Team  ## Metadata - Author: [[David Allen and Edward Lamont]] | [[3. Resources/Authors/David Allen and Edward Lamont|David Allen and Edward Lamont]] - Full Title: Team - Category: #books - Kindle: [Open in Kindle](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C8M6PVC8) - Document Tags: [[Leadership]] ## Document Notes ## Highlights - our planet is offering daily feedback that infinite growth exists nowhere in nature without cost. ([Location 302](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=302)) - What level of performance can we sustain over time without damaging the people on the team, their relationships, or the environment? ([Location 304](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=304)) - We think the only sustainable way forward is to embrace the tension and to know that striving for both health and performance will produce better results over time. ([Location 318](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=318)) - in the mid-1980s, we were taking in about the equivalent of forty newspapers’ worth of information per day. ([Location 433](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=433)) - The constant demand for reactivity has reduced our ability to discern what is truly important and what is simply new and clamoring for a quick response, leaving many worrying about immediate responses to things that have little meaning. ([Location 450](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=450)) - Immediate responses are often required because of someone else’s inefficiency and lack of control. ([Location 451](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=451)) - When we’re overwhelmed by the volume, scrolling offers what feels like a bit of peace. Unfortunately it’s not peace; it’s numbness. But when we’ve not felt genuine peace for a while, most of us will readily accept even a very poor simulacrum. ([Location 454](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=454)) - Most teams remain caught in the busy trap, reacting to the world rather than acting on it. There isn’t time to plan, prioritize, and execute systematically because they are constantly so far underwater with their commitments. ([Location 485](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=485)) - Two people can both be in control of their individual workflows and inventory of commitments. But when they want to achieve something together, the complexity of workflow management increases exponentially. They will now have agreements to manage (implicit as well as explicit) about who’s doing what and by when. Any changes that affect one party will invariably influence the relationship. Given the speed of the workplace these days, this can easily become a swirling mass of unclear agreements, finger-pointing, or simple numbness to the reality that is present. ([Location 512](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=512)) - Companies are missing golden opportunities that are available in their markets because no one feels they have time to think or act strategically. How could they, when they are stuck fighting daily fires? One of the biggest costs is in employee engagement. And the indirect costs of a lack of engagement are pretty much incalculable. Too often initiatives are launched with great fanfare and get money and attention thrown at them for a month or a year, but then they are buried by a new set of initiatives. As layer after layer of “initiative patina” is laid down in the organization, ultimately no one really knows what to focus on. When an organization has 118 “key initiatives,” it effectively has no clear priorities. The consequences show up in a lack of alignment and—worse—priorities that conflict within the organization. ([Location 556](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=556)) - Imagine working on a team where you all clearly know why you’re doing what you’re doing, where the team is heading, what its key priorities are, and what your role is in making that happen. ([Location 574](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=574)) - “Management” means, in the last analysis, the substitution of thought for brawn and muscle, of knowledge for folklore and superstition, and of cooperation for force. —Peter F. Drucker ([Location 597](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=597)) - a variety of workflow methods that give much more agility and autonomy to a team and its members. Lean, Kanban, Six Sigma, Agile, and Scrum ([Location 622](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=622)) - Note: ### Lean **Definition:** Lean is a systematic method for waste minimization within a manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity. It also takes into account waste created through overburden and uneven workloads. Lean focuses on delivering value to the customer efficiently by eliminating non-value-adding activities and optimizing processes. **Key Principles:** - Value: Define what is valuable from the customer’s perspective. - Value Stream: Identify all steps in the value stream and eliminate waste. - Flow: Ensure that value-creating steps flow smoothly. - Pull: Produce only what is needed by the customer. - Perfection: Continuously strive for improvement. ### Kanban **Definition:** Kanban is a visual workflow management method for defining, managing, and improving services that deliver knowledge work. It aims to balance demand with available capacity and to spot bottlenecks to improve flow. **Key Principles:** - Visualize the workflow. - Limit work in progress (WIP). - Manage flow. - Make process policies explicit. - Implement feedback loops. - Improve collaboratively and evolve experimentally. ### Six Sigma **Definition:** Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement, focused on reducing variability and defects in processes. It uses empirical and statistical quality management methods and creates a special infrastructure of people within the organization. **Key Principles:** - Define: Clearly define the problem or project goals. - Measure: Quantify the problem. - Analyze: Identify the cause of the problem. - Improve: Implement and verify the solution. - Control: Maintain the solution. ### Agile **Definition:** Agile is a group of methodologies based on iterative development, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing cross-functional teams. It promotes flexible responses to change. **Key Principles:** - Individuals and interactions over processes and tools. - Working software over comprehensive documentation. - Customer collaboration over contract negotiation. - Responding to change over following a plan. ### Scrum **Definition:** Scrum is an Agile framework for developing, delivering, and sustaining complex products. It is characterized by fixed-length iterations called sprints, typically 1-4 weeks long, and roles such as Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team. **Key Principles:** - Transparency: All aspects of the process must be visible. - Inspection: Regular checks on progress towards a Sprint Goal. - Adaptation: Adjustments are made as soon as any variances are detected. - Roles: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team. ### Comparison and Contrast **Similarities:** - **Agile and Scrum:** Both focus on iterative development, customer collaboration, and flexibility. Scrum is a specific implementation of Agile principles. - **Lean and Kanban:** Both emphasize visualizing the workflow and eliminating waste. Kanban is often used as a Lean tool to visualize and improve workflow. - **Six Sigma and Lean:** Both aim to improve efficiency and reduce waste or defects. However, Six Sigma focuses more on statistical analysis, while Lean focuses on process flow and waste reduction. **Differences:** - **Focus:** - Lean focuses on value and waste reduction. - Kanban focuses on visual workflow management and continuous delivery. - Six Sigma focuses on reducing defects and variability. - Agile focuses on flexibility and iterative development. - Scrum focuses on structured roles and iterations within Agile. - **Implementation:** - Lean and Kanban can be implemented across various departments and processes. - Six Sigma requires rigorous statistical analysis and is often project-based. - Agile and Scrum are primarily used in software development but can be adapted for other industries. - **Structure:** - Lean and Six Sigma are more structured methodologies with defined tools and techniques. - Agile and Scrum are frameworks that provide guidelines but allow for flexibility in implementation. - Kanban is a flexible method that can be adapted to different workflows without strict rules. ### Conclusion Each of these workflow models and methods has its strengths and is suited for different types of projects and organizational needs. Lean and Six Sigma are more structured and data-driven, focusing on waste reduction and defect elimination, respectively. Agile and Scrum emphasize flexibility, collaboration, and iterative progress, making them ideal for dynamic and evolving projects. Kanban offers a visual and flexible approach to managing workflow and improving processes continuously. Understanding these differences and similarities can help organizations choose the right approach for their specific context and goals. - At its core Lean has a strong focus on respect for people and their well-being. Lean gives them the power to improve their work, which increases their autonomy and engagement, and gives them more time to then focus on other value-adding areas of their jobs. Enabling people to do their best work—and to be fully engaged in it—is a huge component of the Lean philosophy. From a Lean perspective, asking people to do wasteful tasks is disrespectful to them and their time. Similarly, not offering them the opportunity to use their skills to the best effect is not honoring their talents. ([Location 703](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=703)) - In Holacracy it is “circles” that have autonomy to define and fulfill their own purpose within the overall business purpose. Anyone in the organization can surface what are referred to as “tensions”—challenges or opportunities—they identify, and have them processed and resolved quickly, at as “low” a level as possible without everything needing to creep up—and clog up—some chain of command. ([Location 721](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=721)) - Capital “A” Agile—and Scrum, the best-known framework for implementing it—is, like Lean, based on ideas like “flow” and “pull” and focuses on things that are of value to the customer. It’s a more prescriptive framework for delivering value through rapid iteration. ([Location 763](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=763)) - Agile teams are dedicated to “epics” or the big-picture overall mission. Epics are broken down into “stories,” like “improve billing for retail customers.” “Product owners” have authority around overall direction, and “Scrum masters” are responsible for the correct execution of Scrum “ceremonies.” Teams meet after each “Sprint” of two to three weeks and do a retrospective: this is what we achieved in the last Sprint; this is what went well; that’s what didn’t go well. Then, looking forward, this is what we want to take out of our “backlog” and really focus on in the next Sprint. ([Location 769](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=769)) - When misunderstood, agile as dogma can bump up against reality in some very unhelpful ways. ([Location 793](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=793)) - knowledge work requires teams to manage their attention and energy to be productive as individuals, teams, and organizations. It’s about how we apportion time, handle commitments, answer emails, and complete meetings effectively and on time; how we go about defining goals and making plans to achieve them; how we handle interruptions to our plans; and when and how we choose to prioritize responding to those interruptions—or not—with reference to our existing commitments ([Location 830](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=830)) - Defining work is, of course, already a vital part of GTD. Maintaining complete lists of all your commitments has been a key to the power of the system from day one. When you visualize your own work (in a list, a graphic, or some other form), you can organize it, speak about it more clearly, and structure it to become much more manageable. ([Location 861](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=861)) - For us a team is any group that comes together regularly or ad hoc to achieve a common aim that is far more easily achieved together than anything the parts might achieve on their own. ([Location 925](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=925)) - We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. —Benjamin Franklin ([Location 927](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=927)) - We’ve identified five principles that are critical for teams, and a longer list of factors that are desirable and helpful but not absolutely necessary for a team to perform sustainably at a high level. The core principles are as follows: Clarity Sufficient trust Open communication Learning Diversity ([Location 991](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=991)) - A problem well stated is a problem half solved. —Charles Kettering ([Location 1005](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1005)) - When we speak about trust, what we mean is a willingness to commit to common goals, and to trust that there is enough mutual interest in achieving those goals that we can rely on one another to make best efforts to do what we have committed to doing to get there. ([Location 1038](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1038)) - Trust is built by making and keeping promises. ([Location 1040](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1040)) - Your agreements may be renegotiated ([Location 1043](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1043)) - Open communication This is the stablemate for what is now known as psychological safety—the ability to speak freely about things that impact the team without fear of punishment. ([Location 1049](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1049)) - Whether people trust one another as individuals is not at issue here, but whether they trust the process of getting things out in the open. ([Location 1056](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1056)) - It is only by continuously learning about their needs and desires that you can have any hope of partnering with them long-term. ([Location 1066](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1066)) - Fluid leadership— ([Location 1092](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1092)) - Rigorous prioritization— ([Location 1097](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1097)) - Ownership culture— ([Location 1098](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1098)) - Fun— ([Location 1104](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1104)) - Proactivity—The willingness to quickly and consistently move toward both opportunities and problems is a hallmark of great teams. ([Location 1108](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1108)) - Common language—One of the factors that reduces friction and noise on a team is having both a common understanding of the work to be done and how to do it, and a common language that permits clear and concise communication. ([Location 1109](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1109)) - from the domain of GTD workflow: while it is for the individual to manage their own workflow, the team must decide how it will collectively handle its workflow so the individuals can work well together. ([Location 1155](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1155)) - the team should provide efficient structures, clear processes, defined roles, guidance on prioritization, a defense mechanism for handling stakeholders who ask for more than was originally agreed, and support to protect both time to think and time to get work done. ([Location 1163](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1163)) - CONTROL FOCUS PLANNING Capture Clarify Organize Reflect Engage Horizon 5: Purpose and Principles Horizon 4: Vision Horizon 3: Goals Horizon 2: Areas of Focus Horizon 1: Projects Ground: Next Actions Purpose and Principles Vision Brainstorm Organize Next Actions ([Location 1200](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1200)) - Step One: Capture—identifying what has team attention CONTROL FOCUS PLANNING Capture Clarify Organize Reflect Engage Horizon 5: Purpose and Principles Horizon 4: Vision Horizon 3: Goals Horizon 2: Areas of Focus Horizon 1: Projects Ground: Next Actions Purpose and Principles Vision ([Location 1222](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1222)) - Conversely, preventing broken agreements builds trust. As outlined in Getting Things Done, it is relatively simple to prevent agreements from being broken in a damaging way. All you need to do is not make the agreements; complete what you agreed to; or renegotiate agreements when you see they can’t be delivered as promised. ([Location 1244](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1244)) - Given all the difficult items that teams have on their plates, it would be a shame to fail at the simple stuff, like making a note in a meeting about what was agreed on, who is going to do it, and by when it is due. ([Location 1257](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1257)) - Capturing it all is only the first step, but simply getting it out of the collective team brain so everyone can see the scope of it is a massive advantage. ([Location 1281](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1281)) - The late, great Peter Drucker suggested that the biggest challenge for knowledge workers was in defining what their work is, specifically. ([Location 1304](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1304)) - At its core, “work” can be reduced to outcomes desired, and actions required to achieve them. What is the result that we’re after, and how do we allocate physical resources to make it happen? ([Location 1307](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1307)) - The team will want to be able to clarify things as a team at regular intervals, but one of the biggest interventions it can make to its effectiveness and efficiency is to let all team members know that they not only have permission to protect time to clarify their own work, but that it is an expected part of their job. ([Location 1315](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1315)) - how will a team clarify topics brought to a team meeting to be thought through together? The same questions hold as for individuals: What is it? A new request? Does it relate to an existing team project? What—if any—team dependencies are in play with this item? Is it actionable? Is it aligned with our mission, vision, purpose? If it is actionable, what is the next action? Is there a clearly defined, desired outcome we want to track as a team? Who is doing that? By when? ([Location 1319](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1319)) - She and her husband started doing a weekly review of a shared Google calendar and found it helped them stay on top of their young children’s sports activities, school performances, orthodontist appointments, etc. ([Location 1437](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1437)) - If there are problems with priorities, can we start adjusting them? Does anyone on the team need help with something they are working on? How about the dependencies between projects? If one project can’t go forward while waiting for the progress of another, does anything need to happen to manage expectations and minimize disruption elsewhere in the system? Is there an intersection of all these different projects that suggests we should bring them together so that we’re not duplicating work? Can we harmonize and accelerate the deployment of these things that are going to be faster because we’re much more coordinated than before? ([Location 1472](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1472)) - Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance. —Kurt Vonnegut ([Location 1518](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1518)) - While the five steps of Capture, Clarify, Organize, Reflect, and Engage will help you to get control of what you currently have in play, the Horizons of Focus model clarifies why you are doing any of that stuff at all. ([Location 1540](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1540)) - They don’t want to just do the same work better and faster; they want to be sure that they are doing the right work. ([Location 1544](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1544)) - This is why we’re here. (Purpose) This is how we play the game together. (Principles) This is where we’re going. (Vision) Here are the milestones we’ll pass on our way. (Goals) And finally, Here is your role in making that happen, and how you’ll be judged and rewarded for your contribution. (Areas of Focus) ([Location 1555](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1555)) - The absence of purpose is felt day in and day out in teams around the world, with employees hired and—after the briefest of onboarding sessions—plopped in front of a freshly baked email account and given no context for their labor. Is it any wonder when the latest employee survey shows that the workforce isn’t quite as engaged as leadership might hope? ([Location 1608](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1608)) - Being clear on purpose also opens possibilities. If we know we exist to solve a particular problem and keep clear of becoming attached to solving it in a particular way, we can avoid seeing new means of solving the problem as a threat. ([Location 1654](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1654)) - We have grappled with the definition of “principles” for quite a while. Essentially, they mean the big “how” of how we get things done. ([Location 1726](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1726)) - Principles—high-level guidance about the values, parameters, or guidelines of how you want to work together, and what is out of bounds. ([Location 1730](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1730)) - Working standards—much more granular guidance about practices and processes that support making the principles a reality in day-to-day work on the team. ([Location 1731](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1731)) - a useful definition of culture is “the way we do things around here.” ([Location 1871](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1871)) - This means the way we do things when no one is watching, and what we normally expect from one another in how we interact on our team. ([Location 1872](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1872)) - According to Peter Drucker, it is so powerful that it eats strategy for breakfast. And if team culture is how you do things, then not clearly defining how you want to do things together is a form of negligence that impacts not only people’s team performance but also their health. ([Location 1873](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1873)) - The gap between your expectations about how things should be done and theirs can be a source of completely unnecessary tension and resentment in a team. ([Location 1935](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=1935)) - Ensure that none of your meetings end without clarifying next actions and accountabilities so that the topics discussed in the meeting move forward once it is done. ([Location 2044](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2044)) - Give information. “We’ve brought you here to let you know . . .” Get information. “We need input from you about . . .” Develop options. “We’re here to explore all the possible ways we could handle this . . .” Make decisions. “In this meeting we’ll finalize our decisions about how to proceed . . .” Human connections. “We’ve brought you together so we can meet one another personally and put a more human touch on our interactions going forward.” ([Location 2051](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2051)) - To protect us our subconscious has a helpful little hack: it simply stops us from wanting things that we don’t think we can achieve. It keeps us from being disappointed, but it also keeps us from even imagining things that we have the potential to be, do, or have. That would be bad enough, but it also keeps us from playing the bigger game that our team, our families, and our communities need us to be playing. ([Location 2319](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2319)) - With vision you want to think big but not necessarily be super specific on details, or the plan for getting there. ([Location 2427](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2427)) - With goals it is more a matter of, “We want this, and we will make a plan for getting it, and focus our energies to make it happen.” ([Location 2428](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2428)) - When you set goals, you ultimately do want to give your dream home an address, along with at least a good sketch of the map for getting there. ([Location 2438](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2438)) - The value of getting specific about goals derives from a similar dynamic observed when agreeing on challenging working standards with one another; clear and hard goals define high performance in a way that allows team members to focus their efforts, use their existing skills, and prioritize appropriately to achieve them. All these things are less likely if the goals are vague or too easy to be motivating. ([Location 2447](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2447)) - reverse engineering the vision by asking a simple question: “What, specifically, do we need to accomplish within the next twelve to twenty-four months, to have us feel we’re on track to achieve our vision?” ([Location 2463](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2463)) - Your goals are set in a particular context; just as you want the team’s goals to drive toward the team vision, it is worth checking that they clearly support any organizational goals that have been communicated. ([Location 2468](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2468)) - The problem is that too often new goals are set without a ruthless discussion of what other projects the team will be pausing—or cutting entirely—to allow the time, space, and creativity to realize the new goals. ([Location 2481](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2481)) - What is often missed are the more “squishy” results that would enhance the health of the team’s work together. If individuals are not performing well as a team, then having a clear goal about how they work together would be a useful first step. If motivation is lagging, then something like “Our people are satisfied and inspired with the processes and accomplishments of the year” is one such goal. It will need to be made just as specific and achievable, with appropriate markers and processes put in place to gauge success. ([Location 2487](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2487)) - Unfortunately, just because it’s been planned down to three decimal points in a spreadsheet won’t make it happen. ([Location 2747](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2747)) - what happens each year in September, or when a new leader shows up. But planning like this simply makes no sense in the context of the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world we mentioned earlier. ([Location 2749](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2749)) - There are five separate stages in the NPM: Purpose and principles Vision Brainstorm Organize Next actions ([Location 2812](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2812)) - Purpose and principles Why are we doing this project? What has our attention in this situation? And what are our rules of engagement in doing this? ([Location 2816](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2816)) - Vision What would success look, sound, and feel like? What’s the desired end result? How will we know when this is satisfactorily achieved? ([Location 2818](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2818)) - Brainstorm What are any and all of the potentially relevant details that we should consider about this? ([Location 2820](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2820)) - Organize How should we structure our thinking about the emergent key components, priorities, and sequences? What are the key parts that need to get done to get to our desired end state? Who needs to be responsible for each? How should we structure our go-forward process? ([Location 2822](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2822)) - Next actions What are the next actions on the current moving parts, and who’s got them? ([Location 2824](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=2824)) - in most situations what is needed is a lot more good leadership, and a lot less people striving to be great leaders. ([Location 3122](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3122)) - We’re more interested in the people who take care of things in a way that means there will be no crises at all. ([Location 3130](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3130)) - Many individuals have no desire to be leaders at all but do want to solve big problems. They want to help those around them to perform above and beyond what they believe they are capable of as individuals, by removing friction and noise from the functioning of the team so that it can deliver dramatically more than the sum of its parts might suggest. ([Location 3132](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3132)) - One definition of a leader is “someone who gets things done through other people.” ([Location 3135](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3135)) - It isn’t the leader who needs attention from their people, but the inverse. ([Location 3136](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3136)) - Similarly, a leader can’t do or control the work of the team. But by doing the mundane maintenance of the structures and working standards of the team they keep day-to-day emergencies to a minimum and allow space for the energy of the team to flourish. ([Location 3148](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3148)) - good leaders find ways to keep themselves from becoming the bottleneck on action and decision-making on the team. ([Location 3151](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3151)) - Everyone on the team can do their job relatively successfully with a partial picture of what is going on, but the team needs at least one person to stay on top of how it all fits together. This is another job that is often ignored by visionary leaders, who don’t like to “get bogged down ([Location 3163](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3163)) - in details” but then overcorrect and don’t pay appropriate attention to them. ([Location 3165](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3165)) - Bring paper or some other means of capturing commitments to every meeting and demonstrate capturing them as they are made. ([Location 3226](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3226)) - Protect thinking time. More than anyone on the team, the leader needs time to think and decide. ([Location 3227](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3227)) - Maintain complete agenda and waiting for lists for when you meet with members of your team individually. ([Location 3236](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3236)) - Maintain an overview of what the team is up to. ([Location 3238](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3238)) - If you have an assistant, schedule five to fifteen minutes every day to go through your agenda and waiting for items for them and—perhaps more important—theirs for you. ([Location 3244](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3244)) - Give your team twenty-four-hour response times on emails you receive. ([Location 3247](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3247)) - take the first few minutes of each meeting to clarify what the desired outcome is, and the last ten minutes to get clear on who has the projects and/or next action. ([Location 3261](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3261)) - Be visible with your weekly review. ([Location 3272](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3272)) - Even worse, many of the projects you say yes to are “pregnant” with other projects and subprojects. But you won’t know that until you get started. Your only prophylactic against adopting all the eventual subproject offspring is to say no in the first place. ([Location 3323](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3323)) - Finally, when teams become overwhelmed and begin losing track of commitments and missing deadlines, the pain of not fulfilling is only part of the cost. They also begin to corrode their self-respect and their self-efficacy—their belief about what they are capable of. ([Location 3365](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3365)) - Great role clarity bakes in a host of nos by establishing clean interfaces between the roles. Team members know that if something comes to them that isn’t part of their responsibility, their job is to move it to where it belongs or escalate for clarity. ([Location 3438](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3438)) - The foundation for good prioritization is maintaining consistent oversight of all current commitments. ([Location 3463](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3463)) - Another way leaders can support individuals in saying no is during one-to-one conversations with their direct reports. Good leaders have always intervened when they notice someone on the team is overloaded, but there is no need to wait for someone to be lightly toasted before helping them reprioritize. ([Location 3523](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3523)) - For both leader and team member, this is one of the places where a complete Projects list shows its true power. Coming to a meeting with your boss and simply telling them you are feeling overwhelmed definitely risks a blank stare in response. Chances are good that your boss is feeling that way, too, and a report on your emotional state may make it difficult for them to help you. If you show up at that meeting with a list of the eighty-seven projects you believe they are expecting you to complete, you’ll have a better basis to check if there are any that can be deprioritized, or to request support with ones that are stuck. Without that clarity it is incredibly difficult to have an effective conversation at all. ([Location 3529](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3529)) - working harder each time you take on more responsibility is a fool’s errand. A leader’s incremental ([Location 3619](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3619)) - Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what you want to achieve and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. ([Location 3649](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3649)) - a leader’s critical responsibilities include the following: Leading on creating the purpose, vision, and working standards Communicating those values consistently by using them as a tool for day-to-day decision-making Establishing and nourishing the culture the team has decided it wants for itself Clarifying what needs doing, and delegating to those who will do it Coordinating and tracking who is doing what by when Defusing conflicts and offering air cover to those who are doing the work ([Location 3652](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3652)) - Phase 1: Preparation—Take at least a few moments to prepare for the conversation with the person you’ll be handing off to. Think carefully about your desired outcome, when you want it, and any resources that the person can access as they do the work. ([Location 3688](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3688)) - Phase 2: Negotiation—Best practice is to actually speak to the person about what you want, versus just firing off an email or chat message. ([Location 3690](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3690)) - Phase 3: Delivery/Completion—Here the person who has accepted the task of delivering the project goes to work and provides updates, if those were part of the agreement. ([Location 3702](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3702)) - Phase 4: Satisfaction (or not)—Once they’ve looked over what has been delivered, the person who delegated the work is either satisfied, or not: ([Location 3708](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3708)) - One of the things we suggest you always negotiate is “by when” delivery is expected. ([Location 3741](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3741)) - For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. —Aristotle ([Location 3785](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0C8M6PVC8&location=3785)) ## Related by Author - [[3. Resources/Readwise/Books/Getting Things Done|Getting Things Done]] - [[3. Resources/Readwise/Books/Making It All Work|Making It All Work]]