First Hard Truth: Managing a team of developers is hard for most founders.

Second Hard Truth: For non-technical founders…It can feel downright impossible.

You could feel like an outsider on your own team, unsure of how to contribute or lead.

Sometimes fears and imposter syndrome creeps in:

• What if they don’t respect me because I’m not technical?

• What if I can’t keep my team on track?

• What if I make wrong decisions?

Why, you might be asking yourself?

FEAR…because you don’t fully understand tech leadership and you don’t speak the language.

The good news?

1️⃣ Lean Product Management

The number one reason products and features fail, is not that they couldn’t be built—it’s that no one wanted them in the first place.

Whether you’re building a new product or adding features to an existing one, it’s not enough to have “good ideas.” 

Every idea you pursue must solve a REAL problem, not just be a “Nice to have”. 

Lean product management process will help you:

• Remove the guesswork from BOTH the problem and the solution 
• Help PREVENT you from building technology for technology’s sake
• Help you avoid wasting time and resources on functionality that doesn’t add real value to your product.

Many founders think validation is something you do once—at the beginning, when you first come up with an idea.

But validation isn’t a one-and-done activity.

Every single idea, whether it’s a new feature or a small tweak, needs to go through a validation process before you build it.

2️⃣ Lean Project Management

Defining the right product to build is a big part of the challenge, but, it is only part of the challenge—you also need to deliver it on time, and on budget.

That’s where lean project management shines.

Plan and prepare to set the foundation:

• Define your MVP or MVF (Minimum Viable Product/Feature) - Focus on the must-have features that deliver maximum value with minimal effort. Decide what’s essential to launch based on time and cost constraints.

• Write Detailed and Actionable technical specifications - Think of technical specifications as a shared language between you and your tech team. When written clearly and thoroughly, they eliminate guesswork, minimize misunderstandings, keeping everyone—from developers to stakeholders—on the same page.

• Create realistic estimations - Plan your timelines and costs with your tech team upfront to avoid surprises and stay on track.

Once the foundation is set, manage the build process with intention:

• Break the work into small chunks - This will help you manage and track progress more effectively, launch early and often and learn FASTER.

• Actively Manage the process - As a founder, it’s not enough to simply hand off tasks to your developers—you need to actively manage the process, set clear expectations, and work closely with your team to ensure progress is on track.

• Use project management tools to stay organized and aligned.

Mastering the skill of Lean Project Management, you’ll launch faster, get your product in front of users faster, gather real-world feedback faster, see and catch the red flags faster, and avoid wasting resources on features no one needs.

3️⃣ Technical Literacy

This is the secret weapon for non-technical founders.

You don’t need to know how to code, but you do need to understand enough about technology to lead your team confidently and make informed decisions.

Here’s why technical literacy matters:

• It helps you communicate effectively with your developers, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

• It enables you to participate in strategic discussions about timelines, trade-offs, and priorities.

• It earns you the respect of your team, showing that you understand their world and challenges.

Think of technical literacy as learning a new language.

You don’t need to be fluent—you just need enough vocabulary to:

• Understand the basics of development processes, tools, and terminology.

• Know what questions to ask and when.

• Lead discussions about your product’s architecture and roadmap without feeling lost.

When you’re technically literate, you bridge the gap between vision and execution, empowering you to make smarter decisions and guide your team toward success.

Yes, you can do it as a non-tech founder!

Managing developers effectively might feel intimidating, but it’s entirely possible—even if you’re not technical.

By mastering these three key skills—Lean Product Management, Lean Project Management, and Technical Literacy—you’ll gain the tools you need to:

• Lead your tech team with confidence and clarity.
• Deliver them on time and on budget.
• Build products that solve real problems.

The best part?

With the right framework and processes in place, you can overcome the challenges of managing developers and build a product that customers love.

✍️ Reflect on your current approach as a leader when it comes to leading and managing developers. Are there gaps in that need to be filled?