Leading a project team means balancing technical decisions, client expectations, delivery pressure, and the development of the people doing the work. As a Team Lead at Netcompany, Lê Duy Quang works at the centre of these demands. Here, Quang shares five practical learnings for project managers and team leads on how to guide teams through complex project environments, from building alignment and asking better questions to staying calm under pressure and helping people grow through responsibility.
FIVE LEARNINGS
Leading teams on
large-scale project delivery
1.
Adapt your communication
to the audience
As a team lead, you need to make sure people understand both the technical details and the bigger picture.
Different audiences need different levels of information. Developers may want to discuss the logic behind a solution, while clients and stakeholders may need a clearer view of the impact and decisions involved.
Adjust your communication to your audience so everyone has the information they need to make the right decisions. Sometimes that means using diagrams or visuals. Other times, it means simplifying an idea so everyone can follow the discussion and make informed decisions.
Adapt your communication
to the audience
As a team lead, you need to make sure people understand both the technical details and the bigger picture.
Different audiences need different levels of information. Developers may want to discuss the logic behind a solution, while clients and stakeholders may need a clearer view of the impact and decisions involved.
Adjust your communication to your audience so everyone has the information they need to make the right decisions. Sometimes that means using diagrams or visuals. Other times, it means simplifying an idea so everyone can follow the discussion and make informed decisions.
2.
Align internally before
speaking externally
Projects often move quickly, but speed only helps when the team is aligned.
Make sure your team is aligned internally before discussing a solution with clients or stakeholders. If we skip that step, small misunderstandings can quickly lead to mixed messages or rework later.
Internal alignment helps the team move with confidence. It also protects trust, both within the team and with the people we work with outside Netcompany.
Align internally before
speaking externally
Projects often move quickly, but speed only helps when the team is aligned.
Make sure your team is aligned internally before discussing a solution with clients or stakeholders. If we skip that step, small misunderstandings can quickly lead to mixed messages or rework later.
Internal alignment helps the team move with confidence. It also protects trust, both within the team and with the people we work with outside Netcompany.
3.
Understand the requirement before solving the problem
It can be tempting to move straight into solution mode, especially when deadlines are tight. But assumptions can be costly.
If the team does not understand the requirement clearly, we risk missing complex scenarios, building the wrong thing, or creating unnecessary rework.
As a team lead, part of the role is making sure the right questions are asked early. That might involve the Product Owner, Project Manager, architect, developers, or other colleagues. You do not need to have every answer, but you do need to help the team find clarity.
4.
Stay calm when the
pressure is high
Deadlines and urgent issues are part of project work. Those are also the moments when the team needs calm and clear direction.
When something needs to be fixed quickly, focus on understanding the impact, setting priorities, and deciding what needs immediate attention.
Staying calm does not mean moving slowly. It means helping the team act with purpose and solve the issue without creating new problems along the way.
Stay calm when the
pressure is high
Deadlines and urgent issues are part of project work. Those are also the moments when the team needs calm and clear direction.
When something needs to be fixed quickly, focus on understanding the impact, setting priorities, and deciding what needs immediate attention.
Staying calm does not mean moving slowly. It means helping the team act with purpose and solve the issue without creating new problems along the way.
5.
Use feedback to help people grow
Leading a team is not only about delivery. It is also about helping people take on more responsibility over time.
I value direct feedback, but how you give it matters. The aim is not to overwhelm someone. It is to help them understand what they can improve and what they can do differently next time.
Reflect on your own leadership. Could you have communicated more clearly? Did your team have the support they needed? That reflection helps you adjust your approach and create better conditions for others to grow.
Use feedback to help people grow
Leading a team is not only about delivery. It is also about helping people take on more responsibility over time.
I value direct feedback, but how you give it matters. The aim is not to overwhelm someone. It is to help them understand what they can improve and what they can do differently next time.
Reflect on your own leadership. Could you have communicated more clearly? Did your team have the support they needed? That reflection helps you adjust your approach and create better conditions for others to grow.
