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Do you have any cargo cults operating in your business?  I have used the cargo cult concept often in the past as a teaching illustration.  However, just in the past two weeks I have had several discussions about cargo cults with clients, colleagues, and even in responding to a media query about creating an awesome culture (see https://www.mikerussell.com/2016/05/03/how-to-create-an-awesome-work-culture/).

The name derives from the belief that various ritualistic acts – which are actually imitations of others’ acts – will lead to a bestowing of material wealth (“cargo”).^{[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult]}

The same belief leads to cargo cults in the workplace:  that performing certain acts or practices will produce the same results – “material wealth” – commonly in the form of productivity gains or cost savings – as attained elsewhere.

[shareable]Imitation may be flattering to the originator, but is useless or even damaging to the imitator in the workplace.[/shareable]

Imitation without understanding and appropriate mindset is dangerous.

[Read more…] about Cargo cults in the workplace

Culture.  The word brings to mind many things and images when thinking about organizations.  With the heavy publicity that companies like Google and Facebook receive regarding their “fun” environments, the idea of an “awesome culture” often means ping-pong tables, free food, and the like.

But do those things create an awesome work culture?  A journalist recently asked for feedback about creating one:

1. What is a work culture? What goes into creating one?
2. What are your favorite tips for creating culture?
3. Can a good culture ever compensate for other shortcomings – like lower pay
   or longer hours?
4. What are the risks of ignoring your culture?

Here are some starting points for awesomeness:

[Read more…] about How to Create An Awesome Work Culture

The title of this insight comes from the title of a recent Wall Street Journal commentary by Joseph Epstein, lamenting the current slate of U.S. presidential candidates.  The question for you is:  Is your business succession any better off?

For your key roles/positions, do you have outstanding succession candidates?

Too many businesses leave the business of filling key positions until the positions become open.  That is too late.  Unfortunately, succession is often perennially in the business “to do” list but rarely acted on, much less consistently.

The time to prepare and position candidates is in advance of the opening. For the most important roles, preparations should be ongoing and involve several layers of future candidates.

Succession is also not just a matter of casting a vote or picking someone for a business role.  For businesses and presidential politics alike, the candidates reflect the overall system of candidacy … who is a candidate is in large part determined by the total “system.”  How well does your system work?

Action:

• What do your succession candidates “say” about your business?
• Do you have a strong and consistent flow of excellent candidates for key roles?  If not, is this creating significant risks?
• What aspects of your “candidate system” need changing?
• What can you do to start changes in your area of responsibility right now?

 

By Mike Russell

In previous insights we’ve looked at input to an article on (software) applications bottlenecks.  However, the bottlenecks may not be software-related at all.  Now we’ll cover the article inputs that have implications for two broader types of bottlenecks:  product and business.  Or maybe you don’t have a bottleneck, but are “corked” … completely blocked.

Businesses have a wonderful opportunity to learn from startups.  Startup application development is usually a life or death matter.  Larger businesses should look at that mindset in place of the “same old, same old” rhythm of incremental development and mediocrity.

Because most current day startups (not the dot com boom ones) are relatively lean, startup methods start lean.  Leanness generates additional capacity and speed by not wasting time and effort on non-value adding activity. 

Also, a startup’s application is their product and is their business.  Therefore, startup approaches tend to take a more holistic view of success and tend to be more successful than “projects” as a result.  Silos in a startup are usually non-existent … there are different skill sets but everyone is in the same boat and rowing in the same direction.

Focusing only on application development speed is like focusing only on the race car engine RPMs and not the track and finish line.

Using a tachometer only, without speed, fuel, and other gauges, not to mention being able to see where going and progress made, is useless for driving and also for application development.

[Read more…] about Are Business Bottlenecks Limiting Your Success?

I earlier provided a link to an article on (software) application development bottlenecks.  I was quoted twice in the article along with other sources like Gartner and Forrester Research.

Although I was quoted twice, I provided more information than made it into the article.  In this insight, I’ll provide some of the other perspectives.

To recap, here are the two segments that were published:

Application development speed and capacity are usually NOT the issue.  The issue is that the business users’ requests are not prioritized and valued such that priorities are established and existing capacity is dedicated to higher value work, yielding better use and ROI of scarce development time.  Every business has finite resources.  If benefits/value are not established, there is no way the business can rationally make decisions about how to use scarce resources, especially application development.  Without valuation and associated prioritization, priorities are usually established by politics and the infamous “who yells the loudest” methods.  Also, there are no curbs on “business demands” because no one knows what is reasonable.

The craft of business analysis has degenerated into requirements writing and management in many companies.  GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) still applies to application development.  If businesses don’t make an effort to truly understand who the customers are and what they need, then products are often based solely on internal thinking (and therefore often assumptions instead of facts) about what customers need.  In this case, applications development can speed up 1,000 times and still be a waste since all the effort will be invested in delivering the wrong thing.  The initial thinking should be treated as an assumption and tested by market feedback.

Here are some of the additional, unpublished perspectives along with some explanation of the “why” I made the statements:

[Read more…] about Software development bottlenecks, take 2

To reorganize or not to reorganize (or “reorg” as often shortened in corporate speak) is a typical question on the minds of those who want to bring change to an organization.

On the surface, it may seem like an easy answer … reorg.

However, the answer is not that simple and depends on the specific situation.

In Robert M. Gates’ new book, A Passion for Leadership: Lessons on Change and Reform from Fifty Years of Public Service, Mr. Gates recommends not changing the organization to bring about change.

I agree and disagree. [Read more…] about Lessons on Change … Don’t Change?