Great teams are at the heart of the scrum philosophy. In the original Harvard Business Review paper that inspired the creation of Scrum, “The New New Product Development Game” Professors Takeuchi and Nonaka observed that one of the characteristics of great teams is transcendence. Transcendence is the spirit of a great scrum team. They have a sense of purpose beyond the ordinary that helps them to achieve great things and not be stuck in the average.
How do you go about building such great scrum teams. Are they even possible? As much as there is art to this, there are also concrete steps that we can take build such great scrum teams. Scrum values provide a solid foundation and the research at MIT suggest some concrete steps in general to build great teams. Great scrum teams are possible !
1. Build Great Scrum Teams
Hrishikesh Karekar
based on Scrum Values
@hrishikarekar
2. the agile manifesto
We are uncovering better ways of developing
software by doing it and helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on
the right, we value the items on the left more.
3. the bottom line
In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words; people,
product and profits. Unless you've got a good team, you cant do much with
the other two.
Lee Iococca
5. team building not just an art
At MIT’s Human Dynamics Laboratory, we have identified the
elusive group dynamics that characterize high-performing
teams—those blessed with the energy, creativity, and shared
commitment to far surpass other teams. These dynamics are
observable, quantifiable, and measurable. And, perhaps most
important, teams can be taught how to strengthen them.
Alex “Sandy” Pentland, Director of MIT’s Human Dynamics
Laboratory
9. Without respect there is no meaningful positive communication
visible in actions and conduct
authentic scrum requires respectful interactions
As we work together, sharing successes and failures, we come
to respect each other and to help each other become worthy
of respect.
10. if you cannot commit you cannot act
authentic scrum is not possible without everyone involved paying
attention to and keeping commitments
Because we have great control over our own
destiny, we are more committed to success.
11. Because we focus on only a few things at a time, we
work well together and produce excellent work. We
deliver valuable items
know your work in process. limit.
stop starting. start finishing
12. Because we work as a team, we feel supported and have more
resources at our disposal. This gives us the courage to undertake
greater challenges.
takes courage to call out problems, identify impediments, ask for
help, receive help, and offer help
a ship is safe to harbor. But that’s not what ships are for
13. openness - as we work together, we express how we're doing,
what's in our way, and our concerns so they can be addressed.
high level of 'transparency‘
instead of asking "why should I share this information?",
ask: "why wouldn't I share this info?"
15. successful team attributes
1. Everyone on the team talks and listens in roughly equal
measure, keeping contributions short and sweet.
from the folks at MIT
16. successful team attributes
1. Everyone on the team talks and listens in roughly equal
measure, keeping contributions short and sweet.
2. Members face one another, and their conversations and
gestures are energetic.
from the folks at MIT
17. successful team attributes
1. Everyone on the team talks and listens in roughly equal
measure, keeping contributions short and sweet.
2. Members face one another, and their conversations and
gestures are energetic.
3. Members connect directly with one another—not just with the
team leader.
from the folks at MIT
18. successful team attributes
1. Everyone on the team talks and listens in roughly equal
measure, keeping contributions short and sweet.
2. Members face one another, and their conversations and
gestures are energetic.
3. Members connect directly with one another—not just with the
team leader.
4. Members carry on back-channel or side conversations within
the team.
from the folks at MIT
19. successful team attributes
1. Everyone on the team talks and listens in roughly equal
measure, keeping contributions short and sweet.
2. Members face one another, and their conversations and
gestures are energetic.
3. Members connect directly with one another—not just with the
team leader.
4. Members carry on back-channel or side conversations within
the team.
5. Members periodically break, go exploring outside the team, and
bring information back.
from the folks at MIT
20. successful team attributes
1. Everyone on the team talks and listens in roughly equal
measure, keeping contributions short and sweet.
2. Members face one another, and their conversations and
gestures are energetic.
3. Members connect directly with one another—not just with the
team leader.
4. Members carry on back-channel or side conversations within
the team.
5. Members periodically break, go exploring outside the team, and
bring information back.
from the folks at MIT