As a leader, Iâm always looking for better ways to support testers and create an environment where quality is a shared responsibility. So Iâd love to hear from you. What actually makes a difference
As testers, we often operate at the intersection of tech and people, and I know leadership plays a big role in how supported and empowered you feel. Iâve seen firsthand how impactful it is when a leader champions quality early in the process, not just at the finish line. Whether itâs bringing QA into design conversations, backing up your call to block a release, or just saying âthank youâ after a tough sprint, small things add up.
So I want to know from you:
Whatâs the best thing a leader has done to support you as a QA, QE, tester? And whatâs something you wish more leaders understood about QA?
Whatâs a moment when a leader truly got what it meant to support quality?
Whatâs one thing you wish every manager or stakeholder knew about testing work?
Letâs give a shoutout to the good ones and help the others catch up.
I will tell you some things of my current Leader in my company. He is the boss of the ECU software Testing team. So to put you in situation we test the software that is installed in the Module that controls a funtionallity in car (this modul is called ECU in the automotive argot).
I will tell you some things that I like and other that I dont.
My leader is already more than 60, so this guy was doing engineering when one computer was as big as a room. However he is aware of last trends, he knows how to write code and he is always bringing new ideas for us to study. I must say that he can reinvent himself and I have him in great professional cosideration for that.
In the other hand, he definetly knows how to listen and he is the kind of boss that is not the Alpha Lyon in the room. You know what I mean, we feel good when spressing our thoughs in front of him, even when we think something is wrong, everybody in the team speaks quite freely. And he does not react bad with this, he always listens and think about our thoughts. He tell us, âyeah maybe you are rightâ. He make us feel good about express our opinions about the job but then he is able to make everybody in the team to do whatever he thing is good. But without harsh. I really think that is an amazing feature in a leader. I mean he doesnt get angry even if we are questioning his decissions in each daily meeting.
So i really apreciate this guy and I would like to be more like him, which I am not by the way.
Things that I dont like. He has always some meeting to attend, I mean he can easilly spend the hole day in meeting about one thousand other projects and topics and someties I feel like he is not so aware of the real specific problems, but well I guess to solve those specific problems is our job and his is gide us somehow.
Clearly weâre on the same wavelength as quality leaders @jessicam. Youâve summed up the challenge we both embrace quite brilliantly
For me, in my current role to literally give me the freedom to define our own objectives for quality. It means from leader to tester, our roles evolve to push quality where it needs to improve - which is not always aimed at a piece of software. When I joined the company we were named and treated as âthe test teamâ so we have over time educated leaders that we can do far more than that.
A few years back we were in an incident review meeting about a particularly old product. That product has been put together as a start-up company, no real requirements, stories, test cases or anything and it was a very customised development for 1 customer - way before my time. The problems started when we shipped it to other customers. Add new developers to the product then everyone only knows what it does, not what it should do.
In that review, testers were coming under some scrutiny as to why so many bugs were getting through and I asked the question âWhats the test basis?â After a bit of toing and froing, I got the message home that all the testing weâre doing is reactive with no clear quality targets. They knew then we needed to bring the older products up to the standards of product information as the newer ones. So that learning was if there are loads of bugs getting into production, look at the full responsibilities, not just the testers and developers.
Quality engineers can test way before we get software
I think this is key! Many times there is a bias and viewpoint of what testing is and who is testing the product. I believe many times people see QA/QE as like its âjust testingâ or âmagicâ and once you demystify the process and the core belief of quality, many are just blown away. I find that fascinating and feel like Clark Kent each time. I am superhero hiding in plain sight hahaha
Ohhh muh heart love this! Also I will be using toing and froing in a sentence today lol
Wow, this gave me all the feels. I donât know your leader, but now I want to shake his hand. That ability to reinvent himself after decades in the game while still creating a space where people feel safe to speak up is rare. Truly rare.
I love that you mentioned he is not the Alpha Lion in the room. It is powerful when leaders do not lead by dominance but through listening without ego , making decisions without steamrolling people is a sign of real emotional intelligence.
The fact that you admire him and want to grow into that kind of leader says a lot about you too. Sounds like you are already headed in the right direction.
Thanks so much for sharing this. It genuinely made me smile.
Hopefully you are right in that i am heading in the right direction, I am going to leave my current job and face a country change in the upcoming months and I start to feel the preassure, but well, thats life.
Listening, mentoring, freedom, encourage. Itâs good that your leader would listen every thing you said either ideas, suggestion, feedbacks, critics, even your personal things/life. It will help to understand each other, communicate well each other. When you got mistake/error they will help you, mentoring to get better, or even prevent mistake/error in the next. Mentoring you new things or become next leader
Freedom to give you what you want to do best to help you productive, creative, moving fast, effective.
When you feel busy, anxious, sad, angry, tired, a small gesture/word to encourage you always helpful, just smile and say magic word will help people cheer up.
Understand fundamental things about quality, quality assurance, technology, means that not all things you need to have for fundamental, just knowing standard informations/books/syllabus, give you example or case how to get it done and correctly into understandable.
This is such a kind and thoughtful reflection. I agree, those small things matter more than people realize. A leader who truly listens, offers guidance without judgment, and creates space for growth , that sets the foundation for everything else.
I love that you brought up encouragement. It costs nothing, but it can completely change someoneâs day. Especially when folks are feeling overwhelmed or stuck, even a simple âyouâve got thisâ can go a long way.
And yes, mentoring isnât just about skills. Itâs about building confidence and helping someone see their own potential, even when they donât yet believe it themselves.
Thanks again for sharing this. You reminded me why I love doing what I do.
