In this episode of Software Leaders Uncensored, Steve Taplin sits down with Abe Jarrett, SVP of Software Engineering at Origence, to break down what it really takes to fix, scale, and future-proof engineering teams in a complex FinTech environment.
Abe brings a grounded, real-world perspective shaped by years of leading large engineering organizations. And one thing becomes clear quickly. The biggest challenges in engineering today are not technical. They're organizational.
Engineering and Product Must Operate as One
One of Abe's core themes is that engineering and product cannot operate in silos. Too many companies treat them as separate functions, which leads to misalignment, wasted effort, and slower delivery. According to Abe, the teams that perform best are the ones that operate as a single unit, with strong relationships, constant communication, and shared ownership of outcomes. When that alignment exists, execution becomes significantly more efficient.
Speed Is Not the Top Priority in FinTech
He also highlights a reality that many leaders overlook in FinTech. Speed is not the top priority. Compliance, cost efficiency, and platform stability come first. While speed to market is important, it cannot come at the expense of regulatory risk or system reliability. That shift in priorities fundamentally changes how engineering decisions are made.
Start With a Deep Audit
When it comes to improving engineering performance, Abe emphasizes that leaders often jump to the wrong solution. Instead of immediately trying to fix things, the first step should be a deep audit of the organization. Understanding where the real bottlenecks are, whether in process, talent, or technology, is critical. From there, leaders should focus on removing the biggest constraints first and building momentum through targeted improvements.
Clean Up the Backlog
One of the most practical takeaways from Abe is how to handle backlogs. In many organizations, backlogs become overloaded with outdated or low-value work. Over time, they turn into cluttered lists that slow teams down instead of guiding them. Abe's approach is straightforward. Clean them up. If something has been sitting untouched for months and no one is asking for it, it likely does not matter anymore. Clarity and focus in the backlog directly translate to faster delivery.
Modernize Development Practices
He also points to development practices as a major source of inefficiency. Traditional approaches like long-lived branches and heavy regression cycles create unnecessary friction. Moving toward modern practices such as continuous integration, feature flagging, and shared ownership of quality allows teams to ship faster while maintaining stability.
Measure What Matters
Another key insight is the importance of measurement. Engineering improvements need to be backed by data. Abe stresses the value of metrics like deployment frequency, defect rates, and time to resolution. These metrics not only guide internal improvements but also help communicate progress to non-technical stakeholders. In environments where leadership is focused on ROI, data becomes the bridge between engineering and business value.
Retaining Top Talent
Talent is another ongoing challenge. As engineers grow in skill and experience, they become highly marketable. Abe notes that retaining top talent requires more than just compensation. Engineers need to feel engaged, challenged, and supported. Without that, even well-run teams can quickly lose their best people.
AI: Powerful but Requires Guardrails
Of course, no conversation about modern engineering is complete without AI. Abe takes a balanced view. AI is a powerful accelerator, but it introduces new risks. Over-reliance can lead to a loss of internal knowledge, while poor controls can create security concerns. His perspective is clear. AI should be adopted thoughtfully, with strong guardrails and continued human oversight.
The Future: Engineers as Orchestrators
Looking ahead, Abe sees engineering evolving into a more orchestrated role. Engineers will increasingly work alongside AI-driven tools and agents that assist with coding, testing, and even planning. The role of the engineer will shift from writing every line of code to guiding systems, validating outputs, and making higher-level decisions.
Innovation in Regulated Industries
One of the most valuable insights from the conversation is how innovation should be approached in regulated industries like FinTech. It is not about removing structure. It is about balancing flexibility with accountability. Teams need the freedom to experiment, but within a framework that ensures compliance and stability. When that balance is achieved, innovation becomes sustainable.
The Real Job of Engineering Leadership
For engineering leaders stepping into complex organizations, Abe leaves a clear message. The hardest part of the job is not solving technical problems. It is building alignment, earning trust, and influencing the direction of the business. Without that, even the best technical strategies will fail.
This episode reinforces a simple but powerful idea. Great engineering leadership is not about writing better code. It is about creating clarity, removing friction, and guiding teams through complexity. And in a world where AI and regulatory pressure are only increasing, those skills are becoming more important than ever.