Warriors vs. Lakers (Day 573)

Warriors have exceeded every expectation in this NBA season. Suddenly, their bench is deep. They are winning even when Curry is not the top scorer. Their team is relatively small but ranks top in defense. It's such a joy to watch them play with wonderful team chemistry on display.

On the other hand, the Lakers, with the big three in Lebron, A.D., and Westbrook, have been underperforming even before Lebron's injury. With a fight on the bench between A.D. and Howard and all the role players looking for the big three to carry the load, the chemistry seems lacking.

On the talent level, the Lakers blow the Warriors away. But the Lakers are underachieving compared to the Warriors.

When putting together a team, it is important to consider the structure and chemistry. It applies to engineering teams, too.

I have seen founders who believe in recruiting ONLY the engineers with a great resume with 2x or 3x of an average engineer salary. Without a salary cap like the NBA, a well-funded company can spend extravagantly building a team.

That could be a very successful strategy if each member of the "super team" is a domain expert in their respective specialty, with one or two integration specialists who oversee the big picture.

There are many successful super teams, from the Miami Heat to the Warriors with Kevin Durant. But there are also many failed cases due to clashes of ego and lacking team chemistry. Also, with a cost like that, there will be very little room for errors.

What I am most excited about is seeing growth. Some people are talented but never had an opportunity to be on a successful project. Some are hardworking and committed but require more learning and mentorship. Attitude and commitment are two important factors when building such a team. Attitude means without prejudice on technology and keeping egos checked. Commitment is the willingness to spend the time and effort to learn and grow on the job and accept new paradigms, especially when working in nascent technologies such as blockchain.

Maybe I've been an entrepreneur for too long and never had the luxury of having a "super team." But the feeling of having a team that grows together and accomplishes something is exhilarating!

What are your experiences in running or being a part of an engineering team? Which type of team that you'd love to be a part of? Please share in the comments!