How can you get your development team moving?

Do you manage or work on a development team and want to get things moving? Here are a few ideas.

Raise the issue and listen

Do you notice inconsistencies in the codebase’s architecture, poor naming conventions, and nothing that looks like a test? That’s a sign that decisions haven’t been made. You probably have an idea of how to fix it, but you’d be well advised to let the team take ownership of the issue and find their own solutions… even though you’re the lead dev, CTO, or VP of Engineering.

This will prevent the team from getting stuck on a single solution and encourage new ideas to emerge. Trust them.

It’s not easy to let go, but keep in mind that an imperfect decision is often better than no decision at all. A decision, even an imperfect one, at least brings consistency: things will always be done the same way, and that will make it easier to make changes later, if changes are needed.

A little (gentle) nudging isn’t out of the question

Well, maybe you have solid reasons to believe this idea is a good one and that the team should take it on. In that case, play it smart by using the “truncated pyramid” technique: lay the groundwork for logical reasoning, use sound arguments to eliminate solutions that aren’t viable, but refrain from proposing the obvious solution (the tip of the reasoning pyramid).

So, if the reasoning is truly solid and logical, the solution will be just as obvious to your team as it was to you. But it’s better to let them believe the idea came from them so they’ll accept it! A little gentle manipulation 😊

But above all, pick your battles

This is the most common mistake: the areas for improvement are obvious to you, whether it’s enhancing the quality of the specifications, the quality of the code, the smoothness of operations, or whatever else. There’s no shortage of issues, you’re enthusiastic, and you propose 10 new practices in a single month.

Fatal error.

First, stay humble and cautious: you’ve only recently joined the team. Perhaps you don’t yet know all the ins and outs behind the current situation.

But even if you’re right, the team will likely reject your idea outright, because their ability to adapt is limited. Getting one change adopted in six months will already be a great achievement. I mean, bringing about lasting change in a team’s way of working, creating a new habit with measurable results, takes a lot of energy. Remember how long it took you personally to absorb all this knowledge and turn it into a daily practice.

Conclusion

These are just a few ideas. I’ve deliberately left out the question of whether you have a mandate… or not. It shouldn’t be overlooked, but your actions shouldn’t rely on it alone. Make it your priority to win people over: that’s what leadership is all about.