How I Lead a 100‑Person Tech Team: 10 Practical Management Lessons

I lead a technology team of just over 100 people, including front‑end, back‑end, testing, operations & DBA, client developers, and AI engineers.

Previously the team had more than 150 members, but after layoffs and turnover it now stands at around 100.

The team is divided into seven groups, each headed by a group leader who reports directly to me.

My management approach has evolved from leading small teams of three to five, then dozens, and finally a large group, based on trial, error, and personal reflection rather than textbook theory.

"Working with me may not pay a lot, but it's enjoyable."

Below are the ten key practices I follow.

1. Delegate authority to group leaders

I trust my group leaders completely, rarely intervening in their work or micromanaging decisions. They set schedules, evaluate performance, determine raises, and conduct most interview rounds, while I handle the final interview and overall oversight.

2. Stay involved in critical decisions

Delegation doesn’t make me a hands‑off manager. I still lead major version upgrades, framework updates, project refactoring, incident monitoring, and post‑mortems, and I advocate for my team’s needs with senior management and HR.

3. Understand each team member

When we merged a ten‑person sub‑team, I first compiled a spreadsheet of each person’s background, performance, and skills, then continued regular one‑on‑ones to identify those eager for growth and responsibility.

4. Remember everyone’s name

Knowing all 100+ colleagues by name helps build rapport; I even memorized names using a seating chart, and I encourage a culture where leaders address each other by first name rather than formal titles.

5. Participate in production releases

Even though releases happen late at night and could proceed without me, I stay on‑site to make swift decisions if issues arise, providing a calm presence that reassures the team.

6. Lead with calm authority

Inspired by the “quiet authority” of a movie character, I aim to command respect without raising my voice, demonstrating composure that steadies the team during crises.

7. Eliminate hierarchical barriers

I sit with the team in an open office, ask to be called by my name, and avoid titles like “leader” or “CEO,” fostering a sense of equality.

8. Build genuine friendships

By being open and honest, I encourage colleagues to view each other as friends, which creates a supportive network that can help one another in the future.

9. Protect subordinates when things go wrong

When a production incident caused by a DBA mistake occurred, I took full responsibility and absorbed the performance‑pay penalty, shielding the DBA while still addressing the error internally.

10. Aim for mutual satisfaction

My ultimate goal is to keep leaders, managers, group leads, and team members all satisfied, treating the team as a collaborative community rather than a means for personal promotion.

These practices reflect a heartfelt, pragmatic approach to technical team leadership.