Tag: leadership

From Team to True Squad: Building Synergy in Scrum

Nishi Grover GargLeave a comment

I’m excited to share my latest article, “From Team to True Squad: Building Synergy in Scrum,” recently published on Devm.io!

We often hear about the importance of teamwork when we talk about agile and Scrum in particular. But there’s a massive difference between a group of individuals that work together and a squad that truly clicks. Building a high-performing Scrum team is less about following rigid frameworks and more about nurturing relationships, creating trust and creating a shared vision & sense of purpose. What truly elevates a group of individuals into a high-performing squad is synergy—that magical cohesion where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Key Insights from the Article

🔹 Continuous Improvement: Agile squads thrive when retrospectives are used not just as a ritual but as a powerful tool for learning and growth. The key is to focus on actionable feedback, addressing both the wins and the pain points. Improvement isn’t a one-time event; it’s a mindset that fosters resilience and adaptability.

🔹 Alignment with Autonomy: Balancing squad goals with overarching organizational objectives can be tricky, but it’s essential. Alignment ensures that the team delivers value, while autonomy empowers them to decide how to deliver it, fueling innovation and ownership.

🔹 The Role of Trust: A true squad is built on a foundation of trust. When team members trust each other, they feel safe to share ideas, challenge norms, and admit mistakes—without fear of blame or judgment. This psychological safety is the bedrock of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Leaders must actively foster trust by encouraging open dialogue, leading by example, and celebrating team wins.

🔹 Fostering Synergy: Building synergy means creating an environment where collaboration isn’t just encouraged—it’s ingrained in the squad’s DNA. This involves clear communication, shared accountability, and a shared vision of success.

Why It Matters

Agile is more than a process; it’s a way of thinking. When squads embody these principles, they don’t just deliver—they innovate, inspire, and transform.

📖 Read the full article here: From Team to True Squad: Building Synergy in Scrum

I’d love to hear your thoughts:

  • How do you foster trust within your teams?
  • What strategies have helped your squads achieve true synergy?

Let’s discuss and share ideas!

#AgileLeadership #TeamSynergy #ScrumMastery #TrustInTeams #ContinuousImprovement #AgileSquads #LeadershipMatters #DevOps

Revolutionizing Manual Testing: Top Trends to Watch in 2025

Nishi Grover Garg1 Comment

Manual testing is vital in the context of software development lifecycle. Although manual testing has undergone significant change over the years, its relevance continues to be of immense value. The manual testing process involves designing test cases on the basis of software specifications as well as requirements.

The year 2025 will definitely mark a transformative phase when it comes to manual testing. Advanced technologies may play a key role in the year. These elements can magnify the importance of manual QA testing services.

Some of the major trends that have been covered in the article are Test Augmentation with AI and ML, Exploratory Testing, Seamless Integration with DevOps, Shift Towards Quality Engineering Mindset, No-Code and Low-Code Testing Platforms, Collaborative Testing with Cross-Functional Teams and Remote and Crowdsourced Testing.

The Current State of Testing

To understand the current state of manual testing, you must understand its role in the Agile Era. Additionally, the current concerns of manual testers cannot be ignored.

Importance of Software Testing in the Agile Era

In the Agile Era, the relevance and importance of manual testing have certainly surged. Without manual testing, it is impossible to think of different aspects of the software development lifecycle, such as usability, exploratory testing, and human-centric design. A trusted manual testing service provider can ensure that holistic testing is conducted to develop well-functional software.

Both manual and automated testing are critical while developing new software. Manual testing can support software quality by leveraging manual skills. Similarly, automated testing is vital to executing diverse test cases by leveraging technology. 

Challenges Faced by Manual Testers Today

At present, Manual Testers face a host of challenges and issues. The common issues that arise include:

  • Manual testing involves considerable time and resources. Thus, the time- and resource-intensive nature of the process can be quite formidable for manual testers.
  • At present, there is a rise in the demand for faster releases. For instance, the popularity of the CI/CD pipeline, which is an automated framework, adds pressure for manual testers. They have to compete with automation which might not be feasible.
  • Scaling manual testing efforts is a daunting task. Hence, the efforts and hard work of manual testers may not be easily recognized.

Top Trends Shaping Manual Testing in 2025

Test Augmentation with AI and ML

Technologies such as AI and ML are certainly revolutionizing the manual testing landscape. Manual testers can use AI-powered tools to perform tests. These tools can certainly assist them with diverse functionalities, including test case design, defect prediction, and test data generation. Some of the main benefits of leveraging advanced technologies are faster and more accurate test planning processes.

Emphasis on Exploratory Testing

In 2025, exploratory testing will undoubtedly take center stage. This is because it can help testers integrate creativity into manual testing to locate bugs. Manual testers who offer manual testing services can certainly improve their exploratory testing skills by understanding the needs of users at a holistic level.

Seamless Integration with DevOps

A top trend that will certainly shape manual testing involves the seamless Integration with DevOps. By fusing the manual testing process with DevOps pipelines and CI/CD workflows, the process can be made more efficient and effective. Furthermore, the trends relating to the application of lightweight tools can support manual testing within agile sprints.

Shift Towards Quality Engineering Mindset

In the near future, there will be a shift towards a quality engineering mindset. Thus, the role of manual testers may change. These testers will definitely become quality advocates within teams. That’s not all! Their role will not be restricted to testing. They will look beyond testing the functionality of the software application and focus on areas such as user experience, performance, and accessibility.

No-Code and Low-Code Testing Platforms

The year 2025 is Lilley to witness a surge in no-code/low-code tools. Such tools can definitely enable ng non-technical testers to execute complex tests efficiently. Using these tools may have numerous implications in relation to manual testing workflows. These workflows are likely to become more streamlined and simpler.

Collaborative Testing with Cross-Functional Teams

Manual testing may undergo change due to the rise in collaboration. Greater collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including developers, testers, designers, and product owners, can strengthen the process. Furthermore, several tools and practices that support seamless teamwork and collaboration, such as Jira, may gain high popularity.

Remote and Crowdsourced Testing

The year 2025 is most likely to witness the rise of distributed teams as well as crowdsourced testing platforms. Remote work can pave a new path for manual testing. Furthermore, manual testers from diverse areas may engage in testing, thereby popularizing the concept of crowdsourced testing. Some of the main advantages of the specific trend include the consideration of diverse perspectives, better flexibility, and an increase in cost-effectiveness.

Conclusion

The manual testing landscape continues to evolve currently. Several trends relating to manual testing have been identified that can reinvent the manual testing process in 2025.

You need to understand that the manual testing process continues to be highly relevant and important. It continues to play a catalytic role in the software development lifecycle process. Testers from the top manual QA testing services company need to embrace these trends so that they can adapt and conduct high-quality manual testing.

This is a guest post by: Harshil Malvi

Author Bio:

Harshil Malvi, Founder & CEO of TabdeltaQA, is an expert in software testing. He leads the company with a focus on delivering high-quality testing services that help businesses create smooth and reliable digital experiences. With skills in automation testing, performance testing, and quality assurance, Harshil is dedicated to making sure software works perfectly and meets the needs of users.

How to Build and Nurture an Effective Team to Help Your Business Grow

Nishi Grover GargLeave a comment

It doesn’t matter the industry – all business owners want to see their organization succeed over time. For many, this may mean exploring new markets or creating new essential products or services for customers. However, the real path to success relies on having a strong team to help drive a company forward.

Still, creating a highly motivated team isn’t always an easy accomplishment. It takes dedication and hard work not only to acquire the right team members but also to ensure they continuously recognize and respect their role in helping the business develop.

Thankfully, there are various proven strategies for establishing the right culture for your business and maximizing its chances of success.

Inspiring Your Team with a Compelling Company Vision

Success is defined differently by each business. While some may think success is seeing profits grow double-digit year over year, others prioritize something deeper for their organization and the individuals working in it.

For most businesses to be successful, their employees need to share the same level of passion as company leadership. Communication is an important element in helping this happen. Every team member, regardless of their role in the company, should understand how their individual efforts impact the organization’s overall goals.

When employees are able to connect the dots between their performance and the performance of the company, it helps to give them a renewed sense of purpose each day. Below are a few ways business leaders can work to make this happen:

  • Speak a Universal language – The vision you express should be clear and easily understandable to a wide range of employees. Regardless of the level of experience of each employee, everyone should be able to recognize the message being expressed and how to contribute to larger company objectives.
  • Help Bridge the Gap Between Vision and Action – While articulating your vision clearly is important, this effort alone isn’t enough. You also need to show employees exactly how their individual roles and daily tasks make a difference when achieving the goals set out for the business.
  • Lead With Integrity – One of the most influential ways for leaders to help their teams live up to a company’s vision is by doing so themselves. All business leaders should fully embody the values and principles they set out for their teams. Leading with integrity in all areas of the business helps to create a culture of authenticity and helps everyone stay accountable day-to-day.

Creating a Shared Sense of Purpose

Helping your team to have a shared sense of purpose is an important component of helping your company vision come to life. When everyone works together to achieve the same goals, more is able to be accomplished and milestones are more easy to attain.

One of the best ways to create a shared sense of purpose is by encouraging employees to get involved as much as possible. This means making sure they feel valued enough to regularly share their ideas, ask questions, and contribute more toward shaping the business.

Another important element of getting employees involved more is creating knowledge-sharing opportunities. To do this, you could create specific communication channels across your organization where employees can more freely exchange new ideas or simply celebrate each other’s successes.

Unifying everyone in the company is an important part of sharing a broader purpose. This is why looking for more opportunities to bring everyone together and discuss new challenges, opportunities, successes, and even failures is a great way to help everyone feel like they’re part of something significant.

Equipping Your Team for Success

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My experience speaking at DevOpsCon, Singapore 2024 – Talks, Learning, and Inspiration

Nishi Grover GargLeave a comment

Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend and speak at DevOpsCon Singapore, an event that brought together some of the brightest minds in the DevOps and agile communities. It was an experience filled with learning, sharing, and connection, all while revisiting the vibrant city of Singapore.

My Talks at DevOpsCon

I had the privilege of delivering two talks, each centered on topics I am deeply passionate about:

  1. Mastering Test Automation: Strategies for Maximum Efficiency and Impact
    In this session, I explored how teams can elevate their test automation game to ensure faster feedback, better quality, and smarter integration into CI/CD pipelines. We discussed practical strategies, real-world examples, and tools that can help achieve these outcomes. The engagement and thoughtful questions from the audience truly made this session a delight.
  2. Navigating the Agile Seas: Program Management in Startup Waters
    This talk was all about managing the unique challenges faced by agile teams in fast-paced startup environments. I shared insights and anecdotes from my own experiences, focusing on strategies for balancing speed with quality, fostering collaboration, and keeping teams aligned with business goals amidst chaos.

Both sessions were well-received, and I was deeply encouraged by the feedback and conversations they sparked. Knowing that my insights resonated with the attendees is always a humbling experience.

The Power of Learning and Collaboration

One of the highlights of the event was attending Ben Linders‘ workshop on Agile Teams Gamification. The session was not just informative but also incredibly interactive, showcasing how gamification can be a powerful tool to foster team collaboration and innovation. The exercises and insights were eye-opening, and I’m already thinking of ways to incorporate some of these ideas into my own work.

Workshops like these remind me of the endless possibilities for learning and the value of sharing knowledge within a community. It’s moments like these that inspire us to challenge conventional thinking and embrace fresh perspectives.

Reflections on the Event

Events like DevOpsCon are a testament to the power of tech communities. From engaging discussions with fellow speakers and attendees to exploring ideas that can reshape the way we work, the experience was nothing short of invigorating.

Beyond the technical learnings, it was also about connecting with people—whether it was hearing about their challenges, sharing stories over coffee, or simply realizing how much we all have in common in our pursuit of excellence.

Gratitude and Looking Ahead

I’m immensely grateful for the opportunity to represent my ideas on such a global stage, and for the chance to learn from some of the best minds in the industry. Sharing my knowledge, while also growing from the knowledge of others, is what drives me to keep pushing forward.

Here’s to more opportunities to learn, share, and grow together! If you attended the event or my talks, I’d love to hear your thoughts and continue the conversation.

#DevOpsCon #AgileLeadership #ContinuousLearning #Grateful #TechCommunities

I am speaking at DevOpsCon, Singapore

Nishi Grover GargLeave a comment

I am elated to share that I have been invited to speak at DevOpsCon, SIngapore – an event by devmio. This event is known for its power workshops, practical learning avenues and networking with international community of Agile & DevOps enthusiasts, I am excited to be presenting not one but 2 sessions – one focused on Agile Delivery and another on Test Automation Strategies!

The conference offers 4 full days of learning in the form of sessions, keynotes and workshops, with options to attend in-person or online – here is the full program https://devopscon.io/singapore/program-singapore/

As I prepare for the sessions and my travel, I am also looking for recommendations and ideas for things to include in these sessions. Please share your thoughts and suggestions on what you would like to be included in these topics – here are the details of my sessions:


Navigating the Agile Seas: Program Management in Startup Waters

Agile teams in startups can be in a constant state of flux, and creating harmony there requires mastering adaptive leadership techniques, relooking at processes and leaning them out to suit the needs of the teams. In this session, we will dissect the intricate dance of leading software delivery in startup agile teams, and discover actionable strategies for navigating the complexities of program management in fast-paced environments. Program and engineering leaders will gain valuable insights into aligning team efforts with business goals while maintaining agility and high-quality standards.

By the end of this session, you will:​

  • Gain insights into adaptive leadership techniques tailored for startup agility.
  • Learn practical approaches to balance speed and quality in software delivery.
  • Explore effective methodologies for orchestrating agile programs in dynamic startup ecosystems
  • Navigating the Agile Seas: Program Management in Startup Waters

Mastering Test Automation: Strategies for Maximum Efficiency and Impact

In today’s fast-paced development cycles, effective test automation is essential for delivering high-quality software at speed. This talk will guide you through selecting the most impactful test automation strategies by focusing on aligning with business goals, ensuring scalability, and optimizing test coverage. Attendees will learn how to prioritize which tests to automate, choose the right tools, and create a balanced approach that maximizes efficiency while minimizing maintenance overhead.

Grateful for the opportunity to share my word with the community, and looking forward to travelling the world!

See ya there!

Cheers,

Nishi

I am speaking at Testflix 2024

Nishi Grover GargLeave a comment

I am super excited to share that I will be speaking at Testflix 2024, being organized by The Test Tribe. With 15+ themes and more that 20,000 people signed up for it already, this is going to be a grand event with testers from 125 countries & from the world’s top companies in attendance!

I am going to be speaking on the theme of Leadership – and my session is specifically about Leadership in Agile. Here are the details of my talk:

Leadership in agile is not about command and control; it’s about empowering teams to collaborate, innovate, and adapt to change. From navigating shifting priorities to fostering collaboration and accountability, agile leadership is about enabling teams to deliver value continuously and grow in a sustainable, self-organizing environment. In this session, we will talk about the lessons in leadership and attendees will walk away with actionable leadership tips to inspire, motivate, and lead their own agile teams to deliver high-impact results.

Talk Takeaways

  • Lessons in Leadership from various hands on agile roles
  • Actionable leadership tips to inspire, motivate and lead agile teams.
  • How to lead agile teams to deliver high-impact results

It is a virtual event which is free to attend, so do sign up now to not miss out on the incredible opportunity for learning & networking at this vibrant community event!

Using Examples of Successful Brands to Overcome Team-Building Issues

Nishi Grover Garg1 Comment

Building a business from the ground up can be challenging but rewarding. Although it can take patience to develop unique products and services while surrounding yourself with talented individuals, most businesses that put in the work can see positive increases in their revenue streams and profitability.

However, one of the most important things to get right when running a business is having a dedicated team of employees willing to go the extra mile. Still, this isn’t easy for businesses to master. As organizations begin to scale, most feel certain constraints that can negatively impact productivity and potentially stall growth efforts.

To overcome these issues successfully, businesses should adopt a resilient attitude in adapting to changes in their operations while looking for better ways to collaborate and improve their teams’ capabilities. In fact, there are some great examples businesses can learn from some of today’s top brands that have already done the same.

Common Team-Building Roadblocks Businesses Face

As businesses begin to grow, they often experience certain challenges that can test their ability to remain resilient. Many of these challenges can materialize internally, with employees beginning to struggle to keep up with changes or maintain the same level of enthusiasm they once had.

This often creates inevitable roadblocks, making it hard for a business to move forward. Some of the common team-building challenges that can surface include:

Poor Communication Practices

A good majority of businesses put a lot of effort into ensuring they maintain healthy levels of communication with their employees. Still, many organizations experience highs and lows when it comes to how well departments collaborate with one another.

One of the common working formats for many businesses today is having a decentralized workforce. While allowing this level of flexibility in employee scheduling and working location can be highly convenient, it can often result in information silos, with only certain teams having the information necessary to manage projects effectively.

Fragmented communication in a business can severely harm its progress. Just as electricians and plumbers must work closely with contractors to ensure bathroom remodels, or living room expansions go smoothly in home renovation projects, businesses must prioritize transparency between their departments to succeed.

Loss of Trust From Employees

Employees need to respect their employer to feel confident enough to give 100%. However, to develop respect, employees need to trust their leadership teams and feel valued more than just another number in the organization.

Although trust can be difficult to earn, especially in the early stages of an employee’s tenure, it can easily be lost. Unfortunately, when a company puts the majority of its focus on developing new revenue streams and maximizing profitability, it can start to lose focus on developing strong relationships with employees.
When employees begin to lose trust in their employers, it can often lead to negative attitudes that can quickly start to degrade the company culture. This makes it much harder to keep employees and attract new talent.

Unclear Company Purpose

Simply increasing revenue doesn’t mean a business can or will be successful. As a business grows, it becomes increasingly more difficult to maintain alignment with initial business objectives, leading to a disorienting state that can negatively affect operational efficiency.

As company departments begin losing their cohesion, this can damage a business’s long-term sustainability. Many times, these issues might be subtle at first, with employees forgetting about their primary responsibilities or missing a few deadlines. However, over time, these seemingly minor issues can become a much larger issue.

Resistance to Change

For many people, change isn’t something that is easy to accept. While it’s easy for businesses to say that they’re “OK with change” or “willing to improve their processes,” the reality is usually much different.

Change can make many individuals uneasy, especially when it means leaving a certain comfort zone. This can apply to both business leaders and employees who are tasked with updating their workflows or shifting their daily priorities.

However, having too much resistance to change can be a major roadblock for organizations that want to grow. Leadership teams clinging to outdated sales strategies or having too many employees who don’t feel the need to learn and develop their skills can make a business stagnant and eventually start moving in the wrong direction.

Successful Companies That Have Managed to Overcome Leadership Issues

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Giving Mentorship is a service, to them, & to yourself – ‘Global Mentorship Program 2023-24’

Nishi Grover GargLeave a comment

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
― Plutarch

And that is how we took the mentorship experience that I was a pert of recently.
I was a part of AgilityToday‘s Global Mentorship Program 2023-24 organized by #WomenInAgileAndTech which concluded last week. It was a great experience, sharing my knowledge but also learning from so many others in unique ways.
I have been associated with the organizing community AgileVirgin in the past too and have always liked the zeal they put into everything they conduct. So, I decided to take up the role of a mentor in this program.

I was matched with a mentee by the program, which then kicked off a 4 week journey into the program.
It is always great to meet curious young minds like my mentee Nikita Priyadarshini, who is full of zeal, ideas, questions and enthusiasm!

We had some amazing conversations, chatted about her career aspirations, what she wanted to learn and then charted out a plan for our sessions.

The weeks flew by and we made great progress in every session. Nikita always had great questions, ideas, and results on every topic we talked about. I made sure to share some good resources, reads, book recommendations, online courses and articles to help further her learning.

Here is a gist of what we covered in our mentorship program- as summed up nicely by Nikita into a mindmap!

Thus concluded our Mentorship Program , and we had a closing call with the organizing team where we had a chance to meet other mentor-mentee pairs as well!

We have decided to continue to association, and I would love keep in touch with Nikita to see her growth and help her along the way.
Hoping to make an impact and leave a lasting mark on her budding career!

Grateful for the opportunity, and looking forward to many more coming my way in 2024!