Archive for safety
Aug
23
Safety of the Team (part 2)
Posted by: | CommentsI have been reading about the different meetings an Agile team has over the course of a project. I have come to realize that these meetings when done well offer a sense of safety for a team. Well thought out and facilitated meetings help the team move toward being a high performing team that provides safety to its members.
- The team chartering meeting
Any time a team is formed or there are major changes on a team you need a rechartering meeting. This meeting helps define the goals, rules and social order of the team. The members of a team start trusting each other because as a team they are making rules they will operate under. The initial interactions take place in this meeting. You have a chance to learn about the personalities of the individuals. Also, this is a time for you in encourage team members to share their past technical skills and personal goals. This collaborative even will help team members realize that they are not “alone” but have others who are willing to work with them and help them to overcome any obstacle. As the common saying goes “There is safety in numbers“ - Planning meeting
Most people have their work planned for them and they just do their job. Actually being able to plan the short term schedule can be intimidating because you are going to be held accountable for it. But being able to plan as a team helps eliminate the unknowns. There are many voices involved in doing the planning and thus the risks are mitigated. Each team members has a perspective that needs to be heard. As we learn to trust each persons input the team because a haven for creating a plan that is workable and can be believed in. The team members have sense of safety in that they know a plan is doable. - Retrospective meeting
This meeting is so critical. This is when we can celebrate our successes and correct our short falls. No one really likes to face up to their mistakes on a regular basis. This meeting allows the team to look at ways that they can improve. As we identify more with the team we become comfortable in making the personal improvements in order to help the team. We have the support and encouragement of other team members to help us grow professionally.
Aug
20
Safety of the Team (part 1)
Posted by: | CommentsThis issue of safety is being explorer by the Agile coaching group I participate in. How do we provide a safe environment for our teams? Here are some ideas on what it means to have a safe working environment.
- A team member as an individual
Team members are not just resources to be used to create a product for the company. Each of them has goals and passions. Helping the individual to realize his or her goals and taping into their passion make for a much more resilient individual. When the team member is doing something they really want to do and are passionate about they will overcome the obstacle they encounter. - The team encourages each other
Every team member has insecurities and areas they feel they are insufficient in. When these are manifested in a team the other members find way to encourage the other member through mentoring or helping them through difficult tasks. The goal is to have well rounded team members who excel at what they do. - The team is protected from outside intruders
There are intrusions on the team from management, product sponsors, other teams and other projects. Management has expectations and many time the teams method of meeting those expectations does not match the way management expects a project to be done. In this scenario it is important to over communicate with management. Have them understand that the team is progressing toward the goals management has set. This is difficult for a ScrumMaster steeped in Agile technology. We many times have to provide more documentation then we feel is necessary.