Peopleware
self-improvement, respect, passion and purpose
Most progressive companies today focus in on the processes needed to deliver increasing value to their customers. In the software industry, the once disruptive influence of the Agile Manifesto has long since moved into the main stream alongside Lean principles and to a lesser extent Systems Thinking. To many, these methods, principles and practices represent the only way to reliably deliver value in an intensely dynamic and changing environment.
The "soft" in software is often associated with the malleability of the code that is written, whilst the term Peopleware was coined to refer more generally to the role of “people” involved in technology. Although software has reached unprecedented levels of penetration in society, the associated and necessary prominence given more generally to people and their “soft” skills has yet to materialise. In an increasingly connected and technological society, it is not only an appreciation of people and their working environment that is needed but a broader focus on the individual and their interactions.
The ability to communicate effectively, find common ground in the midst of ambiguity and develop meaningful relationships is key to innovation, achieving the artistry required to truly craft a solution to a problem or realise an opportunity in a timely manner.
The definition of delivering value I am referring to extends to: providing the right thing, of the right quality, at the right time, to the right people, at the right cost. Given this definition, where the people at the forefront of delivery do not demonstrate high levels of motivation, respect for their customers and each other, and are unable to communicate and collaborate effectively - it is my experience that a group of highly skilled technicians with a highly efficient and flexible methodology, fail to consistently deliver value.
Much of the literature available to people seeking to improve themselves, their teams and organisations, focuses on improving their knowledge of methods, processes and tools. The modus operandi appears as a recipe, where the transition to success and high performance is deemed to be within our grasp, provided we assemble the required ingredients and follow the instructions to the letter.
Organisations and teams are invariably a mix of abilities as well as personalities that all need to gel sufficiently to realise shared goals. Servant leaders invariably inherit existing teams at various stages of function or dysfunction. So if we are to realise real and sustainable improvement over time at any level, be that within a team, organisation or any productive system, it starts and ends with the individuals involved.
At the heart of the communities that espouse this method or that practice, are implicit references to the characteristics required. It is clear that in order to effectively contribute within an adaptive environment, most people will need the right stimulus, the right support and more importantly the right motivation and interpersonal skills. There has been until recently little discussion or guidance as to how to develop such characteristics beyond the prevailing and linear range of options that include: persuasion, coercion and finally recruitment.
Recent publications appear to represent an emergent design that better correlates with the organic nature of systems. Within the Agile community, Jurgen Appelo (Management 3.0) and Lyssa Adkins (Coaching Agile Teams) have championed a new style of management and people-centred coaching. More broadly, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi advocates a focus on Flow that seems to act as a complimentary guide to what Daniel Pink suggests increasingly Drive(s) us. Whilst David Eagleman reveals The Secret Lives of the Brain upon which Simon Sinek recognises that we invariably prefer to Start With Why.
The convergence in the attitudes and characteristics needed both inside and outside of the workplace means the skills we expect of our leaders need to move (as Ken Robinson so eloquently describes) from a manufacturing model, where people are seen as resources that need to be directed, towards a cultivation model where individual passion is nurtured and aligned around a set of shared values.
This transition mirrors my own personal journey away from focusing on methods which may (and ought to) lead to being successful, to a keen focus on achieving successful outcomes that leads to a direct focus on people and their self-improvement.As servant leaders, we increasingly need to supplement technical knowledge and a focus on methods and practices, with a close and exacting attention on both the subtleties of individual character and the internal dynamics that develop within groups.
The Management Exchange symbolises an increasing recognition of the need to reinvent management and re-imagine leaders that promote adaptive, innovative, high trust organisations. The demise of the performance appraisal together with the rise of talent management is encouraging, as is the disruption to outdated recruitment practices by social media.
The areas people seek support remains relatively unchanged over the years; however, I recognise more clearly the emphasis has primarily been on the interpersonal skills such as: effective communication, presentation, facilitation, negotiation and conflict resolution. Alongside a skills focus, many of the one-on-one sessions and in-depth discussions I have had over the years, that sought to deal with more challenging personal issues, have included life skills such as: anger management, insecurity and bullying.
Although, there is a lot of debate, tribalism and fundamentalism between different factions and communities, what seems to be incontrovertible is that character is increasingly front and centre in the minds of more progressive leaders and organisations. People more readily demand roles that have a purpose and seek leaders that can support them as people with both personal and professional aspirations.
In light of this subtle shift, this means stepping out of any specialised comfort zone and modelling more broadly a whole person and all the behaviours desired not just in work but in life.
Beyond an Agile coach is simply a coach.
