Value Driven Careers

Cohort 1

Leadership isn’t a title.It’s how you operate. The Software Engineer Growth Program is designed for individual contributors who want to grow into trusted leaders, with or without the title. This isn’t about becoming a manager.It’s about learning how to take responsibility earlier, operate with clarity, and consistently create impact that others can see and rely on. Most engineers are taught how to write code.Very few are taught how to:- Communicate direction- Prioritize for impact- Build influence across teams- Create a visible track record of results That gap is what holds talented engineers back. This program gives you the systems, frameworks, and habits used by high-performing engineers and engineering leaders to grow scope, trust, and responsibility over time.The same principles taught here are what I apply as a practicing engineering leader to scale teams and organizations. They’re not theoretical. They’re operational. What to ExpectThis seven week program is structured to help you build leadership from the inside out. Each module focuses on a core responsibility that strong engineers learn to take on before promotions, raises, or expanded scope follow. Week 1: Mindset for Growth- Leadership starts with ownership.- Before skills or systems matter, you need the right mindset around responsibility, growth, and accountability. This module helps you shift from waiting for permission to taking initiative in a sustainable way. Week 2: Communicate with Impact- Leaders don’t just share information. They create clarity.- This module focuses on how to communicate effectively with peers, managers, and stakeholders so your work, intent, and impact are understood. You’ll learn how to choose the right communication style, cadence, and level of detail for different situations. Week 3: Master Your Time- Leaders protect their time so they can protect outcomes.- You’ll learn how to prioritize work based on impact, not urgency. This module introduces practical systems for planning, focus, and boundary-setting so you can deliver consistently without burnout. Week 4: Build Intentional Relationships- Leadership is built on trust.- This module teaches you how to build strong working relationships across your team and organization. You’ll learn how to gain allies, repair strained relationships, and expand your influence without politics or manipulation. Week 5: Contribute Beyond Code- Leaders contribute beyond their job description.- You’ll learn how to identify high-impact opportunities, take initiative, and contribute in ways that multiply the effectiveness of your team. This is where you start shifting from “doing the work” to shaping the work. Week 6: Get Recognized- If your impact isn’t visible, it can’t be trusted.- This module helps you learn how to communicate your contributions in a way that feels natural and professional. You’ll build a track record that makes your impact clear to managers and decision-makers without self-promotion or awkwardness. Week 7: Optimize for Performance- Leaders build systems that scale.- In this final module, you’ll learn how to prepare yourself and others for success, identify what scales, and leverage simple systems (including AI) to increase performance while reducing effort.

A clear roadmap to becoming a leader

Course syllabus

Best for New Grads, Mid-level, Senior, and Staff engineers.

Software engineer role (BE, FE, Fullstack, iOS, Android, AI)

Students employed benefit most since they can apply skills immediately. We also cover career transitions and hiring processes.

Currently working in a full time position

Thursdays

Weekly projects

Course schedule

New Grads who want to grow faster, build confidence, and shorten the time it takes to reach strong compensation and a solid career path

Mid-Level Engineers who want to break through the plateau, communicate their impact clearly, and accelerate toward Senior

Senior and Staff Engineers who want to scale their impact, lead larger efforts, and prepare for Tech Lead, Staff+, or early management roles

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

Capture decisions, contributions, and results in a way that builds credibility over time and makes reviews, promotions, and increased scope feel obvious rather than negotiated.

A Leadership-Grade Track Record System

Focus your time and energy on high-impact work using practical systems that reduce noise, increase clarity, and prevent burnout.

Systems to Prioritize Like a Leader

Handle feedback, conflict, and accountability with clear language and structure, even when stakes are high.

Frameworks for Tough Conversations and Accountability

Understand what’s expected at the next level, identify gaps, and build a plan to grow your scope and responsibility with confidence.

A Clear Growth and Responsibility Roadmap

Communicate with clarity, align partners, and guide work toward outcomes through trust and competence, not authority.

The Confidence to Lead Without the Title

Shift from individual output to scaled impact by enabling others, building systems, and making better decisions.

Force-Multiplier Thinking

The same principles used to build high-trust, high-ownership engineering orgs

Justin Otero

How to Ask for a Promotion as a Software Engineer in 2026

Director of Engineering @ Navan | Career Coach | Hiring Manager

Understand the truth behind how promotions and raises actually work

What actually drives promotions

Talk tracks on what to say and ask so you can uncover gaps, understand the bar, and get aligned with your manager.

How to have a conversation with your manager

Identify areas you need to improve on and your next steps

Learn directly from Value Driven Careers

Value Driven Careers

Courses

Software Engineer Growth Program: Operating Like a Leader

Lightning Lessons

How to Ask for a Promotion as a Software Engineer in 2026