Unconventional Leadership Tactics Every DevOps Team Needs

Tap into the weird and wonderful world of DevOps leadership.

Stepping into the Chaos: Organized Leadership

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from running a DevOps team, it’s that chaos is not only inevitable but often beneficial. We once worked with a startup that grew from a cozy team of five to a bustling hive of 50 engineers in under a year. The rapid growth led to disorganized workflows, buggy deployments, and more “emergency” meetings than anyone cared for. It was like trying to conduct an orchestra with every musician playing a different symphony. But rather than cracking down on the chaos, the CTO embraced it.

He implemented Kanban boards to visualize work-in-progress and introduced a weekly “chaos day” where the team could tackle any process they felt was inefficient. This approach didn’t just organize the madness; it empowered team members to take leadership roles in solving problems. The result? A significant drop in cycle time and a product that reached market six months ahead of schedule.

Kanban and chaos might sound like strange bedfellows, but in this instance, they danced beautifully together. By seeing chaos as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, we can transform our workplaces into more agile, creative environments. It’s about creating a system that thrives in complexity, not one that quashes it.

Code Reviews and Open Communication: A Leader’s Balancing Act

Let’s face it—code reviews can sometimes feel like standing trial. But we’re here to tell you they don’t have to be painful. Encouraging open communication during code reviews can be a game-changer. Think of them as a chance for shared learning, rather than just a quality control measure.

A critical aspect of leadership in DevOps is fostering an atmosphere where developers feel comfortable sharing not just their code, but also their thoughts and ideas. This means shifting away from focusing solely on what’s wrong and instead highlighting what’s right, diving into why certain choices were made, and exploring alternative solutions together.

Picture this: our team was working on a crucial feature for a major release. The pressure was mounting, but instead of barking orders and setting rigid deadlines, we initiated bi-weekly team reviews. During these sessions, every developer had a chance to present their work and discuss challenges openly. What started as a technical review quickly evolved into a collaborative brainstorming session. By the end, not only was the feature completed on time, but it also included innovative elements we hadn’t even considered initially.

The next time you sit down for a code review, remember that leadership isn’t about dictating terms. It’s about inspiring creativity and trust within your team. As GitHub’s guide to code reviews suggests, when done correctly, these sessions can significantly enhance both code quality and team morale.

Automate Wisely: Don’t Let Tools Lead You

In the DevOps world, tools are everywhere. From CI/CD pipelines to infrastructure as code, automation can look like a magic wand. But let’s not get carried away and allow these tools to dictate leadership. Automation should serve us, not the other way around.

Here’s a fun fact: we once set up an automated deployment process that, in theory, should have reduced deployment time by 50%. Instead, it resulted in several failed deployments because no one took the time to configure it properly. Our enthusiasm for automation became a cautionary tale—highlighting the importance of understanding the tools before implementing them.

To avoid these pitfalls, it’s essential to craft careful configurations:

version: '2'
jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - name: Checkout code
      uses: actions/checkout@v2
    - name: Set up JDK 11
      uses: actions/setup-java@v1
      with:
        java-version: '11'

While tools like Jenkins and Terraform are powerful allies, they require thoughtful planning and testing. Effective leaders know that automation is about enhancing productivity, not replacing human judgment. So before you jump on the latest tool bandwagon, take a step back and strategize how it fits into your broader objectives.

Embrace Failure: A Leadership Mindset Shift

Leadership isn’t about avoiding failure; it’s about how we respond to it. In a world where uptime is king, failure is often seen as the enemy. However, we’ve found that failure can be one of our greatest teachers.

Consider this: during a high-stakes project, a misconfigured load balancer led to a critical outage. The team could have scrambled to fix the issue quietly and move on, but instead, we used it as a learning opportunity. We conducted a blameless postmortem, dissected the root causes, and implemented safeguards to prevent similar issues in the future.

By embracing failure and encouraging transparency, leaders can cultivate a culture of continuous improvement. This approach aligns with the principles outlined in Google’s Site Reliability Engineering book, which advocates for building resilient systems through learning from outages.

Remember, every setback is an opportunity for growth. When teams feel safe to fail, innovation flourishes, and that’s where true leadership shines.

The Art of Saying No: Prioritization in Leadership

We all want to be the leader who says yes to innovation, yes to new features, and yes to every cool idea that comes our way. But sometimes, true leadership means saying no.

Take the case of a product team inundated with feature requests. Initially, they tried to accommodate everything, resulting in a bloated and unfocused product. It wasn’t until the team lead began prioritizing ruthlessly that things improved. The team focused on delivering fewer features at higher quality, aligning their efforts with the company’s strategic goals.

In DevOps, prioritization is crucial. Tools like RICE scoring can help you evaluate potential projects based on reach, impact, confidence, and effort. By applying such frameworks, leaders ensure that their teams are not just busy, but productive and purposeful.

Remember, every “no” is a step toward a more meaningful “yes.” Leadership is about guiding your team through the noise and focusing on what truly matters.

Building Trust Through Transparency

Trust is the cornerstone of effective leadership. One way to build this trust is through transparency—whether it’s sharing the rationale behind decisions or openly discussing company performance.

During a particularly challenging fiscal quarter, our leadership team decided to share financial reports with the entire organization. This level of transparency fostered a sense of ownership and accountability among team members. Rather than feeling left in the dark, employees rallied together to identify cost-saving measures and boost productivity.

Transparency also involves open discussions around progress and setbacks. Utilizing dashboards and metrics, such as those available via Grafana, allows teams to track key performance indicators and make informed decisions.

Remember, when leaders are transparent, they create an environment where people feel valued and motivated to contribute. It transforms “us vs. them” into “we’re all in this together.”

The Unexpected Power of Humor in Leadership

Lastly, let’s talk about humor. It’s easy to overlook, but humor is a potent tool in a leader’s arsenal. It brings levity to stressful situations, fosters camaraderie, and can even diffuse tension during heated discussions.

Consider a tense moment during a pre-release crunch. Tempers were high, and frustration was mounting. Our team lead lightened the mood with a well-timed joke about the absurdity of software bugs, and laughter rippled through the room. That simple moment of levity helped the team reset, refocus, and ultimately meet their deadline.

Humor isn’t about being a stand-up comedian—it’s about authenticity and connection. When leaders show their human side, it encourages others to do the same, breaking down barriers and building stronger teams.

Incorporating humor into leadership practices doesn’t require a radical change. Start small, be genuine, and watch as your team becomes more engaged and resilient.