At Levi9 Technology Services, we believe leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about behavior. In agile development environments, leadership isn’t something reserved for job titles or hierarchy.
It happens every day, through how we communicate, make decisions, and support each other. The way engineers show up for their teams, for their product, and for their users, has a direct impact on performance, quality, and team morale.
While not everyone may see themselves as a “leader,” engineers often act as one without realizing it. And when these leadership behaviors are intentional and supported, they become a powerful force behind high-performing teams.
This article explores key leadership skills that help engineers drive impact beyond code by strengthening collaboration, trust, and team ownership.
Giving and Asking for Feedback
In high performing teams feedback is part of the daily rhythm. Engineers who offer thoughtful feedback during code reviews, design sessions, or informal moments foster continuous learning. Asking for feedback is just as important. When engineers are open to receiving feedback, they create a culture where people feel safe improving together. Over time, this builds mutual respect and team accountability.
At Levi9 we regularly provide feedback on performance as part of our everyday interactions. Working in Agile development teams, structured feedback sessions are often embedded in our retrospectives, making continuous improvement a natural part of our workflow.
Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Safety
Teams in agile software development thrive when there is psychological safety — when people feel safe asking questions, admitting mistakes, or expressing concerns. Engineers who listen actively, respond with empathy, and stay mindful of tone help create that safety. These are the teams where innovation happens because people trust each other enough to take smart risks.
Facilitation and Collaboration
Sometimes, the most impactful engineers aren’t the loudest voices but the ones who guide discussions with clarity. Whether it’s a refinement session, architecture talk, or spontaneous problem-solving, the ability to bring people together and move the conversation forward is an essential leadership skill. It’s about keeping focus on the topic and helping the team align, not controlling the outcome.
Engineers at Levi9, aka levi niners, are encouraged to develop facilitation skills through regular agile ceremonies, retrospectives, and cross-team sessions.
Communication Across Disciplines
Good communication isn’t just technical. Engineers who can effectively communicate with product owners, QAs, designers, and business stakeholders help break silos and prevent misalignment.
Translating technical complexity into understandable terms and vice versa helps to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical roles, saves time, builds trust, and keeps everyone working toward a shared goal.
At Levi9, bridging communication between development and business stakeholders is critical to delivering real value.
Mentorship and Coaching
True leaders are open to share their knowledge and help others grow. Engineers who support others through pairing, answering questions, or simply being available, greatly contribute to team growth.
These interactions may seem small, but they foster autonomy and skill-building across the team. And often, they create strong bonds between the team members.
Mentorship is a key part of the engineering culture at Levi9, where senior developers regularly help newer colleagues grow. And coaching is something offered to support growth even more.
Understanding and Developing Team Strengths
Every engineer brings something unique. Recognizing a teammate’s strength, whether it’s debugging under pressure, simplifying complexity, presentation skills or writing clean, maintainable code, is essential for utilizing team strengths and building high performing teams. Engineers who encourage others to grow into their strengths help shape balanced teams where people feel valued and challenged in the right ways.
Recognizing and amplifying individual strengths supports Levi9 approach to building resilient, diverse engineering teams.
Delegation with Support
Delegation is about sharing responsibility in a way that helps others develop their skills and confidence. When a more experienced engineer entrusts a task to someone newer, and stays available to support, they build confidence and competence. This kind of thoughtful delegation also distributes knowledge and reduces bottlenecks over time.
Promoting Accountability Without Blame
High-performing teams hold each other accountable without fear. Engineers who model responsibility by owning mistakes, flagging delays early, or sharing lessons learned, set a tone that invites others to do the same. Levi9 embraces agile values, where accountability is paired with openness and continuous improvement.
It’s not about perfection, it’s about openness and willingness to improve together.
Staying Calm in Crisis: The Anchor in Chaos
Every team faces moments of pressure — whether it’s a production issue, a last-minute change, or an unexpected blocker. Engineers who remain composed under pressure, ask thoughtful questions, and keep the team focused provide a steadying presence when it’s needed the most.
This kind of calming presence can make all the difference in challenging moments for the team.
Adaptability in Changing Conditions
Teams in agile software development are constantly adapting. Engineers who let go of outdated assumptions and stay open to new ideas help the team stay flexible and resilient. Being adaptable isn’t about agreeing with every change — it’s about staying engaged, asking the right questions, and adjusting course when the situation calls for it.
Focus on the Bigger Picture
It’s easy to get caught up in the details of implementation. But strong engineers also take a step back to look at the bigger picture. Engineers at Levi9 are empowered to think beyond tickets — understanding the business context, product vision, and customer impact. They consider how a feature supports the product vision or whether a technical decision aligns with user needs.
This perspective helps the team focus on what really matters and make more informed, purposeful choices.
Upholding Quality and Problem-Solving Standards
Engineers often lead by example. Whether it’s test coverage, refactoring legacy code, or asking why five times instead of applying a quick fix, quality begins with discipline. When engineers consistently invest in long-term maintainability, they raise the bar for the whole team and often make room for others to do the same.
You don’t need a formal title to lead. Leadership in agile teams is built through small, everyday choices — how you listen, how you communicate, and how you respond when things don’t go according to plan. At Levi9 Technology Services, we recognize that leadership in agile teams is built through everyday actions, how you listen, how you support, and how you show up when things get tough.
If you’re a software engineer wanting to grow in this space, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Scrum Master or Agile Coach. They can be valuable partners in helping you reflect, develop, and step into leadership moments in a way that fits your strengths.
So, here’s a question to take with you: How does your way of working impact the trust, flow, and growth of your team?
Sometimes, leadership begins with simply noticing, and choosing to act with intention.
Written by
Nina Stanić, Delivery manager