Browsed by
Tag: Software Development

But We’ve Always Done it This Way

But We’ve Always Done it This Way

“But we’ve always done it this way,” he told me as I asked why we needed to continue to track metrics I didn’t think anyone was using. So I asked him, “How are these metrics being used and by whom?” He answered, “Well, I like to track all of these in case someone wants to start using them.”

I then went to several directors to ask them how much time it was taking them to collect these monthly metrics. One said it took time but was no big deal. Another one told me with a smile, “I don’t send them in anymore. I stopped two months ago. No one noticed.” I laughed.

Then I figured out how much time people were wasting on something that wasn’t even being used by anyone for anything. Why? I hate waste. I hate collecting metrics just to collect them. I dislike process just for process sake especially if it takes time that can better be spent elsewhere.

It’s always a good idea to review current processes to understand if they are still effective and supporting the business as expected. However, if you discover people are spending time on information gathering or processes that are ineffective or not being used, then either streamline them or eliminate them.

Some will argue that the process has been in place for so long because it really did solve a problem at one point so it shouldn’t change. These are the people who will find change uncomfortable. A guest blogger, Tarang, wrote about change management. You might be interested in his observations.

People find comfort in processes that have been in place for a long time because they are familiar. Safe. However just consider how much better that time could be spent if those processes are no longer used. Eliminating time wasting processes creates space for new opportunities and new ways of doing things.

After we evaluated and identified which metrics would help us make business decisions, we were able to streamline information in the report. This saved time for those that were collecting the data leaving them more time to focus on releasing the product. They also didn’t feel they were gathering metrics that no one would use.

It’s a good practice to review metrics and processes and fine tune to make sure they are still relevant, meaningful, and helpful.

Getting Personal

Getting Personal

This story begins when I was having lunch with someone who reported to me several years ago. We were reminiscing about those days and I shared that my mother was ill during those years and died during that time.

My friend sat back in his chair obviously surprised and said, “I had no clue. You never said a word to any of us. You never shared anything about yourself with us. It would have been nice if you had, especially something like that which is so difficult to go through.”

His comments made me sit back in my chair. It had never occurred to me the people on my team would want to hear anything about me. So after thinking through my surprise, I started to investigate. I found some people liked to hear more personal things from me as it was their way to connect with me. Others were happy to keep it to work topics.

 

Balance sharing personal information at work.

 

This all, of course, boils down to the fact that different personality styles want different things from their managers. We all should know this, but sometimes we forget. For myself, I am heavily on the let’s keep it to just work side of the spectrum. However, I found that others who didn’t share my style thought I was aloof and distant. This was a problem. When someone thinks you are aloof and distant, they are not going to be comfortable sharing with you. And that means communication is not open and you, as a manager, need to take the responsibility to adjust your communication style to effectively communicate with those with styles different from yours.

So, I began sharing more about me. At first, I found it strange to share personal things with folks. But I found that those folks who build work relationships on more than work really appreciated it. And, one of the huge benefits I didn’t expect, I got to know people more deeply than before. My relationships with my employees were richer as a result.

Now I try to adjust how I communicate with people based on what they need, not just what I want or expect. It’s still a challenge. But it’s definitely had a positive impact not only on my relationships with peers and direct reports, but it’s also had a positive impact on me as well.

When You Don’t Agree with Upper Management

When You Don’t Agree with Upper Management

Recently I was watching an episode of the show “Silicon Valley” in which, the CEO of Pied Piper made a decision to create an appliance instead of a platform. The engineering lead and his team thought the decision a bad one, but the sales people liked it. So the CEO and the board decided it was worth producing. But later, the board changed direction to go with the platform concept when Hooli decided to buy Pied Piper’s main competitor who was creating a similar platform. By buying their competitor, Hooli gave a dollar value to the platform. So the board fired the CEO and went with the platform instead of the appliance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlHMJaovr3g


If you are in management, you’ve probably had the experience of not agreeing with your manager or your manager’s manager with regard to big decisions like this. Some people are really good at finessing the situation. I’ve been learning from them. I’m very direct, very blunt. Sometimes, being direct is appropriate and sometimes it really isn’t. What I work on is understanding when the direct approach isn’t going to work. Yes, I’ve blown this in a major way at times. Calling out the CEO in front of all his management staff? Not a good idea.

When I determine a less direct approach is needed, I begin by asking for more information. How was this decision made? Is it ok if I talk to the people that helped you make this decision? My goal is to turn the questions into a conversation. This is a struggle at times, especially when what I really want to do is just explain why it’s a bad decision.

Sometimes, a decision can be changed. Other times, I have to get behind the decision even if I disagree with it. The bottom line is, either you decide to get behind the decision or you leave the company. Why leave the company if you can’t get behind the decision?  Remember, you are part of a management team. If you can’t support that team, you need to get out. Otherwise,you might end up being a negative influence and that can reflect badly on you and the company.

What do you do when you don’t agree with a decision made by management?

Managing a New Team

Managing a New Team

When I start managing a new team, be it at a new company or at a company for which I already work, I like to get as much information as I can before deciding if any changes are needed.

Of course, I meet with my direct reports first. If they are all managers, I also schedule a few skip level meetings and not just with people they recommend. I meet with the external teams my team interacts with. If I am managing the Quality Engineering organization, I meet with all the organizations those teams interact with: development, technical writing, user experience designers, support. When I am managing a development organization I meet with quality engineering, user experience designers, support (really important!), technical writing, product management, sales.

Hand writing Get the facts, business concept

When I talk with the sales people, I listen to them talk about the challenges they have in selling the product. With the other teams, I listen to what they think is working and what needs to be improved. I do a lot of listening. I always ask about communication when talking with these other teams.

All this information allows me to understand how well my team is working and to answer some basic questions:

  • Is the current organizational structure working?
  • Do the challenges my team faces require an organizational change?
  • Can some process improvements help?
  • Do staff members need some help/training on communication or other soft skills?
  • Does the team require technical training?

Once I have the answers to these questions, I have what I need to work with my new team in the best way possible.

How do you approach managing a new team?

Talk Positive Instead of Negative

Talk Positive Instead of Negative

plus-or-negative

“You always talk about how great your team is,” my manager said to me, “and it’s not good that you do.”

Talk about confusing. I didn’t know how to reply to that one. I do know my teams’ weaknesses and strengths. I work with them on the weaknesses. So why would I tell my peers and my manager about the weaknesses all the time? Why wouldn’t I instead talk about the strengths, the good stuff, the positive stuff about my teams?

Being very confused about this feedback from my manager, I asked people I’ve worked with at other companies why talking positively about my team to peers and other teams is a problem. They told me it sounded like I thought my teams were better than everyone else’s. “I never said that to anyone,” was my reply. Their reply, “Well, it’s implied since you always talk positively about your teams.”

This is crazy. Or maybe dysfunctional is a better word.

People talk. When I talk about my teams’ strengths to those outside of my team, eventually, those comments get back to them. When I share negative things about my teams to others outside of my team, those negative comments also get back to them. Now what is more inspiring to you; knowing the leader of your organization is saying positive things about your organization – or negative things?

 

I gotta go with positive.

 

If there are issues preventing the team from delivering, yes, I will share that circumstance with my manager AND I’ll also share what I’m doing to fix those issues. I’ve replaced management staff and eliminated positions to fix problems within my teams; I don’t hide from the negative aspects of my team members.

I simply see no reason to only talk about the negatives and not the positives when it comes to my teams especially when I know that what I say will eventually filter down to my team members. I prefer they hear motivating comments than negative, de-motivating comments. I’ll go with positive. In the long run, the team will perform better and problems will be resolved more easily.

Which would you go with? Positive or negative?