It's the People!
Fundamental Concept: Collaboration
From the German Blitzkrieg to Toyota and Southwest Airlines, time and time again it has been demonstrated success through agility is rooted in organizational culture, a culture that enables people to make decisions quickly and take the initiative. At the root of this culture are four guiding principles:
Unity/Trust (Einheit) |
Unity or mutual trust is the internal harmony that converts a mob into a team. Trust develops from common experiences and mutual respect.
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Skill/Expertise (Fingerspitzengefühl)
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This is a zen-like quality of intuitive understanding that results from years of training and experience and enables an individual to “just know what to do” in changing and uncertain situations.
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Mission (Auftragstaktik)
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A commander gives their subordinate a clearly defined goal and obtains their agreement to accomplish the goal. The command does not prescribe how the subordinate should accomplish the goal, rather the subordinate is given freedom to take the initiative which enables flexibility and creativity in execution. In case of controversy, the superior is expected to support the subordinate, so long as the subordinate operates within the “contract.”
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Focus (Schwerpunkt) |
A concept that gives focus or direction to our efforts. In Boyd’s words “Schwerpunkt represents a unifying concept that provides a way to rapidly shape focus and direction of effort as well as harmonize support activities with combat operations. |
TPFKB Collaborative Principles
These are the practices that encourage TPFKB principles of Unity, Skill, Mission, and Focus and develop within a team.
Share the vision | Clearly
state the purpose and intent for the system. Ensure the vision supports the
mission of the organization, and communicate it to everyone involved with
the product
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Manage by Intent | Tell people what needs to be accomplished and why and
leave the details to them.
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Don't Go Dark | Do not let team members become isolated and
uncommunicative from one another or the project sponsors. Keep milestones
short (2 to 3 days).
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Work in Pairs | Never work alone.
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Sleep with the Troops | Project sponsors and manager work and sit with the
development team and are not situated in offices that isolate them from the
team.
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Face to Face | Meet face to face before starting a task
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Come to Jesus | Confess your sins and seek forgiveness.
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