Post on 13-Jan-2017
Dark
collaborationTHE NEW VIRAL THREAT TO AGILE/LEAN INITIATIVES
LKCE 2016, KATHERINE KIRK
Agenda
Intro
Challenge
Context
Forced collaboration
Speed = stress
Dark collaboration
Summary
Anecdotes
Conclusion
Agenda
Intro
Challenge
True or false:
“Making collaboration EASIER is the aim”
Collaboration fatigue
− Tasler, Nick. “How to avoid collaboration fatigue”. www.hbr.org/2014/07/how-
to-avoid-collaboration-fatigue/ Harvard Business Review, 10 July 2014.
www.hbr.org.
Decision fatigue
− Craig, Lacey. “5 Ways To Minimize Decision Fatigue In Your Business”.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lacey-craig/5-ways-to-minimize-
decisi_b_9623396.html . TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc, 06 April 2014.
www.huffingtonpost.com
− Bakalar, Nicholas. “Doctors and Decision Fatigue”.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/27/doctors-and-decision-fatigue/?_r=0
. The New York Times Company, 27 October, 2014. www.nytimes.com
− Tierneyaug, John. “Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue?”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magazine/do-you-suffer-from-decision-
fatigue.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0. The New York Times Company, 17
August, 2011. www.nytimes.com
References
Dark Triad
− Kaufman, Scott Barry. “The Dark Triad and Impulsivity”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-barry-kaufman/dark-
triad_b_890003.html. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc, 05 July 2011.
www.huffingtonpost.com
− “Dark triad” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_triad
Diversity
− MI5 Chief, Andrew Parker “MI5 head: ‘increasingly aggressive’ Russia a
growing threat to UK” https://www.theguardian.com/uk-
news/2016/oct/31/andrew-parker-increasingly-aggressive-russia-a-growing-
threat-to-uk-says-mi5-head?CMP=share_btn_tw
Stress
− TED talk, Daniel Levitin (Neuroscientist) “How to Stay Calm when you are
stressed”
https://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_levitin_how_to_stay_calm_when_you_know
_you_ll_be_stressed/transcript
References (con’t)
Agenda
Intro
Challenge
Context
“Agile/Lean collaborative working is a
cult created by genius’ to takeover the
business world in order to make money”
One person knows best
Take care of royalty the most – they are the ‘HEAD’ of the universe
Kill or jail anyone who is a threat
Mute anyone who appears to know more
Change via war, mutiny, secrecy, takeovers etc
Executive Management
Culture
One person knows best
Take care of royalty the most – they are the ‘HEAD’ of the universe
“Kill or jail” anyone who is a threat
Mute anyone who appears to know more
Change via war, mutiny, secrecy, takeovers etc
Control
All about me
Perfection
Documentaries
“Wonder of the Universe” – Professor Brian Cox
“City in the Sky” – Campbell & Fry
“The Millionaires Holiday Club”
Gordon Gekko – 1980’s Motto Reality….
You can get control Its all about ‘ME’ You can get perfection
Everything is in a state of change We need to collaborate (its not about
‘the me)o Interdependent ecosystem
Satisfaction is hard (perfection is rare and not easily sustained)
3 characteristics of
existence
Everything is in a constant state of change
It’s not about “the me”
(we are part of an interdependent ecosystem)
We will always battle dissatisfaction
3 characteristics of
industry
Everything is in a constant state of change
It’s not about “the me”
(we are part of an interdependent ecosystem)
We will always battle dissatisfaction
Technology change
in last 25yrs
“…it seems like
250 years have
passed, not just
25…”
“No industry
has seen more
dramatic
change…over
last 25 years,
than
technology
business…”
People had to interact to bring expertise
together to find solutions
− to complex technology problems
− and to deliver more effectively and quickly
TO MAKE THE CUSTOMER HAPPY and get better
business value
That’s Agile and Lean
A PRACTICAL response to
− 3 characteristics of industry
− and increasing business demand
Agenda
Intro
Challenge
Context
Forced collaboration
“Techs love collaboration. Execs love
collaboration. As soon as they do it,
they can’t get enough. They do it a lot
because they enjoy it so much”
“Techs love hugging. Execs love
hugging. As soon as they do it, they
can’t get enough. They do it a lot
because they enjoy it so much”
A Kanban board does not mean we will
all instantly get along!
REALITY
Techs like collaborating as
much as hugging
Execs like collaborating
only with those they
worship or who worship
them
Agenda
Intro
Challenge
Context
Forced collaboration
Speed = stress
Customer & Business
Demand = Stress
“Collaboration is so fun, techs
& execs are doing more and
more just for the sake of it.
They love it so much. In fact,
they could stop collaborating if
they wanted to”
Rough guess...Increasing market demand?
Delivery cadence
1980 Every 10 years
1990 Every 5 years
2000 Every 1-2 years
2010 Every 1-6 months
Now (2016) 7 times per day?
Now we have to make more decisions than ever!
No. of deliveries/ year
No. of interactions No of decisions
For every collaboration: 2 minimum decisions (what next, due when)
Yearly 1 3(min 1 BA, 1 Dev, 1 Tester)
6
Monthly 12 36 72
Fortnightly 24 72 576
Daily 192(4 days p/w x 48 wks)
576 1,156
7 times per day 1,344 4,032 8064
Future ???? ++++ ???? ++++ ???? ++++
Waiting for 1 person to decide = huge risk of delay
Decisions...decisions
The WAY we interact now matters more
− Because its how we make decisions
− It’s how we ensure
Executives can make good strategy
Experts ‘on the ground’ feedback VITAL information
So...here’s the issue...
Decisions need to be made
down AND up the ‘hierarchy’
now!
DECISIONS: involve whole hierarchy
We can’t wait for 1 or 2 people
to answer our questions
We need to be empowered
Consequence of
continuous collaboration!
Impact of constant interaction
− More delivery == more interactions
− More interactions == more collaboration
Collaboration = people interacting with people!!!
Relying on people interaction means...
Higher risk of behaviour dysfunction affecting outcome
− e.g. Misunderstanding
WARNING: High level of interaction not managed effectively
Exhaustion, battle weary etc
This is stressing us out
Agenda
Intro
Challenge
Context
Forced collaboration
Speed = stress
Dark collaboration
Me, me, me
Controlling
Manipulative
Narcissism
Psychopathy
Machiavellianism
Stress/Context can trigger a ‘soft’ combination of
these traits IN ALL OF US
− Narcissism
me, me, me, self centred/absorbed, egotistical,
grandiose
− Psychopathy
heartless, controlling, selfish, remorseless
− Machiavellianism
manipulative
We all possess to some degree – on a sliding scale
Agenda
Intro
Challenge
Context
Forced collaboration
Speed = stress
Dark collaboration
Summary
Summary
“Unnaturalness” of collaboration for Techs & Execs
+ business demand for more (because it works)
= stress response
= dysfunctional behaviour – Dark Triad
= habitual responses
→ the threat: DARK COLLABORATION becomes a
real thing?
The worst form of Dark Collaboration
“Happy-making”
Business Needs
to be Successful
Translation The DARKEST
collaboration
(“Happy Making” RISK)
• Differentiation
• Competitive
advantage
• Innovation
• Creative thinking
• Risk identification
& mitigation
• Being different
• Standing out
• Crazy ideas
• New connections
• Seeing & dealing
with uncomfortable
truths HEAD on
• “yes men”
• Blending in
• Comfort culture
• Accepting as things are
• Not challenging
• Avoiding things that make
us unhappy or stressed
Business Needs
to be Successful
Translation The DARKEST
collaboration
(“Happy Making” RISK)
• Differentiation
• Competitive
advantage
• Innovation
• Creative thinking
• Risk identification
& mitigation
• Being different
• Standing out
• Crazy ideas
• New connections
• Seeing & dealing
with uncomfortable
truths HEAD on
• “yes men”
• Blending in
• Comfort culture
• Accepting as things are
• Not challenging
• Avoiding things that make
us unhappy or stressed
Business Needs
to be Successful
Translation The DARKEST
collaboration
(“Happy Making” RISK)
• Differentiation
• Competitive
advantage
• Innovation
• Creative thinking
• Risk identification
& mitigation
• Being different
• Standing out
• Crazy ideas
• New connections
• Seeing & dealing
with uncomfortable
truths HEAD on
• “yes men”
• Blending in
• Comfort culture
• Accepting as things are
• Not challenging
• Avoiding things that make
us unhappy or stressed
Agenda
Intro
Challenge
Context
Forced collaboration
Speed = stress
Dark collaboration
Summary
Anecdotes
Anecdote 1
Raise your Awareness: See it
Anecdote 2
(the most important one)
Embrace Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity
Wikipedia: “Neurodiversity is an
approach [to looking at the way we
think and operate in different ways] …
that suggests that diverse neurological
conditions appear as a result of normal
variations in the human genome.”
REMEMBER
Collaborative monoculture
derails the purpose of Agile/Lean:
meeting market demand
Embrace difference
Respect alternative views and approaches
− Embrace spicy
− Welcome controversy
− Enjoy strange viewpoints
− Take your time
− Complain
− Rebel
YOU ARE DOING THE COMPANY A FAVOUR
@inclusivecollab
(Investigate the work of Dr Sal Freudenberg)
Agenda
Intro
Challenge
Context
Forced collaboration
Speed = stress
Dark collaboration
Summary
Anecdotes
Conclusion
Wrap up
Unnaturalness of collaboration for Techs & Execs
+ business demand for more (because it works)
= stress response (Collaboration fatigue, Decision fatigue)
= dysfunctional behaviour … The Dark Triad
= habitual responses
The threat: DARK COLLABORATION becomes a
real thing
Biggest threat – ‘Happy Making’ comfort collaboration
Anecdote: See it, be mindful – embrace
neurodiversity!
Destination EASY collaboration
= NOT TRUE
Beware the slippery slope of
comfort
If collaborating is difficult –
you’re probably doing the right
thing!
@inclusivecollab
(Investigate the work of Dr Sal Freudenberg)
THANK YOU!@KKIRK