2025 Brings New Challenges for Women in Tech—But We’re Still Going Strong 

2025 Brings New Challenges for Women in Tech—But We’re Still Going Strong 

High-Performance Collaboration, Interculturality, Project Management

Written by Yamila Solari – 

2025 Brings New Challenges for Women in Tech—But We’re Still Going Strong

This Women’s Day 2025 got me thinking about the new challenges women everywhere are facing—especially in tech. In recent years, many organizations have highlighted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as a key part of their talent strategies. But politics and economic pressures have led to cuts and changes, threatening the progress we’ve made. Despite all this, women in tech are continuing to move forward, carving out new paths—not just for themselves, but for the whole industry.

DEI Under Pressure

Right now, equity is a hot-button issue. Some companies that once openly supported DEI are quietly scaling back or renaming their initiatives. Sure, some of that is about saving money amid all the layoffs in tech, but it also reflects a broader debate about whether these programs should even exist. Women, already a minority in tech, definitely feel the impact when DEI support starts to shrink.

A big example is Women Who Code (WWC), a global nonprofit that served 360,000 members across 145 countries. It shut down last year because it couldn’t secure enough funding. WWC wasn’t just a conference organizer—it offered scholarships, networking, and skill-building for countless women. So its closure makes you wonder: if such a big DEI-focused group can’t stay afloat, what happens to early-career women who need guidance, mentorship, and a supportive community?

Why DEI Still Matters

Despite the setbacks, there’s plenty of data showing that diverse teams perform better and can boost a company’s bottom line. When you have women in leadership—especially in tech—you benefit from a wider range of perspectives and more effective problem-solving approaches. This is critical for things like AI, cybersecurity, and generally staying innovative.

Unfortunately, underrepresentation of women is still the norm. And it’s not just in the U.S. In Mexico, where most of our engineers live, a study by the Center for Economic and Budgetary Research (CIEP) found that women make up only around 15.5% of the IT workforce, with 93.8% of them working specifically as software developers. That’s just one example of how women face added barriers worldwide—barriers made worse by DEI cutbacks and layoffs targeting diversity professionals.

The Bigger Backlash

On top of that, there’s a growing movement in some places that encourages women to return to so-called “traditional” roles. Let’s face it—tech has historically been a boys’ club, which is why DEI programs, female mentorship, and women-in-tech networks are so crucial. That said, lots of professional women aren’t about to give up their career paths. They know that a life in tech doesn’t just provide financial stability; it also offers personal growth, adventure, and a sense of real purpose.

Sure, there’s backlash. But if anything, it’s made women more determined. Losing groups like WWC doesn’t cancel out our progress—it just shows us that we may need new, stronger infrastructures and communities to keep the momentum going.

Adapting DEI Strategies—and Holding Steady

Adapting DEI Strategies—and Holding Steady

Even with traditional diversity programs getting cut, many companies still see the importance of DEI. Some simply avoid the term “diversity” because of political pushback, instead adopting titles like “Community & Inclusion,” or folding these efforts into Learning & Development. But the mission—creating inclusive workplaces—remains. Businesses that invest in inclusion often report better employee retention, higher innovation, and stronger returns.

Government leaders can help, too. Claudia Sheinbaum recently took office as Mexico’s president, and it’s still unclear how she’ll champion STEM careers for women. There’s hope she’ll bring in policies and programs that get more girls interested in STEM and help women advance in tech. But that all depends on the right funding, political will, and collective effort.

Building Community from the Inside

Grassroots communities are just as important as government programs. At Scio, for example, our “women circles” let participants pick up both soft and technical skills, while also discussing how DEI changes affect the workplace. These circles are like micro-communities, providing safe spaces to share concerns, brainstorm solutions, and celebrate achievements. The fact that they’re often volunteer-driven proves that mentorship and collaboration don’t have to rely on big budgets or official branding.

What’s Next?

So will the push toward “traditional” roles win out, or will women maintain—and even expand—their place in tech? Historically, progress might slow down, but it rarely stops entirely. The tech industry, after all, thrives on fresh ideas and talent from every corner. Ignoring half the population just isn’t good business.
Women—in Mexico, the U.S., and everywhere else—are sticking to their goals. Yes, decreasing DEI support might slow us down, but it also pushes us to find new ways to move forward. Whether it’s launching local initiatives, seeking leadership allies, or keeping our skills sharp, women in tech are forging a future that’s more inclusive for everyone.
DEI might be under assault, but our collective resilience is rising to meet the challenge. We’re still aiming for a bigger piece of the tech pie, and that can only be good news for the entire industry.

Sources for further reading:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw0769446nyo
https://www.cio.com/article/3477870/5-reasons-women-make-top-team-first-collaborators-in-tech.html
https://ciep.mx/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Mujeres-en-la-Ciencia-y-Tecnologia.-Presupuesto-para-los-desafios-del-mercado-laboral..pdf
https://www.talent-works.com/2024/12/how-is-the-dei-landscape-changing-in-2025/
https://www.cio.com/article/201905/women-in-tech-statistics-the-hard-truths-of-an-uphill-battle.html

Yamila Solari

Yamila Solari

General Manager

Turning Around a Slumping Team Morale 

Turning Around a Slumping Team Morale 

Entrepreneurship, High-Performance Collaboration, Interculturality, Project Management

Written by Yamila Solari – 

Turning Around a Slumping Team Morale

Have you ever noticed how your team starts off full of energy—everyone is on board, ready to tackle big goals—only for that spark to fade over time? Suddenly, you realize there is a heavy cloud of negativity hanging over daily interactions. It can catch you off guard, especially when you are deeply immersed in the day-to-day work. Yet, once you recognize the signs, you know something must change.

In my experience coaching teams, these morale slumps often stem from a handful of core issues. Some factors lie outside of the team’s control—company-level decisions, mergers, or major leadership changes. Others, however, are well within a team’s power to address—unclear roles, a lack of transparency, or toxic behaviors that go unchecked. I like to think of these issues in two categories: external (things we cannot fully control) and internal (things we can change ourselves).

When External Forces Take Over (External Locus of Control)

  • Leadership Changes or Inconsistency

It is well known that a supportive, empowering leader fosters a collaborative tone. However, if the leadership style changes abruptly or leadership roles become unclear, team members may feel insecure about priorities and direction. This can quickly lead to anxiety and, eventually, a negative environment.

  • High-Pressure Environments

Sometimes, companies shorten deadlines or raise expectations without adding resources. Teams then scramble to keep up, which can lead to burnout. When people feel overworked and overwhelmed, patience runs thin and tensions rise—creating an ideal scenario for conflict.

  • Lack of Recognition and Growth Opportunities

Few things derail motivation faster than feeling invisible. If team members consistently contribute without acknowledgment—or if there is no clear path for them to develop new skills—they may become cynical or disengaged.
Large Structural Changes (Mergers, Acquisitions, Reorganizations)
Merging organizations often involves blending different cultures, processes, and leadership styles. In the midst of these changes, employees may feel threatened about job security or uncertain about the new direction, which can lead to pervasive negativity.

  • Shifting Company Strategy or Values

Suppose your company pivots to emphasize profits over people or makes a drastic change to its mission. Those who joined with a particular vision in mind might feel disconnected or even resentful if they no longer believe in the new direction.

  • Other External Stressors

Broader circumstances—such as economic downturns or new market competitors—can put an entire organization on edge. If the team senses looming layoffs or limited resources, tensions may escalate, leading to finger-pointing and blame.

Issues Your Team Can Tackle Directly (Internal Locus of Control)

Issues Your Team Can Tackle Directly (Internal Locus of Control)

  • Unclear Roles and Responsibilities

Sometimes negativity arises simply because responsibilities are not clearly defined. Tasks may overlap—or worse, fall through the cracks—and frustration builds. If certain teammates end up overloaded while others have significantly lighter workloads, resentment becomes almost inevitable.

  • Communication Breakdowns

Inconsistent or delayed updates make team members feel left out, sparking suspicion. The tone of feedback also matters: when criticism is vague or sarcastic, trust erodes. Encouraging honest, direct communication is vital for keeping relationships strong.

  • Negative Feedback Loops

A blame culture can spiral quickly if people focus on fault-finding rather than solutions. Once everyone is trying to avoid blame, creativity and healthy risk-taking tend to vanish.

  • Toxic Individual Behaviors

In some cases, one or two strong personalities overshadow the rest, or small cliques form. These patterns discourage broader participation—team members may stop sharing opinions or ideas if they fear being dismissed or excluded.

Breaking the Inertia: The Deep Check-In Session

Recognizing a cultural slump is half the battle. What comes next? One effective approach is to pause regular work and hold a Deep Check-In Session (DCS)—a specialized retrospective that allows ample time for meaningful discussion.

  • Ground the Team: Begin by having everyone take a moment to note how they are feeling, both physically and mentally.
  • Nurture Trust: Start with a simple trust exercise or team-building activity, reminding everyone that it is a safe space to share openly.
  • Identify the Core Issues: Use quick brainstorming methods (e.g., sticky notes or digital boards) to list all observed problems. Prioritize those that seem most pressing.
  • Distinguish External vs. Internal: Determine which problems the team can address directly and which require help from senior management or other departments. Simply clarifying this can provide a sense of relief and direction.

By the end of a DCS, you should have a clearer view of your team’s concerns and a sense of which issues belong to the team to solve, and which must be escalated.

Handling Internal Issues

Handling Internal Issues

When the team itself can resolve an issue, determine the best plan of attack after the DCS. You might schedule a follow-up session to brainstorm solutions and agree on next steps. Or perhaps you need more context—so you talk to individuals privately or consult an expert. In any case, keep the team in the loop so they know progress is being made.

What Matters Most? Listening and Reporting Back

It is not always possible to resolve every concern immediately. Often, simply letting the team know you have heard them and are taking steps to address their issues can restore a sense of optimism. Continue gathering feedback, be transparent about what you learn, and involve the team in deciding how to move forward.

Cultivating a healthy team morale is an ongoing process—there is no quick fix. Yet by confronting problems directly, clarifying their root causes, and showing genuine care for your team’s well-being, you will be well on your way to turning a slump around. After all, there is real value in collective understanding and consistent connection, no matter what obstacles appear along the way.

A Nearshore Perspective

Scio provides dedicated teams of Latin American (LATAM) software engineers to North American clients. In a nearshore environment like ours, transparent communication is vital to delivering the level of service our clients expect. When teams openly discuss blockers, progress, and expectations, they strengthen the collaboration between clients and software development teams—which is why Deep Check-Ins are so important. At the same time, having clear escalation paths ensures that both our managers and our clients’ leadership understand how external factors affect our teams, allowing them to take timely and effective action.

If you would like to learn more about fostering a high-performance culture or explore how Scio’s nearshore teams can support your next project, reach out to us. We look forward to collaborating with you to create thriving, impactful software solutions.

Yamila Solari

Yamila Solari

General Manager

Enriching the Space for Women in Tech: The Power of Circles 

Enriching the Space for Women in Tech: The Power of Circles 

High-Performance Collaboration, Interculturality, Project Management, Strategic Digital Nearshoring, Success Stories

Written by Yamila Solari – 

HOW WOMEN CIRCLES IN TECH SUPPORT DIVERSITY

Women have gathered in circles since the beginning of history, sharing stories, offering support, and cultivating growth—a practice that continues to shape the professional landscape today. In this article, I focus on professional women circles, which are created to support the advancement of women in the workplace. Specifically, I will share our own experience at Scio with our circles for women in tech, explore the impact these circles could have in the male-dominated tech industry and reflect on how men circles are also important to increase diversity.

Background

The history of women’s circles experienced a significant interruption during the 16th and 17th centuries. The rise of the witch trials in Europe led to the persecution of women who participated in these gatherings, forcing them to dissolve or go into secrecy. However, by the 19th century, women’s circles reemerged as organized clubs and societies in parts of the world, including the United States. These groups focused on education, social reform, women’s rights, and community improvement.

While the structure of these gatherings has evolved, their core purpose of connection and empowerment remains steadfast. Today, modern women’s circles address a wide range of interests, from spiritual exploration and collective healing to professional and personal growth.

Most recently, Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In movement has reinvigorated the concept of professional circles by making them more accessible through free educational materials. Lean In circles emphasize leadership development, career advancement, and mutual support, among other topics, and have inspired countless women to create their own circles.

Our Experience at Scio

Our Experience at Scio

At Scio, we wanted to support women in tech and decided to start within our organization, so two senior colleagues and I began exploring options. We discovered LeanIn.Org, an organization that has inspired the creation of over 60,000 circles in more than 188 countries, with 85% of participants reporting positive changes in their lives due to their involvement.

We launched our first circle in June 2023 and have been meeting monthly ever since. Initially, we followed the topics provided by LeanIn.Org, but we soon began developing our own. These have included not only general leadership issues but also challenges uniquely faced by women in male-dominated industries. Topics have included Being the Only One in the Room, How to Respond to Microaggressions, Overcoming Self-Doubt, and Getting the Recognition You Deserve, among others.

In a recent retrospective session, participants shared how the women circle has benefited them:

  • Learning skills and tools to grow professionally
  • Building stronger relationships with other women in the organization
  • Increasing self-confidence by reflecting on achievements
  • Becoming more assertive
  • Feeling supported by other women
  • Gaining the courage to try new things

One participant shared how strategies discussed in the circle encouraged her to advocate for her ideas during a critical project meeting. Another mentioned that the circle’s support was invaluable during a turbulent personal time. These achievements fill us with pride and determination. We plan to continue meeting monthly, rotating moderation and topic preparation to develop leadership skills further.

Women in Tech Circles Can Support Diversity

Globally, only 47.7% of working-age women participate in the workforce. In technology-related fields, women make up less than a third of the global workforce, according to the World Bank. The picture is slightly better in advanced economies like the United States, where women held 35% of tech jobs at the end of 2023. However, their representation drops to less than one-third in leadership positions.

In LATAM, representation varies by country. For instance, women make up an average of 20% of the tech workforce in Brazil and 17% in Mexico. While progress has been made in promoting the entry of women into the industry, much work remains to be done.

At Scio, we’ve found that women’s circles effectively empower women in tech to overcome obstacles in their careers and help them remain in the industry. While quantitative data on the direct impact of women in tech circles on increasing diversity is limited, we believe these groups can also serve as a tool for attracting more women to tech. By creating and publicizing spaces that specifically support women, companies can demonstrate their commitment to fostering an inclusive environment.

Men’s Circles Are Important Too

Men’s Circles Are Important Too 

Professional men’s circles, while sometimes critiqued for perpetuating exclusivity, can play a pivotal role in advancing workplace equity. By incorporating discussions on gender dynamics and the unique challenges faced by women in tech, these groups can raise awareness and inspire male professionals to become allies. Programs like Catalyst’s Men Advocating Real Change (MARC) exemplify this approach, equipping men with the tools to advocate for gender equality within their organizations. 

Engaging men in these conversations is essential, as their involvement significantly enhances the success of equity initiatives. Research indicates that such programs are three times more effective when men actively participate. By fostering understanding and allyship, men’s circles can support individual growth and drive systemic change toward more inclusive workplaces. 

Create Your Own Circle 

Whether you’re seeking personal support or aiming to foster inclusivity in your organization, professional circles can be a transformative tool. If you cannot find a circle to join, create one yourself. Resources like Lean In Circles or WomenTech Circles offer guidance on getting started. Once you’ve mastered the basics, explore other topics that resonate with your group. The key is to take the first step—because creating a circle can lead to meaningful change, one meeting at a time. 

To learn more:

The Global Women’s Workforce

The Women Tech Talent Landscape in LATAM

Women in Tech: How Companies Can Attract, Support, and Retain Them

Transform your workplace culture

Thought Leadership: How men can advance gender equity at work

Yamila Solari

Yamila Solari

General Manager

Expressing Needs is Essential for High-Performing Teams: Tips for Team Leaders 

Expressing Needs is Essential for High-Performing Teams: Tips for Team Leaders 

High-Performance Collaboration, Interculturality, Project Management, Strategic Digital Nearshoring

Written by: Yamila Solari 

Why High-Performing Engineering Teams Depend on Expressed Needs

Every engineering leader has seen it happen. A team looks strong on paper, the talent is there, the rituals are in place, yet something feels stuck. Work slows down, friction increases, quality drops, or communication becomes strained. In many cases, the root issue isn’t process, tooling, or skill—it’s unexpressed needs.
In technical environments with aggressive delivery targets, distributed teams, and constant context-switching, expressing needs is more than interpersonal nicety. It is an operational requirement. Needs guide clarity, unblock workflows, reduce misunderstandings, and help teams function with purpose instead of pressure.
And while most leaders recognize this intuitively, engineering teams often struggle to say what they need. It can feel vulnerable or uncomfortable. Some worry it sends the wrong message. Others don’t know how to articulate needs without sounding critical. But when teams stay silent, performance suffers.
For more than a decade, this pattern has surfaced repeatedly in engineering teams I’ve coached. The teams that consistently perform at a high level—regardless of methodology, tech stack, or team size—share one trait: members can express what they need with clarity, confidence, and respect. And when that behavior is supported by leadership, the team becomes far more effective, collaborative, and accountable.
This article explores why needs matter, why teams avoid expressing them, and how leaders can create an environment where expressing needs is standard practice. It’s written for CTOs, VPs of Engineering, and team leaders who want to strengthen team health without adding layers of process. And it aligns with one of the core beliefs at Scio: great engineering work happens when teams feel supported, trusted, and easy to work with.

What Needs Are—and Why They Matter for Engineering Teams

In the context of engineering work, needs are not personal preferences or surface-level requests. Needs are the essential conditions—professional, cognitive, physical, and emotional—that allow people to do their jobs effectively. They shape how team members focus, collaborate, and contribute. When unmet, they introduce unnecessary friction that slowly erodes performance.
Marshall B. Rosenberg, who developed Nonviolent Communication, defined needs as the core drivers behind our behaviors and decisions. When needs are unspoken, people rely on assumptions, and those assumptions often lead to conflict, rework, or misalignment. When needs are spoken openly, teams can coordinate more intelligently, adjust expectations sooner, and prevent misunderstandings that waste time and energy.
In engineering environments, needs often show up in concrete ways:
“I need clearer acceptance criteria before implementing this feature.”

“I need uninterrupted time to finish this module.”

“I need help understanding the dependencies on this integration.”

“I need early notice of scope changes to avoid rework.”

These are not emotional complaints—they are operational insights.
Engineering teams benefit from expressed needs because they:
Reduce ambiguity, which is one of the biggest sources of churn.

Strengthen trust by making expectations explicit.

Prevent bottlenecks by surfacing blockers early.

Keep workloads realistic and sustainable.

Support psychological safety, especially in multicultural groups.

Enable leaders to respond with precision rather than guesswork.

When a team makes a habit of expressing needs, the overall system improves. Project management becomes more predictable. Cross-functional collaboration becomes smoother. Agile ceremonies become more useful. And most importantly, teams maintain momentum without burning out.
The challenge is not understanding that needs matter—leaders know that. The challenge is creating a culture where people believe it’s safe and worthwhile to say what they need.

Why Needs Often Go Unexpressed: The Hidden Barriers That Slow Teams Down

Even high-performing teams hesitate to express their needs. Not because they don’t have them, but because several internal and cultural barriers get in the way.
Fear of Judgment or Perception
Engineers often worry that expressing needs will make them look:
Less capable

Less senior

Less resilient under pressure

In environments where “figuring it out” is seen as a sign of strength, many stay silent to protect their reputation.
Cultural Norms and Intercultural Friction
In global and nearshore environments, cultural expectations strongly influence how people communicate. Some cultures prioritize direct communication; others lean toward harmony and subtlety. When expectations are unclear, people default to silence rather than risk misunderstanding. This is one of the reasons why nearshore collaborations work best when the partnering teams share time zones, cultural context, and communication norms—a strength Scio integrates deeply in our engagements.
Confusing Needs with Complaints
Many team members avoid expressing needs because they don’t want to sound like they’re complaining. For instance:
Complaint: “I’m tired of unclear requirements.”

Need: “I need clearer requirements before I estimate this work.”

This distinction is critical. Needs focus on clarity and improvement. Complaints focus on frustration.
Fear of Creating More Work for Others
Some avoid expressing needs because they don’t want to burden teammates, even when silence ultimately causes more rework.
Past Negative Experiences
If someone expressed a need in the past and it was ignored, dismissed, or punished, they learn not to try again.
The Cost of Silence
The consequences of unexpressed needs compound quickly:
Burnout caused by unrealistic workloads

Missed deadlines due to unclear expectations

Decreased quality resulting from rushed or unsupported work

Growing resentment between teammates

Reduced trust in leadership

Difficulty sustaining high performance across sprints

One developer I coached earlier in my career experienced this firsthand. They were juggling several large features but hesitated to say anything because the team was under pressure. The unspoken need—a more realistic workload—resulted in late nights, missed commitments, and eventually burnout. The team suffered. Leadership suffered. And delivery suffered.
Silence is always more expensive than clarity.

How Scrum and Agile Rituals Create Natural Moments for Expressing Needs

Agile frameworks, especially Scrum, are designed to surface needs before they create downstream problems. But this only works when teams use the ceremonies as they were intended—not as status meetings, but as alignment and support tools.
Daily Scrum
The daily stand-up is not for reporting. It’s for coordination. A simple statement like:
“I need help understanding the behavior of this API.”

“I need more context before I can continue.”

“I need pairing time to debug this issue.”

…can save hours or days of stalled work.
Used well, the Daily Scrum becomes a lightweight, structured opportunity to express needs without drama or formality.
Sprint Planning
Planning is where teams should articulate needs regarding clarity, feasibility, and expectations. This is the moment to say:
“We need clearer acceptance criteria.”

“We need time allocated for refactoring.”

“We need the UX assets before we commit to this story.”

When teams stay quiet during planning, the sprint becomes a gamble.
Sprint Review
Reviews reveal what the team needs from stakeholders: faster decisions, stronger feedback, clearer priorities, or better availability.
Sprint Retrospective
Retrospectives are the clearest space for expressing needs. When facilitated well, they allow teams to articulate:
What helped

What blocked them

What needs to change

What they need from leadership

What they need from each other

Psychological safety is the foundation here. Retrospectives only work when everyone knows their input won’t be dismissed or punished.
Why High-Performing Teams Use These Moments Differently
The difference between average and truly great Agile teams often comes down to this:
Average teams describe what happened.
High-performing teams describe what they need next.
This habit is what makes Agile adaptive, not just iterative.
Clear Strategies for Expressing Needs Effectively
(~300+ words)
Expressing needs is a skill. It gets easier with practice, and leaders can accelerate that progress by teaching simple, repeatable patterns.
1. Use “I” Statements
“I need more clarity to move forward” communicates ownership and intent.
“Someone needs to fix this” communicates judgment.
2. Be Specific
Clarity prevents misinterpretation.
Instead of “I need help,” say:
“I need someone to pair with me for 30 minutes on this debugging issue.”

Instead of “This is confusing,” say:
“I need a concrete example of the expected output.”

3. Connect Needs to Outcomes
Teams respond better when they understand the impact.
“I need earlier notice of scope changes so I can plan effectively.”

“We need a shared understanding of the backlog so we’re aligned on priorities.”

4. Keep Delivery and Impact in Focus
Needs aren’t obstacles—they’re enablers. When framed around quality, predictability, and team health, they gain legitimacy.
5. Model the Behaviors as a Leader
If leaders never express their needs, the team won’t either.
Simple examples:
“I need everyone focused this sprint because production is under pressure.”

“I need open feedback about where our process isn’t working.”

When leaders show vulnerability with purpose, teams follow.

What Team Leaders Can Do to Build a Culture Where Needs Are Expressed Openly

Leaders shape the habits that determine how freely needs are expressed. Here are practical actions engineering leaders can use to build a healthier communication environment:
Model Vulnerability
Strong leaders don’t hide their needs—they demonstrate how to express them clearly. When a leader says, “I need better visibility into the deployment pipeline,” it sets a tone that encourages transparency.
Encourage Regular Dialogue
Start meetings with simple check-ins. It doesn’t need to be emotional. A quick round such as “What’s one thing you need to be successful today?” creates consistency.
Build Trust Through Reliability
Trust grows when leaders keep their word, communicate openly, and make decisions visible. When trust increases, teams express needs without hesitation.
Listen Actively and Respond Thoughtfully
Active listening means more than nodding. It means acknowledging needs, validating them, and collaborating on solutions. When team members feel heard, they continue speaking up.
Offer Constructive, Forward-Moving Feedback
Instead of focusing on what went wrong, pivot to how things can improve:
Not: “This wasn’t good enough.”

Instead: “Let’s walk through how we can strengthen this process together.”

This mindset reduces defensiveness and increases ownership.
Create Structured Opportunities for Open Communication
Use retrospectives, one-on-ones, team health checks, and async channels intentionally. Consistency matters more than frequency.
Protect the Team’s Expressed Needs
Nothing kills transparency faster than a leader who asks for honesty but punishes it. Leaders must defend the team’s needs upward, outward, and across the organization.
When leaders get this right, expressing needs becomes a team reflex rather than a risk.

Simple Comparative Module: Complaints vs. Needs

When It Sounds Like a Complaint
How to Reframe It as a Need
“We get feedback too late.” “We need earlier feedback to reduce rework.”
“This requirement keeps changing.” “We need stable requirements by sprint planning.”
“I’m overwhelmed with this workload.” “I need help prioritizing or redistributing tasks.”
“These meetings take too long.” “We need tighter agendas to stay focused.”

Exercises Teams Can Use to Practice Expressing Needs

Needs Mapping
Each person identifies one professional, emotional, and physical need. As patterns emerge, the team can address them collectively.

Well-Being Check-In
Five minutes at the start or end of a meeting can uncover blockers that would otherwise remain hidden.

Role-Playing Scenarios
Practicing hypothetical situations builds muscle memory for real conversations.

Retrospective Needs Circle
Each team member names one need that was met during the sprint and one that wasn’t.

Needs vs. Complaints Reframing Exercise
Teams practice turning frustration into clear, actionable needs.

These activities become even more effective when integrated into a nearshore or distributed team’s rhythm, reinforcing cultural alignment and communication clarity—two strengths Scio prioritizes in every engagement.

Conclusion: Needs Are the Foundation of High-Performing Teams

Expressing needs is not optional for engineering teams—it’s a core driver of high performance. When teams articulate what they need, they make better decisions, deliver higher-quality work, and build deeper trust. Leaders who encourage this behavior create an environment where teams are aligned, accountable, resilient, and consistently productive.
Start with one simple action: express one need in your next meeting and invite someone else to do the same. Small habits compound into major improvements. And when your teams feel supported—professionally, emotionally, and operationally—they perform at a level that consistently strengthens delivery, relationships, and long-term value.

FAQ

Expressing Needs in Engineering Teams – FAQs

Clear needs beat vague frustration. This is how teams stay aligned, reduce rework, and protect momentum.

Because it reduces ambiguity, improves alignment, and prevents issues from escalating into delays, rework, or burnout.

By modeling honest communication, creating regular spaces for dialogue, and responding constructively when needs are expressed.

A complaint focuses on frustration. A need focuses on what will help the team move forward effectively.

Through structured exercises such as needs mapping, retrospective circles, and reframing sessions.

If you need this adapted into a LinkedIn carousel, formatted for SEO in WordPress, or condensed into a leadership newsletter version, let me know.

The Long-Term Benefits of Cultural Alignment in Team Augmentation 

The Long-Term Benefits of Cultural Alignment in Team Augmentation 

Interculturality, Nearshore

Written by: Rod Aburto – 

The Long-Term Benefits of Cultural Alignment in Team Augmentation

When companies look to augment their teams, especially with nearshore talent, there’s often a focus on technical expertise and immediate needs. But while skills and capabilities are essential, one critical element often gets overlooked: cultural alignment. From my experience, the long-term benefits of prioritizing cultural compatibility are profound, impacting everything from team morale to project success. Here’s why cultural alignment in team augmentation matters and how it’s led to enhanced collaboration and success in my own career.

Building a Foundation of Trust and Communication

One of the biggest benefits of culturally aligned teams is the ease of communication and trust that naturally develops. When team members share similar values and understand each other’s work and communication styles, they’re better able to communicate openly and effectively. In all these years, we worked closely with US-based clients, integrating our nearshore team with their local developers. When both teams embrace direct communication and transparency, we are able to create a more collaborative environment. This mutual understanding minimizes miscommunication and enables team members to give honest, constructive feedback, fostering a strong foundation of trust.

Enhancing Collaboration and Reducing Bottlenecks in Team Augmentation

Cultural compatibility also helps to reduce bottlenecks in collaboration. For instance, many nearshore teams, like ours, work within similar time zones, allowing for real-time interaction and feedback. But beyond time zone alignment, shared cultural values mean that team members are more likely to be proactive in problem-solving and contribute ideas.

In one project, a developer from our team quickly spotted a potential issue and directly contacted the client’s lead developer to address it. Instead of waiting for a formal review, they resolved the issue immediately, which saved us valuable time and kept the project on track. This kind of direct, proactive approach is much easier when cultural values around ownership and accountability are aligned.

Boosting Engagement and Morale

When team members feel understood and share a common culture, their engagement and job satisfaction increase. Teams that feel connected are more motivated to go the extra mile, even in challenging times.

In one engagement related to nearshore team augmentation, we collaborated on a long-term software development project with a client who highly valued teamwork and knowledge sharing—values our team at Scio also holds dearly. This alignment led to regular “tech talks” within the project team, where members exchanged insights and best practices. As a result, not only did everyone on the team grow their skills, but morale was also consistently high. Team members felt valued and recognized, leading to better engagement and a higher-quality product.

Supporting Long-Term Client Relationships

Supporting Long-Term Client Relationships

Cultural compatibility isn’t just beneficial for the immediate project; it’s a key factor in building long-term partnerships. Clients who work with culturally aligned teams are more likely to extend their contracts or re-engage them for future projects because of the seamless integration and reduced friction in collaboration. I’ve seen this firsthand with clients who value our team’s dedication, work ethic, and ability to understand their unique company culture. By prioritizing cultural alignment for team augmentation, we’ve been able to create lasting client relationships that lead to future projects, referrals, and a reputation for being a reliable and compatible nearshore partner. That has enabled us to be partners with multiple clients over more than 10 years and counting.

Conclusion

Cultural alignment in team augmentation is more than a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic advantage that yields long-term benefits. By fostering trust, enhancing collaboration, boosting engagement, and supporting lasting partnerships, culturally compatible teams become a true asset to any company’s growth and success. For companies looking to enhance their development process, investing in culturally aligned nearshore teams can make all the difference, ensuring that projects don’t just meet expectations but exceed them.

Looking back, every successful project in my career has had a component of cultural alignment. It’s a constant reminder that team augmentation is much more than adding skills; it’s about integrating values and visions to create something lasting.

If you’re ready to experience the difference culturally aligned teams can make, explore Scio’s team augmentation services and see how we can help you build a cohesive, effective team that truly fits your company’s culture.

Rod Aburto - Senior Partner

Rod Aburto

Senior Partner

Embracing Interculturality in Global Teams

Embracing Interculturality in Global Teams

Interculturality, Nearshore

Written by: Yamila Solari – 

BLOG : Embracing Interculturality in Global Teams

Working in a global company with people from different national cultures is a powerful experience. Not only does diversity enrich our lives, but it’s also an engine for innovation in organizations—provided the organization is open to acknowledging and respecting this diversity. In this article, I will share what I have learned, as a team coach and general manager of Scio, about embracing interculturality in our teams.

Interculturality involves understanding, respecting, and valuing the differences and similarities among cultures. In an organizational setting, acknowledging and reflecting on these differences is crucial if we want to enhance effective communication, creativity, innovation, and conflict resolution.

At Scio, we used the Scrum Framework, which has transparency as one of its key pillars. Transparency refers to the open and honest flow of information among team members and stakeholders. I’ve found that recognizing intercultural differences is essential for developing transparent communication. To achieve this, we focus on educating team members and fostering cultural self-awareness.

Tools for Building Cultural Awareness

Tools for Building Cultural Awareness

A great resource for intercultural education is The Culture Map by Erin Meyer. In her book, Professor Meyer introduces eight scales that describe cultural tendencies based on common workplace behaviors. While some scales are similar to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, many offer fresh insights into other organizational behaviors that may be related to national cultures.

Meyer emphasizes that while every culture falls at a certain point on these scales, individuals may find themselves within a range around that point. This means we should use cultural scales as tools for personal reflection and refrain from defining someone solely by their country’s profile. Each person should identify where they are on the cultural scale through self-analysis or by using online cultural profile tools. You can learn more at Erin Meyer’s website. One free tool for individual cultural profiles is found at Harvard Business Review. A free tool for country profile comparison is found at The Culture Factor website.

One way to further our understanding of the effects of interculturality in a given team is to design a team building session around it. Besides covering topics like individual strengths and weaknesses, team members reflect on their culture profile and share with the rest of the team where they fall in their country scales. To consolidate this learning, the team reflects on the diversity of scales and ponders how these differences benefit teamwork but also how they may become a hindrance to it. In my experience, it’s also important for teams to consider interculturality when drafting their working agreements.

Lessons from Our Journey

Lessons from Our Journey

Over the years at Scio, we’ve had the pleasure of working with professionals and clients from various countries. However, two decades ago, when the company was young, we didn’t have a

formal structure to coach teams in interculturality. Looking back, I see instances where this kind of coaching would have been invaluable.

For example, I recall a brilliant French team leader working with four Mexican developers. He was dedicated to their professional growth, providing very specific feedback on areas for improvement. However, the team members felt demoralized. We later realized that his feedback style was too direct for them. Relating this to Meyer’s Evaluating Scale, France tends toward direct negative feedback, while Mexico leans toward indirect negative feedback.

In another case, I worked with a team comprising one Spanish developer and three Mexican developers. On the surface, they got along well, but during a coaching session, it emerged that they were unhappy with how conflicts were handled. The Mexican team members felt their colleague was too confrontational. By examining their cultural maps, we noticed that Spain tends to be more comfortable with direct disagreement, while Mexico prefers to avoid confrontation. This understanding allowed us to adjust our team working agreements to address conflict resolution more effectively.

Today, we offer interculturality training to our new employees. Since most of our clients are in the US, this is the culture we cover more extensively. Also, we include this topic in the team building sessions, right before the project kick-off. If conflicts arise later, we make sure to remember the interculturality component for team interventions, whenever the team has different national cultures in it.

Moving Forward Together

Since implementing interculturality training and incorporating it into our team-building sessions, we’ve seen significant improvements in team cohesion and communication. Our teams are better equipped to navigate cultural differences, leading to more innovative solutions and a harmonious work environment.

These experiences have taught me the importance of embracing interculturality within teams. By understanding and appreciating our differences, we can create a more harmonious and productive work environment.

I encourage you all to explore the role of interculturality in your teams. You might be surprised at how much it can improve communication, collaboration, and overall performance.

Yamila Solari - GM and Co-founder

Yamila Solari

GM and Co-founder