. I mentored them on prioritization and stakeholder communication, and over time, they became a reliable team lead.

6. Feedback: Public Praise, Private Critique

• What to Do: Celebrate wins publicly to boost morale, but share constructive feedback privately to foster growth.
• Tool: Use Slack for public recognition and Notion or private 1:1 notes for constructive conversations.
• Example: After a successful product launch, I called out the team’s effort in an all-hands meeting. Later, during a private chat, I discussed with the QA lead how we could have avoided some delays.

7. Listen Before You Leap

• What to Do: Encourage team members to share ideas and perspectives before jumping in with solutions.
• Tool: Tools like Confluence or Google Docs for brainstorming and gathering input.
• Example: During a roadmap discussion, I refrained from sharing my opinion upfront. Instead, I let the team suggest ideas. The final plan included their suggestions, leading to stronger buy-in and better results.

8. Set Boundaries (No Overlapping Multiverses)

• What to Do: Protect your time and energy by setting clear boundaries for work hours and tasks.
• Tool: Use Focus Mode on your phone or apps like Freedom to avoid distractions.
• Example: I stopped checking Slack after 7 PM, empowering my team to handle non-critical issues on their own. It helped me recharge and trust the team more.

9. Celebrate Wins, Big and Small

• What to Do: Acknowledge successes to keep motivation high and show appreciation for the team’s hard work.
• Tool: Use a team dashboard to track milestones or apps like Culture Amp to give shoutouts
• Example: After a complex project delivery, we organized a small celebration with virtual shoutouts for each contributor, reinforcing a culture of gratitude.

The Final Swing: Leading the Web of Success

The biggest takeaway? Leadership isn’t about being the smartest or most capable person in the room—it’s about building a strong web of trust, collaboration, and growth. Just as Peter Parker learned to balance power and responsibility, I’ve learned to balance authority with humility, mentorship with trust, and vision with adaptability.

In the end, leadership is about enabling others to swing confidently into their challenges while you provide the safety net below. So suit up, embrace your responsibilities, and remember: With great power comes even greater responsibility—and even greater rewards.