I remember being so overwhelmed by all the red on our team dashboard last year that I just stared at it.

Feeling trapped is part of the job, right? That is what I thought too, until I reached an obstacle so hard that my usual "push through it" tactic failed. Here's how remaining positive and changing as an Agile leader improved not only my approach, but the entire team's dynamic behavior.

Last year was tough. Projects were off track, the team was disengaged, and honestly, I was questioning my own capabilities as a leader. It felt like no matter how much effort I put in, the usual results just weren't there. That’s when I realized, maybe the problem wasn't the team or the projects. Maybe the issue was my approach.

I decided to shift my focus from trying to fix every issue to fostering a more resilient and positive mindset, both for myself and the team. Every morning, before even checking my emails, I started with a five-minute journaling practice, focusing on gratitude and setting a positive intention for the day. It might sound small, but this tiny shift began to change my outlook dramatically.

In our Agile retrospectives, instead of diving straight into what went wrong, I began asking the team to share one positive outcome or learning experience from the sprint. This simple question started to change the air in the room. We were no longer just troubleshooting, we were learning and celebrating the journey.

This approach didn’t change things overnight, but slowly, the atmosphere shifted. The team started to engage more, bringing not just problems but solutions and innovations to our sessions. As my perspective changed, so did my leadership style. I was more open to listening, less fixated on controlling outcomes, and more focused on empowering the team.

Through this personal shift, I learned that positivity isn’t just about being happy all the time. It’s about resilience. It’s about seeing the growth opportunities in challenges, not just the obstacles. This mindset has helped me grow not just as a leader but as a facilitator of change within my team.

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a leadership rut? What small changes have you made that had a big impact on your team?