Notes from the APLN Meeting

[Jason Dean]

Hi all,

 

Here are some notes from the meeting today.

 

1. Gordon the Guided Missile. John Cleese delivered a talk in which he referred to a children’s book called Gordon the Guided Missile. Allistair Cockburn, at the Agile Roots conference related this to the Agile ideas of continuous inspect and adapt.
   
   Gordon was a guided missile but he didn’t know exactly where he was going. Every time he flew very long in one direction, instructions came to change and go another direction. Test after test, there was always a change and it felt like a continuous stream of failures. Yet, at the right moment Gordon found his target and delivered his cargo.
   
   In Agile we are always looking, checking, testing, making corrections, going here, going back, going there, going elsewhere… always adapting and make course corrections. In the end, we deliver the value that needed to be delivered. Even though at times it may feel like a continuous stream of failures or mis-directions, we learn and make valuable changes. If we didn’t learn a little bit at a time, all along the way, we would never hit the target.
   
   This ability to change directions and continuously adapt to the situation requires a special mindset. It requires a positive attitude toward mistakes; tolerance of others as they learn; and in the end, when the value is delivered, ego has been protected through a series of little adjustments instead of completely missing the target and the ego being crushed.
   
   Our task is to be a model of the right behavior. Give out ideas and be willing to have them taken and carried away into something else, and being ok with that. Be willing to try, to take risks, and to make mistakes (FAILURES) so that learning takes place. Be willing to do this in front of others, taking the risk that we might not have the biggest, best, brightest answer – but are willing to let it become that in the hands of someone else. Our task is to retain a mindset that this is our direction now, tomorrow it may change – and that can be good. In the end, because we’re looking and changing, we will find our target.
   
2. “There is only us” This was a theme of the AgileRoots conference and is very simple. When you have problems to solve, there may be external answers, consultants, or ways to deal with the situation, but in the end whatever happens, happens because you (as a group) got together, thought through the situation, and chose to ACT. Take advantage of your many resources and don’t be afraid to try something new or different. Don’t be afraid to dig into the situation and really work through the many issues, there is an answer to find, if you have the guts to find it.
   
3. IBM VP of Transformation – Sue McKinney
   
   Sue’s has transformed 75% of IBM’s developer base to Agile from Waterfall in about a year and a half. This is a massive accomplishment. Some of the lessons she’s learned are:
   
   - Leadership roles had to evolve from Command and Control to Collaborative and open
   - Make sure to focus on building trust, that is key to working together
   - Create open environments where people can really share without fear
   - Let the teams innovate. Give them goals and stay out of the way.
   - Communicate more. Even when you think you’ve communicated enough, do it more. And when you have communicated more, do it again.
   - Work to attain and create support from Senior management. They can clear obstacles you can’t.
   - Empower people to make decisions
   - Use questions to keep people focused
   
4. Focus on principles instead of process dogma
   
5. Avoid pitfalls of Self Preservation. Self perseveration in management is one of the many causes of waste. Agile is about efficiency of motion and doing what’s needed only ( one of the 7 Habits of successful Samuai). Keep an Agile attitude about your personal preservation
   
   Causes of Self Preservation actions
   - Fear of change
   - Stop growing
   - Lose self belief
   
   How to sustain our position (from Leadership Wired)
   - “Judge a person by their questions, rather than their answers.” – Voltaire
   - Quality questions create quality life
   - Focused questions stimulate creative thinking
   - Honest questions lead to solid convictions
   - Correct questions help us find ourselves and our mission
   
   Power Questions for your growth
   - Am I investing in my learning as a leader?
   - Am I genuinely interested in others?
   - Am I doing what I love and loving what I do?
   - Am I taking others to a higher level?
   - Am I taking care of today?
   
6. The Agile MicroConference committee will be meeting soon. If you’re interested in rolling up your sleeves and helping out, please let me know. We are aiming for an Oct 2ish date for the first conference due to school starting and end of summer vacations. The committee will meet every two weeks and have offline activity.

 

Thanks !

 

Jason