We hear all the time that there are no stupid questions. That may be true, but there are some questions you shouldn’t ask. Not all questions should be asked. 

We are leaders, and that means we are models for behavior. Consider your actions and what they tell others about what you expect from them in your organization. Do you set a good example for some of the best-practices you want your team to embody?

As a technical leader, your job involves communication. Sometimes it’s easy to think about communication as the act of sharing our decisions down to our team. Communication is more than just top-down sharing. We need to be thoughtful and creative about who we communicate with in order to be most effective.

My post last week about backpacks and suits struck a nerve with a number of people. People commented that they have had similar observations, and some observe the behavior in themselves. We are all responsible for our brand. What is yours?

The choices you make about what you wear and the accessories you choose to carry speak volumes about you. If you don’t think about how you are perceived based on those choices, you are communicating something (and probably not what you want).

Where have you failed in your professional work? How did you respond to that failure? It is a common interview question. One many people dread. Consider failure as one of the best teaching tools you can find, and look to grow from your failure.

Shifting your mindset as a technical leader is one of the most important changes for you to consider as your role changes. Contrast how different the role of technical leader is from an individual contributor. How can you make this shift and avoid a big mistake?

Have you ever felt that one of your staff isn’t working with urgency? Maybe your entire team? Have you experienced a team that appears not to care if something is done today or tomorrow? You wish they showed more energy or motivation to deliver results?

Simple questions help with prioritization when everything seems important. Rarely will someone come to you with a request that they will admit is not important. You end up having to make your best judgement where to spend your time. These questions bring the real priority into focus.

Communicating clear expectations with your team is a fundamental skill for any leader. How are you communicating to your team when you want them to do something? How specific are you? What language can you use to reduce the ambiguity of your expecations?

Pay attention to the words you use and what it conveys about your attitude. When you are frustrated, it can be easy to communicate a bad attitude that seems directed at others. What words can you use to avoid the appearance of a bad attitude?

We do ourselves a disservice by including every little detail in something we write, in particular a recommendation or assessment. The impact of a powerful one-page is true from a resume to a marketing brochure. The power of one-page can strip away meaningless details and get to the heart of your message.

There are times when we need to swing for the fences. Push ourselves to do more than we think possible. As technical leaders, these are times when we need to try to do something without knowing for sure if we can. Know the implications of asking for the impossible and assess the risk of failure.

The word “entitled” has popped up recently in a number of situations. It is never a good description to be called entitled. I listened to a podcast where the founder of Atari talked about how being entitled is basically the worst thing you can be. Do you come across as entitled? How can you avoid it?

One of our jobs in leadership is to manage and communicate the continual change in every organization. Take a moment to think about how you communicate changes. Following a few simple steps can dramatically improve how your staff responds and reduces the stress on your organization.

As a technical leader, you’re always looking for new tactics that improve your team performance. Not every tactic works in all situations. This one practice works on nearly every team in every organization. You can improve the long-term performance of your team.

As the holidays approach, I love the increase focus on gratitude. Being grateful is a state of mind. There is research that shows giving thanks can make you happier. What can you do to act on this attitude of gratitude? Try this one daily habit and see how it changes you and those around you.

I’ve always been a proponent of healthy disagreement. I enjoy arguing both sides of any topic, and I believe disagreement can result in better choices. I can be guilty of seeing only “my way” and not exploring all the options fully enough, and healthy disagreement can help pierce through this one-sided thinking. There is one situation, however, when healthy disagreement is toxic.

One key attribute of effective technical leaders is a recognition of the extreme value of time. Technical leaders are pulled in many different directions. Your time is limited. Responsibilities get added and your time becomes taxed. Set your priorities, act accordingly and demonstrate you value your time as an executive.