by Clay Dowling
I'm not that fussy about the how.
I am an agile software consultant. I've been drinking the cool aid for years.
The smartest person isn't necessarily the best.
Adaptability is more useful than skill in a technology or technique.
Your success depends on the people around you. Proper care and feeding is essential.
No nights.
No weekends.
No exceptions.
A team that trusts each other can move mountains. A team that lacks trust can barely roll down hill.
Be open about your failings and weaknesses.
Encourage and act on feedback.
Extend trust to others without expectation.
When there is a problem, do not avoid it.
Have empathy for the person you are addressing.
Seek the flaw in the system, not the person.
From their own perspective, every person is a rational actor.
Focus on detailed planning.
Plans make people feel comfortable.
Even real houses don't get built this way.
Mistakes caught early are cheaper than mistakes caught late.
Make changing direction cheap.
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A practice that worked in one place only works in that place. You have a different set of constraints.
Just because you're paying me a lot of money doesn't mean I'm right.
What speeds development at one place will slow or stop it in another.
Nobody is coming to save you. All you have is each other.
“Leader isn't a title, it's a way of life.”
—John Gartee
Talk about what worked well. Celebrate victories.
Talk about what didn't work well. Take action to fix it.
Some problems are hard to talk about in a group. Try to talk to everyone privately as well.
Sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.