The Ideal Balance in Tech Teams: Striking the Right Mindset for Every Business Phase

When building a tech team, the ideal approach is finding a balance between impact-focused and quality-focused mindsets. On one side, highly impact-driven employees concentrate on immediate results, sometimes at the cost of accumulating technical debt. They push for rapid outcomes, which can be valuable when business survival depends on swift actions. But, without long-term planning, this approach risks leading to issues down the line.

Employees focused on technical purity prioritise quality, efficiency, and code performance. While valuable, this approach can sometimes miss the mark if it doesn't align with current business needs. Optimizing code without a strong user base or tangible impact can divert valuable resources.

Businesses, like everything else, go through cycles. There are phases of growth and stability, where refining systems and addressing technical debt is essential. Then, there are times of struggle, when focusing on immediate impact becomes crucial. COVID-19 highlighted this for many companies. It accelerated transitions between these phases and showed the importance of adaptability.

To navigate these shifts, companies need a team that can flex between mindsets. When a company is thriving, it's time to think long-term and address technical debt. Strengthening systems to withstand future challenges. But when survival is at stake, focusing on impact takes precedence. Efficient companies recognize this balance and cultivate teams with the agility to shift focus depending on the phase.

In essence, every organization benefits from people who understand this balance—employees who adapt to current business needs and work to ensure the company's resilience through both prosperous and challenging times.