Leading in Tech, week 5 case

Case: the architecture fight that stopped the team

Two senior engineers, three weeks, 140 RFC comments, and four engineers waiting to write code.

Between them sits a lead who is three months into his first lead role, and younger than both.

You will now hear the full case, one page, 5 minutes. Listen for what has already been tried.

Leading in Tech, week 5 case

Case: the laws in tension

  • Buy-In: both RFCs argue positions; neither names the real interests behind them
  • Connection: the fight went public and personal; whoever loses will feel run over
  • Disagree and commit: the tool that ends it, if the commitment is real

The tool is known. The question is when to use it.

Leading in Tech, week 5 case

One deadlock, both tracks

Whether you lead a team of reports or lead technical direction without reports, you will stand between two people who are both right.

ICs meet this as the RFC war. EMs meet it as two strong reports deadlocked.

The tool is the same on both tracks: interests before positions, then disagree and commit.

Leading in Tech, week 5 case

Activity: prepare your camp

Assigned camps, 10 minutes. One camp argues: call the decision now, invoke disagree and commit, unblock four engineers today. The other argues: one more week, negotiate interests one on one first, then decide.

Build your opening and your best evidence from the case text.

Challenge: what is the other camp's strongest attack on you?