The Art of Radical Adaptability: 9 Questions for Head of Operations Magda Śleboda (Appliscale)

In the high-stakes world of live television, there is no "undo" button. If a broadcast fails, millions of people see it instantly. It’s an environment that breeds a specific kind of professional: someone who thrives on chaos, makes split-second decisions, and prioritizes forward momentum over the illusion of perfect conditions.

Magda Śleboda, Head of Operations at Appliscale and a lecturer at SWPS, has taken that "live broadcast" mindset and plugged it directly into the heart of software engineering. At Appliscale, she isn’t just managing spreadsheets; she’s an operational architect – someone who gets "under the hood" to build internal tools, design automated workflows with AI agents, and bridge the gap between technical teams and global clients. From her time at TVN and Euro 2012 to her current role shaping the delivery engine of a high-growth tech firm, Magda views Operations not as a set of rigid rules, but as a living system that requires constant tuning.

We sat down with Magda to discuss why the software industry needs to embrace radical adaptability, why "best practices" can be counter-productive, and how she’s teaching the next generation of Project Managers to lead with both technical fluency and human empathy.

1. Titles like 'Head of Operations' can mean wildly different things depending on the company. If you had to explain your role to your grandmother – or someone completely outside the tech bubble – how would you describe what you actually do all day at Appliscale?

I’d probably say that my job is to make sure the company runs smoothly day to day, and that it’s set up to run even better in the future. I focus on how work gets done across the business, making sure processes are clear, effective, and actually help people do their jobs well rather than slow them down.

A big part of my role is looking at what’s happened in the past through data, results, and financial information and using that insight to build a vision for what the company should look like next. But it’s not just about analysis; it’s about turning that vision into something real that has a tangible impact.

Equally important are relationships. I spend a lot of time working closely with both clients and the internal team, making sure communication is strong and expectations are aligned. Operations isn’t only about numbers and systems – it’s first and foremost about people, their connections, and creating an environment where they can work together effectively.

2. You spent over a decade in the high-adrenaline world of TV production (TVN, Euro 2012) before pivoting to IT. In TV, if you fail, millions see it instantly. What is the one specific mindset or habit from the world of live broadcasts that you think the software industry is missing or could learn from?

One mindset from live broadcasting that I think the software industry could learn a lot from is radical adaptability. In live environments, things change constantly – timelines shift, something breaks, or an unexpected event happens – and you’re trained to respond in real time without losing focus on the outcome.

That level of flexibility builds a habit of staying calm under pressure, making fast, pragmatic decisions, and adjusting plans without over-attachment to how things were “supposed” to go. In software, we strongly emphasize planning and predictability, but real progress comes from being able to adapt quickly while still delivering value.

Live broadcasts teach you to focus less on perfect conditions and more on forward momentum. You learn to keep the show running, no matter what, and that mindset is incredibly powerful in fast-moving, complex software environments.

3. It’s rare for a Head of Operations to be a "builder," yet you actively create internal tools and workflows yourself in platforms like Airtable. What drives you to get "under the hood" and build these solutions internally?

I’m driven by a strong desire to streamline processes and translate a clear operational vision into practical, scalable solutions. Being hands-on allows me to move quickly from identifying inefficiencies to testing and implementing improvements, rather than relying solely on abstraction or delegation. I genuinely enjoy experimenting with new tools and platforms, and automation has long been a particular area of interest for me. I believe that to design effective operational systems, you need to stay close to the work itself – understanding how teams operate day to day. That proximity enables better decisions, more thoughtful tooling, and ultimately more impactful outcomes.

4. Operations used to be about spreadsheets and manual checks. Now we talk about AI Agents and "No-Code" automations. How has the definition of "Operational Excellence" evolved for you over the last few years, and where do you see it going next?

For me, Operational Excellence has shifted from managing processes manually to designing systems that largely run themselves. Automation is the real inflection point. Instead of spending time on repetitive checks and data collection, teams can now access reliable, real-time information at a glance and focus their energy on analysis, insight, and decision-making. That shift fundamentally changes the value Operations brings to the business – from execution to enablement.

At the same time, excellence today isn’t about automating everything for its own sake. With the explosion of AI agents and no-code tools, the challenge is choosing the right tooling for the right problem and avoiding unnecessary complexity. Technology should simplify operations, not overengineer them. Looking ahead, I see Operational Excellence becoming even more about clarity of intent. Automation and AI are only as effective as the vision behind them – you still need a deep understanding of the domain, clear goals, and well-defined outcomes. Agents won’t do the thinking for you. The most successful operations leaders will be those who combine hands-on field knowledge with a strong systems mindset, using automation to amplify judgment rather than replace it.

5. You recently returned from the US West Coast to visit clients. In a remote-first world, we often assume Zoom is enough. From an operations and delivery perspective, what is the specific value of that face-to-face time? What problems can you solve over a dinner in California that you can’t solve on a Slack call?

Remote collaboration has proven incredibly effective, and tools like Zoom and Slack are indispensable for day-to-day execution. That said, nothing truly replaces direct, in-person interaction. Face-to-face time creates a depth of connection that’s very difficult to replicate virtually – especially when you spend a few days together or share an informal setting like a coffee or a dinner.

Those moments allow relationships to move beyond roles and agendas. You start to see that you’re working with people driven by the same values, facing similar challenges both inside and outside of work. Conversations naturally expand beyond the immediate task at hand – passions, experiences, and informal exchanges come into play. And that human context builds trust in a way a scheduled call rarely can.

From an operations and delivery perspective, that trust matters. It accelerates decision-making, reduces friction, and makes difficult conversations easier later on. Relationship-building isn’t a one-off event; it’s a process. In-person meetings help cement those relationships, creating a foundation that makes remote collaboration far more effective long after everyone is back on Slack.

6. You lecture post-graduate students at SWPS. When you look at the next generation of Project Managers entering the workforce, what is the one skill they have that the "old guard" of IT lacks? Conversely, what fundamental skill are they dangerously missing?

The most important skill would be the ability to look at problems more broadly, the ability to approach challenges with an open mindset – being generalists rather than narrowly specialised. That flexibility allows us to connect dots across disciplines – technology, people, delivery, and business, and often brings a fresh perspective that’s increasingly important in complex, fast-moving environments.

At the same time, a skill I see many aspiring PMs lacking is a solid understanding of the technology and tools they’re working with. Some aren’t sufficiently familiar with modern tooling or comfortable engaging deeply with technical concepts. That gap can limit their effectiveness, especially when they need to challenge assumptions, make informed trade-offs, or support technical teams. You need to be tech-savvy to be an effective technical PM.

The strongest Project Managers will be those who combine a broad, systems-level view with genuine technical fluency—able to think holistically while still understanding the mechanics of how work actually gets done.

7. You teach Value Stream Mapping and Lean methodologies. What is the one theoretical concept that is easiest to explain in a university classroom but actually the hardest to implement in a real, messy corporate environment?

Value stream ownership is one of the easiest concepts to explain in theory and one of the hardest to implement in practice. On paper, value streams look linear and clean; in reality, organisations are complex, with fragmented responsibilities, competing priorities, and multiple handovers. Making value streams work requires teams to think beyond their individual tasks and optimise for the end-to-end outcome. That shift from local efficiency to shared ownership demands alignment, trust, and accountability, which is far harder to achieve in a real corporate environment than any process change itself.

8. There are a lot of "best practices" in Agile and Project Management that everyone follows blindly. Is there a standard industry practice that you actually think is overrated or perhaps even counter-productive?

One practice I think is often overrated is the rigid, unquestioned adherence to meetings and rituals simply because they’re considered “best practice.” Agile ceremonies can be incredibly valuable, but only when they serve a real purpose for the team.

Too often, rituals are followed for their own sake rather than because they’re effective. When that happens, they stop enabling delivery and start becoming a form of overhead. Teams differ in maturity, context, and challenges, and the way they collaborate should reflect that.

I strongly believe meetings and processes should be treated with flexibility. If a ritual helps the team communicate better, make decisions faster, or deliver more effectively, it’s worth keeping. If it doesn’t, it should be adapted or removed. True agility isn’t about following a prescribed framework, but about continuously adjusting how you work to maximise impact.

9. Looking at the rapid pace of AI and automation, how do you think the role of a Program Manager or Operations Lead will change in the next 3 to 5 years? What skills should we be learning right now to avoid becoming obsolete?

Over the next few years, the role of a Program Manager or Operations Lead will shift away from coordination and manual oversight toward system design, decision-making, and enablement. As AI and automation take over repetitive tasks, the real value of the role will lie in setting direction, defining outcomes, and connecting people, technology, and business priorities into coherent systems. To stay relevant, leaders need two things in balance. First, strong technical fluency – not necessarily coding, but a solid understanding of modern tools, platforms, and how technology actually works. Without that, it’s difficult to make informed trade-offs or effectively support technical teams. Second, broad thinking and soft skills: the ability to see the bigger picture, communicate clearly, build trust, and navigate complexity across functions.

The future belongs to generalists with depth – people who combine a strong educational foundation and tech savviness with judgment, adaptability, and human-centric leadership. AI will handle the execution; our role will be to provide clarity, context, and vision.

If you want to pick Magda’s brain about no-code systems, value stream ownership, or how to stay calm when a project hits a "live broadcast" level of pressure, you can find her on LinkedIn.