In July, three Atlassian engineering leaders came together in Vancouver’s historic Gastown neighborhood, eager to meander its famous cobblestone streets in search of something truly unique.
No, it wasn’t the Victorian architecture and quaint boutiques they were looking for: It was the city’s technologists. Since the company began hiring in Canada several years ago, leadership has discovered an immense amount of top-tier tech talent across the region, which is why they are doubling down on hiring efforts there.
That’s what brought the three leaders to Gastown. They were there to host an engineering roundtable with local technologists, where they exchanged ideas in an effort to break down barriers, spark real conversations and create a space where curiosity and collaboration could flourish.
Tanya Chen, Head of Engineering – Work Management for All, was one of those leaders. Embracing a leadership vision that balances approachability and drive, she strives to enable those on her team to see the impact of their work, a mindset she plans to continue to embrace as she builds out her team in Canada.
“As engineering leaders, we are not just guiding systems or processes; we are shaping environments where people can grow and do their best work,” Chen said.
For leaders like Chen, building out Atlassian’s Canadian footprint offers the chance to expound upon the principles that have made the company successful for years, such as the idea of “developer joy,” which refers to the notion that happy developers are more productive and creative.
Over the past few years, Head of Engineering Trevor Carnahan, who joined Chen in Vancouver earlier this year, witnessed firsthand how generative AI — when paired with strong data practices — can transform the developer experience and spark genuine joy at work. That’s why he’s searching for AI and data lovers as he expands his team in Canada.
“AI is changing how we build, and Atlassian is committed to doing it thoughtfully with great teams, grounded principles and a bold vision,” Carnahan said. “If you’re someone who cares about building AI that makes a real impact for developers, there’s never been a better time to join us.”
Anyone joining Atlassian, in Canada or beyond, will encounter endless opportunities to build cutting-edge solutions — and ongoing support to do so. Monica Tsang, the third leader in attendance at Atlassian’s engineering roundtable in Vancouver, strives to empower Atlassian’s global team members. As vice president and head of CTO strategic initiatives, she communicates a strong vision, sets clear priorities, and finds opportunities for her team members to grow.
“At Atlassian, we’re encouraged to think big, lead boldly, and build with heart and balance,” Tsang said. “My leadership style is grounded in that same spirit; serving the team, investing in their growth and creating the space to thrive.”
Below, Chen, Carnahan and Tsang share more about the leadership principles they lean on to empower their teams to shape the future of tech in Canada.
About Atlassian
Atlassian is a leading provider of collaboration and productivity software, empowering teams worldwide to unleash their full potential. The company’s suite of tools, including Jira, Confluence, Trello, Loom, Bitbucket, and its newest AI-powered product, Rovo, support diverse teams in managing projects, tracking issues and fostering collaboration.
1. Foster Trust
“Trust is the foundation. If people don’t trust each other, it’s hard to do anything well. For me, trust starts with being honest, showing care and creating space for open conversations — living our “Open Company, No B.S.” company value. I prioritize being direct but kind, and making sure people feel safe sharing concerns or challenging ideas. In engineering, where so much of our work depends on collaboration and learning, trust allows teams to move faster and recover stronger. It builds psychological safety, which in turn unlocks better decisions and deeper innovation.”
2. Hold High Standards
“I don’t ask for perfection, but I do expect excellence. High standards are about holding the bar together in code quality, in how we communicate and in how we support one another. It’s about caring enough to do things well, even when no one is watching. In a fast-moving organization, it’s easy to trade quality for speed. But over time, that debt adds up. I’ve seen that when teams align around a shared standard, the work gets better, and people feel more ownership over the work. High standards help us raise questions, improve systems and grow trust across the board.”
3. Reach Higher
“I believe in pushing beyond what feels easy or obvious. Whether we’re building a new system or rethinking a legacy process, I want the team to reach for impact; not just doing more, but doing better, deeper and smarter. When we aim high with a clear reason behind it, people step up. Ambition becomes energizing. It gives the team a sense of progress and pride, even when things are hard.”
4. Be Inquisitive
“Good engineers ask great questions. I try to create a culture where curiosity is seen as a strength not just in terms of the code but the “why.” Why this architecture? Why this metric? Why this team structure? Curiosity helps teams stay sharp, spot issues early and think bigger. It also signals humility. We don’t know everything, and that’s OK. What matters is that we keep learning. In tech, especially with AI and system complexity growing quickly, staying curious isn’t optional; it’s how we stay relevant.”
“In tech, especially with AI and system complexity growing quickly, staying curious isn’t optional; it’s how we stay relevant.”
5. Adopt a Value-Driven Mindset
“I often ask, ‘What are we actually trying to solve?’ There’s always pressure to build fast, ship more or chase shiny projects. But if we’re not aligned on the value, it’s just motion, not progress. Being value-driven means putting customer and business impact at the center. It helps us say ‘no,’ prioritize clearly and feel confident that our work matters. When teams start seeing real impact from their work, that energy compounds.”
6. Focus on Execution
“Ideas are easy. Execution is what builds trust. I care a lot about driving clarity. What are we doing, why now, and who needs what to move forward? Strong execution comes from unblocking quickly, keeping feedback loops tight and adjusting when needed. It’s not just about pace but about momentum in the right direction. When a team executes well, they build confidence in themselves and in each other. That confidence is what lets them take on bigger challenges next.”
1. Put the Customer First
“Putting the customer first means instrumenting every feature with telemetry and adoption signals in mind. In my most important projects, I’ve encouraged my team to take a dual approach to refining prompts and UX— pairing qualitative feedback such as developer forums and GitHub Issues with quantitative metrics like completion rates, latency and usage spikes. This approach prevented chasing a vocal minority and ensured we invested in features that moved the needle for the broadest audience.”
2. Drive Data-Focused Results
“We frame success with clear, data‑backed objectives and key results across three, six and 12 months, whether that means increasing adoption by X percent, improving ‘Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention and Task Success’ metrics, or reducing noisy alerts that wake up engineers, tracked in engineering and operations scorecards. Every month includes a dashboard check‑in to assess whether we’re winning. As a leader and sponsor of data culture, I emphasize having meaningful metrics and investing in observability, so we grow this capability over time. Equally important is the judgment to know when we have enough data to make a confident decision rather than waiting for perfect data.”
3. Build Trust and Empowerment
“Trust is the glue of fast‑moving teams, and it’s essential in AI/machine learning product development, where ambiguity is the norm and iteration is constant. I cultivate trust by sharing roadmaps, inviting critique and giving engineers ownership of end‑to‑end outcomes, from model design to production live site. In AI work, we often need to ship something imperfect, learn quickly from real‑world signals and make judgment calls about what’s ‘good enough’ to move forward. That only works in a culture where people feel safe raising concerns and are empowered to solve problems. This trust‑first mindset attracts and retains senior talent who want the autonomy to drive epic impact — and the support to lead lasting, responsible change. AI teams are often navigating the unknown, so psychological safety isn’t optional; it’s foundational.”
4. Prioritize Team Growth and Diversity
“Our teams are smart and powerful, and I strive to understand them deeply. I approach both individuals and the organization with curiosity to uncover where strengths, experiences and motivations align to multiply impact. I’m intentional about not just hiring for diverse perspectives but actively fostering and mentoring them. That includes engaging with the community, investing in early-career talent and creating space for growth through coaching and stretch opportunities. I also encourage cross‑pollination between AI, data and front-end specialists to build shared understanding across disciplines. This diversity of thought — sustained by a culture of mentorship — fuels creativity and accelerates learning across the organization.”
“This diversity of thought — sustained by a culture of mentorship — fuels creativity and accelerates learning across the organization.”
5. Embrace an AI-Native Mindset
“AI isn’t a bolt-on; it’s a mindset. I believe every roadmap, whether it’s for a developer experience, a back-end platform or a cross-cutting initiative that we’re delivering internally, should start with the question: How can we use intelligence and insight to unlock new value for the customer? At Atlassian, this means reimagining the work; embedding AI and analytics from the ground up. I encourage teams to think beyond just ‘adding a model’ and instead look at how data can shape the experience, inform design and automate the repetitive. This mindset helps us deliver smarter, more intuitive features that actually amplify human work, not just impress during a demonstration.”
6. Encourage Continuous Learning and Experimentation
“In high-ambiguity spaces like AI, we don’t always get it right the first time — and that’s a strength, not a weakness. I create space for experimentation by supporting A/B testing, regular postmortems and fast feedback loops from internal and external users. Continuous learning isn’t just about metrics; it’s about building a culture where teams are curious, humble and always looking for the next insight. Whether it’s refining a prompt model, debugging user friction or improving reliability, we treat every iteration as a chance to learn faster and build better.”
Inside Trevor’s Team: Stan Dzhumaev’s Perspective
How did working with Trevor influence your career growth?
“I’m at Atlassian largely because of Trevor. Coming from a back-end and ML background, I never expected to take on such a full-stack role, but Trevor’s vision for our team — bringing together diverse technologies to make life easier for software engineers — completely won me over in the interview process.
What stands out most about Trevor is how in tune he is with the fast-changing world of software development. He encourages rapid iteration, sees potential in unexpected places and has shaped our team’s culture to embrace experimentation and growth. Thanks to Trevor’s leadership, I’ve had the chance to dive into new areas, work with cutting-edge tools and help automate the daily workflows of developers, often with my own teammates as the first users. His support has pushed me outside of my comfort zone, helped me learn new skills and made the impact of my work immediately visible. I’m grateful to Trevor for not only bringing me onto this team but for creating an environment where engineers are empowered to grow and make a real difference.”
Working from Canada, how do you stay connected with the broader team?
“Working remotely from Canada, I’ve found Atlassian to be a true unicorn in terms of fostering connection and just how well remote work is organized, thanks to a culture built on strong async communication, regular intentional team gatherings by region and by team, and genuine support. Whether collaborating with teams in Australia or across the Pacific United States, I’ve always felt included and engaged, with established practices that make distance feel irrelevant. Atlassian’s commitment to “intentional togetherness” — from Slack channels to company-sponsored meetups — ensures I stay connected, supported and truly part of the broader team, no matter where I’m based.”
1. Lead With Intention
“I’ve learned that one of the most powerful things a leader can do is be deliberate about how you show up, where you spend your time and how you support your team. I’ve always made choices that align with what I want to learn or the kind of impact I want to have, and I feel like you have to bring that intentionality to your leadership approach. For me, it means knowing why something matters, helping the team focus on what we’re really trying to achieve and creating space for people to reflect and make their own purposeful choices. When we’re intentional, we move forward with more clarity, confidence and impact. And as a leader, it’s my job to guide that focus across my team, ask thoughtful and clarifying questions and make sure that our day-to-day work aligns with what matters most.”
2. Drive Focus to Create Impact
“One of the lessons I’ve learned again and again (and again!) is that you can’t do it all — and you shouldn’t try to. In fast-moving, high-pressure environments, it’s easy to get caught up in trying to solve everything at once, but real progress happens when we double down on what matters most. I often tell my team: Don’t try to move 10 things forward all at once; pick one thing and move it forward 10 steps. That kind of focused drive is how you create meaningful impact. As a leader, I try to help my team zoom out, simplify the noise and align on the few things that will truly make a difference. Focus isn’t just about productivity; it’s about clarity, quality and results.”
3. Empower Through Clarity
“Great leadership isn’t about having all the answers or dictating every step; it’s about making sure people know where we’re going and why, so they can determine and lead with the “how.” I’ve found that teams thrive when there’s shared context, clear priorities and the freedom to make decisions and own their outcomes. That’s why I focus on communicating the bigger picture, creating alignment and then getting out of the way. Clarity gives people confidence. And when people are clear on the goals and empowered to chart their path forward, that’s when the best work happens.”
“Clarity gives people confidence. And when people are clear on the goals and empowered to chart their path forward, that’s when the best work happens.”
4. Be an Unblocker
“My role as a leader isn’t to be the center of every decision; it’s to help everyone on the team move faster and more effectively. That means spotting obstacles early, advocating for what the team needs and making connections that open doors. Sometimes that’s about clearing bureaucracy, and other times it’s about providing more information or helping resolve misalignment. Whatever it is, I see my job as making it easier for people to do theirs. When teams aren’t bogged down by blockers, there’s so much more space for agility, creativity and confidence.”
5. Make Innovation Everyone’s Job
“Innovation at Atlassian doesn’t belong to one organization, team or title. We’ve found it works best when everyone has space to contribute, experiment and push boundaries. That’s what I love most about programs like ShipIt, our companywide innovation ritual and hackathon that democratizes experimentation and brings people together from across teams and crafts to build something new. Innovation isn’t just about bold ideas; it’s about learning and progress over perfection. It’s about testing and sometimes failing. We’re lucky to have leadership at Atlassian that backs this mindset and a culture that encourages risks and learning out loud. As a leader, I’m always encouraging my team to experiment and iterate. When we first started building out TEAM Camp, Atlassian’s engineering onboarding program, we quickly shipped a minimum viable product of the program in just a few months, got some massive learnings from the first cohort and thoughtfully reworked major parts of the experience, all while keeping our eyes on the impact that we wanted to create. When people feel safe to test new ideas and stretch themselves, innovation becomes part of the culture, not just an initiative.”
