Culture and People and Systems…Oh My!

Posted by on September 15, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

I received my copy of The Re-Engineering Alternative by William Schneider a couple days ago.  I’ve always been fascinated with culture and people (particularly MBTI) and how, IMO, they impact how effective you can be with Agile.

Michael Sahota has written some fantastic posts about organization culture and I’m excited to read this book to expand my knowledge about culture.

What I’m more interested is how those cultures develop, after all, it’s the people in your organization that create your culture. Read more

Filed under Leadership and Management · Tagged with , ,

Change Starts with You

Posted by on September 6, 2011 · 3 Comments 

I was talking to Johanna Rothman at  PSL this year and I was starting to spin off into space when she pounded her hand on the table and said “Jason! I’m trying to ask you a question!”

That got my attention.

I’m a raging introvert so when I won’t shut up, it’s usually about something I’m really passionate about or something I think I know a lot about. One of the objectives I set for myself at PSL was to learn how to be a better listener. I felt I accomplished that, or at least made substantial progress, and rewarded myself with the muzzle award for knowing when to shut up.

I don’t want this post too be too long so I’ll skip the examples where I channelled the image of Johanna pounding her hand on the table to keep me in line. Needless to say, I was more aware of my disposition and sense of knowing when to shut up than I was before.

Over the last few weeks after coming back from Agile 2011, I felt like I ‘gave up‘ a little.  In retrospect, I started to slip back into old habits of telling and not listening which wasn’t really helping me or the people in my life.   Read more

Filed under Agile 2011, Coaching tips, Leadership and Management, Personal · Tagged with , ,

Why Job Titles are Hurting Your Organization

Posted by on August 25, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

I am very vocal with my opinion that job titles are stupid. I understand why they exist and I still think they are stupid. I have many examples over the years about why I came to the conclusion that job titles are stupid and the converging theme is because job titles get in the way of progress.

Having said that, I do believe roles are good. Roles help to shape your primary focus based on the work, whereas titles pigeon-hole people into doing one specific type of work.

How many times have your heard someone say “that’s not my job” or something similar?   I’ve worked with developers who have said “I’m a developer, I don’t test“.  The theory behind job titles is that it can create a sense of higher self-esteem and make people feel good and it can help establish what people are responsible for.  It can also be a way to determine how much to pay somebody.

Those can be good things.   Read more

Filed under Work Systems · Tagged with ,

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