From Geek to Lead by Sandy Molloy

From Geek to Lead by Sandy Molloy

Are you a trusted go-to individual who's suddenly expected to lead people-not just projects? Moving from expert to manager is one of the toughest jumps in any tech career.

What this book gives you

From Geek To Lead is a practical, no-jargon guide for first-time (or first-few-times) leaders. You'll get clear frameworks, ready-to-use checklists, and real stories from teams we've led and coached across higher education, government, and industry.

You'll learn how to:

• Understand what's expected of modern teams-and of you as their leader
• Communicate with clarity (up, down, and sideways) without drowning in detail
• Build a high-trust team and develop people with different strengths and styles
• Set direction and priorities, even with limited data and shifting goals
• Establish healthy processes without killing creativity
• Navigate tricky moments: conflict, resistance, under-performance, and burnout

What's inside

• A practical first 90 days playbook for new tech managers
• Templates for 1:1s, feedback, and role clarity
• Checklists for meetings, decisions, and stakeholder alignment
• A capstone case study that ties it all together

Who this is for

• anyone stepping into leadership
• Team leads, new managers, and aspiring CIOs/CTOs
• Non-technical leaders who manage technical teams

About the authors

Yousif Asfour is Chief Innovation & Transformation Officer at the American University of Beirut; former founding CIO at NYU Abu Dhabi and President of the CIO Lebanon Association.

Sandra Molloy is a leadership development executive and neuroscience coach who has designed culture-change programs across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Lead with confidence-not just code. This book shows you how.