"Races are competitive finite games, completely on the other end of the spectrum. Give up on the whole idea of sprints and marathons please, software delivery is nothing like racing. But keep the idea of sustainability in mind when planning." -- Gojko Adzic puts it so well, to build a team that can operate for the long run, understanding how to prioritize (including Tech Debt) and communicate effectively is an underrated skill. Gojko's points here are excellent: "(1) Don’t think about internal team tasks as technical work, think about them as sustainability work. (2) Set up the planning process so that sustainability doesn’t compete with progress."