Here's how you can strike a balance between personal productivity and team needs.

La eficacia de un equipo de trabajo radica en la comprensión clara y precisa de las funciones que cada miembro desempe?a. En nuestro caso, somos un equipo de cinco, trabajando en turnos rotativos, lo que a?ade una capa adicional de complejidad a nuestra dinámica. Es esencial que desde el liderazgo no exista improvisación. Al tener definido el rol que cada uno va a ejecutar durante un periodo de tiempo específico, podemos emplear nuestros conocimientos de manera más efectiva y, ?por qué no?, fortalecer nuestras áreas de mejora. La asignación de tareas a cada rol debe ser estratégica, permitiendo que cada miembro del equipo se enfoque en sus responsabilidades y contribuya al éxito colectivo.

A few years ago, I was working as a Software Engineer in Test at a multinational financial services company. Our development team had recently transitioned to an agile methodology to improve our product delivery speed and adaptability. With this shift, our roles and workflows underwent significant changes, and clear role definitions became even more critical for our success. At the outset, the company organized several workshops to redefine everyone's roles in the new agile environment.Crucially, our roles as developers, Test Engineers, and QA analysts were clearly delineated. By understanding our responsibilities and knowing when to step in with support, we balanced personal productivity with team needs effectively.

In my previous role as a Software Engineer in Test, our team faced a critical software release with a tight deadline. This release was critical for our company as it included several highly-anticipated features that our customers had been eagerly waiting for. I had to juggle automated tests, regression tests, performance tests, and urgent bug fixes. To handle the overwhelming workload, I used the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks by urgency and importance. This strategic approach allowed me to address critical bugs first, delegate less critical tasks, and focus on validating the new features' stability and performance. As a result, the release went smoothly, and customer feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

Clear Prioritization: Identify Priorities: Distinguish between urgent and important tasks for both personal and team goals. Align Goals: Ensure individual goals align with team objectives to avoid conflicting priorities.

In my previous role as a Software Engineer in Test, our company experienced a significant issue right after deploying a major update. A critical bug was affecting a large portion of our user base, leading to severe disruptions. The situation was urgent, and we needed a coordinated response to resolve the issue swiftly. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, we set up a dedicated communication channel on our internal messaging platform for real-time coordination. Immediate Stand-Up Meetings, Real-Time Updates, Collaborative Problem Solving, Documentation helped us navigate the crisis. Thanks to these, we managed to deploy the hotfix rapidly and effectively, minimizing the disruption to our users.

In my previous role as a Software Engineer in Test, our team faced a strict deadline on a critical project. Mid-week, a high-priority client request required us to adjust plans. Using the Eisenhower Matrix, I reassessed my tasks to prioritize the new feature. We held an emergency meeting to redistribute responsibilities. I redirected my automated test scripts and started manual exploratory testing on the new feature. Despite the last-minute change, we successfully integrated and tested the high-priority feature without derailing the original project timeline. The team’s willingness to be flexible and adapt to new priorities ensured that both the client's needs and our scheduled deliverables were met.

Focus on Strengths: Leverage Skills: Assign tasks based on individual strengths and expertise to maximize efficiency and productivity. Skill Development: Encourage continuous learning and skill development to enhance individual and team performance.

Para sacar lo mejor de un equipo, primero debes capacitarlos para sus funciones, después evaluar que se les da bien y lo que se les da mal, si algo se les da mal apoyarlos a través de feedback constante y potenciar las cosas que se les dan bien con oportunidades y reconocimiento. Esto hacen los líderes para crear los mejores equipos.