Creating High-Performance Teams: Insights from a Project, Engineer, and a Business Operations Manager

Introduction

Why a Project Engineer and Business Operations Manager? Could that be possible? Well, it can be possible in two ways: in the Academic degree and in practice.

I’m a Computing System Software Engineer, that’s my bachelor’s degree. I also have a certificate program in Project Management [1] and another in Business Operations Management [2]. (Also, a master’s in philosophy and another in Engineer but that’s not relevant for now).

A lot of knowledge is generated in these programs, but nothing compares to practical and real experience. My college focuses on Senior Management [3] as well so, for the very first moment you enter that institution all aspects are directed toward senior management. What I say is that I started being in spirit a manager since college.

Cognitively, it is somewhat easy to understand all concepts and the ideal behaviour of team members, executives, stakeholders but in real life all these present real challenges.

I intend to share the experiences and insights gained during my last 5 years as a manager, aiming to both achieve a cathartic phase for myself and offer valuable perspectives to new or established managers seeking alternative approaches.

Why care about high-performance teams? The fast pace of today's business world is undeniable. Responsiveness is often the difference between survival and stagnation. In the technology field, to which I belong, the escalating demand for new features and real-time information necessitates swift solutions, often within constrained budgets. This reality calls for astute decision-making and strategic trade-offs. Commonly this would be things that the manager would have to execute, but it becomes impossible to rely only on the manager. That’s why you need a powerful team to rely on—a beautiful balance and combination of knowledge, wisdom, technical skills, anthropology, curiosity, performance, and fun. These elements are essential, as they enable the team to take the lead in various fields and moments throughout projects and deliverables.

Undoubtedly, the role of the manager is crucial. As a manager, being a high-performing individual yourself is essential to bringing everyone on board, along with numerous other essential skills. While some of these skills may have roots in childhood or personality traits, there's more to explore. In the following days, I will be sharing my experiences in 10 chapters on this topic, delving into secrets that can help anyone become a good leader. I'll also explore the inherent nature of leadership and management within us as humans and share insights on my own leadership mentor and the valuable lessons learned from him.

I will be posting about defining High-Performance Teams, hiring and spotting talent, empowerment, positive culture, feedback, resilience and much more.

[1] Especialidad en Ingeniería y Gestión de Proyectos | Ingeniería | CDMX | Universidad Panamericana (up.edu.mx)

[2] Especialidad en Dirección de Operaciones | Ingeniería | CDMX | Universidad Panamericana (up.edu.mx)

[3] Universidad Panamericana | Fundamentos y Valores (up.edu.mx)