AI and the human factor: what I’ve learned leading a team through change

At Kiandra, we don’t just deliver software. We deliver trust, clarity, and capability

As a Software Delivery Team Lead, I’ve experienced firsthand how our strength lies in pairing deep technical expertise with a culture that genuinely values people. We’re not here to chase hype. We’re here to build things that matter, with teams that are empowered, curious, and supported.

Over the past year, I’ve led a team of highly skilled consultants through one of the most significant shifts in how we work: integrating AI into our delivery practice. Not as a gimmick. Not as a shortcut. But as a tool to help us think deeper, move smarter, and lead better.

This shift hasn’t just changed how we deliver. It’s reshaped how we collaborate, how we think, and how we lead.

AI is a tool. Culture is the engine

We use AI to accelerate delivery, modernise legacy systems, and reduce friction in day-to-day work. But the real impact has been in how it’s changed the way we show up for each other.

Our consultants are spending less time on repetitive tasks and more time on strategic thinking. They’re mentoring more, experimenting more, and delivering with greater confidence. AI hasn’t made us faster. It’s made us sharper. And occasionally, it’s made us laugh, like when it confidently suggests a variable name that sounds like a Marvel villain.

Learning is part of the job. So is unlearning

One of the things I value most at Kiandra is how learning isn’t treated as a luxury, it’s expected. Whether it’s experimenting with GitHub Copilot, mastering prompt engineering, testing out Azure OpenAI integrations, or refining accessibility testing, our teams are constantly evolving.

We’ve used bench time to explore real-world AI use cases, run guild sessions to share what’s working (and what’s not), and challenge each other to think beyond the obvious. It’s not always polished. But it’s honest. And it’s how we stay sharp. Even if it means admitting that the AI sometimes writes better comments than we do.

Wellbeing isn’t a bonus. It’s the baseline

The best delivery outcomes come from teams that feel safe, supported, and seen. That means:

• Making space for honest conversations about workload and wellbeing
• Designing delivery rhythms that are sustainable, not just efficient
• Celebrating growth, not just goals.

Because when people feel good, they do good work. And when they don’t, no amount of AI will fix that. Although it might try to schedule a meeting about it.

Guiding principles to lead by

1. Deliver with clarity, not just speed – great delivery isn’t about how fast we move, it’s about how clearly we understand the problem, how confidently we execute, and how consistently we learn from the outcome
2. Lead with empathy, scale with trust – people don’t thrive under pressure, they thrive under purpose. I focus on creating safe, high-trust environments where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to do their best work
3. Use AI to uncover what others overlook – AI isn’t just about automation, it’s about insight. I look between the cracks of delivery, process, and people to find the moments where AI can remove friction, reveal patterns, and unlock new ways of working. Unsure about what timecode to use when time-sheeting? We built an internal time-sheeting AI agent that drew from company policy, resourcing guidelines and active projects to act as a ready reckoner when our consultants were filling their timesheets. It’s not about replacing effort. It’s about redirecting it toward what matters most
4. Build learning into the rhythm of work – Learning isn’t a side project, it’s part of the job. We champion continuous growth through shared learning, experimentation, and space to unlearn what no longer serves us
5. Strategy is lived, not laminated – A good strategy doesn’t sit in a slide deck. It shows up in how we prioritise, how we communicate, and how we adapt. I bring strategy to life by connecting it to people, delivery, and purpose… every day.

We’re still learning. AI is moving fast, and so are we. But we’re doing it together… with curiosity, care, and a shared belief that tech should make life better, not just faster.

If you’re leading a team through this shift, I’d love to hear how you’re approaching it. Let’s learn from each other.