How letting go builds high-performing tech teams: Leadership Lessons from Mark Copeland, Delivery Principal at Thoughtworks

Leading large, distributed tech teams requires a shift in mindset - from hands-on control to trust.

At our recent Leadership Lessons AMA, we sat down with Mark Copeland, Delivery Principal at Thoughtworks, to unpack what that shift looks like in practice.

With nearly two decades of experience leading complex delivery teams across Europe and India, Mark shared practical lessons on scaling leadership, building high-performing teams, and fostering a culture of clarity and autonomy.

👉 Watch the full conversation on demand here:

How did your leadership journey begin? Was there a moment you realized you wanted to lead?

“For me, the pivotal moment was finding a group of people with a common goal and a clear outcome. I loved that feeling of working together to make something meaningful happen. That’s when I knew I wanted to lead, not by being the smartest person in the room, but by helping teams get to great outcomes.”

What’s one flawed belief or habit you had to unlearn as a leader?

“Control doesn’t scale. I used to think being across everything meant better outcomes. It doesn’t, it just slows things down and frustrates everyone. The real unlock is clarity and trust. When your team knows the ‘why’ and the direction, they’ll often get you further than your own plan would have.”

How do you coach yourself (or others) to actually let go of control?

“It still feels uncomfortable sometimes. That gut-wrenching moment when you step back and trust the team is real. But when the outcomes land — and they usually do, often better than expected — that feeling turns into relief and pride. Trust is a muscle you build over time.”

What’s a leadership mistake from early in your career that still teaches you something?

“Ask for help. I once sent a massive email campaign to a million customers… in Greek. I didn’t ask for help because I thought it made me look weak. In reality, asking for help builds trust, empathy, and shared ownership. It’s a strength, not a weakness.”

How do you balance giving autonomy while keeping alignment and direction?

“I’ve learned that autonomy feels chaotic at first, especially for teams used to decisions being made for them. But clarity in, control out: when everyone understands the goals, strategy, and guardrails, they make smarter decisions. My role is to remove blockers, not direct every step.”

What’s your guiding principle (your “North Star”) as a leader?

“I shouldn’t be making all the decisions. If a team can make the call, they should. My default is to turn the question back to them: ‘What do you think we should do?’ That builds trust, accountability, and momentum.”

Any final advice for those stepping into leadership in tech?

“Don’t try to have all the answers. Your teams often know the problems - and the solutions - better than you do. Build trust, be clear about direction, and ask for help. Leadership isn’t about control. It’s about creating the space for others to thrive.”