Staff is the entry level of the serious technical leadership ladder. It's a pivot point for many (i.e. a phase change if you like). As a technical leader, you

Staff is the entry level of the serious technical leadership ladder. It's a pivot point for many (i.e. a phase change if you like). As a technical leader, you don't have direct reports (if you have, you're a manager) and your job is one of leadership through influence rather than formal power (you're -in a sense- an "influencer"). You sell ideas, you nudge people in the right direction, you mentor and help others grow and you help people think clearly and relax in difficult technical situations. The higher you get on the ladder, the more strategic your work becomes. You look farther in the future, projects take years to crystallize, you build blocks that buy us something now, but work as a stepping stone for a larger goal in the future. With this type of leadership, comes a surprise to many tech-minded types: your work becomes a lot more about emotions than technology. You need to project calm, help people think things out. Guide them without giving them the solution so they can grow. Help them through crises and so on. This applies even to managers above you in the hierarchy. The relationship becomes different, you're no longer a subordinate, you're now a peer (even if the org chart says otherwise). As you may imagine, it takes a while to get there from just a strong technical background.