Friday, June 18, 2010

Courage

We have suggested in other posts that a tremendous amount of improvement can be made in, to over-simplify, 5 areas:
* ScrumMaster leading the removal of impediments
* Product Owner executing the 85-33% rule (like the 80-20 rule)
* Team having more fun!
* Team reducing Technical Debt all the time
* Continuously better Business Value Engineering

And why do we not see more improvement if there is indeed so much improvement there to be had?

How much improvement? Easily 5x - 10x over not that long a period of time.

So, why not?

Well, first, it is hard. It takes some hard work, but mostly hard thinking and hard conversations.

Second, we must actually believe that serious improvement is possible. Not so easy when we see so much baloney (I was sorely tempted to use a more technical term) happening all the time.

Third, we must actually want serious improvement (this is a key place where fun comes in). You must want it in very part of your body, almost. All of them must want it (well, many of them).

And then, we must have courage. To fight our own stupidity. To persevere against some hardships and some ups and downs. To fight others' stupidity. And to fight all the slings and arrows and natural shocks that come into a daily lives.

And we must focus. Maybe that means working on only one of the 5 areas above at any one time.

It is there. Go for it.