The tipping point between code and leadership: It happens quietly, almost imperceptibly. One moment, you’re deep in the rhythm of writing code—solving elegant problems, pushing clean commits. The next, you’re in back-to-back meetings, fielding strategy questions, mentoring junior developers, and juggling stakeholder expectations.
And then it hits you: Am I still an engineer? Or have I become something else entirely?
This is the dilemma so many of us face as we grow: How do you hold on to the technical craft that defines you while stepping into the weight of leadership? How do you avoid losing credibility, burning out, or holding your team back?
The answer lies in balance—and it’s not as simple as it sounds.