Stepping into a strategic leadership role changed how I define success.
Not just deliverables and uptime any more, but people, vision, and long-term impact.
There’s a mindset shift that happens when you move from managing systems to shaping strategy.
It’s not instant, and it’s not always comfortable.
For most of my career, I’ve focused on delivering great technology outcomes:
✅ Keeping systems running
✅ Leading projects
✅ Solving problems
But stepping into a more strategic leadership role, even in an acting capacity, has shown me that success isn’t just about the tech any more.
It’s about people.
It’s about vision.
It’s about long-term impact.
I’ve had to learn to zoom out more often, to think beyond the next upgrade or rollout and ask:
• Are we aligning with where the organisation is going?
• Are we enabling better decisions through data and systems?
• Are we creating a safe space for others to lead, grow, and contribute?
One of the biggest changes has been learning to let go of control in some areas so I can create space in others: for vision, for conversations, for growth (mine and others’).
It’s no longer about being the one who knows the most.
It’s about being the one who brings others together.
It’s also about accepting that strategic leadership involves complexity, uncertainty, and at times, discomfort (and that’s ok!).
But that’s where the real impact is made.
And truthfully, I’m still learning.
Still shifting.
Still stretching.
And yes, sometimes, still struggling.
But here’s what I do know:
When you stop thinking only about what needs to be done, and start asking why it matters. That’s when leadership starts.
👉 What helped you make the leap from technical delivery to strategic leadership?
Let’s share experiences, someone out there is probably where we once were.
#Leadership #CareerGrowth #TechLeadership #StrategicThinking
From Tech Manager to Strategic Leader
