Leadership: A journey of learning and responsibility

Global, Apr 29, 2025

Authored by Segine Leong, Global Solutions Agile Lead

Leadership is often perceived as guiding a team toward success, making critical decisions, and ensuring smooth operations. However, in my experience, leadership is much more than that. It’s about learning, adapting, and taking responsibility—not just for yourself but for the team as a whole.

As a Product Owner cum Business Analyst, I have had the privilege of working closely with my development team while also balancing business expectations. In addition to my primary responsibilities, I act as a Scrum Master, facilitating daily stand-ups and ensuring the team stays aligned with our sprint goals. This journey has taught me valuable lessons about leadership, teamwork, and personal growth.

Learning from the Team

One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is the opportunity to learn from my team. While I lead them in terms of business requirements and project planning, they have been my greatest teachers when it comes to technical expertise and development processes. Leadership is not about knowing everything—it’s about being open to learning from those around you.

I believe in empowering my team by letting them pick their tasks within the sprint, giving them the freedom to explore new areas, even if it’s outside their comfort zone. While this approach can sometimes lead to errors or delays due to lack of experience, I see these moments as growth opportunities. Instead of getting frustrated, I encourage my team to find solutions, learn from the experience, and seek additional knowledge through training or webinars.

Taking Responsibility, Not Just Delegating

One of the biggest challenges in leadership is managing timelines and expectations. As with any development team, there are instances where tasks take longer than expected, either due to miscalculations or unforeseen complexities. When this happens, I don’t shift blame or push my team to work unreasonable hours. Instead, I take ownership of the situation, communicate with management, and provide a revised, realistic timeline.

This approach not only earns trust from my team but also ensures transparency with stakeholders. A leader’s role is to shield their team from unnecessary pressure while maintaining accountability.

Balancing Internal and External Requests

Another key aspect of leadership is resource management. In many organizations, different departments may approach the development team directly with urgent requests. While these requests may seem simple, they can disrupt planned sprints and impact the overall workflow.

To manage this effectively, I intercept and liaise directly with the requesting department. By understanding the urgency and aligning it with my team’s workload, I ensure that priorities are balanced without overburdening my developers. This not only protects the team’s focus but also ensures that expectations are met in a structured manner.

Conclusion: Leadership is About Support

Ultimately, leadership is not about being in charge—it’s about taking care of those in your charge. By fostering a culture of learning, taking ownership of challenges, and balancing priorities, I strive to create an environment where my team feels supported and motivated.

Being a leader is an ongoing journey. Every day presents new challenges, but with the right mindset, every challenge is an opportunity to grow—not just for me but for my team as well.

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