Agile
Top-10 Objectives for Agile Coaches (via Marten den Haring)
This post has some connections to some very deep topics, especially around organizational structure and culture. I’ve added Laloux’s book to my to-read list. Some areas I’ll be focusing on soon are around performance management and value measurement (ROWE). The last topic of de-scaling to scale is quite intriguing.
Culture
Research: A Little Recognition Can Provide a Big Morale Boost (via Harvard Business Review)
Financial recognition isn’t the only way to show people you care; symbolic rewards like personalized letters or company recognition go a long way. Consider the messenger and the timing, make it public, get the details right, and start small.
Danish (Dansk)
New section! Given I spend over an hour a day learning Danish, which I will hopefully apply professionally, I’ll try collecting things I learn here.
- at tage imod = to receive; lit: to take against
- at komme på tværs = to cross (i.e., to oppose); lit: to come on across
- på vid gab = open wide; lit: on wide gap
- en overværelse = a presence
- This was confusing because over means the same as in English, and værelse means “room” (e.g., a room in a house)
- at synke en klump = swallow hard; lit: to swallow a lump
- at stille op = to do or undertake in a hopeless situation; lit: to place up
- at lade til = to seem, to give the impression of; lit: to let to
- et geled = formation of two or more people standing shoulder to shoulder
- en rottehale = pigtail hairstyle; lit: rat tail
- at give hånden = to shake hands; lit: to give the hand
- at tabe næse og mund = to be astonished; lit: to lose nose and mouth
- at tage fat = to get started; lit: to take hold
Leadership
Are You Really Listening? (via Harvard Business Review)
Leaders should aim to listen without distraction and to create systems and processes that make that easy. Protect against blindspots, de-emphasize the hierarchy, give permission to share bad news, create an early-warning system, encourage problem-solving while acknowledging progress, listen without judgment or agenda, and actively seek input.
Security
Phishing Tests Are Necessary. But They Don’t Need to Be Evil. (via Harvard Business Review)
- Test teams, not individuals
- Don’t embarrass anyone
- Gamify and reward
Software Development
Working Effectively with Legacy Code (Part 2)
Our book club talked about sensing, separation, and seams for testing legacy code.