From Engineer to Leader: Mastering Career Growth in Tech

Amir Bormand · Feb 24, 2025

Early in your career, mastering technical skills gets you noticed. Writing clean code, solving complex problems, and staying ahead of new technologies is enough. But at some point, what got you here won’t get you there—and doing more of the same stops working. You realize doing more of what made you successful won’t necessarily get you to the next level. This is the turning point where many engineers either level up their mindset or hit a career plateau.

On a recent podcast, Anant Gupta, SVP of Engineering and Data Science at Included Health, shared how engineers can break through career stagnation and move up the ladder. Drawing from his experience at LinkedIn, Uber, and beyond, he explains:

✔ Why engineers struggle to advance despite technical excellence.
✔ The key skills needed at senior, staff, and leadership levels.
✔ How to build influence, whether staying technical or moving into management.

If you want to move up, it’s not just about what you do—it’s about how you think. So read on as we break down Anant’s advice on career growth, leadership, and building a path that fits your strengths and ambitions.

From Skills to Influence: The Real Path to Growth

Many engineers assume career growth means moving into management, but titles alone don’t define success. Real progress comes from expanding your influence and impact—not just climbing the ladder.

Think of a Senior Engineer who deeply understands systems, mentors others, and drives technical strategy. They can have just as much impact—if not more—than a manager leading a team.

Growth isn’t about learning more technical skills alone. It’s about:

✔ Shaping decisions beyond your immediate tasks.
✔ Bridging technical expertise with business goals.
✔ Leading through influence—whether as an engineer, architect, or manager.

Anant Gupta emphasized that exceptional engineers naturally attract opportunities because of their skills and leadership, not just their job title. By developing technical mastery, communication, and strategic thinking, you create more leverage in your career—whether that means leading teams, driving product direction, or even transitioning into a new path.

So instead of asking, “How do I get promoted?” ask yourself, “How do I increase my impact?” That’s the real key to long-term success

What Skills from Engineering to Leadership Are Essential for Transitioning to a CTO Role?

Transitioning from engineer to successful cto requires a blend of technical expertise and leadership abilities. Key skills include strategic thinking, effective communication, and team management. Additionally, familiarity with emerging technologies and a vision for innovation are crucial, enabling engineers to guide their teams and drive organizational success.

Different Stages of an Engineering Career

Each career stage comes with new challenges and expectations. Understanding these shifts helps you prepare for the skills you’ll need at every level.

As Anant Gupta shared, career growth requires a shift in mindset. If you’ve ever wondered why some engineers keep advancing while others get stuck, it’s not always about skill—it’s about perspective.

Think of an exceptional chef who makes the best dishes in the kitchen. If they want to run a restaurant, cooking alone won’t cut it. They’ll need to learn how to manage a team, create systems, handle budgets, and think about the big picture.

Senior Engineer

✔ What You Focus On:

—Technical excellence, writing high-quality code.

—Solving complex problems efficiently.

—Delivering impactful solutions.

✔ Key Growth Areas:

—Deep expertise in a specific tech stack.

—Optimizing performance, scalability, and maintainability.

—Collaborating effectively within your team.

Staff Engineer

✔ What Changes:

—You expand beyond coding.

—You mentor junior engineers and help shape the technical vision.

—You influence decisions across teams and think about architecture at scale.

✔ Key Growth Areas:

—Cross-team collaboration and technical influence.

—Developing systems that scale beyond individual features.

—Becoming a go-to expert for solving critical engineering challenges.

Engineering Manager

✔ What Changes:

—You shift from execution to leadership.

—Your success is measured by how well your team performs, not just your own contributions.

—You focus on team development, efficiency, and delivering results through others.

✔ Key Growth Areas:

—People management, coaching, and feedback.

—Streamlining processes to improve team efficiency.

—Managing priorities and aligning engineering efforts with business goals.

Director / VP / CTO

✔ What Changes:

—You move from leading teams to leading entire organizations.

—Success depends on company-wide strategy, hiring top talent, and driving innovation.

—You work closely with executives and stakeholders to align engineering with the business.

✔ Key Growth Areas:

—Defining and executing long-term engineering strategy.

—Creating an engineering culture that attracts and retains top talent.

—Managing budgets, scaling teams, and making high-impact business decisions.

How to Develop Leadership Skills in Engineering

Leadership in engineering isn’t about climbing the ranks—it’s about creating real impact. Whether you lead teams or stay deeply technical, strong leadership skills help you influence decisions, drive projects, and shape the future of your organization. Anant Gupta shared a step-by-step approach for engineers looking to develop leadership capabilities beyond technical execution.

Step 1: Shift from Problem-Solving to Problem-Defining

Leadership starts not with solving problems, but defining the right ones. If deep technical work excites you, you don’t have to move into management to lead. Roles like Principal Engineer, Chief Architect, or Technical Fellow allow you to shape strategy, mentor others, and influence decisions without stepping into people management.

Regardless of your path, leadership starts when you define the right problems to solve, not just execute solutions. This means:

✔ Asking bigger questions – What’s the real business goal? Are we solving the right problem?
✔ Understanding trade-offs – The best solutions align with business impact, not just technical perfection.
✔ Clarifying priorities – Great leaders help teams focus on what moves the needle instead of getting lost in details.

By shifting from doing to defining, you become a trusted voice in your team and set yourself apart as a leader.

Step 2: Start Leading Without a Title

You don’t need a manager title to lead. Influence comes from owning problems, taking initiative, and improving systems. Ways to practice:

✔ Mentor junior engineers – Share knowledge, offer feedback, and help others grow.
✔ Fix what’s broken – Identify inefficiencies and suggest better ways of working.
✔ Drive cross-team collaboration – Initiate discussions to break silos and create alignment.

As Anant shared, leaders don’t wait for authority—they create impact first. When you make things better, leadership opportunities follow.

(Important Note)

Not every engineer needs to move into leadership. If deep technical work excites you, consider paths like Principal Engineer, Chief Architect, or Technical Fellow instead of management. These roles let you lead through expertise rather than people management, proving that leadership isn’t just about managing teams—it’s about influence, innovation, and solving high-impact problems.)

Step 3: Develop Strong Communication Skills

Great engineers don’t just write great code—they explain, persuade, and influence. Work on:

✔ Explaining ideas simply – Can you break down complex solutions so a non-engineer understands?
✔ Writing effectively – Well-structured documents, emails, and reports improve decision-making.
✔ Speaking up – Share insights, ask thoughtful questions, and challenge ideas constructively.

Clear communication makes you stand out. The better you articulate your thoughts, the more people will listen.

Step 4: Learn to Think Strategically

Engineering leaders don’t just solve technical problems—they connect them to business goals.

✔ Ask why – Why does this feature matter? How does it impact users and revenue?
✔ Think beyond code – Consider cost, scalability, and long-term sustainability.
✔ Align with leadership – Understand company priorities and how engineering fits into the big picture.

Anant pointed out that engineers who think like business leaders are the ones who move up.

Step 5: Find the Right Mentors and Coaches

Learning leadership isn’t a solo journey. The best engineers seek guidance from those ahead of them.

✔ Find mentors – Someone who’s already navigated your career path can help you avoid mistakes.
✔ Get feedback – Regular input from peers and managers refines your leadership approach.
✔ Read, listen, and learn – Books, podcasts, and leadership courses expand your perspective.

A great mentor fast-tracks your growth. Surround yourself with people who challenge and inspire you.

Step 6: Take Ownership of Your Career Growth

No one hands you leadership skills—you build them through experience.

✔ Take on stretch assignments – Seek opportunities that push you beyond your comfort zone.
✔ Be proactive about learning – Technical skills matter, but leadership requires continuous learning in communication, strategy, and management.
✔ Reflect on progress – What’s working? What needs improvement? Adjust as you grow.

As Anant shared, leadership isn’t about waiting for an opportunity—it’s about becoming ready when the opportunity comes.

Conclusion: Build a Career That Fits Your Strengths

Career growth in engineering isn’t just about climbing the ranks—it’s about expanding your impact. Whether you choose to lead teams, drive technical excellence, or influence strategy, the key is to develop the right skills at the right time.

Anant Gupta’s insights remind us that engineering career growth isn’t about chasing promotions—it’s about building skills that create impact. Whether you choose leadership or deep technical work, the key is expanding influence, thinking strategically, and continuously learning.

✔ Master your craft—whether it’s coding, architecture, or systems design.
✔ Develop leadership skills—influence without authority, communicate clearly, and think strategically.
✔ Expand your impact—mentor others, take on bigger challenges, and align your work with business goals.

The best opportunities come to those who take initiative. So start today—mentor someone, take ownership of a problem, and think beyond just code. Small steps compound over time, and before you know it, you’ll be the one leading.