Strengthening the Backbone in a Matrix Organization
At the end of the year, leadership reflections often focus on milestones reached, hardware delivered, or schedules met. Those outcomes matter. But looking back on this year, a different insight stands out for me—one that has less to do with individual projects and more to do with how we operate around them.
Key Points
- Leadership impact in matrix organizations is often indirect but significant.
- Strengthening the “backbone” around projects creates clarity and continuity.
- Shared orientation and connection reduce reinvention across projects.
- Practical structures enable knowledge and lessons to flow.
- Leadership is defined by what it enables, not only by visible actions.
Working Inside Projects — Leading Around Them
In a matrix organization, my role as Team Lead System AIT does not replace project responsibility. My team members, just like myself, work directly within their projects. Execution, decisions, and daily progress happen there.
What changed over the course of the year wasn’t how project work was done—but how we approached our role as a System AIT team around those projects.
Earlier in the year, much of our work happened in isolation. Each person entered their project largely on their own, carrying experience and lessons that often stayed local. The System AIT function existed, but it didn’t yet operate as a connected team.
From Individuals to a Shared Backbone
Over time, my focus shifted toward strengthening what sits underneath the work: shared orientation, aligned approaches, and stronger connections within the team.
This wasn’t driven by a single initiative or announcement. It came from practical steps—introducing common templates, establishing regular exchange formats, and deliberately connecting people working on similar challenges across different projects.
The goal was simple: ensure that team members no longer started from zero when entering a project.
When Knowledge Starts to Flow
Gradually, something changed. Lessons learned in one project didn’t stay there. Approaches became more consistent. Questions became more focused. Team members knew who to ask and had a clearer starting point when facing familiar situations.
What emerged was a stronger backbone—one that supported individuals as they operated in their respective project environments. The work itself didn’t become simpler, but navigating it became clearer.
A Leadership Insight
What surprised me most was how much impact came from creating clarity and connection rather than from directing work.
This year reinforced a simple insight for me: leadership isn’t defined by how visible your actions are. It’s defined by what they enable others to do—especially when you’re not in the room.
Looking Ahead
As we move into the new year, this perspective will continue to guide how I show up—as a team lead and as an engineer. Strengthening the environment around the work is not a one-time effort. It’s an ongoing responsibility, particularly in complex, distributed organizations.
The work continues—but it no longer starts from zero.
Engineer Your Life 