Why great engineering teams trade urgency for rhythm
If youâre constantly sprinting at full speed, itâs easy to confuse motion for progress.
But hereâs the truth: The best engineering teams Iâve worked with arenât always the fastest. Theyâre the smoothest. They make calm progress. They rarely scramble. And when something goes wrong, they recover without chaos.
Theyâve learned that going fast isnât about raw speed â itâs about rhythm.
Let me explain.
⸝
đ Velocity with volatility is a trap
You can crank out story points, clear your sprint board, and ship tons of code â and still be going in circles. Why? Because speed without stability creates rework, burnout, and brittle systems.
Think about the last time your team rushed to hit a deadline. How much of that work had to be refactored later? How many bugs escaped? How many corners were quietly cut?
Thatâs not speed. Thatâs thrash.
⸝
đ§ Great teams optimize for flow, not frenzy
Smooth teams donât panic when priorities shift. They have clear rituals. They communicate clearly. They recover from setbacks without blame or confusion. They have working agreements that reduce friction and protect focus.
Because of that, theyâre able to move quickly when it counts, and carefully when it matters.
And thatâs the difference: calm is not slowness â itâs controlled momentum.
⸝
đ§Ş Tactical tip
Next time your team feels frantic, stop and ask:
- Are we prioritizing clarity over urgency?
- Are we revisiting old decisions because we rushed them?
- Do we have enough shared understanding to move smoothly?
The answers to those questions will tell you whether youâre moving fast⌠or just busy.
⸝
đŹ Your turn
- What does âsmoothâ look like on your team?
- Have you ever felt your team was moving too fast for its own good?
- What rituals, habits, or norms help you reduce chaos and stay in sync?
⸝
Want more insights like this? I write about engineering leadership, team dynamics, and building resilient systems.
đ Check out the newsletter here
Top comments (0)