From Geek to Lead: A Techie's Guide to Leadership - Softcover

Molloy, Sandy; Asfour, Yousif

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798990218512

Publisher: Asfour-Molloy, 2024

Synopsis

Are you a trusted "go-to" invidividual 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 execs

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.

About this title

About the Author

Yousif Asfour is a technology executive and leadership educator with more than 25 years of experience as CIO and CTO in the USA and the Middle East. He currently serves as Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer at the American University of Beirut, leading the Office of Information Technology, the Talal and Madiha Zein AUB Innovation Park, and AUB Online. He was previously the founding CIO at NYU Abu Dhabi and President of the CIO Lebanon Association. Yousif holds a Ph.D. in Cognitive and Neural Systems from Boston University.
Sandra Molloy is a leadership development executive and neuroscience coach who has designed culture-change programs across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. With more than three decades in IT and leadership development, she helps organizations create positive and sustainable change through practical, people-centered approaches

From the Back Cover

Stepping into leadership from an individual contributor role can feel overwhelming. Suddenly, the skills that made you successful - logic, precision, and technical mastery - aren't enough. Now you're expected to guide, inspire, and communicate.

From Geek To Lead helps you make that leap with confidence. Through practical frameworks, relatable stories, and proven checklists, it shows how to lead people as effectively as you manage systems.

Written by two leaders who have walked the same path, this book offers real-world advice for building trust, setting priorities, and developing teams that perform.

If you've ever wondered how to move from being the "go-to expert" to the kind of leader others want to follow, this is your guide.

From the Inside Flap

Most leadership books are written for executives. From Geek To Lead is written for the rest of us: the builders, problem-solvers, and tech professionals suddenly asked to lead people as well as projects.

Drawing on real-world stories from the authors' experiences in technology, education, and leadership development, this book helps you bridge the gap between technical expertise and human leadership.

Whether you're guiding your first team or mentoring future leaders, you'll find practical tools, checklists, and insights that make the transition to leadership feel achievable and rewarding.

Edition details

• Publisher: Asfour-Molloy
• Publication date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798990218512
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256