Tribal Scrum

Dave Logan introduces “Tribal Scrum” in his CBS Money Watch blog and CultureSync Tribal Leadership blog. For a brief introduction to Scrum, see Introduction to Lean, Agile, Scrum, & XP. For a brief introduction to Tribal Leadership, see Tribal Leadership Distilled: Paradigm, Process, and Model.

The purpose of Dave’s CultureSync Tribal Leadership blog is to “highlight why Scrum and Tribal Leadership are perfect for each other” and “jump start a conversation about implementing ‘Tribal Scrum’.” The blog starts by exploring a “modified version [of Scrum] for executive tribes” and briefly emphasizes “Scrum But” (“incomplete Scrum” where “Scrum implementations fall short of the real deal”) and “Tribal Leadership But” (where “people implement some, but not all, of the system”).

While I’m optimistic about the Tribal Scrum movement, I’m also somewhat disheartened that the conversation has started around Scrum But and Tribal Leadership But!

There is much debate around “But-ness” — against Scrum Buts and for Scrum Buts, and there is even a Scrum But test! Rather than become mired in such debates (where the means (Scrum) commonly becomes the ends!), focus on values & principles and foster the emergence of the most healthy approach (to value discovery and delivery within a specific context); that is, foster being in alignment with the “spirit of the law” versus the “letter of the law” where the result “speak for themselves” based on the nature of those involved!

Why

Dave stresses that “if Scrum follows the BPR road, and emphasizes practices over principles it will fail” and highlights that “the experts in Scrum have the opportunity to become leaders of a business revolution.”

Dave also acknowledges “what’s missing in Tribal Leadership has been a specific game [framework] that great tribes can play against other great tribes” and suggests that “scrum is that game.”

Dave thus suggests “let’s put the best of Tribal leadership, along with the best of Scrum, in a blender, add in executive management concerns, hit puree, and see what comes out.”

Dave additionally warns: “For those who think they already have the answer, please remember: this is about tribes learning together, not about gurus having the answers in which they present to others who are amazed by their brilliance.”

How

Dave explicitly suggests: “If Scrum and Tribal leadership are combined, and focused on the concerns of executive leaders, a transformation in organizations will result.” A great example is Cars.com’s transformation journey! However, regarding transformation, let’s likewise be very clear that transformation cannot be merely reduced to two bodies of knowledge and experience (Scrum and Tribal Leadership) but generally leverages the wisdom of many; for example, Judith E. Glaser (WE-Centric Leadership), Leandro Herrero (Viral Change), Peter Fuda (Transformation and Leadership Framework/Model/Cycle), William Isaacs (Dialogue), and many others (AIR, Human Leadership, etc.) — it’s imperative that the emerging Tribal Scrum community is open versus closed to the wisdom of others outside the immediate community.

Dave then suggests that “just as Peter Drucker’s work brought management into the 20th century, the results of ‘Tribal Scrum’” would bring management into the 21st century” and elaborates how this can be accomplished.

Dave emphasizes: “First, let’s be clear that Tribal Scrum will not result from a single person piecing it together and declaring that they have the answer.” Essentially, Dave is suggesting that Tribal Scrum will emerge by “combining”, “trying”, “refining”, and “letting the community determine what worked and what didn’t.”

Dave then emphasizes: “Second, everyone needs to get immersed in both Tribal Leadership and Scrum.” Essentially, Dave is suggesting that the Scrum and Tribal Leadership communities act on their curiosity about one another.

Dave next emphasizes: “Third, Tribal Scrum will result from lots and lots of experiments — some successful and some not, by combining the two approaches.” Essentially, Dave is suggesting an “open-source approach to knowledge sharing.”

Dave next emphasizes: “Fourth, the community needs to determine the winning approaches here, based on adherence to values and contribution measured by merit.” Dave openly shares that “many people in the Agile world” have expressed that “the Agile community has become fractious and contentious … even dysfunctional”; to which he has responded that “this evolution is completely natural, and has happened in most knowledge-based, accomplish-oriented fields.”

Many member of both the Scrum community (and Agile community, including Scrum, Lean, Kanban, XP, etc.) and the Tribal Leadership community have expressed concern and disappointment in how dysfunctional their respective community has become. As Dave suggests, “this evolution is completely natural”! Furthermore, communities naturally ebb and flow with function/dysfunction — including “extended speech-making, almost no listening, and strong-willed personalities trying to dominate the group with manipulation, back-room deal-making, and force” — but ultimately “the community needs to decide that such behaviors will not be tolerated.” Fundamentally, the health (or lack thereof) of a community is a reflection of its functions/dysfunctions based on the nature of its members!

And lastly, Dave emphasizes: “Fifth, we should eat our own dog food.” Essentially, Dave’s call to action is that “we need a venue, identification of community values, selection of a noble cause, commitment to Scrum and Tribal Leadership.”

Conclusively, Tribal Scrum will emerge through immersion and sharing within a combined Scrum and Tribal Leadership community!

This is a tremendous opportunity for the Scrum and Tribal Leadership communities — looking forward to the journey ahead: Venue, Values, Cause, and Commitment!

WE-Centric Leadership and Tribal Leadership Differentiated

WE-Centric Leadership and Tribal Leadership are two distinct bodies of wisdom (BoWs) focused on Organizational Health (high performance cultures and thriving organizations). Each contributes a unique paradigm / worldview well grounded in practice (based on significant empirical research) regarding human nature (integrating Culture, Leadership, Strategy, and the Enterprise/Organization) with similarities and differences.

Tribal Leadership

Tribal Leadership — as described in Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization (2008) (Dave Logan (@davelogan1), John King (@kingofla), and Halee Fischer-Wright) and CultureSync — focuses on building a thriving organization by leveraging natural groups, that is, synchronizing culture and strategy by focusing on language and relationship structures.

Tribal Leadership emphasizes:

• Five Cultural Stages (Stage 1: “Life sucks”; Stage 2: “My life sucks”; Stage 3: “I’m great (and you’re not)”; Stage 4: “We’re great (and they’re not)”; and Stage 5: “Life is great”),
• Triads and Triading (and the Epiphany), and
• Tribal Strategy (micro strategy) (Core Values, Noble Cause; Outcomes; Assets; and Behaviors).

The essence of Tribal Leadership are Triads and Triading; that is, for the Tribal Leader, everything happens through Triads and Triading. Notice that Tribal Leadership does not emphasize Behavior as much as Language and Relationship Structures, but does emphasize Strategy more so (relative to WE-Centric Leadership).

See Human Leadership for more information about Tribal Leadership.

WE-Centric Leadership

WE-Centric Leadership — as described in Creating We: Change I-Thinking to We-Thinking and Build a Healthy, Thriving Organization (2005) (Judith E. Glaser (@JudithEGlaser and @CreatingWE)), The DNA Of Leadership: Leverage Your Instincts To Communicate, Differentiate, Innovate (2006) (Judith E Glaser (@JudithEGlaser and @CreatingWE)), and the Creating-WE Institute — focuses on building a healthy, thriving organization by leveraging vital instincts, that is, changing I-thinking to WE-thinking by focusing on language and conversations.

WE-Centric Leadership emphasizes:

• Unhealthy or toxic cultures with an I-centric fingerprint and Healthy or nontoxic cultures with a WE-centric fingerprint;
• Creating WE via
  — Believing WE focused on changing attitudes or beliefs (around Authority, Territoriality, and Self-Interest),
  — Learning WE focused on adopting new habits of mind and behaviors (around Culture, Possibilities, Space, and Conversations), and
  — Being WE focused on expressing WE-consciousness (around Working in Concert and Sustaining WE); and
• Leadership DNA (Community, Humanizing, Aspiring, Navigating, Generating, Expressing, and Spirit).

The essence of WE-Centric Leadership are Conversations; that is, for the WE-Centric Leader, everything happens through Conversations. Notice that WE-Centric Leadership does not emphasize Strategy as much as Language and Conversations (which embody Behaviors and Relationship Structures), but does emphasizes Behavior more so (relative to Tribal Leadership).

See Human Leadership for more information about WE-Centric Leadership.

WE-Centric Leadership and Tribal Leadership

WE-Centric Leadership and Tribal Leadership champion a Leader-Leader / Follower-Follower or Fellowship model of Leadership versus a Leader-Follower model of Leadership.

Stages vs. Unhealthy-Healthy

While the Tribal Leader distinguishes between Stages 1 & 2 & 3 and Stages 4 & 5, the WE-Centric Leader only distinguishes between Unhealthy and Healthy cultures. Consider that Stages 1 & 2 & 3 are Unhealthy while Stages 4 & 5 are Healthy, Stage 2 is more Unhealthy than Stage 3, and Stage 5 is more Healthy than Stage 4.

While the Tribal Leader experiences the Epiphany and upgrades the Stage of a tribe (with emphasis on “natural groups”), the WE-Centric Leader experiences Creating WE and fosters the Health of a group (with an emphasis on “vital instincts”).

Triads and Triading vs. Conversations

While the Tribal Leader focuses on Triads and Triading, that is relationship structures, the WE-Centric Leader focuses on Conversations, that is relationship structures and behaviors. While a Triad (within a tribe) generally involves three people anchoring each other, a Conversation (within a group) involves any number of people anchoring each other (as a network).

Fundamentally, a triad involves three legs where each leg (anchor) of the triad is responsible (accountable) for the quality of the relationship between the other two parts, presencing missing core value when the opposite leg is “unhealthy”.

While the Tribal Leader leverages a Tribal Strategy, the WE-Centric Leader expresses WE-consciousness via Leadership DNA.

How do You Experience the World?

While Tribal Leadership and WE-Centric Leadership are similar, they are distinct in emphasizing different nuances of how we experience human nature and leadership. In particular,

• If you experience the world through stages and triads, perhaps you are more-so a Tribal Leader;
• If you experience the world through health and conversations, perhaps you are more-so a WE-Centric Leader; and
• If you blend stages with health and traids with conversations, perhaps you are more-so a WE-Centric Tribal Leader.

Paul Glover’s WorkQuake

Corey Blake (@CoreyBlake9000) of Round Table Companies (RTC) gratuitously shared a review copy of Paul Glover’s (@glovergroup) WorkQuake book (@WorkQuakeBook) with me. As a follower of Paul Glover’s work in associations with FastCompany, I was very interested in the book!

The book focuses on “the excuses people at all levels of an organization have for not being productive, effective and accountable participants in the Workplace of the Knowledge Economy!”

The book is organized as a collection of Bottom Line articles that focus on operational performance issues and Morning Mantra articles that focus on personal performance or productivity issues — to “survive the WorkQuake“:

WorkQuake — A convulsion in the world of work, caused by a shift in the fundamentals of an economy, rendering the business world and work environment virtually unrecognizable to those working in the transition period between an old economy and its replacement economy. The current WorkQuake is occurring between the Industrial Economy and the Knowledge Economy.

Each article is a nugget of practical wisdom, blending just enough Why with great amounts of How… a book for the pragmatist in all of us!

One of my favorite Bottom Line articles is about Conflict, “the natural course of events when the ideas and interests of two or more individuals or groups clash — which, in a vibrant organization, they should be doing all the time.” The book distinguishes between Good and Bad conflict, explores root causes, and describes how leaders can manage conflict: Define the conflict; It’s not you versus me, it’s you and me versus the problem; Find common ground; Separate opinions from facts; Have an open mind; Listen actively; Silence is not necessarily assent; and Follow up. Great practical wisdom!

Another one of my favorite Bottom Line articles is about Performance, where the book offers “Ten Tips Guaranteed to Improve Organizational Performance”: Communicate the Company’s Goals to the Workforce; Stoke the Competitive Spirit; Conduct Survey and Focus Groups; Do a Compensation Survey; Develop an Effective Pay-for-Performance Plan; Develop an Effective Recognition/Rewards Program; Practice Financial Education; Improve Employee Performance Improvement Sessions; Train Your Front Line Leaders; and Walk Around More. Again, great practical wisdom!

One of my favorite Morning Mantra articles is about Energy, where the book emphasizes that there are three essential ingredients necessary for high performance: adequate resources, proper time management and a high level of energy. The book then offers six rules to generate the necessary level of energy in any workplace. Great practical wisdom!

Another one of my favorite Morning Mantra articles is about Productivity, where the book emphasizes six basic steps for improving personal productivity to become a “Master Manipulator of Time”: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Action Planning; Self-Discipline; and The Power of Accountability. Again,great practical wisdom!

There is much more in the book! If you are interested in nuggets of practical wisdom, blending just enough Why with great amounts of How, don’t miss WorkQuake!

Thoughts on The BMC Agile Transformation: A Seven-Year Perspective

Israel Gat (@agile_exec) (Cutter Consortium Fellow and Director of the Agile Product & Project Management practice), who is recognized as the architect of the agile transformation at BMC Software, socialized “The BMC Agile Transformation: A Seven-Year Perspective” article. Please see Rally Software’s Case Study and the Agile Journal’s Case Study for more information.

Without doubt, Israel Gat among others must be commended for their tremendous impact on BMC Software!

BMC Software’s Journey

The article emphasizes “deeper reasons behind the success of the BMC rollout”:

This Executive Update represents my current understanding of the deeper reasons behind the success of the BMC rollout [2004-2008]. It reviews past decisions in light of knowledge, experience, and insights that evolved a long time after the decisions, for better or worse, had been executed. In general, it’s about my making sense of things and sharing my insights with Cutter clients.

The article addresses “why agile”:

Agile offered an effective antidote to the “loss of heart” problem; if we did it well, we could demonstrate results quickly.

The article provides contextual background:

The scale of the rollout was determined by organizational considerations; the business unit I was heading had more than 400 employees in seven countries.

Not much was known in 2004 about deploying agile at such a scale. In many ways, we had to roll on our own. We were aided by a few outstanding consultants and coaches, including Dean Leffingwell (@deanleffingwell), Ryan Martens (@RallyOn), (now) Cutter Senior Consultant Hubert Smits (@HubertSmits), and Jean Tabaka (@jeantabaka).

The article introduces “the ‘secret sauce’” and ever-so-briefly identifies its ingredients: Leadership, Know-how, Flexibility, and Patience. The article emphasizes:

At a certain point in time in 2009, I came to the realization … that numerous executives are reluctant to adopt the secret sauce without a clear handle on how they will govern the software process.

It’s quite surprising that “governance” (or oversight) was a later “realization” versus being a foundational aspect of the transformation journey!

The article then emphasizes the value to BMC Software:

After a couple of years of “agiling” day in and day out, I thought we were doing pretty well. However, I did not know that we were indeed doing pretty well.

The Ultimate Benchmark: Transformation

The article then introduces the “ultimate benchmark for a transformative rollout”:

Successful as the agile transformation at BMC was, it completely failed in what I today consider the ultimate benchmark for a transformative rollout: it did not alter the company’s philosophy and modus operandi beyond the level of “How do we make the sausage? We use agile methods.”

To “alter the company’s philosophy and modus operandi” is what we commonly refer to as a Transformation — a value/principle-based change that focuses on the DNA of an enterprise (collectives, individuals, etc.) — versus a Transition — a practice-based change that primarily focuses on surface level behavior (“How do we…” and “We use…methods”). Furthermore, such a journey at-scale must be more holistic and go “beyond the [mere] level [of] agile methods”.

The article then introduces three levels of “agile implementation”.

First-level Agile: Development & Test

First-level agile implementation involves “Development” and “Test”:

From my perspective today, this means that I was primarily concerned with two strands: development and testing. I was able to “merge” these two elements so that testing could start before development was complete — and testing informed development through tight feedback loops.

Fundamentally, balance among three core perspectives (define-detail, build, and test) is crucial.

Second-level Agile: Strategy & Delivery

Second-level agile implementation involves “Strategy” and “Delivery”:

In my humble opinion, the very same agile principles hold at the strategic level. The only difference is that the interplay is not between development and testing but rather between strategy and delivery. One merges the two so that delivery can start before strategy is complete — and delivery informs strategy through tight feedback loops.

Fundamentally, focus on both value discovery and delivery (essentially, “strategy”) is crucial.

Third-level Agile: Problem & Solution

Third-level agile implementation involves “Problem” and “Solution”:

At this [third] level, one merges the problem and the solution so that the solution can start before the problem has been fully understood — and the solution, incomplete that it might be, informs the problem through tight feedback loops.

Fundamentally, as discovery organizes around the problem and delivery organizes around the solution, they co-orient on one another’s targets via their integration.

The BMC Experience: Transition

The article then considers the BMC experience relative to the “Ultimate Benchmark”:

The BMC transformation was quite successful at the first level but did not really make it to the second level, let alone the third.

The inability to reach second-level agile implementation perplexes me to this very day. My hunch is that this probably reflects a lack of readiness at BMC at the time to accept unpredictability at the strategic level.

What I probably did not quite understand at the time was that BMC conceived strategy as largely fixed for prolonged periods of time. Rightly or wrongly, continuously grooming strategy (in a manner conceptually similar to the way one grooms the agile backlog) was perceived as too radical.

BMC’s journey really focused on “development” and “test”; it seemed to insufficiently encompass the define-detail perspective, however, ”Requirements Architect” is briefly discussed in the Case Studies.

BMC’s journey really focused on “delivery”; it seemed to insufficiently encompass discovery (or “strategy”).

BMC’s journey really focused on a technology-based transition; it seemed to insufficiently encompass a more holistic (business and technology) transformation.

Artful Transformation

Our approach, which we call Artful Transformation, is intentionally holistic and transformative!

Enterprise scale is not merely about “size” but about the whole enterprise (its wholeness, including all its aspects and dynamics)!

Agility is much more than “Agile Methods”! Boydian Agility readily trumps mere Agile Methods (or Agile Software Development)!

Transformation involves value/principle-based change that focuses on the DNA of an enterprise while Transition involves practice-based change that primarily focuses on surface level behavior.

Again, without doubt, Israel Gat among others must be commended for their tremendous impact on BMC Software (and the BMC Agile Transition), however, that success could have been so much more with a more holistic perspective and transformative approach!

The Six Diseases

In Artist of Life, Bruce Lee, the father of Jeet Kune Do, describes the Six Diseases [of excessive self-consciousness]:

The desire for victory

The desire to resort to technical cunning

The desire to display all that you have learned

The desire to overawe the enemy

The desire to play a passive role

The desire to get rid of whatever disease you are likely to be infected with

Bruce Lee further elaborates:

“The desire” is an attachment. “To desire not to desire” is also an attachment. To be unattached, then, means to be free at once from both statements, positive and negative. In other words, this is to be simultaneously both “yes” and “no,” which is intellectually absurd. However, not so in Zen!

In whatever profession, the six diseases apply:

• Excessive focus on the ends
• Excessive focus on the means
• Excessive focus on the individual/collective
• Excessive focus on conflict/adversity
• Excessive focus on engagement/disengagement
• Excessive focus on perfection

As Bruce Lee emphasizes, we must “preserve the state of spiritual freedom and nonattachment” where “health is an appropriate balance of the coordination of all of what we ‘are’ (are is being mind rather than having mind)” and “the true meaning of life — peace of mind.”

See The Official Bruce Lee site and this beautiful tribute (and 5 Greatest Quotes).

Artful Transformation and John Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change

In Leading Change, John Kotter of Kotter International emphasizes:

30 years of research by leadership guru Dr. John Kotter have proven that 70% of all major change efforts in organizations fail. Why do they fail? Because organizations often do not take the holistic approach required to see the change through.

However, by following the 8 Step Process outlined by Professor Kotter, organizations can avoid failure and become adept at change. By improving their ability to change, organizations can increase their chances of success, both today and in the future. Without this ability to adapt continuously, organizations cannot thrive.

How does The 8-Step Process for Leading Change relate to Artful Transformation?

Step 1: Create/Establishing a Sense of Urgency

This step focuses on “helping others see the need for change and the importance of acting immediately”:

Examine market and competitive realities

Identify and discuss crises, potential crises or major opportunities

This step relates to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically fostering awareness of the rationale justifying the transformation.

Kotter’s emphasis that “leaders who know what they are doing will ‘aim for the heart’” and “connect to the deepest values of their people and inspire them to greatness” is crucial.

Step 2: Creating the Guiding Coalition

This step focuses on “putting together a group with enough power to lead the change”:

Assemble a group with enough power to lead the change effort

Encourage the group to work as a team

This step relates to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically establishing a transformation team.

Kotter’s emphasis that “the team should reflect: Position Power; Expertise; Credibility; and Leadership” is crucial.

Step 3: Developing a Change Vision

This step focuses on “clarifying how the future will be different from the past”:

Create a vision to help direct the change effort

Develop strategies for achieving that vision

This step relates to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically deriving a framework. Kotter’s vision is similar to Artful Transformation’s framework and Kotter’s strategies is similar Artful Transformation’s roadmap.

Kotter’s emphasis that a “clear vision [framework] serves three important purposes: simplifies more detailed decisions; motivates people to take action; and helps to coordinate the actions” is crucial.

Kotter’s emphasis “effective visions [frameworks] have six key characteristics: Imaginable; Desirable; Feasible; Focused; Flexible; and Communicable” is crucial.

Step 4: Communicating the Vision for Buy-in

This step focuses on “ensuring that as many people as possible understand and accept the vision”:

Use every vehicle possible to communicate the new vision and strategies

Teach new behaviors by the example of the Guiding Coalition

This step relates to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically socializing and refining the framework and roadmap.

Kotter’s emphasis on “communicating the vision” and “the vision should be: Simple; Vivid; Repeatable; Invitational” is crucial.

Step 5: Empowering Broad-based Action / Empowering People and Removing Barriers

This step focuses on “removing as many barriers as possible and unleashing people to do their best work”:

Remove obstacles to change

Change systems or structures that seriously undermine the vision

Encourage the risk-taking and nontraditional ideas, activities, and actions

This step relates to Phase II and III of Artful Transformation, and specifically enacting & elaborating (Phase II) and further enacting & evolving (Phase III) the framework as well as renewing value-creating capabilities (Phase II) and reviewing oversights capabilities (Phase III).

Step 6: Generating Short-term Wins

This step focuses on “creating some visible, unambiguous success as soon as possible”:

Plan for visible performance improvements

Create those improvements

Recognize and reward employees involved in the improvements

This step relates to Phase II and III of Artful Transformation, and specifically the successes and improvements at the early parts of the phases.

Step 7: Never Letting Up / Don’t Let Up!

This step focuses on “consolidating gains and producing more change”:

Use increased credibility to change systems, structures and policies that don’t fit the vision

Hire, promote, and develop employees who can implement the vision

Reinvigorate the process with new projects, themes, and change agents

This step relates to Phase II and III of Artful Transformation, and specifically the gains at the latter parts of the phases.

Step 8: Incorporating Changes into the Culture / Make it Stick

This step focuses on “anchoring new approaches in the culture”:

Articulate the connections between the new behaviors and organizational success

Develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession

This step relates to Phase II and III of Artful Transformation, and specifically the emergence of communities (Phase II) and fostering those communities (Phase III).

Artful Transformation and The 8 Steps

The 8-Step Process for Leading Change provides rich guidance that can be used with Artful Transformation to lead change.

Agility Health

Agile is an umbrella term for Scrum, Extreme Programming, Lean Development, Kanban, etc. with roots are in Agility or the “ability to be agile”. Many consider Agile a technology approach; however, the “ability to be agile” (or Agility) applies to the whole enterprise or organization, business & technology including executives, management, and teams.

Quintessentially, Agility is a value system that emphasizes people, results, collaboration, and responsiveness. See Agility Distilled: The Essence of Agility, Manifesto for Agility, and Principles behind the Manifesto for Agility for more information.

As Agility has proliferated across various industries and as more individuals, teams or collectives, and organizations or enterprises approach Agility — that is, adopting, scaling, and sustaining more agile approaches such as Scrum or AIR — there is growing interest in assessing or apprising a team’s or organization’s Agility, or even more so, its Agility/Agile Health or it’s Agility Health Quotient (AHQ) / Agility Health Index (AHI).

How Agile are We?

While assessment approaches such as the Nokia Test, Comparative Agility, or Scrum Checklist focus on practices/techniques, a more foundational approach involves focusing on behaviors/values (after all, Agility is a value system!).

Agility Health

Herein is an empirical (experiential focused) approach that considers Business (Product Owner or Action Owner) and Technology (Engineering Team or Action Owner) with a neutral party (commonly known as “Switzerland”, the Scrum Master or Flow Owner) relative to Agility, which again is a value system that emphasizes people, results, collaboration, and responsiveness (as aspects).

Additionally, this description includes Business, Technology, Governance, Operations, Program/Project Management, and Enterprise Architecture dimensions. Business areas generally include Marketing, Sales, Support, and Products/Services (Product Management or Services Management with Product Managers). Technology areas generally include Engineering, Architecture (Architects), and Infrastructure. Program/Project Management (Project Managers) focuses on the human means to deliver business value. Enterprise Architecture focuses on the technology means to deliver business value. Governance focuses on oversight in the delivery of business value. Operations focuses on supporting the delivery of business value.

People: Commitment-based Accountability

Consider people’s commitments to intentions (outcomes, goals, objectives, etc.) & actions (tasks) and consider people’s accountability against their commitments, that is, overall ownership:

• If people authentically commit and authentically hold each other accountable, this aspect may be considered High.
• If people authentically commit, this aspect may be considered Medium.
• If people don’t authentically commit or don’t authentically hold each other accountable, this aspect may be considered Low.

Consider the difference between interest & commitment: “When you’re interested in something, you only do it if circumstances permit.”

Fundamentally, if people are challenged with commitment or accountability, they may be part of an unnatural group.

Results: Value-based Results

Consider people’s creation of business results and business value (client, customer, etc.):

• If people authentically produce value (or business results that are valued in a business context), this aspect may be considered High.
• If people authentically produce business results (in a business context, but not necessarily business valued results), this aspect may be considered Medium.
  Note: Producing technology infrastructure does not produce business value but only the potential of future business value!
• If people don’t authentically produce business results (or business value), this aspect may be considered Low.

Fundamentally, if people are challenged with business results or business value, they may be part of an unnatural group.

Collaboration: Mutual Authentic & Appreciative Engagement

Consider people’s engagement:

• If engagement involves flow-and-pull and is genuine (authentic), valued (appreciated), reciprocated (mutual), this aspect may be considered High.
• If engagement involves flow-and-pull, this aspect may be considered Medium.
• If engagement does not involve flow-and-pull (but batch-and-push), this aspect may be considered Low.

Fundamentally, if people are challenged with engagement, they may be part of an unnatural group.

Responsiveness: Time-based Results

Consider people’s responsiveness:

• If people are responsive (not merely reactive or expeditious) to any chaos that surrounds them, this aspect may be considered High.
• If people are responsive (not merely reactive or expeditious) to change, this aspect may be considered Medium.
• If people are not responsive (but may be merely reactive or expeditious), this aspect may be considered Low.

Fundamentally, if people are challenged with responsiveness, they may be part of an unnatural group.

Agility Health Quotient (AHQ) / Agility Health Index (AHI)

Generally,

• If the aspects are predominantly Low, overall Agility Health may be regarded as Low, less healthy (or ultimately unhealthy).
• If the aspects are predominantly Medium, overall Agility Health may be regarded as Medium, stable.
• If the aspects are predominantly High, overall Agility Health may be regarded as High, more healthy (or ultimately healthy).

Specifically, quantifying these qualitative aspects, if Low is 1 point, Medium is 2 points, and High is 3 points, Agility Health is the sum of the points related to each aspects (which are equally weighted). Thus, four Low aspects is 1 + 1 + 1 +1 for a total of 4, and four High aspects is 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 for a total of 12. Thus, a sum/score of:

• 4 is regarded as predominantly unhealthy.
• 5 or 6 is regarded as less healthy.
• 7, 8, or 9 is regarded as stable.
• 10 or 11 is regarded as more healthy.
• 12 is regarded as predominantly healthy.

Variations of this approach have included a 5 point scale (very high, high, medium, low, very low) and weighing the aspects.

Anecdotal evidence using this approach to consistently gauge Agility Health and measure the Agility Health Quotient (AHQ) / Agility Health Index (AHI) of a team or organization over time has proven valuable to derive actionable steps in improving health.

Additionally, the notion of an unnatural group is crucial in fostering a thriving organization.

Creatively and Innovatively Approaching The Art of War and The Prince

After discovering Round Table Companies (RTC) and exploring their Entertain. Educate. inform. Inspire. message and their Articulate. Amplify. Monetize. (“Your Ideas + RTC = Impact”) message, I was intrigued, but not being much of a comic book fan, I was somewhat skeptical. After discovering their non-fiction comic books, The Art of War and The Prince, I was completely intrigued! I contacted Corey Blake (@CoreyBlake9000) and he kindly shared review copies.

Both, The Art of War and The Prince, take rich works concerning human nature (The Art of War and The Prince), which are not too easily consumable in their original wisdom-full form, and creatively & innovatively distill them into more consumable and impactful nuggets. They don’t offer a mere quick read but a distilled and potent read (that makes the works more accessible to a broader audience)!

Reflecting on Round Table Companies‘ work, images of O’Reilly Media and their creativity & innovation emerge! As the last quote in The Prince is “I’m not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it”, its the energy and passion of such enterprises as Round Table Companies who likewise are not interested in preserving the status quo…

If you have a rich topic or subject and want to make an even greater impact, reach out to Round Table Companies, you will be completely amazed…

See The Comic Book Renaissance for more!

Who Moved My Cheese, I Moved Your Cheese, and Tribal Leadership

In Who Moved My Cheese, Spencer Johnson (@RedTreeLeaders) introduces the parable of four characters (mice and “littlepeople”) who live in a Maze and look for Cheese. Cheese is a metaphor for “what you want”. The Maze is a metaphor for “where you look for what you want”. As the characters deal with unexpected change (the Cheese being moved), they discover how to deal with change: “Change Happens”, “Anticipate Change”, “Monitor Change”, “Adapt to Change Quickly”, “Change”, “Enjoy Change”, and “Be Ready to Quickly Change Again and Again”.

In I Moved Your Cheese, Deepak Malhotra (@Prof_Malhotra) extends the fable with three unique and adventurous characters (mice) who refuse to accept their reality as given. Rather than chasing after the Cheese, they individually escape the Maze or reconfigure it to their liking, thus creating new realities: “The problem is not that the mouse is in the maze, but that the maze is in the mouse.”

In Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization, Dave Logan (@DaveLogan1), John King (@KingOfLA), and Halee Fischer-Wright focus on how leaders leverage natural groups to build thriving organizations (based on a ten-year, 24,000 person, organizational research study). They introduce five cultural stages (theme, mood, relationships):

• Stage 1 – “Life sucks”, Alienated, Undermining;
• Stage 2 – “My life sucks”, Separate, Ineffective;
• Stage 3 – “I’m great (and you’re not)”, Personal Domination, Useful (Dyadic);
• Stage 4 – “We’re great (and they’re not)”, Stable Partnership, Important (Triadic); and
• Stage 5 – “Life is great”, Team, Vital (Triadic).

The chasm between Stage 3 and Stage 4 is huge, and Stage 4 is the realm / zone of Tribal Leadership. For more information on Tribal Leadership, please see Tribal Leadership Distilled: Paradigm, Process, and Model and Tribal Leadership in a Nutshell.

While Who Moved My Cheese and I Moved Your Cheese offer a compelling metaphor for approaching change using Mice, Cheese (and it being moved), and the Maze (and its walls), Who Moved My Cheese and I Moved Your Cheese generally offer a less compelling metaphor for approaching leadership, culture, and strategy.

Consider Stage 2, “My life sucks”, and ask why? Because someone (who) moved my cheese. Consider Stage 3, “I’m great (and you’re not)”, and ask why? Because I moved your cheese. Consider Stage 4, “We’re great (and they’re not)”, and why? Because its our cheese! Consider Stage 5, “Life is great”, and ask why? Because there is cheese for all! The five cultural stages can be expressed using this metaphor:

• Stage 1 – “Life sucks”… “No Cheese!”;
• Stage 2 – “My life sucks”… Who Moved My Cheese;
• Stage 3 – “I’m great (and you’re not)”… I Moved Your Cheese;
• Stage 4 – “We’re great (and they’re not)”… “Our Cheese!”; and
• Stage 5 – “Life is great”… “Cheese for All!”

Using the metaphors of Mice, Cheese (and it being moved), and the Maze (and its walls), Who Moved My Cheese generally focuses on Tribal Leadership’s Stage 2 (“My life sucks”) and I Moved Your Cheese generally focuses on Tribal Leadership’s Stage 3 (“I’m great (and you’re not)”) with an I-centric view and not authentically offering a focus on Stage 4 (“We’re great (and they’re not)”) with a We-centric view and Human Leadership.

Today’s world demands thriving on chaos in an age of discontinuity — where the past is plagued with incoherence & inconsistency, the present is plagued with chaos and ambiguity, and the future is plagued with unpredictability & uncertainty — and requires more holistically appreciating the interdependence of culture and performance as well as strategy and leadership (and synchronization).

Please see Cheese Moving: Effecting Change Rather Than Accepting It and 3 Reasons Why Business Books Are Bad for You for more.

Artful Transformation and the PRIMES

In The PRIMES: How Any Group Can Solve Any Problem, Chris McGoff (@ThePRIMESbook) of The Clearing with Dana Theus (@DanaTheus) of Magus Consulting describes a set of “simple, enduring, and universally applicable truths” that “unlock the power of a group” in “solving complex problems and driving transformational outcomes” (“direct change, facilitate transformation, and solve complex problems”).

How do the PRIMES relate to Artful Transformation?

The PRIMES

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The book introduces Universe Denters:

Michael Doyle [Chris McGoff’s colleague] and his team had a deep and practical understanding of the true nature of group work. They knew how to unlock the power of a group and catalyze the social construction of knowledge. I watched them accomplish “something big” over and over again. I called them “Universe Denters.”

The book then introduces the PRIMES:

In the process of scaling one organizational challenge or another, over a period of many years, realizations came to my partners and me one at a time — and often just in time. The PRIMES are these “eureka” insights. Usually, they occurred when we got stuck as a team. When something was wrong and we were in trouble, we talked it through. A realization would often surface that fit the exact circumstance and allowed us to move forward. As we refined and reused an insight successfully in other circumstances, we knew we had uncovered a PRIME. To qualify, the insight had to be universally applicable, effective in a wide variety of situations, and it had to be timeless and simple. One after another, we “met” the PRIMES.

This book then emphasizes distinguishing the PRIMES:

One of the most profound revelations in my life is that naming things is the act of creating the human experience and shaping the future. Naming is the core of what we do and what we cause. Naming is an essential first step toward achieving mastery over any aspect of life.

The book is organized into three parts with seven chapters:

Part 1 (The Calling): We pay attention to our “calling” and our desire to make a significant, lasting contribution to organizations, communities, and society. The PRIMES in Part One will help us prepare to meet challenges and enroll others in our vision.

Part 2 (Outward Bound): As we set out on our adventure, specific PRIMES help sustain us as a group. We’ll discover PRIMES for beginning our journey and for dealing with inevitable dangers on the path. Other PRIMES will help us “see around the corner,” to predict specific threats to our goal, and help us manage risks.

Part 3: (Summiting): Our goal is near, but at this stage we encounter the greatest fatigue. Our best and worst behaviors begin to manifest themselves. We’ll uncover PRIMES to help us protect the integrity of the expedition.

Artful Transformation and the PRIMES

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While the PRIMES may generally apply across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation, they also have a natural place across Phase I, II, and III where they may have the greatest impact and value.

The Wanderlust chapter of Part 1 (The Calling) establishes underpinning or foundational PRIMES, which are commonly leveraged across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation.

The Enrollment chapter of Part 1 (The Calling) offers PRIMES commonly leveraged in Phase I (Context) of Artful Transformation.

The Outfitting, Stepping Off, and Here be Dragons chapters of Part 2 (Outward Bound) introduce PRIMES commonly leveraged in Phase II (Foundation) of Artful Transformation.

The Strategic Pause chapter of Part 3 (Summiting) introduces PRIMES commonly leveraged in Phase III (Evolution) of Artful Transformation.

The Declared Leadership chapter of Part 3 (Summiting) establishes overarching or leadership PRIMES, which are commonly leveraged across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation.

Wanderlust

The Wanderlust chapter explores PRIMES that “help you clarify your purpose and prepare you to let the world know your vision.”

CHANGE VS. TRANSFORMATION: Change fixes the past. Transformation creates the future.

INTEGRITY: Change fixes the past. Transformation creates the future.

TRUST THE UNIVERSE: The Universe helps people who live boldly.

ENNOBLEMENT: A great vision elevates the people that hold it.

DYNAMIC INCOMPLETENESS: Co-creation causes co-ownership.

These PRIMES relate to fostering a Wholeness mindset (The Art of War – Wholeness) across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation.

Enrollment

The Enrollment chapter explores PRIMES that “give us the ability to build our team and excite, focus, and commit everyone to do what it takes to achieve our clear vision for the future.”

CORE PRIME: Powerful groups forge five essential agreements.

PARITY: Balancing the As Is and the To Be.

FACTS, STORIES, AND BELIEFS: Beliefs shape the facts we listen to and the stories we tell about them.

STAKE: People have different motivations; inspire them all.

DECLARATION: Great leaders DECLARE what will be, by when.

These PRIMES relate to Phase I of Artful Transformation, and specifically establishing a transformation team and socializing & refining the framework. The CORE PRIME is quintessential in this phase.

Outfitting

The Outfitting chapter explores PRIMES that “prepare you to recognize and manage inevitable obstacles on whatever path you take.”

CULTURE: Every group divides the behaviors it will tolerate from those it will not.

GOSSIP: GOSSIP is pure, destructive energy. Tolerate it at your peril.

CONSENSUS: Everyone “agreeing with everything” is overrated.

VICTIM-LEADER: Empowering discussions focus on that which you can control.

BREACH: Acknowledging BREACH is an important step into INTEGRITY.

These PRIMES relate to Phase II of Artful Transformation, and specifically enacting the framework and renewing value-creation capabilities. The CULTURE PRIME is quintessential in this phase.

Stepping Off

The Stepping Off chapter explores PRIMES “to help fuel the group, and to focus and maintain its energy, as it attempts the extraordinary.”

MUDA: Stop non-value-added activity to make room for value.

REDPOINT: Focus on the fewest, most important, things to do now.

ISSUES FORWARD: Direct your focus to what you can affect.

COHESION: Knowing what you want increases your chances of getting it.

These PRIMES relate to Phase II of Artful Transformation, and specifically enacting the framework and renewing value-creation capabilities. The REDPOINT PRIME is quintessential in this phase.

Here be Dragons

The Here be Dragons chapter explores PRIMES that “clarify the importance of focusing and expanding energy efficiently.”

BIG HAT-LITTLE HAT: Everyone wears two hats. Know which one you wear at all times.

RIGHT VS. RIGHT: The most important arguments occur when rights collide.

RESOLUTION PRINCIPLES: Ethical dilemmas can’t be avoided, but they can be managed.

BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT: Rationality is a function of the information at hand.

LEVELS OF PERSPECTIVE: Where you stand determines the problems and solutions you see.

These PRIMES relate to Phase II of Artful Transformation, and specifically enacting the framework and renewing value-creation capabilities.

Strategic Pause

The Strategic Pause chapter explores PRIMES that “help you locate the source of a group’s problem and help members resolve it quickly.”

FRAGMENTATION: Understanding the natural splintering of intentionality helps address it.

LAGGARDS: Ignore those who will never come along.

OPEN-CLOSE-DECIDE: Only one person, at one moment, makes a decision.

IN-ON: You are either working IN your business, or ON it.

These PRIMES relate to Phase III of Artful Transformation, and specifically renewing oversight capabilities.

Declared Leadership

The Declared Leadership chapter explores PRIMES that “are survival gear for truly great leaders.” “Outfitted with these principles, you will bypass obstacles, navigate the unexpected, and lead your teams through the rough patches every time they appear.”

LEADERSHIP SPECTRUM: Great leaders master multiple leadership styles.

SHAPE SHIFTING: Lead collaboratively or authoritatively, explicitly and intentionally.

CHASE-LOSE: Pursuit of meaningful outcomes inspires teamwork and leadership.

COMMITMENT VS. ATTACHMENT: Success is a state of being.

These PRIMES relate to fostering a Leadership mindset (The Art of War – Leadership) across Phase I, II, and III of Artful Transformation.

Artful Transformation and the PRIMES

The PRIMES provide a rich set of principles that can be used with Artful Transformation “to create the future, produce extraordinary results, and make a dent in the Universe.”