Efficiency beats growth. Today proved it. I sat through meetings from 9 to 4. Not one was about hiring. Every single one was about team performance.
One 1:1, I watched a developer light up when we talked about focusing on outcomes, not just output. That felt like progress. The next 1:1, I faced pushback from an engineer stuck in old habits. That one stings.
Getting more from the people you have is hard. It’s messy. You need trust, patience, and clear goals. But here’s the truth: In 2025, the best leaders won’t be the ones who grow teams bigger. They’ll be the ones who make their teams sharper, faster, more valuable. It’s not glamorous. It’s heavy lifting. But if you’re leading today, it’s what matters most.