Early in my career, I was convinced I had the answers. I’d seen what worked, what didn’t, and I truly believed I knew how to build the perfect cross-functional team.
Then reality kicked in.
Like many others, I hit the peak of Mount Stupid — high confidence, low actual understanding. And as I tumbled off, I started to really learn.
Here’s what I’ve discovered from that fall:
1. Agile is about learning, not just speed
Faster sprints mean little if your team isn’t learning from each release. Agile should improve decisions, not just timelines.
2. Innovation and delivery need different thinking
You can’t explore and execute with the same approach. Innovation needs space. Delivery needs structure. Smart teams know when to switch gears.
3. Perfection blocks progress
Designers aim for flawless UX. Developers want clean, error-free code. But nothing ships if perfection gets in the way. Progress beats polish.
4. Real collaboration starts with understanding
Cross-functional teams often talk past each other. The real magic happens when they take the time to understand each other’s constraints, not just work alongside each other.
5. Fear is the biggest blocker
Fear of failure. Fear of rework. Fear of being wrong. The best teams lean into that discomfort. They test, learn, and move forward even when it’s messy.
Looking back, it wasn’t the process that made teams great. It was the mindset.
We all fall off Mount Stupid at some point. The difference is in how quickly we get up and start learning again.
What’s one moment that made you realise you didn’t know as much as you thought? – Ali Aydan
Ali Aydan: Think you’ve got it all figured out?
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