I have rules. You have rules. Teams have rules. Rules trip up both individuals and teams causing unintended consequences. We learn rules about such things as what we can do, what we can question, and what we can say. A rule dictates behavior. But when transformed into a guide, it enables you to choose appropriate behavior. Let's explore … [Read more...]
Stop that Mole Now
Do you have a mole undermining the work of your team? Someone who constantly complains privately to any teammate who will listen but refuses to bring that same complaint publicly to the team? Someone whose actions are destroying teamwork? A mole erodes productivity. Stop that mole now. A team is like a garden. A good gardener manages pests … [Read more...]
Organizing the Team
Workshop When you are a member of team, what hopes do you have for productivity? My hope is for synergy, by which I mean team productivity that is clearly superior to what the sum of the individual members' productivity might have been working separately. Productive teamwork -- that's the desire. But how do you organize the team to achieve … [Read more...]
Fine Team Rather Than Individual?
Does your team fine individuals for infractions; such as being late to meetings? Rather than fining individuals, would more behavioral change happen if the entire team was fined? I participate in a basketball clinic every week. It's a mix of guys who love playing hoops despite their increasing age. After doing a series of exercises that … [Read more...]
Rethinking Stand-Up Meetings, Part 1
Stand-up meetings are popular in software development organizations now. What makes a stand-up meeting more effective than a traditional meeting to socialize status information? Nothing. The effectiveness of a stand-up meeting, like the traditional status meeting, depends on the participants. If you have the right people at the meeting, … [Read more...]