3 Principles That Address Productivity and Communication Challenges
As a leader, you have likely asked yourself these questions...
- How do I get my team to be productive and self-sufficient without micromanaging?
- How do I receive frequent updates without constantly asking?
- How often should I expect updates and communication from my team?
Using the Agile and Scrum principles below, you can answer these questions and develop a highly productive, self-sufficient and self-motivating team.
Encourage your team to self-organize.
Empower your team with the autonomy to decide the “how” when it comes to accomplishing tasks. Allowing team members to determine their own approach to the work creates more buy-in and a shared responsibility. As individuals encounter blockers, they will turn to each other to share knowledge, problem solve, and make decisions, strengthening the team as a whole.
Utilize the “inspect and adapt” approach.
Guide your team through frequent breaks to reflect on and evaluate processes and progress. During the inspection phase, focus on the WHAT to help the team identify what is going well, what is not going well, and what blockers they are facing. During the adaptation phase, focus on the HOW by providing guidance as the team develops solutions and makes adjustments. Provide guidance when necessary but encourage your team to perform this exercise on their own, as well.
Ensure there are plenty of opportunities for transparency and communication.
Engage your team in a daily “stand-up” meeting to ensure all team members are on the same page. The meeting should provide an opportunity for each team member to give an update and report any blockers but should last no longer than 15 minutes. Encourage team members to be open and honest about successes and challenges but move detailed conversations offline to keep the meeting brief.
Productivity and communication issues arise in every industry. These simple, yet powerful, Agile and Scrum principles can help any leader work through common conundrums to cultivate efficient teams that learn through experiences and continuously improve.