Agile
What I Want for an Agile Christmas (via Mountain Goat Software)
- From the Scrum master… more focus on principles and values instead of prescriptive rules; sell the idea instead of telling people what to do
- From the product owner… give your time, help the team understand why they’re doing things, trust the team to do things like refactor
- From management… observe and talk to the team instead of trying to measure productivity, let the team be agile by removing impediments to being agile (communication, physical arrangement)
The US Government is not a Unicorn (via Agile Amped)
- You can do the processes and not get the benefits (Agile in name only). You can’t just put the values on the wall; they need to mean something to your org.
- Agile ceiling — if leadership isn’t on board, you’ll only get so far
- Basically Ron MacKenzie was successful because it was USDA (not DoD) and the guy running the show was bought in. He runs the Agile Release Train with 13 teams and 5 value streams.
- Doesn’t recommend going from not-SAFe to a Program Increment in 3 weeks. His team tried distributed PI planning (with remote) and people didn’t like it.
- The PI is a plan, not a commitment. We think there’s value, so let’s test it.
- “If you build it, they will come” isn’t always true. There are many features that people don’t use.
- Update the language… “contractors” become “vendor partners”.
Career
4 Careers for People Who Are Easily Distracted (via Harvard Business Review)
- Entrepreneur
- PR/media production
- Consulting
- Journalist
Communication
Do You Need Charisma to Be a Great Public Speaker? (via Harvard Business Review)
Charisma is different than presence (being fully present with the people in the room) and is focused on the audience instead of the speaker. Your job as a speaker isn’t to get people to like you; it’s to get your message across. Also, emotion is a basic currency for remembering content. The article gives some practical tips for skills you can practice to be more present with your audience.
Culture
The Value of Belonging at Work (via Harvard Business Review)
Humans have an innate need to not feel isolated; a recent study showed 40% of people say they feel isolated at work. Belonging is good for business. Exclusion leads to team- and self-sabotage. The harmful effects of exclusion can be reversed through gaining perspective, encouraging mentorship, and finding empowerment. Have an ally to protect workers from exclusion.
The difference between a snafu, a shitshow, and a clusterfuck (via Jameson McGhee)
Yes, this is a bit different than my usual shared post. Those of you who know me will appreciate my preference for being precise with verbiage. The call to action at the end is useful: Do a “premortem” to describe how a future project would fail before you start it.
Leadership
Do You Really Trust Your Team? (And Do They Trust You?) (via Harvard Business Review)
- How much do I trust my team members to follow through? — Hold regular 1:1 meetings. Be fair when giving feedback. Approach those who may be struggling silently.
- How much do I trust my team members to bring good judgment? — Help your team build good judgment muscle. Acknowledge that failure will happen, and that’s okay. When a team member makes a poor judgment call, be curious instead of dismissive.
- How much do I trust team members to represent me and the org? — Set your employees up for success by managing expectations. Provide coaching and mentoring opportunities for those interested or those who show potential. Be clear about who serves as the point person for important contacts.
- How much do I trust my team members to practice an appropriate level of discretion? — Educate your team about what’s off limits. Set ground rules about behavior. Be an accessible resource.
- Do I trust my team members to respect the psychological safety of others? — Model healthy conflict. Have zero tolerance for bullying. Create a culture of appreciation.
- How much do I trust my team members’ underlying intentions and motivations? — Break down silos. Consider that people may not be the problem. Be willing to have a direct conversation.
How to Motivate Your Team During Crunch Time (via Harvard Business Review)
- Do: Check your own emotional energy. You can’t motivate your team if you’re not engaged and excited about the project.
- Do: Break up the work into manageable chunks so that the overall deliverable isn’t so intimidating. Milestones can focus the team.
- Do: Encourage your team members to structure their workdays in ways that maximize their productivity.
- Don’t: Be dishonest or sugarcoat matters. Acknowledge to your team the burden and sacrifices involved.
- Don’t: Ignore obvious problems. If you see that an employee is struggling, reach out. Ask: What roadblocks need to be removed?
- Don’t: Disappear behind closed doors. You need to be accessible and visible to your team.
Our Favorite Management Tips from 2019 (via Harvard Business Review)
- Time box your work to tame your to-do list
- Improve your critical thinking skills
- Presentations: use ethos, logos, pathos, metaphor, and brevity
- Avoid ruminating about previous mistakes
- Know when to stop talking and start listening
- Prepare before tough conversations
- Set healthy standards for your team
- Run meetings well
Process
Why Crowdsourcing Often Leads to Bad Ideas (via Harvard Business Review)
It’s time consuming to pore over a sea of ideas, which leads to few results for the effort expended. Additionally, the solutions you choose end up looking like ones you’re familiar with; at that point, why crowdsource at all? Focus on intrinsic (e.g., joy of problem solving) or extrinsic (e.g., public recognition) instead of pro-social or learning motivations.
The Art of Asking (and Getting) Help (via Harvard Business Review)
- You rarely get what you need or want without asking for it.
- Two reasons we don’t ask: we’re worried about being perceived as incapable, we think others won’t help
- Be generous (don’t keep score) and freely ask for what you need when you need it.
- Autonomous help-seeking (ask someone to teach you), dependent help-seeking (ask someone to do it for you)
- “Sage syndrome” is where leaders see themselves as having all the answers and never asking for help. How about calling them the “chief help seeker”?
- Ask for help outside your network. You can even ask those people who else may be able to help.
10 Quick Tips for Avoiding Distractions at Work (via Harvard Business Review)
- Practice asynchronous communication — in your message, state sufficient details, a clear action item, a due date, and what to do if the recipient is unable to meet your requirements
- Batch check everything — make specific times to catch up on email, Slack, Twitter, etc.
- Do not disturb — signal people to leave you alone
- Block out meeting-free zones on your calendar
- Make sure each meeting ends with clear next actions, clearly assigned responsibilities, and due dates
- Stop using reply-all
- Find a physical space to be heads-down
- Turn off push notifications
- Use airplane mode on your devices
- Limit layers of approval
Stress
How to Stop Thinking About Work at 3am (via Harvard Business Review)
- Make a to-do list (keep pen/paper next to your bed)
- Keep a journal about what’s stressing you out
- Exercise self-compassion
- Engage in physical activity
- Practice meditation