Agile Suggestions (S1E#3) -
Values drive behaviour

The Cambridge Dictionary states culture as: 

• the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time

• the attitudes, behaviour, opinions, etc. of a particular group of people within society

In other words, culture can be seen as a result of the way people do things.  

When collaborating in a team, certain values come implicit, others are made explicit. 

Teams make values explicit because values direct people towards certain behaviour. Living the values makes it easier to collectively move as one team in a certain direction and helps to have a meaningful conversation when certain behaviour deviates from the value. 

So values matter and especially in Agile they matter because the frameworks are always value driven. 

So let's explore "values" within Agile context 

The Agile Values of the Agile Manifesto:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
  Put people in a room and ask them to come up with a solution, they will find one through their conversations.
  However, a process might give us the predictability over a longer period. 

• Working software over comprehensive documentation
  Software is only valuable when it actually works and serves the purpose of those using it.
  But software is also a living thing. So we only need basic documentation to understand just enough to get started. Documentation is minimal , hence easier to manage.   

• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
  Without any doubt, there should be an agreement between parties but the collaboration between parties is essential. Only by delivering value sooner and gaining insights based on early delivery, we can adjust to what the customer actually needs. 

• Responding to change over following a plan
  Plan-do-check-act. Make the plan, go for it, gather feedback on delivered value, adjust according to the received feedback. Planning and Change is constant.  

The Values of Scrum as written in the Scrum Guide v2020

• Successful use of Scrum depends on people becoming more proficient in living five values:
  Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, and Courage

• The Scrum Team commits to achieving its goals and to supporting each other. Their primary focus is on the work of the Sprint to make the best possible progress toward these goals. The Scrum Team and its stakeholders are open about the work and the challenges. Scrum Team members respect each other to be capable, independent people, and are respected as such by the people with whom they work. The Scrum Team members have the courage to do the right thing, to work on tough problems.

• These values give direction to the Scrum Team with regard to their work, actions, and behavior. The decisions that are made, the steps taken, and the way Scrum is used should reinforce these values, not diminish or undermine them. The Scrum Team members learn and explore the values as they work with the Scrum events and artifacts.

• When these values are embodied by the Scrum Team and the people they work with, the empirical Scrum pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation come to life building trust.

Agile ways of working evolve when the world around us changes. And thus supporting values evolve as well.  I like to bring forward some values I see as very valuable for in-team collaboration:
Bellin's Pillars of Life and Manson's Radical Responsibility.

Bellin Values

Sébastien Bellin is a survivor of the Brussel bombings in 2016. His journey about coming back from the injuries and eventually running the Ironman of Hawaï, learned him a couple of very valuable lessons of life, and applicable in a team's way of working. 

Bellin's Pillars of Life:

• No Ego in team
  Can you put aside your ego to serve more than yourself?

• Fear ≠ Danger
  Often, we don't do things because we are afraid for the consequences afterwards. But should we? What if the outcome actually is the positive narrative and not the negative one? And in regards to that fear, are you really in danger or are you looking for an excuse to not get started and learn?

• Focus
  There is 24 hours every day and it is free. How do you use effectively that time? Doing multiple things at the same time and not delivering or actually finishing first what you've started? 

• Quality over Quantitive Measures
  What drives you team: the expectation of an organisation to being busy no matter what or the value you deliver serving and satisfying your customers and so bringing joy to their and your work? 

Manson's Radical Responsibility

Mark Manson, the author of the Subtle Art of Not Giving a F#ck, wrote about the Responsible/Fault Fallacy. Imagine, when leaving for work in the morning, and you almost tripped over a baby that is left behind on you doorstep. You could think: "what the hell is this little thing doing here", and ignore it. But as human being, you just can't leave it there, despite that it isn't your fault that a baby ended being there. It now became your responsibility and you need to do something about it.

Think about that concept in terms of work. Things in organisations sometimes are what they are and that it is not your fault. It is also the opportunity to take up that radical responsibility to change things for the better. It is not your fault that somebody decided something in the past. But you definitely can take that radical responsibility to improve, evolve and make it better. Fix the drought!  

Fixing the drought through Radical Responsibility! 

And change the culture for better collaboration! 

#notaponycamp