Exploring Agility

In 2008 I was inspired by Richard Sheridan of Menlo Innovations, and their human focused approach to work. Following his key note at the Berlin Scrum Gathering I think a good focus for everything I do this year would be to bring Joy to the world as I interact with it.

Potential Areas of Interest for the Year

Following a bit of brainstorming with Helen Meek around potential sessions for conferences, we came up with six possible topics, but actually they are also areas of focus for reading, research and writing.

• Risk
• Release Forecasting
• Motivation
• Coaching
• Transformation
• ScrumMastering

Risk

I spoke about using Agile approaches to reduce Risk in 2008 at the Munich Scrum Gathering. Actually I still don’t think we focus on Risk enough, or we focus on the wrong risks. Risk should be part of the value proposition, risk is uncertainty and when we think about Value, yes we should think about customer value, but also validated learning/reducing a risk; maybe so that we don’t build something, this is also valuable. The Risk I see turn into an issue a lot is inherent schedule flaw, where others make commitments on behalf of the team, often based on making the sale rather than on any real notion of how difficult it is to deliver. As yesterday’s issues are likely risks for your next endeavor, lets learn and surly life will be more joyful.

Release Forecasting

Not always necessary, but it can be an effective tool to build trust with your customer(s). So simple, yet it takes discipline to do well. Having a backlog refined appropriately, taking into account that your backlog will probably grow, making promises based on a too optimistic planning velocity. It’s about openness and honesty so that better decisions can be made as early as possible. Which is surly a more joyful relationship than one based on smoke and mirrors and bad news at the end.

Motivation

It still surprises me how often managers do things that de-motivate the team, and either they are unaware of it or they don’t care. It is hard to motivate people, but really easy to demotivate them. People generally join a company motivated, but get worn down by things that are getting in the way of them doing a good job, they enjoy the work, if only they could just do it.

Coaching

Coaching as a discipline is an important skill that needs to exist in managers and teams alike in order promote the collaborative culture, where an Agile approach truly thrives. It is that collaborative culture where I see joy at work. This area is also about me improving as a coach.

Transformation

Many of us will have been involved in both successful and unsuccessful transitions (please provide your own definition of successful). When it is successful I have seen that joy. What have we learned from the failures? What was right about the success? What can we do to have more joy and less bahhhh.

ScrumMastering

The ScrumMaster is a change agent, seeing problems and helping the organization improve for the better, this role should help bring Joy to people by improving their ability to do a good job and have great relationships at work. However often the role is another word for Project Manager, or the technical lead is given extra responsibilities. There are also lots of CSM’s but very few experienced and skilled ScrumMasters.

Six area’s are too many, which area could do with the most work, what would bring you the most Joy?

I will at least commit to writing a blog on each area this year

Wishing you Joy for the upcoming Year