very leader begins somewhere—and for many in technical fields, it starts with a craft. Coding, engineering, programming, or designing: these are the technical skills that build careers. But transitioning from technician to leader is more than just a promotion. It’s a transformation.
Linda Cureton, who started as a systems programmer and rose to become a senior government executive and CEO of Muse Technologies, describes this journey as both heroic and messy—filled with detours, setbacks, monsters, and souvenirs. Much like Odysseus navigating his way home, the journey from technician to leader requires resilience, courage, and growth.
Challenge 1: Leadership vs. Management
Many professionals confuse leadership with management. Cureton uses a music analogy to illustrate the difference.
Why This Matters
- As a technician, you’re like a musician—mastering your craft, knowing your scales, and playing your part.
- As a manager, you’re like a section head—ensuring your team members are on cue, playing in harmony, and following structure.
- As a leader, you’re like the conductor—seeing the whole score, setting the vision, and inspiring collaboration to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
The Reframe
- Management organizes. Leadership inspires.
- Managers ensure tasks get done. Leaders create purpose.
- Management looks inward. Leadership looks forward.
Pro Tip: You can manage without leading, but you can’t truly lead without vision.
Challenge 2: Emotional Intelligence vs. Soft Skills
For years, leadership training emphasized “soft skills.” But Cureton argues that it’s emotional intelligence (EQ) that separates great leaders from average ones.
Why This Matters
Daniel Goleman’s research shows EQ accounts for nearly 90% of the difference between top performers and their peers. Emotional intelligence is not optional—it’s the secret weapon of leadership.
The Four Components of EQ
- Self-Awareness: Recognizing your own emotions and how they affect others.
- Self-Regulation: Managing your reactions, staying composed under pressure.
- Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
- Relationship Management: Building trust, cooperation, and influence.
The Reframe
- Soft skills = Politeness. EQ = Power.
- Soft skills make you likable. EQ makes you effective.
- Soft skills smooth the surface. EQ transforms the depth.
Key Insight: Technical skills build careers. Emotional intelligence builds leaders.
Challenge 3: The Monsters and Detours on the Journey
Just like Odysseus, the leadership journey isn’t linear. There are storms, failures, and adversaries. Cureton describes these as the “monsters” of leadership—projects that collapse, people who resist, or ceilings that seem unbreakable.
Why This Matters
Mid-career professionals often expect leadership to be a steady climb. In reality, it’s a winding path filled with challenges that test resilience.
The Reframe
- Monsters Build Muscle: Every trial strengthens emotional resilience.
- Souvenirs Are Lessons: Even setbacks leave behind wisdom you can carry forward.
- Storms Build Character: Leadership is less about avoiding chaos and more about learning to navigate it.
Real Talk: Leadership growth isn’t about avoiding failure—it’s about extracting value from it.
Challenge 4: Why Leadership Is Important
At the core of Cureton’s message is this: leadership matters because it multiplies impact. Technicians and managers are critical, but leaders expand influence beyond themselves.
Why This Matters
Without leadership, organizations stagnate. Without emotional intelligence, leaders fail to inspire trust. Leadership is what turns technical expertise into meaningful, sustainable impact.
The Reframe
- Leadership Shapes Culture: It sets the tone for collaboration and innovation.
- Leadership Multiplies Influence: It develops other leaders, not just followers.
- Leadership Leaves Legacy: The mark of leadership isn’t what you accomplish—it’s what continues after you.
Leadership Hack: The journey to leadership isn’t about leaving technical skills behind—it’s about elevating them into vision and influence.
Conclusion: From Technician to Leader
The journey from technician to leader is not easy—but it is worth it. It requires more than technical skills, more than management efficiency, and more than soft skills. It demands emotional intelligence, resilience, and vision.
Cureton’s story shows us that leadership is a heroic journey. It’s about navigating storms, facing monsters, and celebrating victories along the way. And like Odysseus, leaders discover that the true prize isn’t the destination—it’s the growth along the journey.
Call to Action
If you’re ready to move from technician to leader, start with one step: develop your emotional intelligence. Pay attention to your self-awareness, regulate your reactions, practice empathy, and build relationships. Your technical skills may get you noticed—but your EQ will get you remembered.
