From Geek to Lead: A Techie's Guide to Leadership

Bys: Molloy, Sandy and Asfour, Yousif

If you've ever been promoted for your technical skills and suddenly expected to lead people and not just projects, you're not alone. Moving from expert to manager is one of the toughest transitions in any technology career.

From Geek To Lead is your practical, no-jargon guide to making that leap with confidence. Whether you're a first-time manager, a team lead, a technical expert stepping into leadership, or a non-technical leader managing technical teams, this book gives you the tools to succeed.

Drawing on decades of leadership experience across higher education, government, and global industry, the authors offer clear frameworks, real-world stories, and ready-to-use checklists that help you lead modern technical teams with purpose.

What You'll LearnHow technical roles evolve, and what people expect from you as a leaderHow to communicate with clarity (up, down, and across the organization)How to build trust and lead teams with diverse skills and personalitiesHow to set direction and make decisions when the data is incompleteHow to establish healthy processes without slowing innovationHow to handle conflict, low performance, resistance, and burnoutHow to build a leadership foundation that grows with you

What's InsideTemplates and checklists for 1:1s, feedback, role clarity, and decision-makingPractical frameworks for communication, alignment, and team developmentA capstone case study that ties the leadership journey togetherIllustrations, sidebars, quotes, and stories that make the lessons memorable

Who This Book Is ForNew and first-time managers any fieldExperts evolving into leadership rolesTeam leads and supervisors managing technical teamsAspiring CIOs, CTOs, and digital transformation leadersNon-technical leaders who need to understand and guide technical staff

About the Authors

Yousif Asfour is Chief Innovation & Transformation Officer at the American University of Beirut and former founding CIO at NYU Abu Dhabi.

Sandra Molloy is a leadership development executive and neuroscience coach who has designed and delivered culture-change programs across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Lead with confidence

This book gives you the practical tools to lead teams with clarity, empathy, and impact.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0D1NL7MHG
• ISBN13: 9798990218512
• Release Date: April 2024
• Publisher: Asfour-Molloy
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.3"