Leadership Consulting for Engineering Teams That Can't Afford to Keep Failing
Hands-on consulting that rebuilds trust, aligns expectations, and gets delivery back on track---with measurable improvement in 4–6 weeks.
Your engineers are smart. Your team is grinding. But you're still seen as the bottleneck. I help engineering leaders fix trust, align expectations, and get delivery moving again.
30-minute call. No commitment, no sales pitch.
Why strong engineering leadership still isn't enough
Most engineering leaders were promoted because they're great engineers---not because anyone taught them how to handle:
- Constant pressure to deliver more, faster
- Confused or angry stakeholders
- Teams that are smart, tired, and quietly losing motivation
So you grind and grind and grind, but still get tagged as a “non-delivering” or “failing” team.
If that feels familiar, my leadership support for software engineering teams can help.
The numbers behind the dysfunction
These aren't abstract figures. They're the patterns I see repeated across engineering organisations of every size---and the results that follow when teams finally address the root causes.
What's actually going wrong?
From working with engineering leaders and teams, the same three root causes keep showing up.
A trust problem
Low trust inside or around your team quietly poisons everything: communication, motivation, and engagement. Once trust erodes, even good decisions get second-guessed and every delay feels like proof that “engineering is the bottleneck.”
Misaligned expectations
Tell everyone in a room to imagine “a fish,” and they'll all picture something different. Now apply that to “MVP,” “done”, or “this feature is simple”.
Missing motivation
Very few engineers started coding to “maximise shareholder value.” But that's often what they're told their work is for. If you don't understand what really drives your team---and how to map that to the business reality---you'll see burnout, quiet quitting, and teams doing the bare minimum.
How my leadership consulting for engineering teams works
Every team is different, but the process usually follows four simple steps.
Step 0: Analysis & Buy-In
We start by understanding what's going on---and getting everyone to agree that change is needed.
I'll meet with you and key stakeholders (product, CTO, VP, etc.) to define clear, measurable goals for your engineering team and align on what “good” actually looks like.
Example inputs
- Kick-off call with stakeholders
- Goal-setting with the stakeholder and team lead
- 1:1 and team intros plus individual kick-offs
Example outputs
- Project goals are clearly defined and documented
- Initial buy-in from stakeholders and the team lead
Step 1: Rebuilding Trust
Trust is the foundation of every high-performing engineering team. Without it, every delivery conversation turns into a fight.
We'll run a trust-building process that challenges the whole team (and their stakeholders) to examine where trust is low and what needs to change.
Example inputs
- Trust-building workshop
- Group feedback session
Example outputs
- A baseline measure of trust within the team
- A practical plan to build and maintain trust over time
Step 2: Aligning Expectations
Next, we make sure everyone is picturing the same fish.
We'll run an expectations-alignment session so the team understands stakeholder expectations, and stakeholders understand what the team actually needs to succeed.
Example inputs
- Goals review and commit session
Example outputs
- Fully agreed and committed goals
- Clear, written definitions of success and "done"
Step 3: Unlocking Motivation
You can have clear goals and great trust and still hit one big wall: nobody actually wants to run at the goal, or they don't believe it's possible.
We'll map the team's internal motivations, connect them to business goals, and create a path with a few quick wins to build momentum.
Example inputs
- Lightning Decision Jam
- Shared motivations session
Example outputs
- Quick delivery wins that boost confidence and motivation
- A shared motivation agreement that the team can refer back to
Step 4: Deliver, Review, Repeat
Once the foundations are in place, we focus on sustainable delivery.
I'll stay involved long enough to support you through the bumps: coaching you as the engineering leader, checking in with the team, and helping stakeholders adjust how they work with engineering.
Example inputs
- Regular check-ins with the stakeholder and team lead
- 1:1 coaching for the engineering manager or tech lead
- Periodic "skip-level" check-ins with the team
Example outputs
- Measurable delivery against the agreed goals
- Better communication between engineering and stakeholders
- A healthier, more resilient engineering culture
Common questions
Questions I get asked by engineering teams and their stakeholders.
How long does this take?
Most engagements run between 8 and 12 weeks, depending on team size and how deep the issues go. You'll typically see early signs of improvement within the first 6 weeks---sometimes sooner. I don't believe in long, open-ended consulting contracts; the goal is to make myself unnecessary.
Do you work with the team or just the leader?
Both. I coach the engineering leader directly, but I also work with the whole team through workshops, group sessions, and periodic check-ins. The problems I fix live in the space between the team, its leader, and its stakeholders---so all three need to be involved.
What if the problem is actually management, not the team?
That's common, and it's still fixable. In many cases the dysfunction starts above the team---unclear priorities, shifting goalposts, or a culture of blame. I work with leadership at every level to surface those patterns and address them honestly. If the problem is systemic, I'll say so.
What industries do you work with?
I work with software engineering teams across all industries---from fintech and SaaS to e-commerce, healthcare, and media. The specific domain matters less than the team dynamics. Trust, expectations, and motivation work the same way whether you're building a payments platform or a content management system.
What happens if it doesn't work?
Honestly? Sometimes it doesn't---usually because the organisation isn't ready to change, or because the real problem is a structural one that no amount of coaching will fix. I'll be upfront about that early on. If I don't think I can help, I'll tell you before you spend money on a full engagement. That's what the free intro call is for.
Your team is one conversation away from turning this around
In 30 minutes, you'll know exactly what's holding your team back---and what to do about it. No sales pitch, just straight answers.
Get Your Free Team DiagnosisNo commitment. Straight answers in 30 minutes.
Or, if you prefer, contact me to ask questions first.