Page 30 - The EDGE Summer 2025

into leadership roles will face obstacles that go
beyond skills gaps.
The 1. Letting Go of the Toolbox
This is perhaps the hardest transition; stepping
away from day-to-day technical execution.
PRIME Many new leaders struggle with the temptation

to jump in and "fix" things themselves instead
CHOICE® of enabling their teams to solve problems. This
micromanagement tendency can hinder team
growth and lead to burnout.
Plan John Mead, former DevOps engineer turned VP

of Engineering at LambdaWorks, noted, "In tech,
your value is tied to outcomes — and that's a

DESIGNED & IMPLEMENTED FOR different mindset."
ATTRACTING AND RETAINING 2. Managing Former Peers

QUALITY EMPLOYEES Being promoted from within often means leading
former teammates. The dynamics shift, jokes
are now meetings, and casual chats turn into
Flexible Plan Design
professional evaluations.
Little or No Cost to Implement
Establishing new boundaries while maintaining
Enhanced Employee Benefits
trust is a delicate balance. Missteps can cause
resentment or make it difficult to establish
authority.

LEADERS IN: A 2022 Harvard Business Review study found that
68% of new managers who were promoted from

Special Pay Plans within reported discomfort managing friends
or former peers, and more than 40% avoided
Medical Reimbursement Plans
unnecessary conflict to maintain harmony.
3121 FICA Alternative Plans
VEBA Plans 3. Developing Soft Skills from Scratch
IT professionals moving from a technical
background have not necessarily had formal
training in empathy, active listening, or emotional
intelligence. These skills are essential for
managing diverse teams, coaching employees,
and navigating the organizational politics that
PROVIDING BENEFIT SOLUTIONS come with leadership roles.
FOR GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYERS
Soft skills are often learned the hard way —
800.238.9101 through trial, error, and sometimes failure.
customercare@prginfo.net In a panel for Women in Tech Network, Alisha
www.prginfo.net Raman, a former cybersecurity analyst turned

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30 THE EDGE SUMMER 2025