Conflict
How to Foster Healthy Disagreement in Your Meetings (via HBR)
- There needs to be a purpose to bring a little conflict
- Describe actual behavior you’re seeing
- Invite multiple interpretations
- Disrupt the defaults
Estimation
My Software Estimation Technique (via Software Lead Weekly)
This seems like a straightforward way to start putting error bands on estimates. Each size has a duration (in days), then there’s a multiplier based on uncertainty. This gives you a best case and a worst case. Once you complete the work, check to see where you are on the error bands.
Management
Unpacking 5 Myths About Management (via HBR)
“If you set a stretch goal, make sure that the organization has some stretch in it, or it will break. If you treat performance indicators as your strategic goals, be very sure that what you are asking for is what you want, because it is what you will get — and nothing else. In developing an employee value proposition, think hard about what ‘talent’ means for you and do not forget that the real challenge is building an organization that enables average people to deliver an above-average performance. Develop good leaders, but do not neglect the skills of management, for no-one can perform if they do not have the right resources in the right place at the right time. Reduce bureaucracy to a minimum, but make sure you have enough structure to distribute decision rights in a rational way and enough process to enable people to know how the organization will work.”
Meetings
The Psychology Behind Meeting Overload (via HBR)
- Problem: fear of missing out (FOMO) — being excluded, not knowing information. Solutions: Check in with optional folks ahead of time to set expectations, clearly identify who can skip, demonstrate this behavior yourself by not attending every meeting.
- Problem: selfish urgency — scheduling meetings when it’s convenient for you. Solution: Consider the opportunity cost of who’s in the meeting at what time.
- Problem: meetings as commitment devices. Solution: agree on a deadline and cancel the “commit” meeting as long as everyone met the deadline.
- Problem: mere urgency effect — we feel accomplished by being busy in a meeting but not really effective. Solution: Make cancelling or ending early the default.
- Problem: meeting amnesia. Solution: keep notes of what was decided and meant.
- Problem: pluralistic ignorance — everyone sees a long meeting is a waste of time but says nothing. Solution: Encourage people to speak up, and you do the same.