The exaggerated faith in small samples is only one example
of a more general illusion – we pay more attention to the content of messages
than to information about their reliability; and as a result end up with a view
of the world around us that is simpler and more coherent than the data justify;
jumping to conclusions is safer sport in the world of our imagination that it
is in reality.
Tribal Leadership – Agile Transformation
Each of transformation that I am part of is unique but it seems the people and teams show similar
patterns of what described in Tribal leadership book.
Stage 1: Despairing Hostility
Theme: “Life sucks.”
Majority of the teams consists of people lead by those leaders who happens to be in right place in right time to grab the opportunity with luck over talent. Some of these groups see the issues with labor, immigration departments, people problems, frauds, high attrition, below average salaries, low morale etc. Most likely thy will not have daily scrums or they don’t see any valid reason to adopt any agile methodologies and sometimes not any. We hear one or two voices only in meetings. Delay and silos would be common theme of the teams and reward for creativity could be peer recognition and conflicts are not work related topics. Hostility, negligence and clan culture are common traits. These organizations have slow growth. Transformation approach may include but not limited to Hierarchy, Training, libertarian Paternalism, Nudge, incentives. Their success is based on the influencers
Stage 2: Disconnected and no initiative: “My life sucks.”
People do the minimum to get by
and show no initiative or passion. They cluster together to show passive aggression
while telling the people in-charge they are on board with organizational
initiatives. Giving up is the enlighten things to do. From management
perspective nothing works to change their mood. Team building, training, even
selective termination. The culture is endless needs, disappointment, repressed anger.
Transformation approach may include but
not limited to Nudge, smallest possible assignments for quick wins, multiple
quick wins, one-on-one sessions high lighting their strengths.
Stage 3: “I’m great.” Or, more
fully, “I’m great and you’re not.”
People are engaged with commitment
as individual but not as teams. This creates problem of superheroes in teams.
This creates knowledge hoarding.
Personal priorities takes over team common goals and team of teams objectives
Person dependency drags teams
and teams causing the delays. Transformation will be successful only when organization
encourage teams over individuals with personal agenda.
Stage 4: “We are great”
People are aligned with common
values and collective goals and hold accountable for each other.
They form adhoc partnership to accomplish
the important task at hand.
Healthy conflicts are common
with free communication flow and knowledge sharing.
Good environment for transformation
and establishing the stability, removing the silos encourages creativity
Stage 5: “Life is great”
Teams communication flows freely,
discussions focused on innovation, ideas flow with and without filtrations.
Deliverables are predictable. Fail
recovery is fast and successful. Tech and business work together to lead
organization ahead of the market competition. Transformation expands to partners
and other organizations. Teams embrace ri of shu-ha-ri
Based on
TRIBAL LEADERSHIP by Dave Logan, John King and
Halee Fischer-Wright
