Build high-performing, fulfilling software engineering teams and grow your leadership capabilities by working with me
Hi, I’m Chris – and I believe great leaders aren’t born, they’re grown. After 14 years at Redgate Software— growing the number of engineering teams from 8 to 22 while maintaining our progressive culture and high staff engagement — I’ve learned that the best solutions often come from within organisations through developing individuals or exploring novel approaches, rather than applying models, frameworks, or techniques developed at other companies. My role isn’t to swoop in with all the answers, but to help you and your teams discover them together.
I’m passionate about helping engineering leaders unlock their potential and build the kind of teams people actually want to work in.
How I can support you
🌱 Leadership coaching & mentoring
Whether you’re a new engineering manager finding your feet or a seasoned leader facing fresh challenges, I’m here to help you grow. Through one-on-one coaching and mentoring, we’ll work together to develop your unique leadership style and tackle the specific situations you’re facing.
What we’ll explore together: Building confidence in difficult conversations, creating psychological safety, balancing technical and people leadership, and finding your authentic voice as a leader.
👥 Team development & dynamics
I love helping teams discover what makes them tick and how they can work better together. Rather than prescribing solutions, I facilitate conversations that help teams recognize their own strengths, challenges, and paths ahead.
What teams often discover: How to have better retrospectives, ways to improve collaboration, strategies for handling conflict constructively, and methods for building stronger working relationships.
🚀 Agile & lean coaching
With over 20 years of agile experience, I help teams and organizations find their own agile path. Every team is different, so we’ll work together to discover what practices and approaches actually work for your specific context and challenges.
What we’ll figure out together: Which agile practices suit your team, how to run more effective retrospectives, ways to improve your delivery flow, and strategies for continuous improvement that stick.
📊 Performance & health conversations
I help teams have honest, productive conversations about how they’re doing—both in terms of delivery and team wellbeing. Using frameworks like DORA metrics and SPACE, we’ll explore what good looks like for your specific situation.
What teams learn: How to measure what matters, creating transparency without blame, balancing delivery speed with sustainability, and using data to drive meaningful improvements.
🎯 Strategic thinking development
Strategy isn’t just for executives. I help teams and leaders at all levels develop their strategic thinking skills—learning to see the bigger picture, make better decisions, and align their work with what really matters.
What you’ll develop: Skills in systems thinking, better decision-making frameworks, confidence in strategic conversations, and ways to help your teams understand the “why” behind their work.
🔄 Change & growth support
Change is hard, but it doesn’t have to be painful. I help organizations navigate growth, restructuring, or new ways of working by focusing on the human side of change and helping teams find their own path forward.
What we’ll work through together: Managing uncertainty, communicating change effectively, preserving team culture during growth, and helping people adapt at their own pace.
My approach: It’s all about you
I’m not here to have all the answers: You and your teams already have most of them. My job is to ask the right questions, create safe spaces for honest conversations, and help you discover solutions that actually work for your unique situation.
Real experience, real empathy: Having been an individual contributor, team lead, manager, and director, I’ve faced many of the challenges you’re dealing with. I get it, and I’m here to help you work through them.
It’s about self-improvement and growth, not fixing teams/people/organisations: I don’t believe teams are “broken” and need fixing. I believe they’re full of potential waiting to be unlocked with the right leadership approach. Together, we’ll find ways to tap into that potential.
Practical, not theoretical: Everything we work on will be grounded in reality. We’ll focus on approaches you can actually implement and sustain in your day-to-day work.
What people say about working with me and my leadership style
I’ve been fortunate to help teams achieve their objectives, deliver amazing software, grow, and increase their complexity. All that while registering ~95% staff retention rates, high physiological safety, and a recognition that people could bring their whole selves to work. I’ve supported senior and emerging leaders across every function, and, most importantly, I’ve seen countless individuals discover their own leadership potential, and help their teams improve and find their groove. Here’s what a few of the folks I have worked with have said about me (which is a bit awks, admittedly):
“You’ve played a significant role in shaping my career — through your coaching, mentoring, and the trust you placed in me by giving me so many opportunities. You’re the best leader and line manager I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.” – Senior Engineering Manager
“By far the best people manager I’ve worked with, with such clarity of purpose and integrity.” – CTO
“Chris, you’re a real life example of what people-centred leadership looks like, especially when it’s needed most.” – External Communications Lead
“Chris. You are by far, one of the most genuine and caring leaders I have worked with, or know.” – Director of Operations
“Chris, your brilliant leadership has had an impact far beyond engineering, I’ve personally learned so much from you! I’m grateful I had the chance to see firsthand how you lead, coach, and facilitate. Your natural leadership qualities inspire people to follow your lead.” – Head of Customer Marketing
Let’s start a conversation
Free discovery chat (30 minutes)
No sales pitch, no pressure—just a friendly conversation about what you’re facing and whether I might be able to help. We’ll explore your challenges together and see if there’s a good fit.
How we might work together
- One-on-one coaching sessions: Regular conversations to support your leadership journey
- Team workshops: Facilitated sessions to help teams explore challenges and discover solutions
- Organizational support: Longer-term partnerships to navigate change and growth
- Custom approaches: Whatever works best for your specific situation
P.S. I’m based in Cambridge, UK but work with teams everywhere. Whether you’re down the road or around the world, we can find a way to connect that works for you.
Ready for a chat?
I’d love to hear about what you’re working on and explore how I might be able to support you. Book a free discovery chat and let’s see where the conversation takes us.
In our chat, we’ll explore:
✅ What’s keeping you up at night as a leader
✅ Where you’d love to see your teams grow
✅ What success looks like in your world
✅ Whether there are ways I can help you get there
Find a slot here: Book time with Chris
“I seek opportunities where I can build humane, high-performance cultures, foster great teams, and help people solve meaningful problems. If that resonates with you, let’s talk.”
Chris Smith
Engineering Leadership Coach & Mentor
📧 chris@leadingagileteams.com
🔗 linkedin.com/in/chrissmithagile
Leading Agile Teams 
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