After working 5+ years with different software teams, one thing is clear to me:

Team results are a direct function of its members. And it pretty simple & straight forward. Let me explain. I once hired a developer for a product I bootstrapped. Good communicator, great attitude, but the work just wasn't strong.

I thought maybe it was the project, so I moved him to another one. Same outcome. That's when it hit me: You can't get great results without great contributors.

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A Quick Math Lesson (It's Easy!)

A function maps inputs to outputs.

• Same input → Same output.
• Good team → Good results
• Mediocre team → Mediocre results

(Management can tweak things a little, but it can't completely change the outcome.)

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Why This Matters ?

Ever wonder why some companies just churn out copies of better products? It's because the team function is limited. Better management might improve quality slightly, but it won't perform miracles.

Meanwhile, indie hackers? They ship fast and often because their personal function is optimized: Skills + Motivation + Experience.

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• Understand your team's function: Know their true capabilities. Simple why top companies like Google prioritize recruiting top performers from elite universities. But for small companies, it's about finding the right talent that fits your needs, not just hiring prestigious names.
• Focus on improving your weakest links: Small upgrades create big changes.
• Stay realistic: Same people doing the same work won't magically produce new results.

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If you want different outputs, you need different (or upgraded) inputs. And if you enjoyed this, subscribe to my email list for more.