My highest-performing teams were those who believed in the value and purpose of the products they were building. It wasn’t just a job, but a palatable excitement that they were building something that made a difference to people’s lives. In my recent career there are two teams I’ve worked with on similar products, but one of them is far more passionate about their product, and it shows. The latter team is also following my key takeaway above, by the way.
The difference is stark.
One team likes to avoid working with others, is opaque in its operation and processes, does not like to take risks, and has an insular culture that doesn’t take kindly to outsiders. The end result is a product that is bland, hard to use, and inconsistent with anything else. The other team is leaner with a single purpose, operational transparency, and collaboration. The product they make is well-designed, popular, and successful.
One of the main ways I see a difference between these teams is how inquisitive the second team is. Give them a problem, and they will explore every path to find a solution. They iterate. They are always open to feedback and to outside help. They aren’t dogmatic about doing things a single way. Tech debt is OK, at the right time, in the right place.
When building an organization’s culture, you need to create open spaces where people feel comfortable disagreeing or offering an idea that changes everything to further the goal. People can speak freely about the pros and cons of a decision, but ultimately, they all back the final decision, even if they disagree with it.
There are a lot of good techniques to instill this type of culture in your teams. A few that I like include:
- I am responsive in my communications and take feedback seriously. When someone Slacks me or emails me, I will not only respond but also listen.
- Be willing to change or reconsider a decision even if the original decision stands. People follow and role-model this behavior when they see it.
- I help people understand the business, the customers, and the situation. I treat people with respect and professionalism. Often, it’s an opportunity for people to learn new things or better understand why a decision was made.
- Keep business politics out of your decision making as much as possible. Create OKRs and KPI incentives that are focused on doing the right thing for the customer and your people.
Finally, and especially in a large organization, culture comes from the top; it is derived through leadership and how you relate to your whole team. Deep hierarchies are often used to insulate the minutiae of the organization, but they also separate you from its operation. You have leaders of leaders and it’s their job to take your goals and directives and break them down into work for their teams and so on down the line, but if you don’t spend time at all levels of your organization then you really aren’t leading that organization – you’re just a figurehead. In fact, I talk about this here in terms of micro-management – but it’s all coming from the same place.
Building culture is hard enough, but cultivating and grooming it is a key component of leadership. This is where some of my other techniques come into play. You are the Engineering Ambassador. A true leader must strive to understand and connect with employees at all levels, recognizing their roles and contributions, regardless of titles. Your job is to teach others how your teams add value to the organization and to set those same expectations for your own team.
Key Takeaway: Building a culture starts with you. Passion and belief in the product are key drivers of high performance. Collaboration and transparency result in well-designed, successful products. Encouraging inquisitiveness and iterative problem-solving fosters innovation. An open culture where feedback and differing opinions are valued is crucial. As a leader, model responsive communication and a willingness to reconsider decisions, help your team understand the business context, and maintain respect and professionalism. Focus on the right incentives, keeping politics out of decision-making. Cultivate relationships at all levels and stay connected with your team’s work to truly lead your organization effectively.