Agile
Why I Don’t Emphasize Sprint Goals (via Mountain Goat Software)
I normally don’t care for Mike’s posts, as they tend to glorify Scrum™® at all costs. This one was different: Sometimes goals don’t work for a sprint. The post goes over some examples of when that might be the case.
Career
How to Talk About Your Mental Health with Your Employer (via HBR)
This post talks about the downsides of not discussing mental health. More often than not, there are resources you can use and accommodations that can be made to help you navigate difficult times.
Communication
When Do We Actually Need to Meet in Person? (via HBR)
- Should this be a meeting? Now that we have the option for in-person or virtual, consider why you’re gathering.
- Are my meeting goals relationship-based or task-based? Prefer in-person for relationships, virtual for tasks.
- How complex are my objectives? The more complex, the more likely in-person will be more effective.
- Could my meeting take an entirely different shape or form?
- What type of meeting will be most inclusive?
- Does my facilitator have the skills and tech setup to pull off a hybrid gathering?
7 Strategies to Break Down Silos in Big Meetings (via HBR)
- Become comfortable being uncomfortable
- Set expectations in advance
- Ensure participation
- Ask the right questions to generate questions
- Introduce response data (how many are still actively participating at the halfway mark)
- Bridge intersections (between silos)
- Mix it up (use digital tools to keep the flow interesting)
A Better Approach to Group Editing (via HBR)
- Get everyone on the same page
- Limit participants
- Give adequate time for review
- Clarify roles (project manager, writer, reviewers, approvers)
- Start with a clean baseline draft
- Try to keep reviewers in their lanes
- Form committees
- Let the project manager arbitrate disputes
- Share clean versions when you can
- Maintain version control
- Engage in productive listening
- Explain the why
- Indicate your intentions with each version
Culture
Breaking Free from a “9 to 5” Culture (via HBR)
- Start at the top
- Focus on outcomes
- Clarify what needs to be synchronous
- Challenge existing norms and assumptions
- Make clear agreements and hold each other accountable
- Experiment, assess, and adjust
- Keep an eye on inclusion
Staying Visible When Your Team Is in the Office…But You’re WFH (via HBR)
- Overdeliver to combat the negative assumptions that can come with remote work.
- Fight against the pull toward transactional relationships.
- Make yourself physically visible.
- Ensure you’re easy to work with.
3 Strategies to Address Political Polarization in the Workplace (via HBR)
- Build an environment of cooperation, not competition.
- Encourage meaningful contact between groups.
- Create a safe environment for people to share their views.