I have been
thinking about some of the conversations I've had recently and in the past with
different team members and realized....there seems to be very little discussion
and truthfulness about the reality that high-performance teams are not for
everyone. Some people will just never like it, some will tolerate it, some will
love it, and some will just simply move on.
So much time
is spent on the rah, rah of how great it will be for everyone, we need to
remember to pay attention to the natural reactions and concerns of those that
have never experienced a high-performance team before.
Speaking as
a developer myself, I remember how I started in I.T. back in 1984. Someone
presented me with a problem, and I sat in my apartment by myself working my own
hours, watching TV, working through the night and generally being a loner.
I do admit, I enjoyed those days.
My company
grew and eventually I found myself working with different types of people;
developers, marketing types, sales people, accountants, graphic artists and
many more.
That's when
I discovered something I enjoyed MUCH more.... Working in Teams!
But what
about those that are unsure about what to expect.
My advice...
Be TRUTHFUL and LISTEN.
For those
that have never worked in a high-performance team environment, the change can
be frightening. Allow new team members to talk openly about their fears
and concerns. Show them that you care.
The concerns
may not be real to you but they are definitely real to them!
Consider the
following situation;
· You
are working with a new team that has been told they are doing an Adoption.
· They are comfortable working totally on their own and interface with other team members only when necessary.
· They are comfortable working totally on their own and interface with other team members only when necessary.
Our
natural tendency will be to try and minimize their negative feelings
or concerns.
After all,
we totally believe in Agile and really just want them to come around to our way
of thinking. Instead, allow the person to say what they have to say and
then be honest with them.
Explain to
them that “Teams are NOT for everyone, and ask them to PLEASE give it a try
first and see how you feel about it in a year from now”.
“The goal of
the company, me and everyone in the team is that you're here and enjoy it going
into the future! I am here to help you in the transition.”
The LAST thing
you want to do is try and convince that person that their fears are not valid.
They are valid to them. Explain that you are there for them to talk
to at any time.
Explain that
you believe in your heart that they will never want to go back to a non-agile
environment. Don’t be afraid to talk about your own skepticism when you first started with an Agile team.
I personally
find that honesty and truthfulness about the situation is the best way to approach
the subject. The recipient will gain
trust in what you say. After all, if you are willing to be honest about
possibly attrition, then they will realize you are being truthful about how
things might be if they ride it out.
For me at
least, the people who have argued with me the most about joining teams have
become my biggest allies when a management change happened and the POSSIBILITY
of breaking up the teams even came up in conversation.
My experience
is that the honesty and rapport you built up with the person who was
"worried", "not sure", "didn't think they would like
it", etc. will be beneficial to both of you. The truthfulness you showed
about their situation will help that person have a healthy, open-minded view to
what will happen next.
Consider how
much easier future changes will be when the person is totally aware they may be
uncomfortable with them and is willing to give it a try.
