CTO Series: Navigating Growth, A Playbook for Scaling Engineering Teams With Toni Ala-Piirto

Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

CTO Series: Navigating Growth, A Playbook for Scaling Engineering Teams With Toni Ala-Piirto

In this BONUS episode, we dive into the journey of Toni Ala-Piirto, a seasoned software leader with 15 years of experience designing and implementing distributed systems. Toni opens up about pivotal lessons from his leadership career, balancing tech strategy with business goals, and the nuances of scaling engineering teams during rapid growth. Whether you’re a CTO, a team lead, or a tech enthusiast, this conversation is packed with practical insights.

The Evolution of a Leader: A Journey, Not a Single Moment

“Leadership isn’t built in a single defining moment but shaped by many experiences.”

Toni recounts a key challenge early in his career involving a major performance issue for a customer. This experience taught him the importance of viewing systems holistically rather than focusing solely on individual contributions. His “boring” leadership style—marked by forward-thinking and crisis prevention—emphasizes preparation and identifying risks without over-engineering solutions.

Aligning Tech and Business: The Power of Collaboration

“Technology vision and business strategy should speak the same language.”

Toni highlights the importance of close collaboration with product managers, sales, and finance to ensure tech strategy aligns with broader business goals. Regular cross-department discussions foster trust and ensure that the product roadmap is both innovative and achievable.

Key Practice: Build relationships with key stakeholders through daily touchpoints to create alignment.

The Roadmap to Success: Vision vs. Execution

“Short-term details drive long-term visions.”

Toni explains their approach to roadmapping, with detailed 6-month plans that address “how” to achieve goals and a broader vision for the longer term. This allows the team to stay agile while keeping future innovations in view.

Pro Tip: Avoid spending excessive time on estimations; use past experience to guide epic-level planning.

“The first six months are about execution—the rest is about imagining what’s possible.”

Scaling Teams During Rapid Growth

“The true challenge of scaling is transferring knowledge while preserving team culture.”

Toni reflects on the growth journey from a small team to a larger organization. As the team grew, onboarding and knowledge transfer became crucial. His solution? Pair testing and collaborative learning to help developers understand the product deeply, not just the code.

Tactical Tips:

• Implement a “test buddy” system for collaborative testing and learning.

• Encourage developers to test the product to build domain knowledge and foster cross-functional understanding.

“Your people need to understand the product—not just the code—to scale effectively.”

Maintaining Culture Amid Growth

“Growth changes culture—how you hire and lead defines the next chapter.”

Toni shares how adding new team members can shift team dynamics. The key to sustaining a positive culture is hiring individuals who take ownership and serve as role models. Leaders should seek out those who aim to improve the team, not just perform their tasks.

“The best hires don’t just do their job—they make the whole team better.”

Cross-Functional Insights and Learning the CTO Role

“CTOs operate at the intersection of tech and business—a shift from pure development.”

Toni admits that stepping into the CTO role required him to expand his understanding of business operations, strategic planning, and cross-functional collaboration. He emphasizes that this broadened perspective is essential for impactful decision-making.

“The biggest shift for me was seeing the business as a whole—not just the tech stack.”

Key Influences: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

“Understanding team dynamics is as crucial as technical expertise.”

Toni cites Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team as a pivotal read. The book shaped his approach to fostering accountability and ensuring team commitment. Toni underscores that accountability isn’t about blame—it’s about ownership and follow-through.

Scaling with a Talent Strategy in Mind

“Growth requires not just more people but the right investments.”

Toni discusses integrating talent strategy into roadmaps by aligning with business goals, including company size and revenue targets. Strategic hiring and investment in growth ensure that the team remains equipped to deliver on future plans.

About Toni Ala-Piirto

Toni Ala-Piirto is a seasoned software professional with 15 years of experience leading architecture and design for projects of all sizes. He excels in creating practical, fit-for-purpose distributed systems and is known for his hands-on approach and commitment to continuous improvement. Toni consistently delivers solutions that meet specific project needs while aligning with broader business objectives.

You can link with Toni Ala-Piirto on LinkedIn.a