Learning Through Experience: The Power of Context in Leadership

CTO Series: Jussi Mononen on the Human Side of Software Development and Technical Leadership

In this CTO Series episode, we explore the intersection of technology and people with Jussi Mononen, CTO of CarbonLink. Drawing from his extensive experience as an Agile practitioner and technical leader, Jussi shares valuable insights on effective software development, technical strategy alignment, and the critical human elements that drive successful technology implementations.

The Transformative Power of Agile

"It's all about people."

Jussi's journey as a technology leader was fundamentally shaped when he discovered Agile methodologies. Coming from a background of waterfall-like approaches to software development, the introduction of Agile principles opened up a broader perspective that transformed his view of the profession. What began as technical work creating billing software evolved into a deeper understanding of the collaboration challenges in problem-solving. This shift helped Jussi develop a more humanistic and holistic approach to software development, recognizing that the human dynamics are often more complex than the technical challenges themselves.

• Every line of code eventually becomes a liability, as software is maintained over decades

• Software is only truly "done" when you remove the plug and it no longer exists

• Direct communication with customers is essential for understanding the real problems that need solving

Balancing Technical Strategy with Business Needs

"Be careful what you choose in terms of technology as you need to maintain it forever—hopefully."

Creating a technical strategy that aligns with business objectives while remaining adaptable requires careful consideration of both immediate and long-term factors. Jussi emphasizes the importance of considering maintainability over a decade-long horizon while organizing technology stacks that don't limit organizational agility.

• When selecting technologies, consider whether you can find people already familiar with your tech stack

• Evaluate whether your technology choices allow you to fulfill the responsibilities your customers pay you to handle

• Be prepared to abandon technologies that aren't working, despite the sunk cost

• Structure your technical organization to maximize speed and adaptability

Fostering Collaboration Between Tech and Business

"It's not about 'who wins,' it's about making good decisions."

Effective collaboration between technical and business units is built on foundations of respect and trust. As a self-described optimist about humanity, Jussi approaches cross-functional work by giving respect to colleagues and trusting them to make sound decisions within their domains of expertise.

• Listen carefully to people and make a genuine effort to understand their perspectives

• Focus on making well-considered decisions rather than striving for theoretical "best" decisions

• Remember that people develop software, not processes or tools—maximize each team member's potential

• Create environments where differing viewpoints are valued as inputs to better decision-making

Strategic Roadmapping and Adaptability

"We constantly seek information about what might be changing."

Maintaining a clear vision of the future while remaining adaptable is a critical balancing act for technology leaders. Jussi's approach involves maintaining a rolling two-quarter roadmap that provides directional clarity while incorporating new information and signals from various sources.

• Review and revise roadmaps weekly to incorporate new information

• Use tools like Trello to maintain lists of priorities and possibilities

• Actively seek diverse signals about changing requirements and technologies

• Use the roadmap to communicate investment priorities to stakeholders like the board

Overcoming Complex Technical Challenges

"Someone needs to give enough love to the items in the backlog."

The most significant challenge in Jussi's career came during a 4.5-year project reimplementing critical university systems that had been in use for over 20 years. This complex undertaking highlighted the importance of people skills alongside technical capabilities when managing diverse stakeholders with conflicting needs.

• Be prepared to handle conflicting needs and requirements from different stakeholders

• Establish a shared direction before attempting to solve detailed technical challenges

• Recognize that many critical challenges in large projects are about people, not technology

• Give proper attention to backlog items to ensure they receive the consideration they deserve

Leadership Philosophy and Learning

"Choose the context more accurately. Involve yourself with people you look up to."

Rather than pointing to a single book that influenced his approach to technical leadership, Jussi emphasizes the importance of context and learning from those around you. His leadership philosophy centers on carefully selecting environments with admirable people and absorbing knowledge through direct experience and observation.

• Understand the specific context you're operating in before applying generic principles

• Surround yourself with people whose approach and values you respect

• Learn continuously from the practical experiences of peers and colleagues

About Jussi Mononen

Jussi is a problem solver, programmer and business-to-technology translator. People side of software systems development, as he often says: "it's all about people".He has both tech and people street cred, being a long time Agile practitioner, and now the CTO of a promising scale-up in Helsinki: CarbonLink.

You can link with Jussi Mononen on LinkedIn.