Tech Lead Journal

Stop Telling Yourself You're Bad at “People Stuff”

The video features Martijn Versteeg, founder of Group Effort and an organizational‑psychology specialist, discussing why tech leads often claim they’re “bad at people stuff” and how that belief is a self‑fulfilling myth. He argues that engineers already excel at systematic thinking, and that same skill set can be applied to human behavior. Versteeg outlines a simple six‑need model—certainty (stability), variety, growth, status, connection, and giving—as a predictor of employee satisfaction and turnover. He stresses that conflict avoidance is a common pitfall for new managers, and that the “bottleneck” mindset (“If I can do it, I should do it”) undermines team autonomy. Peer coaching groups of 300+ CTOs provide a “Stack Overflow of psychology” where leaders exchange concrete systems for conflict resolution and motivation. A memorable quote from a former CTO illustrates the shift: “If only I can do it, I should not do it.” Versteeg also notes that humans prioritize pain avoidance over pleasure and short‑term rewards over long‑term goals, explaining why developers may shy away from difficult conversations or strategic planning. For tech organizations, adopting these psychological systems means regular self‑assessment of the six needs, early detection of disengagement, and structured peer coaching. The result is higher retention, more empowered teams, and leaders who can iterate on their people skills with the same rigor they apply to code.