Technical Leadership Essentials: There Are No Perfect Technology Decisions
Watch the Video
Or watch it directly on YouTube: Click here
Video Description
Years ago, a senior architect gave me advice that changed how I think about everything: there are no perfect technology decisions. Every approach has tradeoffs. This video is about why that matters — and how to make better decisions by accepting it.
What you'll learn:
• Why the search for the "correct" answer is a trap • Every technology choice involves tradeoffs (with concrete examples) • How to evaluate decisions based on context, not absolutes • Architecture Decision Records (ADRs): documenting your reasoning • How to inherit decisions without becoming a hindsight critic • The difference between bad decisions and decisions that were right for their time
Key insights:
• School trained us to find right answers. Real engineering is about choosing which tradeoffs you can live with. • Microservices vs. monolith? Both have costs. Neither is wrong. • "Move fast" vs. "build it right" — both are valid strategies depending on context. • The person who made that decision you hate was probably smart, trying their best, and facing constraints you don't know about. • Document your reasoning: what you decided, what you considered, why you chose it, what constraints applied. Future you will thank you.
Companion series: Technical Project Management Essentials (managing work) ► Full Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGxFXI4dC2sgFyg8GFOuqypgPhFZPalKc
Stop searching for perfect. Start making informed tradeoffs. Like this video if it helped! Subscribe for practical leadership skills for technical people.
What's a technology decision you inherited that turned out to be smarter than you first thought? Tell me in the comments!
#TechDecisions #SoftwareArchitecture #Engineering #TechnicalLeadership #Tradeoffs #ADR #ArchitectureDecisionRecords #EngineeringManager #TechLead #SoftwareDevelopment #Programming
0:00 There Are No Perfect Technology Decisions 0:17 The Myth of the Perfect Answer 0:35 Why We Want to Believe 1:07 Every Choice Has Tradeoffs 1:26 The Tradeoff Reality 2:01 The Hindsight Critic 2:40 What You Don't Know 3:01 Before You Criticize, Ask 3:49 Opportunity Cost Is Real 4:29 Technical Decisions Have Business Consequences 5:04 ⚠️ Common Traps 5:40 What to Do Instead 6:30 Document Your Reasoning 7:06 When You're the One Inheriting 7:49 Q: What About Obviously Bad Decisions? 8:12 Q: Isn't This Just Lowering Standards? 8:34 What to Do Monday Morning 9:22 Thanks for Watching
Video Info
- Duration: 9:27
- Published: January 23, 2026
