Agile
Dependencies Are Killing Your Agile Flow at Scale (via Mountain Goat Software)
This post covers how dependencies can become bottlenecks if not managed well. It also describes ways to work through those dependencies, as they will likely never truly be eliminated.
Don’t Make Data Scientists Do Scrum (via Software Lead Weekly)
I share the author’s sentiment about dogmatic Scrum. A few of my process improvement mantras: (1) solve the problem you actually have, (2) be aware of frameworks but don’t be married to them, (3) just enough [process], not too much.
Career
When Being Indispensable Backfires (via HBR)
If you’re indispensable, you can’t move out of your current role.
- Make yourself less available. Set boundaries outside of work, make yourself available for the career moments that matter, and focus on making an impact during reasonable working hours.
- Say no, and then say yes. For tasks you always do, decline and nominate someone else that could use the opportunity. Say “yes, but I can’t do these other things if that’s the priority.” Say “no, but I will do these other things instead.”
- Be clear on what you want to do next, so that your manager doesn’t keep you stuck.
- Help find your successor; this could be internally or externally.
Setting Career Priorities When Everything Is Uncertain (via HBR)
- Take advantage of uncertain times to sharpen your long-term career plans
- Uncover who you need to be, not just what you need to do
- Focus on process, not outcomes, and your passion will find you
- Develop learning agility to keep ahead of future change
Finding Success Starts with Finding Your Purpose (via HBR)
“Success without significance — purpose, service, and meaningful relationships — is not really success at all. It’s important to properly reflect on how you can live a life imbued intensely not just with the superficial trappings of “success” but with deep purpose and joy in all we do — starting now. Ask yourself: What is the core purpose of my work and the ways in which it makes the world better? Who are the key relationships in my life, and how can I deepen them? What more can I do at work, at home, and in my community to serve others? How am I becoming better each day?”
How to Find a New Job: An HBR Guide (via HBR)
This was a good article to save for future reference, as it covers how to approach the common elements of resumes, cover letters, remote interviewing, interview prep, looking for red flags, following up, and managing your emotions throughout the search.
Leadership
How Leaders Can Balance the Needs to Perform and to Transform (via HBR)
“There has never been a tougher time to be a leader, whether that’s running a big company or being in charge of a small team, Bill Taylor writes in this piece. He offers three sets of questions to help leaders focus on what’s important right now. The first set involves managing time: how to handle the chaos of the present while also creating space to focus on the future. The second set involves the personal stress of leadership: how to solve problems that your organization has never encountered before, without burning out or giving up? The third set involves rank-and-file morale: how to encourage people to stay upbeat and energetic when it is so easy to feel anxious and beaten down. If you can devise answers to these three sets of questions, you have a chance to pass the leadership test of our time.”
Meetings
Please Stop Using These Phrases in Meetings (via HBR)
- “We’re going to wait five minutes for everyone to join.” This diminishes people that showed up on time. Instead, ask people to remove one distraction from their environment, or to write down their intention/objective for the meeting.
- “You’re on mute.” Hopefully we all know how to unmute by now. Instead say “If you’re speaking, I can’t hear you.”
- “We’re building the plane while flying it.” This can mean multiple things, leading to confusion. Instead, be more specific — what we’ve figured out, what we’re still working on, how we plan to adjust when we learn new information.
- “Let’s take this offline.” Pretty much everything is online. Instead, say “That’s important but beyond the scope of this meeting; I’ll email you when we wrap up.”
- “I’m going to give you 10 minutes of your life back.” This undermines collaboration as if it’s a chore, or you somehow wrongfully stole it should you use the whole time. Instead, say “We’re done 10 minutes early. Thanks everyone and enjoy your day!”
How to Get People to Speak Up in Virtual Meetings (via HBR)
- Share your questions ahead of time
- Establish rules that encourage participation (define the purpose, ask people to be brief so more people can speak, turn cameras on)
- Ask simple questions in chat
- Follow up on questions from #3
- Be clear about what you’re asking for
- Don’t shame attendees
- Count away the silence before moving on