It’s easy to think that the success of a software project depends mostly on the choice of tech stack, architecture, or delivery model. But if you’ve ever been involved in a real product build—from MVP to production—you’ll know that the biggest variable isn’t technology. It’s people. Especially those who lead.
Hiring the right manager can accelerate delivery, clarify direction and unblock teams at the most critical moments. But which traits matter most? At SPG, we’ve seen that ambition, when paired with competence and maturity, is one of the most powerful predictors of successful leadership.
Ambition in this context isn’t just a desire to progress. It’s an internal engine. A structured, focused drive for results, recognition, and influence—channelled into something bigger than personal gain.
Let’s unpack why this matters so much in software delivery.
Momentum That Moves Projects Forward
An ambitious manager doesn’t tolerate inertia. Whether it’s technical debt, missed deadlines, or vague goals, they won’t quietly accept status quo. They’ll seek clarity, reframe delivery goals, and push the team to iterate more effectively.
In Agile environments, where velocity and adaptability matter more than detailed long-term planning, this mindset gives teams their rhythm. The ambition becomes forward momentum—feeding backlog grooming, sprint commitment, and stakeholder engagement.
Self-Discipline and Strategic Initiative
At SPG, we value initiative as one of our core traits. Ambitious leaders don’t sit back and wait for escalation paths. They build delivery paths. They step into ambiguity, whether it’s a blocked user story, unclear stakeholder expectations, or a misaligned sprint scope.
These are the kind of managers who naturally adopt XP practices—pair programming, daily feedback, story decomposition—because they see them as tools to move things forward, not theoretical checklists.
Climbing by Learning, Not Just Reaching
A truly ambitious manager earns the next step, rather than demands it. They invest in their growth: technical fluency, delivery frameworks, team leadership. We often see these individuals champion practices like BDD or relative estimation not because it’s expected, but because they’ve seen how these tools improve outcomes.
Ambition without skill becomes frustration. But with competence and curiosity, it creates upward energy—for the person and their entire team.
Ambition That Uplifts Others
Leadership isn’t just about direction; it’s about transfer of energy. An ambitious leader sets a pace. When combined with clear feedback loops and healthy team dynamics, it can inspire others to operate above their default level.
At SPG, we encourage environments where ambition scales—not just in role titles, but in the velocity and quality of the product we ship together.
Constructive Self-Interest
There’s a particular kind of “career ego” that’s surprisingly beneficial: when a manager views team success as personal success. This alignment fosters ownership. When a manager’s reputation is tied to sprint outcomes, quality assurance, and delivery timelines, they bring intensity and responsibility that can’t be outsourced.
We’ve found that such managers are the first to flag a broken pipeline, re-prioritise backlog items mid-sprint, or identify hidden risks in requirements—because it all reflects back on them.
A Note of Caution
Unmanaged ambition can become political. It can shift the focus to personal wins rather than team goals. That’s why role clarity, transparent KPIs, and regular retrospective cycles are key. At SPG, we address this through joint planning rituals and explicit alignment on goals—ensuring individual drivers fuel team outcomes.
So How Should You Hire?
Ask questions that uncover patterns: How has the candidate dealt with underperforming teams? What challenges did they proactively take on? What delivery frameworks do they champion—and why? Look for someone who earns progress through delivery, not just ambition in name.
