When You’re Thrown Into Leadership: What to Do When You’re “Winging It”
“I’m winging it, honestly.
I didn’t plan to be a manager.
Things scaled so fast—I’m just trying to keep up.”
That’s what a staff engineer shared with me recently.
He was promoted during a high-growth phase, managing a team while still contributing code.
No leadership training.
No roadmap.
No time.
Sound familiar?
You’re not underqualified.
You’re just under-supported.
When startups scale, technical leads often step into leadership because there’s no one else to do it.
But instead of support, they’re handed:
- A team
- A vague title
- An inbox full of problems
They go from individual contributor to firefighting leader overnight.
And that feeling?
That you’re “winging it”?
It’s not incompetence.
It’s a sign the system failed to invest in your leadership.
What We Worked on in Coaching
🔹 What does “good” look like in this role?
→ We created a definition that wasn’t just output or delivery.
It included communication, psychological safety, and long-term team health.
🔹 How can I structure time so I’m not drowning?
→ We explored simple rhythms: focus blocks, 1:1 templates, and “what needs me vs. what doesn’t.”
🔹 How do I ask for support without sounding lost?
→ We reframed this into a strength:
“I’m ready to grow - can we align on expectations?”
Why It Matters for Business
In Steve Denning’s [latest Forbes article , he shares 10 truths about value-creating firms.
Truth #5?
“Value creation collapses without psychological safety.”
When leaders are winging it, the team knows.
Uncertainty trickles down.
Stress rises.
Innovation stalls.
Supporting new leaders is supporting value creation.
And that support doesn’t always come from inside the company.
That’s where coaching comes in.
My Message to Accidental Leaders
You don’t need to fake it till you make it.
You don’t have to go it alone.
You just need the space to figure it out—and the tools to lead from where you are.
That’s what I do:
I coach new and emerging leaders in tech to lead with clarity, confidence, and calm - even when everything is moving fast.
Want to stop winging it?
Book your free chemistry call