Technical leaders must own the disconnect caused by AI hype, return-to-office mandates and layoffs, openly back company policies while privately validating team concerns and using small flexibilities to keep morale alive.
Leaders can't change the macro forces reshaping tech-AI hype, mandatory office returns, and massive layoffs-but they can control how they show up for their teams. The article argues that the first step is to acknowledge the off-vibe climate directly and stop pretending everything is fine.
Wearing the "company hat" means publicly supporting policies even when you disagree, but privately you must validate the same frustrations your team feels. A manager should say in one-on-ones, "I get it, this new policy sucks and it will affect me too," rather than sugar-coating the reality in all-hands meetings.
Avoid making promises you can't keep. Instead, look for small workarounds: use discretion when enforcing desk-time rules, allow flexible schedules for parents, and reward trust with actions, not just words. These micro-adjustments build credibility and keep morale from eroding under top-down mandates.
When the broader organization feels shaky, teams look to their direct leader for stability. Quiet honesty, consistent support of company direction in public, and private advocacy for sensible change give that stability. The piece reassures that the turbulence will settle, and leaders who stay grounded will keep their corners of tech a place people want to work.
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