Leaders are still essential; the article argues that empowering, non-interfering leaders enable self-organizing teams and that organizations must reclaim leadership roles to keep teams focused and effective.
Leadership isn't dead. The piece opens by stating that the most effective teams still need a leader who sets direction without micromanaging, creating a space where self-organising groups can thrive.
Many agile narratives suggest that leadership can be discarded, but Reaktor's experience shows the opposite. When leaders step back and focus on removing impediments, clarifying goals, and fostering psychological safety, teams deliver faster and with higher quality. The article cites internal projects where a hands-off leader helped a cross-functional squad resolve a critical integration bottleneck simply by surfacing the hidden dependencies.
Practical advice follows: keep communication channels open, trust the team's expertise, and intervene only to clear obstacles or align expectations with stakeholders. By treating leadership as a service to the team rather than a command function, managers can boost morale, reduce waste, and keep delivery predictable.
The takeaway is clear - leadership is making a comeback not as a hierarchy but as an enabler. Companies that re-invest in skilled, empowering leaders see better team performance, fewer dead-ends, and a healthier culture of accountability.
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