"The biggest killer of creativity is stress." This straightforward observation comes from Kuba Wolf, who manages engineering teams at Apify. His solution to stressful challenges isn’t found in management books or engineering frameworks - it comes from learning to improvise in front of a live audience.
Tackling complex technical problems requires creativity, adaptability, and a willingness to experiment. But maintaining these qualities under pressure isn't easy. That's where Kuba's journey into improv changed not just his approach to stress but his philosophy of leading teams.
Getting creative on the fly
Three years ago, feeling creatively stifled in a high-stress management role, Kuba turned to an unlikely source of inspiration: Michael Scott from The Office. Yes, that Michael Scott. Kuba laughs about the character's ridiculous improv attempts. "But I was like, okay, this is something I haven't really done. It’ll get me out of my comfort zone completely."
It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. His first performance had all the polish of a school play. "It looked like this kids' Christmas performance," he recalls, sharing his brother's harsh but honest critique. But each show improved, and more importantly, the lessons started flowing back into his work.
The change happened gradually. Week after week, Kuba found himself looking forward to three-hour sessions where everyone - from beginners to veterans - supported each other in taking creative risks. The stress that had been blocking him at work began to fade. What started as an experiment in getting comfortable being uncomfortable became a practical lesson in leadership - showing him how to create environments where people feel the freedom to try new approaches and learn together.
Mistakes as teachers
Kuba's improv experience changed how he tackles engineering challenges. "When I brought it back to the office, I found out there's one key element: I have to put into my head that everything is not as serious as it might look." This perspective has proven particularly valuable when dealing with competing priorities or uncertain outcomes.
In software development, every step is a chance to learn. Kuba encourages teams to stay creative and experimental, focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on setbacks. "There's always something to take from the experience," he explains. This helps teams maintain momentum and innovation, turning challenges into opportunities for growth.
Small teams, big impact
Leading Apify's application engineering teams, Kuba has strong opinions about team structure. "In meetings of 20 people, typically only five speak. That's not optimal," he says. His solution? Teams of four to six engineers - a size that keeps everyone engaged with creative collaboration.
These small teams operate in what he calls "effective silos" - independently handling their areas while maintaining necessary cross-team communication. "It's important to communicate, but at a certain point, too much just becomes overhead," he notes. This balance helps teams stay focused and productive, while making sure they don't lose touch with the broader company and its goals.
Growing without breaking
"An organization, as it scales, requires transformation," Kuba explains. He's seen this pattern before - in his decade of experience, he's been through many reorganizations. This constant evolution doesn't worry him. Instead, he sees Apify's ability to adapt to change as a strength.
As the engineering team grows, new challenges and opportunities emerge. "Right now, the organization has grown to a point where we're establishing another level, meaning engineering management or a middle layer," Kuba explains. It's about finding the right balance - keeping teams small enough to stay agile while adding the structure needed to handle increasing complexity and scale.
The art of healthy conflict
During an interview with a Facebook VP of Engineering, Kuba was asked how he handled conflicts with product teams. "Naively, I said I have no conflicts. We're all good," he recalls with a laugh. His answer revealed inexperience - in any dynamic organization, product and engineering teams naturally have different perspectives and priorities that need to be balanced.
Working with his product counterpart later that year showed him the value of open discussion. "There was a lot of back and forth. Over time, we got into our ways of managing the product and engineering organization," he explains. Through these discussions, teams learned to understand each other's challenges, share perspectives, and find better solutions together.
The key, he found, is reducing stress and keeping everyone creative, so teams communicate their expectations. Rather than letting frustrations build or silently taking over responsibilities - addressing differences openly leads to stronger teamwork and better results.
Embracing uncertainty
When he's not managing engineering teams or on stage, Kuba seeks out uncertainty on two wheels. He's adventured on bikepacking routes across Scotland, the Alps, and most impressively, a 40-day journey along the Continental Divide in the US where he bumped into “more cows than people.”
These trips taught him about persistence, especially during moments like when he was pushing his bike on rocks the size of bowling balls for three and a half hours. He almost lost his mind, cursing every single step. But as with technical challenges, he learned that stopping doesn't solve anything - you have to keep moving forward.
Challenges as a chance to grow
As Apify grows, new possibilities in AI and automation lie ahead. The engineering team's ability to adapt has been a huge asset - a quality Kuba particularly appreciates.
"The fun part is exploring all these directions together," Kuba says, discussing the future. He sees each challenge as a chance to grow, bringing the same mindset to technical problems that he brings to the stage or the trails - every obstacle is just another puzzle to solve.
His experience shows in how he deals with uncertainty: "You try different approaches, you hit dead ends, but you have fun with the process, and find ways to overcome the challenges and move forward."
Mistakes are your friends
For those in tech starting their careers, Kuba's advice draws from all three of his passions - engineering, improv, and adventure. "Don't be afraid of mistakes. See them as friends. Even make fun of them." Whether you're on stage, in the mountains, or in a codebase, every step forward is a chance to be creative and learn something new.
If you're looking for an environment where creativity thrives and new challenges in automation and AI await, check out our open positions at apify.com/careers.
