Spikes And Stories

A few months back, a colleague of mine and his organization were about to begin their agile journey. They had piloted Scrum with a single team, and this team was going to share their experiences at an off site with the rest of their small organization. At this same off site, he asked if I’d be willing to take an hour to introduce agile to his organization. I told him I would, and then I realized the challenge I faced.

How would I distill a decade of experiences to sixty minutes of content? Further, I was certain some of the crowd had a misunderstood version of agility imposed on them at some previous org. Others though were hearing about it for the first time. So how could I talk to both groups simultaneously? Also, how could I connect with my audience on a personal level in order to elevate their concerns and questions?

My approach? I stripped away all the silly buzzwords and labels, I spoke in terms of preferences instead of in terms of right and wrong, and I asked a ton of questions using one simple slide.

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So here’s the thing. Too many companies claim to be agile shops. Far too many in my opinion. I can’t count how many conversations I had where someone claims their approach is an agile one, but a few questions in, and I’m convinced it’s something else. However, it’s not my place to judge an approach harshly when another feels it’s working, and this post isn’t to play whack-a-mole with agile imposters.

I’m writing for another reason, and it’s to help us talk to potential employers. After all, shouldn’t we know what we’re getting ourselves into before we start that new gig? And asking outright if our future employer is utilizing an agile approach won’t do. Why? First, it’s like when my dentist asks me if I’ve been flossing. Of course I say yes. And second, agile is misunderstood by a great many.

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Heuristics are useful, especially in the complex world in which we find ourselves.  Unfortunately, they’re often underutilized, and the notion of heuristics is largely misunderstood.  What we frequently find instead are platitudes that, while inspiring, do little to help us determine our next step.  In fact, I have my own set of these platitudes that I’ve dubbed north stars. 

So why are heuristics useful?  They’re immediately enactable, straight forward, and they can help us determine what to do next in real time.  Consider this heuristic from the Marine Corps:

Capture the high ground. Stay in touch. Keep moving.

Clear, right?  Hell!  Anyone–with or without military experience–can appreciate the advice, I think.  So why aren’t we using these more often and in our own agile contexts?  That changes today, and it starts with my own.  

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Invitation over imposition.   This is at the heart of agility.  Scratch that.  It’s at the heart of being a sincere and empathetic human who believes in others and wants to make a difference.

Unfortunately, I’m sure many of us have seen Scrum imposed on teams.  They’re told to begin using sprints.  They’re required to conduct sprint planning, sprint reviews, and so on.  Some lip service might be paid to why, but when the team doesn’t buy into it, someone’s will is imposed on them.  Is this really an effective way of affecting change?

Some might argue that change is hard.  That if we impose these changes for long enough, teams to begin to realize the value and accept it.  I’m not buying it.  Change isn’t hard.

It’s unwanted change that’s hard.

If people didn’t enjoy change, would we ever change jobs?  Or would we ever marry?  Why would anyone ever have kids?  As a parent of a 16 and 18 year old, I can’t imagine a change more life altering than children!  Can you?

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