Engineering leaders often obsess over velocity, but treating it as the primary sign of success misses the point. If velocity is all you’re watching, you’re watching the wake—not the wheel. This post explores what to focus on before velocity improves, and why your team’s systems, culture, and principles are the true levers for growth.
Why This Matters
Velocity is a result, not a root cause. When we chase it directly, we often introduce processes or pressures that reduce psychological safety or lead to local optimizations. But when we focus on what supports a healthy team—trust, clarity, ownership—velocity follows. Just like trust, it compounds over time.
Try This
Instead of optimizing your team around velocity, optimize for these inputs:
- Clear boundaries and team charters
- A rhythm of feedback and iteration
- Autonomy paired with accountability
- Shared understanding of what “good” looks like
And then, give it time. Teams aren’t fast because they’re told to go fast—they’re fast because they trust each other to go together.
đź”— Call to Action
This post is part of my newsletter Beyond the Commit, where I explore what it really takes to build strong engineering teams. Subscribe to get insights like this every week:
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