Troubleshooting Agile

You can invest a lot of your time in making your software delivery predictable (a la NASA) or in making your team productive (a la early stage startups). Which is best? We introduce the idea of a "tilted slider" to explain this tradeoff, and the "gravity" that pulls you toward predictability even when it may not be the best emphasis. And as usual, we have stories of effective and ineffective action from our own experiences. SHOW LINKS: - Cowboy coding: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_coding *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2

How are you briefing your team? What measurements are you using to help them learn? Today, we discuss cases where giving the team incentives to make more mistakes produces positive results, and others where urging them to make fewer is catastrophic. SHOW LINKS: - Andon cord: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andon_(manufacturing) - Toyota Kata: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mrother/Homepage.html - NTSB immunity for pilots: https://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/overview/immunity.html *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2

Today we describe a technique for avoiding micromanagement and promoting autonomy - first pioneered by the Prussian military! We describe how briefing and back briefing help Boeing build airplanes and how the method increases efficiency and reduces drama in the agile teams we work with. SHOW LINKS: - Art of Action by Bungay: http://www.stephenbungay.com/Books.ink - Boeing weight economy: in https://www.amazon.co.uk/Serious-Play-Companies-Simulate-Innovate/dp/0875848141 *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2

Today we relate three great stories we heard or told at CITCON in Ghent, all starting with different answers to Jeffrey's question, "Why can't we ship that today?" The answers lead us to different suggestions for helping teams to move faster and get customer feedback. SHOW LINKS: - Value stream mapping: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value-stream_mapping - CITCON notes: https://citconf.com/wiki/index.php?title=WarStoriesAndSuccesses - Poppendieck and Poppendieck, Lean Software Development: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lean-Software-Development-Agile-Toolkit/dp/0321150783 *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2

After the Mutual Learning and Unilateral Control models, this week we examine one more model for working with your team, perhaps the easiest: giving up! This one feels the best, since everyone is involved and gets to express his or her feelings. But unsurprisingly, giving up control means you give up valuable information that could help you make a better decision. SHOW LINKS: - Giving Up Control article: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/hr/moving-away-control - Adding Your Own Egg (Weinberg): http://stevenjackson.github.io/notebook/weinberg - Briefing and Back Briefing (Bungay): https://www.amazon.com/Art-Action-Leaders-between-Actions/dp/1857885597 *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2

After our series on mutual learning values, we look at those of an alternative, the Unilateral Control Model, which match our default behaviour but don't normally lead to the type of learning your team is probably looking for. We look at why convincing others usually doesn't work and welcome Al Pacino for a brief cameo. SHOW LINKS: - Unilateral Control article by Roger Schwarz: http://www.schwarzassociates.com/managing-performance/how-unilateral-control-undermines-team-results-and-relationships-2/ - "One More Inch" speech from Al Pacino: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myyWXKeBsNk - previous series on unilateral control: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/how-to-fail-by-acting-unilaterally-part-i https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/how-to-fail-by-acting-unilaterally-part-ii https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/how-to-fail-by-acting-unilaterally-part-iii https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/how-to-fail-by-acting-unilaterally-part-iv https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile

Third in our series on using the Mutual Learning Model to improve your agile team. We look at accountability as a frightening prospect and as a route to ease at work (thanks Kent Beck). Then we consider how you might benefit from compassion - not only for your team and stakeholders, but also for leaders and for yourself. SHOW LINKS: - 8 Behaviours for Smarter Teams: https://www.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/917018/Eight-Behaviors-for-Smarter-Teams-2.pdf - Accountability for sheriffs in the time of Henry II: http://historyoflaw.co.uk/exchequer-time-of-henry-ii/ - Ease at Work from Kent Beck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeA4CBInqKo and https://www.infoq.com/news/2007/04/beck-ease-at-work - CITCON conference: https://citconf.com/ghent2019/ *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll

Agile teams do better, we find, when they are transparent ("here's what I did last sprint") and curious ("what business problem are you trying to solve?"). Most people we meet claim they are both transparent and curious in their conversations and processes - but usually their actual behaviour when there's something at stake is very different. We introduce a 2x2 matrix that can help you measure whether you are managing to be transparent and curious, and help you improve if you're not. SHOW LINKS: - Eight Behaviours for Smarter Teams: https://www.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/917018/Eight-Behaviors-for-Smarter-Teams-2.pdf - Dr. David Burns and the relationship journal: https://feelinggood.com/tag/relationship-journal/ - Previous episode on learning with the "four Rs": https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/learning-through-case-studies-the-4-rs - CITCON conference: https://citconf.com/ghent2019/ *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see

First of a series on using the Mutual Learning Model to get better results in your agile team. Today, why informed choice can help us avoid mistakes as minor as missing a requirement or as major as launching a rocket with a fatal flaw. SHOW LINKS: - The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Five_Dysfunctions_of_a_Team - 8 Behaviours for Smarter Teams: https://www.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/917018/Eight-Behaviors-for-Smarter-Teams-2.pdf - Feynman on Challenger disaster: https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/51-l/docs/rogers-commission/Appendix-F.txt - Actions Science blog posts: https://blog.jeffreyfredrick.com/tag/action-science/ - Previous episodes on How to Fail by Acting Unilaterally and the 4 Rs: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/how-to-fail-by-acting-unilaterally-part-i https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/how-to-fail-by-acting-unilaterally-part-ii https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/how-to-fail-by-acting-unilaterally-part-iii https:

When your team talks about "what the business wants", do they know who they mean? Do they have evidence for the wishes of this amorphous group? It's impossible to negotiate with an undefined entity, but we offer some not-too-surprising ideas for making progress and discovering the real needs of "the business". SHOW LINKS: - XP Explained: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extreme-Programming-Explained-Embrace-Change/dp/0321278658 - CITCON conference: https://citconf.com/ghent2019/ *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2

Triggers and Tells We explain how to use observations of your own and others' behaviour to understand how to improve your conversations and get better agile results! SHOW LINKS: - Previous episode on learning from observations: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/learning-through-case-studies-the-4-rs - Previous episode on "why" as a trigger: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/why-is-a-trigger-not-a-question - CITCON conference: https://citconf.com/ghent2019/ *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile

In response to Michael Bolton's comment on last week's episode, we discuss genuine questions, reminding yourself to be curious, and converting your internal "why" to a more constructive question. SHOW LINKS: - Tweets from Michael Bolton and Brian Deyo: https://twitter.com/michaelbolton/status/1111083757971345413 and https://twitter.com/briandeyo/status/1111252749658869760 - Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/0062407805/ - CITCON conference: https://citconf.com/ghent2019/ *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2

What Happens After Why Last week we explained how asking the simple question “why?” can help you make big improvements in your agile team - and this week we prove it, with two examples from Jeffrey. In one case his company landed a big client, and in the other an angry person actually listened to him! Hear more in this week’s episode! SHOW LINKS: - David Burns, the disarming technique: https://daviddburnsmd.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/the-five-secrets-v-1.pdf - Chris Voss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guZa7mQV1l0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llctqNJr2IU - Previous podcasts on coherent stories: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/why-you-shouldnt-listen-to-your-brain and on the 4 Rs of learning: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/learning-through-case-studies-the-4-rs - 7 habits of highly effective people: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_7_Habits_of_Highly_Effective_People - Squirrel and Jeffrey talk on leadership techniques: https://skillsmatter.com/meetups/11800-leadership-mat

In which we meet Squirrel's client Mr. Why, who wants to know the reasoning behind requests he gets but never actually asks, and we describe how this pattern holds back agile teams and how to break out of it. Surprisingly, lawyers feature prominently in this episode, as both positive and negative examples of effective "why" communication! SHOW LINKS: - Lawyers don't ask "why?": https://aqrlaw.ca/blog/five-questions-you-should-never-ask-on-cross-examination *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2

Last week we emphasised the importance of practise to help you have better agile conversations and negotiations, and this week we describe two ways to practise - Argyris's two-column case studies and Dr. Burns's relationship journal - and a framework to use with both: record, reflect, revise, and roleplay. Join us in London on 19 March for our talk on "Sprinting In Place: The Cost of Missing Leadership Conversations"! SHOW LINKS: - Argyris's two column case study: https://blog.benjaminm.net/2011/02/16/argyriscasestudylearningmodelii/ https://hbr.org/1986/09/skilled-incompetence - Dr. David Burns's Interpersonal model & relationship journal https://feelinggood.com/2017/10/16/057-interpersonal-model-and-its-all-your-fault-part-4/ https://feelinggood.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/rj-revised-v-1c-dvl-v-1.pdf - Our SkillsMatter talk on 19 March: https://skillsmatter.com/meetups/11800-leadership-matters *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on

Today, we explain that when you learn a new skill - whether it's playing the piano, kitesurfing across a lake, or negotiating with others inside and outside your agile team - it's vital to practise to develop your abilities. Don't jump onto the double black diamond run the first time you hit the slopes; instead, find a coach and watch her carefully as she goes down the mountain first. You'll learn to act in unintuitive ways and discover new possibilities you wouldn't have thought of. The same is true of learning to have the difficult conversations you need to improve your agile team - you can listen to us all you want, but you'll need to try (and fail!) to really master the methods. We get started on some methods for effective practise, including the use of a feeling chart, with more to follow in the next episode. Join us in London on 19 March for our talk on "Sprinting In Place: The Cost of Missing Leadership Conversations"! SHOW LINKS: - Jeffrey's blog post on the piano analogy: https://blog.jeffreyfredr

Your brain has two halves - not called left and right, but System 1 and System 2. Today we explain how these two halves of your own brain wind up fooling you and your team into believing things like "New York decided to do this", "customers don't want that feature", and "the business won't let us write tests" - and what you can do to keep your brain from tricking you into believing suspiciously coherent stories. Join us in London on 19 March for our talk on "Sprinting In Place: The Cost of Missing Leadership Conversations"! SHOW LINKS: - Thinking, Fast and Slow by Kahneman: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0141033576 - Our SkillsMatter talk on 19 March: https://skillsmatter.com/meetups/11800-leadership-matters *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us her

The agile principles talk about empowerment and autonomy, but do we have to make a complete switch from our current centralised-decision culture to a fully autonomous one? The Satir curve, six thinking hats, and a theory of Tic Tac change (really!) from Jeffrey and Alistair Cockburn, shows us a way to make a series of small changes rather than one big shift. SHOW LINKS: - Theory X and Theory Y: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_X_and_Theory_Y - The Uncanny Valley of A Functional Organization: https://stratechery.com/2013/the-uncanny-valley-of-a-functional-organization/ - Satir curve (J-curve): http://dhemery.com/articles/managing_yourself_through_change/ - Tic Tac presentation (Fredrick/Cockburn): http://blog.jeffreyfredrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/sdbp06tictactalk.pdf - Six Thinking Hats: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Thinking_Hats *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShoot

Theory X organisations don't trust their people - or do they? To be agile we have to move our organisations to a Theory Y model with empowerment and autonomy - or do we? Organisational change has to be painful - or does it? And what does all this have to do with creepy robots? SHOW LINKS: - Theory X and Theory Y: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_X_and_Theory_Y - J Jonah Jameson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhDBWiTfNCU - The Uncanny Valley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley - The Uncanny Valley of A Functional Organization: https://stratechery.com/2013/the-uncanny-valley-of-a-functional-organization/ *** We'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show. Email us: see link on troubleshootingagile.com Tweet us: twitter.com/TShootingAgile Also, if you'd like to leave us a review on iTunes (or just like and subscribe), you'll find us here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/troubleshooting-agile/id1327456890?mt=2

Due to illness and travel, Jeffrey and Squirrel present one of their greatest hits of the past! *** Squirrel and Jeffrey look at a recent article by Luke Tomas on the "employee engagement industry" (we didn't even know it *was* an industry!) Jeffrey rapidly links this to Brian Marick's idea of Ease and Joy at work and we all agree that engagement, happiness, and joy are all useful, but lagging, indicators of team success - so you can't improve them directly with bigger bonuses or tougher objectives. Instead alignment, focus, and autonomy work to create these results by creating the conditions for happiness and good performance. SHOW LINKS: - Luke Tomas, The Employee Engagement Myth: medium.com/@lukethomas14/the-e…t-myth-3885526782d7 - Brian Marick, Ease and Joy at Work: exampler.com/ease-and-joy/ - Previous episode on technical excellence: Troubleshootingagile – Fowlers-state-of-agile-part-two - Reinventing Organisations (Teal and other colours): www.reinventingorganizations.com/ - Theory X and Theory