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Know the “Why” behind Your Projects Every project has its own unique reason for existence. We often work on projects to deliver some kind of return for our organizations. When you start a project, do you know what that return is? When we know the reasons behind our work, we can be more successful—knowing why can create success. |
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The Difference between Plans and Planning As former president Dwight Eisenhower said, "In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." The fact that plans may have to change does not mean planning is a waste of time. In projects, it's always valuable to consider budgeting, resources, and timelines. |
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Shorten Your Feedback Loops to Build Better Software, Faster When we have short feedback loops, we are still in the moment for that feature. We still have the context. The longer the feedback loop, the less likely we are to still have all the context for the feature because we are on to the next piece of work. How long are your feedback loops? Can you shorten them? |
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How Group Norms Enable High-Performing Teams Group norms are the traditions, behavioral standards, and unwritten rules that govern how a team works together. They can be implied or openly acknowledged, but establishing a consistent way the team functions helps the individual members focus less on their own preferences and more on what works best. |
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Can’t We Tear Down More Than One Wall at a Time? Specializations tend to put people in silos, which inhibits communication and collaboration. The agile movement seeks to break down the dividing walls between customers and developers, and now DevOps is dismantling the wall between development and operations. But can't we break down multiple walls at once? |
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Lead Teams that Deliver the Goods Great teams are often the result of great leadership—meaning leadership demonstrated across the team, including the person charged with heading up the team. Leaders have a responsibility to maximize their own potential as well as their team members'. Develop a great team, and you can deliver great products. |
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Collaborative, High-Functioning Teams Start with Agile Managers We often assume that management is pure overhead and adds little value. But management is necessary for teams to be successful. Teams sometimes need help creating environments where it’s easier to make the right decisions in a timely manner. A culture of delegation and trust starts with a good manager. |
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The Sign of a True Professional: Asking for Help When It’s Needed People worry that asking for assistance will somehow undermine their standing in the eyes of peers or employers. But most successful people are quick to acknowledge what they don’t know and to ask for assistance. Honestly admitting to limitations in your knowledge is the sign of a true professional. |