Agile
Practical Techniques for Change (via Agile Amped)
- Fail: Overlay a new process without looking at why something isn’t working. What holds the current platform in place?
- Fail: See perceived problems, then take actions that don’t look at the interaction effects. For example, maybe tools aren’t the problem, maybe it’s multi-year budgets.
- Attending to networks… Trauma (e.g., job loss, COVID) spreads through the network, which eats away resiliency.
- Networks are how we get work done — not just the org chart.
- Humans connecting with humans is powerful.
While reading Agile for Non-software Teams, this topic came up so I went looking for a refresher.
Business
To Recognize Risks Earlier, Invest in Analytics (via Harvard Business Review)
This article covers what analytics is (and is not) and breaks down some misconceptions about why a company may not pursue analytics. One key takeaway is that you can’t expect consistent results, not because the analysts aren’t capable, but because sometimes there’s no needle in the haystack.
Career
Being Glue (via Software Lead Weekly)
The analogy works, but instead of glue I’d say “oil” — the stuff that happens in between the visible work that makes that work possible. Her angle is basically that if you do this support work too early in your career, you may end up in a place you didn’t intend. My path was different; I enjoy being the glue.
How to Get Lucky (via Software Lead Weekly)
The author describes my current strategy and mirrors a post I wrote several years ago about fate. Learn stuff. Create stuff. Engage with people about said stuff.
Communication
Disagreement Doesn’t Have to Be Divisive (via Harvard Business Review)
- Be receptive of others’ ideas
- Thank people for sharing their thoughts
- Hedge your own claims
- Express views being for something instead of against something
- Find the common ground
Write to Reward Your Reader (via Harvard Business Review)
- Keep it simple (word choice, padding)
- Use words that appeal to senses (smell, sound, motion, sight)
- Use emotion
- Keep it social (e.g., show two people talking to one another)
What Inclusive Leaders Sound Like (via Harvard Business Review)
- Use more group pronouns (e.g., we, this team)
- Explain what and why
- Cite sources and credit other experts
- Dig into hard data to create clarity
- Prioritize storytelling
- Master your subject matter
- Speak and move conversationally
- Show emotion
Healthcare
Telehealth Is Working for Patients. But What About Doctors? (via Harvard Business Review)
Sometimes a poorly-designed system, even with more data, means increased physician burnout. Aspects of patient experience and physician experience need to be considered.
Stress
Is Self-Sabotage Burning You Out? (via Harvard Business Review)
- Overly adaptable — people pleasers who say “yes” too often; learn to say “no” and set boundaries
- Perfectionist — unrealistic standards, assuming others around us are perfect; ask “How can I get things done without the heavy burden of it having to be perfect?”
- Impostor syndrome — doing too much to prove our worth because we feel unconfident; use self-compassion and compare yourself to your previous self, not to others
- Over-engagement — pouring yourself into work at the expense of sleep, etc.; set boundaries and find ways to recharge
- “I can’t do anything about it” — you either cope with what you can control, or getting stuck in emotions; shift more toward asking questions about what you can control