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Leading By Letting Go

Drew Kincius
Creative Director | beLithe
dkincius@belithe.com

We’ve all been there.

Dealing with THAT boss at work.

The manager who always seems to want to bring others down. For them, nothing is good enough. Nothing is ever a good idea.

Unless it comes from them.

What creates the awful boss?

Now that I’ve got you rolling your eyes, let me instigate you again: I would actually argue that most of these types of personalities, deep down in their core, are actually not wanting to sabotage workplace culture. I believe that a lot of these people have their hearts in the right place.

And no, it’s not because I’m a manically optimistic person. It’s because I don’t blame them wholeheartedly for their terrible execution as leaders. Why? Because it’s not entirely their fault. They’re asked to thrive in a system that is broken.

What is this broken system, you ask? The “dictatorship role” often given to managers. The result of a raise or promotion that suddenly grants full control to an individual is a top-down approach that spells certain doom: one person telling many what to do without even knowing what’s really going on or how to do the work himself.

Why is this approach so widely accepted? Because individuals crave power. With power comes control, and with control comes predictability and sanity.

But only for the manager. And only for so long.

A miserable place of instability.

But for everyone else? It’s just the opposite – prolonged instability.

Deadlines are shortened, the “definition of done” is muddled and always changing, and therefore no one feels like they understand what’s expected and how to deliver “success.”

If I asked you if it would be easier to push a car with five people or just one, you’d be looked at with a crazy side-eye if you said, “one.” And yet, organizations are consistently set up where only a few people have real power. Thus the potential collective impact from countless inspired and hard-working individuals is wasted.

Give. Let go. Let them shine.

Management 3.0 is a different way of looking at the way organizations structure themselves regarding the allotment of power. It covers the importance of managing the system, not the people. It’s about putting the power of success and failure into the hands of the people, giving them the greatest ownership over the work. I believe this emotional ownership, combined with diversity in thought, is a sure path for breeding innovation and your best solutions.

Management 3.0 manifests itself as a two-day workshop that covers eight core modules, providing the tools for your teams to know how to continuously move forward with confidence. Adding a new member to your organization? Play Delegation Poker and assign tasks and roles. Know of a team member who isn’t fulfilling their promise? Use the Competency Matrix to list out what skills are needed for your projects to be completed and who’s best at meeting those needs so that everyone feels valued and seen.

These tools become rooted in the idea of the team first. And in the end, the leadership at your organization won’t feel the pressure to come up with giant, overarching solutions for your team to tackle your biggest challenges.

Your teams will already know what to do right away and get to it.

You hired these folks for a reason. Let them shine!

Moving ahead…

We’re bringing Management 3.0 to Cincinnati soon. Click here to join us on November 14th and 15th and discover why giving the keys of your business to your team is not radical or merely idealistic – it’s crucial for breeding the mindset to grow your organization now and into the future.

We’re big fans of the transformative power that Management 3.0 can provide for entire teams and organizations.

If you’re interested in bringing this dynamic program to your workplace, let’s chat.

Be well, and stay agile, my friends.

Drew

Drew Kincius
Creative Director
Be agile. Be empowered. beLithe.
dkincius@belithe.com

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What is the Difference Between Scrum and Kanban?

In the Agile world, the words “Scrum” and “Kanban” are as common as zone and man-to-man defense are in basketball. Both the Scrum framework and Kanban processes apply the Agile methodology to managing and implementing workflow in a way that promotes both quality and efficiency. But what’s the difference between the two, and how do you decide if one or both are best for your business? Let’s break down the biggest differences between Scrum and Kanban, no sports knowledge required.

What is Scrum?

Scrum is an application of the Agile methodology that hones in on carrying out complex processes by simplifying them into shorter, speedier projects. This project management style emphasizes communication strategies and the production of high-value deliveries and rapidly, repeatable iterations.

What is Kanban?

The Kanban method is centered on being able to visualize workflow and processes with the objective of identifying and correcting bottlenecks and roadblocks that could slow down or disrupt progress. In Kanban, deliverables are broken down into smaller tasks that are represented as touchpoints on the Kanban Board.

The Team Perspective

Scrum

Groups utilizing Scrum are given one of three defined roles: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Team. Each of these roles commits to specific work responsibilities and executes those tasks repeatedly until the project is complete. The Team itself in Scrum is cross-functional, meaning each member has a particular expertise that equips them for a unique contribution and prevents team members from being siloed in a particular skill set or task.

Kanban

On the other hand, Kanban has no set roles. Flexibility is the name of the game with Kanban, so responsibilities can shift depending on who is facing an obstacle or delay. Every member on the Kanban team is a leader collaborating on the most creative solutions to reach the end goal. The Kanban team is specialized so that any individual can tackle any task within the backlog.

Obstacles and Obligations

Scrum

Scrum processes revolve around the planning and preparation of a repeatable schedule referred to as “ceremonies”, one type of which is the sprint. These sprints rely on regular and punctual output that is reviewed and revised on a loop. The Team focuses on task completion while other roles, such as the Scrum Master, are responsible for removing any obstacles that arise so the Team members can execute.

Kanban

With an emphasis on adaptability and flow, Kanban consistently re-evaluates processes and obstacles in order to constantly improve the process and maximize efficiency. Kanban tasks are based less on specific deadlines, timeframes, and deliverables and more broadly on a continuous flow of productivity.

In typical Agile fashion, we have further broken down the differences between Scrum and Kanban in an easy-to-read visual for you to reference.


Still have questions about Scrum and Kanban, or need help deciding what’s right for your team? Contact an Agile expert at beLithe today.

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What Are a Scrum Master’s Roles and Responsibilities?

Three primary roles exist within the Agile realm of Scrum: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Team. According to Agile’s core foundations, the Scrum Master is meant to facilitate rather than dictate, focusing on empowering teams to be autonomous and to self-organize. Scrum Masters should encourage team members to endorse an Agile mindset, prioritizing individuals and interactions over processes and tools to create a powerful, iterative environment.

Let’s drive some clarity on what this means and break down the roles and responsibilities for this team-based servant leader.

A Scrum Master should:

Maintain the pulse of Team dynamics.

When a group of people works on a project, a storm of different styles and personalities interacting together can lead to varying or unhealthy Team dynamics. The job of the Scrum Master is to keep tabs on the health of these dynamics and jump in to facilitate conflict resolution and opportunities for growth where necessary. Scrum Masters don’t force change, they empower individuals to do their best work to help build a high-performing Team.

Remove obscuring obstacles from the path.

In order to make it to the finish line of a sprint goal, distractions need to be blocked and impediments alleviated to avoid stumbles along the way. It’s the Scrum Master’s responsibility to remove these roadblocks and maintain a focused path for Team members to reach their goals. Setting up the Team for success is a pivotal responsibility of the Scrum Master, and sometimes that can mean simply clearing the way for individuals to do what they do best.

Facilitate the flow of work within the team.

The Scrum Master’s primary role is to be a facilitator. Part of this general facilitation includes leading Team meetings, establishing clear goals, and assisting the efforts of both the Product Owner and the individual members of the Team. In assisting the Product Owner, the Scrum Master can help prioritize workload backlogs and manage project scopes to better align with the desired results and definition of the value of the current project. By challenging outdated processes, utilizing feedback from the team, and keeping best practices relevant, the Scrum Master enhances performance and flow for the team.

Scrum Master's Roles

Protect each team and their work from external distractions.

Scrum Masters should act as representatives of their Team in Scrum of Scrums (SoS) meetings and other executive discussions. The Scrum Master collects and communicates information between Teams, and between upper-management and the Team. This coordination with outside parties creates a protective barrier which allows members of the Team to focus on their work and the project at hand without the concern of impending distractions that may cause delays or task expansion.

Coach team members on self-management.

A Scrum Master doesn’t exist to be “the boss”. Their goal should be to foster individual ownership and personal responsibility within each of their Team members. Accomplishing this might involve teaching specific techniques to the Team for problem-solving while equipping them with the capabilities and confidence to tackle and resolve issues themselves. Self-discipline is a pillar of Agile, and the Scrum Master exists to implement these values and practices.

To learn more about this role and how to empower your organization’s growth within Agile, sign up for a Scrum Master course or contact the team at beLithe for information.

 

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Check out our new shirts.

One of the things I noticed when I started at Angie’s list was the number of people who wore Angie’s list t-shirts.  It was typically the most engaged employees to boot.  In fact, employees could buy a t-shirt for $5.  I realized that, if I ever got a chance to run my own company, I wanted to replicate what I learned at Angie’s list.

When Tana and I originally formed beLithe, we were primarily partnering with great organizations like CEWit, Eleven Fifty, and TechPoint to work with college students .  One of the things we started giving away to our students was T-shirts.  Our original T-shirt from 2016 had a quote on the back was a Winston Churchill quote “To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to have changed often.”

I thought it was time to change the quote, so I found a new one (check it out here).  I couldn’t write one.  As I searched for ideas, I stumbled across Apple’s diversity statement off there website.  I couldn’t resist.  It reflects the approach that I have always felt was right for am company, but never heard anyone at my past employers be so direct.  With all due respect to Apple, I used this one on our shirt.

In my Scrum training, we discuss one of the values of Scrum, openness, as one of the things that makes Scrum work.  We talk about openness in terms of one’s day to day status, opinions on how work is done, and what can be improved.  Diversity is generally accepted as a requirement for high performing teams.  Including other points of view provides better decision making across the board.  After conducting Scrum training for a number of years, I have had a revelation.  In Scrum, we should be open not just in what we share, but in what we take in.  We should be open to other’s ideas as well, whether we agree with them or not.  We shouldn’t let all the crap that doesn’t really matter cloud our opinions about teammates.

My goal for beLithe is that we are a high performing team, and this is one small way of embracing our future.  We are just starting the journey, and I hope it will be a fun ride.

Thanks for coming in today.

Chris

 

 

 

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Career Path: Scrum Master -> Management

A few weekends ago, I conducted my first Management 3.0 #Workout class.  Intentionally, it was a small group that I hoped would be open to the concept.  The class went well, and I got some great feedback.  Management is one of the few roles that there doesn’t seem to be a formal certification or process that signifies one know’s what to do.  A management degree (MBA or Bachelors) can teach the basic skills of marketing, accounting, and operations, but doesn’t teach you the skills that you truly need.  Skills such as servant leadership, communication skills, problem solving, and dealing with conflict.

I had a few moments the other day, and I started thinking about what attributes were possessed by some of the great managers I have worked for in the past.

One of the questions that I created for Pocket Prof  revolved around the concept that “Scrum Master” is a management role. The correct answer for the certification is True. I have yet to see this as a requirement in a management job description though. What would happen if were to become a requirement? I think most of the managers I know would put up fight on this one. Heck, I would put up a fight before I understood what the attributes of being a Scrum Master.

I went back to the beLithe Scrum training deck and took at look at the attributes of a Scrum Master.  All the attributes would be ones I would consider important for managers to possess as well as Scrum Masters.

Let’s take a look at the attributes and consider whether they apply to a management role.

  • Agile Expert – Expert may be too strong, but managers should be searching for tools, practices, and frameworks that can be introduced as required.  Topics such as DevOps, Extreme Programming, Test Driven Development, and Automated testing are foundational concepts that should be known and explored by every manager.   Being familiar with Scrum, Kansan, and Lean are important.

  • Servant Leadership – People who do the actually work are the ones who actually create value. Management’s responsibility is to create an environment where people can do the work. By adopting Servant Leadership, managers serve the people who do work by removing impediments and enabling them to do the work.  The term manager should be replaced by Servant Leader.  Terms such as manager or team lead have been damaged by overuse.

  • Communicator – Most of the challenges with teams and organization is a lack of communication.  Managers should be effective communicators with their peers, customers, with their teammates, and with others in the organization. Manages that can’t communicate are ineffective, yet somehow continue to be managers.

  • Facilitator – For years, traditional managers would plan the work, assign the work, and then evaluate their direct reports. Recently, great managers have transitioned from hierarchical control to a facilitated self-organization approach. Self-organization requires trust. Managers have to trust their teams, and their teams have to trust their managers that the environment is safe.

  • Worthy of Trust – Being worthy of trust is the most important characteristic a manager can possess. If a team trusts that a manager’s intentions are honorable, the team will be tolerant of mistakes, and allow the manager time to learn.  A manager without the trust of her team will never be a leader, but will be directing/dictating.

  • Coach – The primary job of the manager is to coach teams and individuals. As a coach, a manager has to understand what to do, why it needs to be done, and what the benefits and risks are. Combining coach with being an effective communicator allows management to change communication styles to ensure that each team receive.

These traits are vital to transforming an average manager to a skilled and effective leader. So why am I saying that the Scrum master role would be a great addition as a step to the career path for managers and executives? The Scrum Master role is unique in that, with no direct reporting responsibilities, the Scrum Master can’t rely on the implied threat of power and position. Not being able to rely on technical skills, when stepping from an individual contributor role into the role of Scrum Master encourages the utilization and refinement of other skills.

Most of us tend to fall back on the skills that led to our promotion when we are pressured or stressed.  Many times those skills are a hindrance to us in new opportunities.  In my experience, development managers are great technicians that have expressed an interest in being a manager.  Often, though, they have not had mentoring in the skills required for the next level of responsibility.  The Scrum Master role is a great way for the manager want-a-be refine those skills.  What do you think?

Thanks for coming in today.

Chris

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