Turning team challenges into growth opportunities

When Anffer joined a major high-tech client as a senior software engineer, the overall program was strong, but one particular team was struggling. Deliveries were inconsistent, morale was low, and collaboration within the team had broken down into silos.

Problem?

Team struggled with silos, low delivery consistency, and risk of being split up.

Approach?

Consultant led by example, encouraged collaboration, and facilitated open discussions to break silos.

Impact?

Team achieved consistent sprint deliveries, regained trust, and became a reliable, motivated unit.

Instead of splitting the team, the client decided to give it another chance by bringing in a new product owner, a new scrum master, and our consultant to strengthen engineering leadership.

Anffer: “The team wasn’t delivering, and everyone was working in isolation. My strategy was to lead by example: taking on complex tasks, pitching solutions, and involving the whole team in discussions. That way, silos slowly disappeared, and we started acting like one team again.”

Anffer's manager from the client: "From the moment Anffer started in the new team, he was immediately able to really contribute. Together with his colleagues, he quickly grasped the software design and implementation. Anffer is the center of the team in terms of delivering software solutions to our customers. His technical leadership is a strong support for his colleagues."

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Guiding by example

Anffer’s approach was rooted in collaboration. By encouraging open discussions and demonstrating solutions in practice, the team started sharing knowledge more freely. Over time, this built trust, accountability, and motivation.

The impact was tangible. At one point, a manager had promised a reward for the first team to deliver three sprints in a row, something that hadn’t happened before. This team was the first to achieve it, marking a turning point in both performance and confidence.

Natural leadership

Although Anffer’s official role remained senior software engineer, their peers began to see them as a reference point for guidance and technical direction. Managers also recognized their ability to stabilize and elevate team performance.

“I didn’t push for a leadership role; I just kept setting an example, collaborating, and sharing ideas. The transition from engineer to informal team lead happened naturally.”

Seeing the team celebrate their first consistent deliveries was a real milestone. It proved that we had turned the corner.

Anffer Castillo

Java Engineer

What it means for the client

The results went beyond improved delivery metrics. The team not only regained its rhythm but also strengthened its ability to collaborate and self-organize. Instead of losing momentum by splitting the team, the client retained talent, improved predictability, and achieved consistent outcomes.

Lessons learned

This case shows the impact of combining senior engineering expertise with a collaborative mindset. For clients, bringing in the right external consultant can mean the difference between restructuring a struggling team and unlocking its potential.

“For me, this experience meant a lot," Anffer mentions. "It’s something I had been working towards for years. To not just write code, but to help teams thrive. And achieving this within such a complex client environment was incredibly rewarding.”