A common challenge for technical leaders is balancing accommodating and resistant behaviour. It's like walking a tightrope.

Overly accommodating

You never find the time to address technical debt. Are you pushing back enough? It's comfortable being a hero and pleasing others by relying on temporary workarounds to deliver the next feature. But are you being honest with the company about the long-term consequences? Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your team and the business is to say no and advocate for time to focus on critical improvements.

Have you been frustrated that the business “just doesn’t get it” or won’t prioritize your technical initiatives? Are you telling them what they need to hear—or just what they want to hear?

Overly resistant

On the flip side, there’s the risk of overcomplicating every request. You will lose credibility if every stakeholder's ask feels like a monumental task requiring months of refactoring. When every feature is a “not now” or “too hard to build,” stakeholders will eventually bypass you for better answers elsewhere.

Has your team been locked into a months-long refactoring or rebuild? Are you challenging them to focus on what matters to the business? Are you listening to your stakeholders and providing them with the support they need?