F R O M M I C R O M A N A G E M E N T T O G U E R R I L L A W A R FA R E : A N E V O L U T I O N A R Y PAT H I N 5 S T E P S

M A S S I M O N E R I

B E T T E R S O F T WA R E - N O V E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 1 3

W H AT T O E X P E C T F R O M T H I S TA L K

• Real life experiences

• A perspective approach

• Our feedback in adopting tools such as visual communication and agile development

W H AT N O T T O E X P E C T F R O M T H I S TA L K

• A management theory lesson

• Pearls of wisdom

• The absolute truth

• Precise historical analogies

T H E S TA R T I N G P O I N T…

– T H E P H A R A O H

“Thou shalt not have strange pharaoh before Me.”

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/tinou/1032154132/

D I S T I N C T I V E T R A I T S O F T H E P H A R A O H

• Thinks to be infallible

• Obsessed by control

• Does not delegate

• Does not trust anybody

• Commands through information asymmetry

• Expects devotion

F R O M T H E C O W O R K E R ’ S P O I N T O F V I E W…• OBSCURITY: everybody is provided only with what needed to carry

out the next step

• When they’re done they’ll ask their boss for more things to do

• They will not be in the position of doing more than what is expected

• Lack of a big picture and of a vision

• It is enough to satisfy the Pharaoh —> no incentive to help co-workers

• Many walled gardens arise: coworkers follow the obscuration policy set by the leader

T H E P H A R A O H - R E M A R K S

• Being a dictatorship management, it makes sense to adopt it only in emergency situation when there is no trust relationship with the team that would allow delegation

• Hierarchy is “forcefully” applied and in the foreground. Building a relationship based on trust is not straightforward…

• Having to (wanting to…) approve all decisions, the Pharaoh soon becomes the bottleneck, preventing the team from scaling

W H AT A B O U T C U S T O M E R S ?

Given the limited resources of the Pharaoh, only top customers get a satisfactory output

I N P E R S P E C T I V E …

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katerha/4306527565/

G I V E N T H AT I T H A S S O M A N Y D O W N S I D E S ? …

WHY?

W H Y W A S I D O I N G I T ?

• Lack of managerial experience

• I was simply afraid of losing control

• After becoming the bottleneck, I was forced to evolve into something more efficient…

L E V E L U P…

STEP 1 - TRANSPARENCY

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffbelmonte/6475939/

T R A N S PA R E N C Y

• NO taboos

• Circulate information to the full team (4-6 people)

• Promote comments and feedback from everybody

• Be ready to open and constructive discussion, and to some healthy arguments

• Share also business considerations

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffbelmonte/6475939/

T R A S PA R E N C Y - R E M A R K S

• Removes the information segregation and obscurity curtain

• Is immediately perceived by the team, even if they will not let you know it explicitly

• Since everybody knows the current situation, coworkers are more willing to take position with other team members

STEP 2 - VISUAL COMMUNICATION

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fright42/5329361800/

V I S U A L C O M M U N I C AT I O N

• Use visual signs to broadcast relevant information and priorities

• Which details?

• Open Tasks

• Effort/Budget status

• Invoicing/Payment status

• Competences

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fright42/5329361800/

V I S U A L C O M M U N I C AT I O N - R E M A R K S

• Increases awareness and readiness to support other team members

• Becomes priceless when there are many active projects

• Reduces the need for coordination meetings (remember the time multiplier!)

STEP 3 - AGILE

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrishedgate/3042307390/

A G I L E

• Boxed weekly schedule

• Multiple projects

• Multiple internal responsibles

• One coordination meeting/week

• Kanban board

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrishedgate/3042307390/

A G I L E - R E M A R K S

• During the co-ordination meeting, internal responsibles give commitment in front of the full Team

• Daily stand-up meeting to coordinate short-term needs

• Everybody can make a difference, everybody is given responsibility and recognition for the achievement of tasks

STEP 4 - EMPOWER

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9742303@N02/8390419084/

E M P O W E R

• Who is in the best position to make decisions?

• Let your co-workers grow

• Help managing exceptions and “difficult” customers

• From direction to facilitation —> Listen!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9742303@N02/8390419084/

E M P O W E R - R E M A R K S

• From the team leader PoV, letting other decide is not easy at the beginning

• Finding the right Team member/Customer match is key

• Important to understand own and each member’s soft skills

STEP 5 - TEAM INCENTIVES

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/8474532085/

T E A M I N C E N T I V E S

• Linked to business objectives

• Tied to team performance

• It is important to transmit how value creation is performed

• Redistribution of team incentives based on mutual assessment

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/8474532085/

T E A M I N C E N T I V E S - R E M A R K S

• “We all share the same boat”

• The team takes active part is sharing the business risk —> Increased commitment

• Getting used to being assessed takes time —> everybody is initially afraid

• Taking feedback constructively boosts personal growth

S E E I N G A L L T O G E T H E R …

S E E I N G A L L T O G E T H E R …

• Create and maintain a facilitating fabric to empower team members to express their potential

• Keep meetings to a minimum, whenever possible carry them out with the full team in sight to favor information circulation

• Share business considerations generously and expose even green team members to the value creation process

• Never stop looking for improvements!

O U R C U R R E N T S E T U P

• Team of 5 people

• Weekly scheduling of priorities and activities

• Managing 12 concurrent projects

• 1-2 large / high intensity

• 5-8 medium

• 3-5 small / recurrent / spot

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