We often ask ourselves:
What defines a good product? A good team? Or just… success?
In this keynote, I brought a simple but hard-earned truth: software is not just code—it’s built on relationships.
Too often, organizations obsess over data, information, and process automation. But what truly sustains software delivery is wisdom—and wisdom emerges from people connecting, understanding, and growing together.
What I Saw, What I Lived
This wasn’t a talk filled with buzzwords or idealistic frameworks. I shared what I’ve seen and lived while building teams and products over the years. I’ve been part of teams that worked, and teams that didn’t. The difference wasn’t in tech stacks—it was in connection.
We crave love. But love—real connection at work—takes time.
Practices That Build Real Teams
I shared practical activities we’ve used to build strong teams across multiple companies and contexts. Each activity is a lever—not magic, but structure—for building connection, trust, and shared purpose.
Team Vision Exercise
To align our identity and purpose, we ask:
FOR: (the organization)
THAT: (has a need or opportunity)
THE: (team name) is a: (type of team)
THAT: (exists to achieve X)
UNLIKE: (other alternatives)
OUR TEAM: (has this key differentiator)
Why: This activity gives clarity about why the team exists and how it’s different from other parts of the org. How: Bring the team together in a safe space and co-create the answers collaboratively. Impact: Creates ownership, reinforces purpose, and reduces the feeling of “just executing tickets.”
Expectation Matrix
Before we align on tools or processes, we need to align on expectations. Each role—Dev, QA, PO, BA—lists their current state and where they want to go. Example:
FROM: Testing after dev is done
TO: Collaborative test case writing in refinement
Why: Misaligned expectations are the silent killer of collaboration. How: Use a whiteboard or Miro board and go role by role. Encourage reflection and open discussion. Impact: Improves role clarity, reveals bottlenecks, and builds respect for each other’s responsibilities.
Team Principles
You can’t build shared responsibility without shared principles. Here, we write down:
- Preferred communication methods (Slack, email, meetings?)
- Meeting structure (what, when, why)
- Availability and boundaries (on-call, async, remote days)
- Conflict resolution norms
Why: Default behavior is based on assumptions. Principles make expectations explicit. How: Co-create a living document during a working session or retro. Impact: Reduces misunderstandings, increases psychological safety, and shortens feedback loops.
Games for Connection – The Candy Game
Each color corresponds to a personal or work-related prompt. Participants pick a candy and share:
- Red: What you love about your job
- Yellow: A life goal you’re working on
- Green: Something you want to learn
- Purple: How you regain focus
- Blue: A stressful work aspect
- Orange: Your favorite food
Why: Work becomes real when people bring their full selves. How: Use colored candy (M&Ms or jelly beans) and explain each color. Impact: Breaks silos, reveals shared interests, and humanizes teammates.
Lunch & Happy Hours
There’s no substitute for informal time together. Lunch is part of the job. Happy hours are more than perks—they’re connection time.
Why: Teams aren’t built in standups. How: Create rituals—weekly team lunch, monthly after-work drink. Impact: Builds belonging and trust, especially for remote or hybrid teams.
Structure Reflects Communication
Any organization that designs a system will produce a design whose structure is a copy of the organization’s communication structure. — Conway’s Law
Your codebase and your org chart are reflections of how (and how well) people talk to each other. Make that communication intentional.
Closing Thought
“Value in software is created not just by what people know or do—but by what they can achieve together.”
Team building is not a side activity. It is the activity. And relationships are not fluff—they are infrastructure.
Helio Medeiros Software is a team sport.