First you build the team

…Then you build the things

Nivia S. Henry Curious Human, pet parent and Agilist

@lanooba | linkedin.com/in/nivia

You’ve been misled

Your software resembles your culture

Cul·ture noun \ˈkəl-chər\

“the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or

organization”

Source: Miriam-Webster Dictionary

Team culture that embraces

• Self-organization and management

• Consistency

• Learning orientation

• Change but not chaos

• Quality

• Execution

1. Make the team whole

• Software Engineers • Test Engineers • Product Representatives •Ops • Configuration Management • Customer Service •…and so on

2. Keep them together

Project 1 Project 2

Project 3

“Team”

Team

Task

4. Share the vision with them

3. Empower them to step up

Source: theworkingcaregiver.org

4. Be their poop umbrella

Source: cheezburger.com

Politics

Muscle Memory

Cynicism

Uncertainty

Process-Mongers

The Rest of the Organization

5. Reward curiosity

6. Appreciate them

Then let them build great

things!

You don’t have to have the title to be a leader

• Advocate for these principles

• Find like-minded peers

• Be curious

• Experiment

• Share information

• Acknowledge the work of your peers