Need to do more? Try slowing down! A lesson in Kanban.

Have you ever had so much going on that you don't know where to start? Or you've got your toe in so many tasks/projects that it seems like nothing ever gets DONE? 

Mike Edwards (@mikeeedwards) led a session on Tuesday Dec 4th at the Kitchener CommuniTech 'Limited WIP Society' meeting (@ltdWIP), to show us how Kanban can help bring focus and faster resolution to our workday. He made it clear that Kanban doesn't work in all situations; it has to be a good mix with the corporate culture. 

Check out this YouTube clip he showed the group to demonstrate how easy it is for people to get distracted when there's a lot going on (Change Blindness video link). 

Five simple Kanban rules

1. Visualize the work 
2. Limit WIP: inventory is waste!
3. Measure and monitor 
4. Make processes and policies explicit - make the rules visual, okay for rules to evolve (i.e. How to handle blocks, Batch size (wip) limit, Goal of completion rate)
5. How to treat urgent items and their limit (very disruptive)

The basic idea with Kanban is that you capture a list of task using post-it notes and then you 'pull' tasks into the next column as capacity allows. There's a limit on how many tasks can be worked on at one time, so capacity only opens up once a task is FULLY completed.

Sample Kanban Boards

To Do	Work-In-Progress	Completed

or ...

Backlog	Requirements	Design	Develop	Test	Deploy
E F G	C D	A B

or...

Plan/Define	Build	Verify	Implement

Group Exercise

We did a group exercise that quickly demonstrated his point. A small 'work line' was set up a BA creating batches of requirements which went through a series of developers until it was handed to the customer for final acceptance testing. The first round was chaos and then Mike gradually added more rigour by limited the work in progress. 
Take a look at the results in the '# Accepted' row in the below picture; there's your proof! 

What do you look for in a leader?

Real Simple magazine asked its readers to send in their thoughts on 'What matters to you most in a leader'? I took all entries and then created a 'wordle' based on how much I value these leadership traits.

How would my ranking differ from yours?

Why would one person value consistency in a leader and another value an open mind? Integrity vs. A thinking mind?

People have distinct perspectives and personalities, as captured by the True Colours(R) methodology

Have you done this one? I had high scores in Green, Gold then Orange with a low Blue score.

ORANGE = Skillfulness (zest for life, desire to test limits, need freedom to take immediate action, enjoys negotiating, and lives for adventure)
GOLD = Duty (value order, cherish traditions, value loyalty, help others to do the right thing, high regard for responsibility)
BLUE = Authenticity (very high regard for honesty, enjoy close relationships, want to make a difference in the world)
GREEN = Knowledge (enjoy solving problems and sharing ideas, complex individualists, analytical, don't express emotions openly)

Leaders can improve the job performance of these different personality types by...

ORANGE - allowing freedom to do the job in their own style & understanding their preference for action over words
GOLD - defining the tasks in clear terms and assigning work that requires detailed planning & careful follow-through
BLUE - showing support, caring and appreciation and establish a harmonious working environment
GREEN - assigning projects that require problem solving and discussing the 'big picture' to elicit their outlook

FULL DISCLOSURE

I completed a quick online Social Media training session at work today and it was well worth my time.

 

Did you know... ???

• 4 in 6 active Internet users visit social networking sites
• 67% of people talk to others more online than they do in real life (really?!)
• Over half of 200 million users regularly access Twitter through a mobile phone
• Every 2 seconds someone signs up for a Linked In account

 

My big take-away from the training...

"Regulatory Agencies mandate that individuals disclose their affiliation with a brand/company anytime they post a comment/review about the company's products/services."

 

Although I generally steer clear of social media comments on specific RIM products/services, I may have recirculated comments from others with a "like" or "retweet". To be on the safe side, I decided to add a disclaimer on the sites I regularly use. This proved to be more difficult than anticipated because I wasn't sure exactly where to post this disclaimer on each site.

 

Here's how I added a disclaimer to my sites:

Twitter: Profile -> Bio

Facebook: Profile -> About > About You

Google+: Profile -> Introduction

Linked In: Profile -> Groups & Associations (I was really at a loss on this one, finally decided to fudge it in here)  

 

Final thoughts:

1. Remember that anything written in social media is permanant and searchable. Respect your audience, be smart and be kind.
2. You are responsible for what you post. Imagine your boss or grandmother looking over your shoulder - would it be ok for them to see what you're about to post?
3. Use common sense.

Is Email going the way of the Dodo bird?

I admit - I'm an email hog. It's quick, it's comfortable, it's reliable. But is it the best/only communication channel out there? Definitely not. Maybe new channels of communication are gaining popularity for good reason. Maybe emails will quite down just like my phone that never seems to ring?

After reading "Email is the new pony express - and it's time to put it down" by Ryan Holmes (Fast Company) I thought about how email could be holding me back.

To start, a quick summary of key points from the article:
1. Email has become the unproductivity tool
2. Email is linear, not collaborative
3. Email is not social
4. Your inbox is a black hole
5. Sharing documents on email is a joke

I am currently working on a project with external vendors and will admit that our current approach to project communication is appalling. We can't use the approved corporate social media tool (IBM's eCollaboration) because of third party developers on the team. So we're relying mostly on email discussions.
I'm seeing first-hand how ineffective email threads are when we add in the extra complication of time differences. Some mornings I have to combine multiple emails that are actually the same thread but have had responses from different pieces. We're doing our best to encourage verbal conversations and video conferencing to connect across the globe - but I really do miss the discussion forums available for internal projects. 

I have heard a lot of buzz on email alternatives and am willing to go out of my comfort range to continue exploring social media options. Have you found any secure email alternatives to use within the company? What about alternatives when working with a mixed internal/external project team?

Professional Development ideas using Social Media

I recently participated in an Introduction to Social Media for Professional Development webinar session, led by the Social Learning Centre (SLC). 

It was a good reminder that I need to personally control my own professional development. The job market has moved away from a 'job for life' model into a more temporary or freelance model. Companies are investing less in employee development as they see people leaving after a relatively short period (say 2-5 years).
It's similar to the familiar concept of "you have to manage your own career", only focused on professional development. An interesting point was that the information learnt in college has an average life span of 5 years. FIVE YEARS?! To stay marketable, continuous learning is a must. 

SLC offers the "SCOPE" framework to build your own professional development plan:

• Self-Organised: YOU have to put the effort in
• Continuous: 10 minutes each day adds up!
• Ongoing: make it a habit
• Personalised: plan an approach that will fit into your life and meet your needs
• Evidence-based: record what you've learnt to improve your online presence (think future employers)

But how do build our knowledge when companies are tightening their training budgets? Professional development is not limited to conferences and courses. There are so many continuous learning opportunities available from the social media scene.

I was surprised by the top ten tools for professional development because I tend to think of these sites for more personal use: Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. So instead of following Lady Gaga on Twitter (ranked #1 with 30 million + followers), we should be looking for people/companies who are in our field, industry, or other areas of interest.

 

How to use Twitter for Social Learning

How to use Facebook for Social Learning

As a final thought, I loved the Twitter poll used in the webinar! I’ve already signed up and a ran a test with some friends on their favourite spot for coffee. It was really easy to use and I'm excited to try it out in a work scenario.

To be a star, you must make it rain

I was introduced to the Rainmaker Credo a few years ago and have kept a printed copy at my desk since. Although I personally do not work with external customers, I still have internal customers with similar expectations.

From author Jeffrey J. Fox: "In today’s business culture... there are more products and services available than ever before. To be a star, you must make it rain. A Rainmaker is a person who brings revenue into an organization, be it profit or not-for-profit". 

 

THE RAINMAKER'S CREDO

• Cherish customers at all times
• Treat customers as you would your best friend
• Listen to customers and decipher their needs
• Make (or give) customers what they need
• Show customers the... value of what they will get
• Teach customers to want what they need
• Make your product the way customers want it
• Get your product to your customers when they want it
• Give your customers a little extra, more than they expect
• Remind customers of the... value they received
• Thank each customer sincerely and often ...
• Ask to do it again

...NOTE: I removed a few items which do not speak to me personally, as I am not in a Sales role -  "dollarized" from "dollarized value" and "Help customers pay you, so they won’t be embarrassed and go elsewhere"

Lessons from 'The Iron Duke' - give more praise!

Having recently completed a Myers-Briggs survey, I discovered that I am an Extroverted / Sensing / Thinking / Judging type of person (ESTJ). Looking more closely at the Thinking element, M-B states that these people "look at the logical consequences of a choice or action... energized by critiquing and analyzing to identify what's wrong with something so they can solve the problem". The flip side of Thinking is Feeling, of which M-B states that these people "are energized by appreciating and supporting others and look for qualities to praise". Now I will say that I only had a small preference to the Thinking side (23%), so I think I can balance these opposing fields - but it's interesting to understand that praise is a skill that comes more/less naturally to some.

We need to show more recognition and praise in the workplace for a job well done. Everyone deserves to feel proud and respected for their contributions.

From HOMEdigest 'The Sixty-Five Per Cent - Why is it so hard to give praise?' - "a survey in 2011 reported that 65% of Americans received no recognition in the workplace". No recognition? Zero, nothing? How sad.
The article ties in a reference to the Duke of Wellington ("the Iron Duke") who was famous for defeating Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. On his deathbed, he was asked if he had any regrets. "He replied, 'Yes, I should have given more praise'. More praise to the officers and men who slugged it out face-to-face with the enemy while (the Duke) received an abundance of honours and adulation".

So if you're a Feeling type of person (according to M-B), keep up the strong praise and acknowledgements. Your leadership may help set a good example and spread positive feedback. And if you're a Thinking type of person (according to M-B), remember to show more recognition and praise in the workplace for a job well done. Everyone deserves to feel proud and respected for their contributions.

Not just change, but LEAN change!

We've all experienced change in the workplace... some good and some not so good - although it seems like we have more experience with the bad & ugly. What makes change management so difficult? Oh right - there's the people factor. People are unique and will react differently.

Jeff Anderson and Alexis Hui from Deloitte presented their thoughts on 'Lean Change' to the KW Limited WIP Society yesterday. Their methodology is a combination of Kotter's 8 Steps, Lean Kanban, and Ash Maurya's 'Running Lean' principles.

Lean Canvas

I was introduced to a new concept called a 'Lean Canvas'. It's a one page business model that is produced on a large scale (whiteboard, empty wall) to ensure visibility. It reminded me of an A3, only blown up from its 11x17 piece of paper. In Kanban style, post-it notes are used on the Canvas to capture key points.
The Canvas presented by Jeff and Alexis captured key points on Urgency, Vision, Success Criteria, Target State, Action, Change Recipients, and Wins/Benefits.
At the bottom of the Canvas, Action Post-It Notes were moved Kanban style from a 'to-do' pile, to a 'work-in-progress' pile in the middle, and finally to 'done' once fully completed.

 

Change Risk

Three types of change were addressed in the presentation:

1. Change risk: will the business problem be fixed or do we have the wrong change?
2. Resistance risk: will people adopt the change or is it a bad "fit" (i.e. cultural barriers)?
3. Sustainability risk: will people continue with the change?

Organisations need the ability to continually transform their people, processes and technology. Lean Change is a relatively new concept. It was interesting to learn a new application for Kanban methods. Having stakeholders involved in building a Canvas and Action Plan using visual Kanban should increase buy-in and enhance chances of a successful change adoption. And if not, the team can work together on another change option (using an iterative approach) to find the best solution to address the problem.

For more from the experts... check out http://agileconsulting.blogspot.ca/

Work "rules" to break

We've all heard these before - the workplace demands certain behaviors with rigid rules to follow... 1. Stay away from emotional topics 2. Climb the career ladder 3. Do what you were hired to do 4. Live at the office 5. Network 24/7 In '5 Work Rules You Should Break', Patrick Doyle argues against all of the above. Here are some of my own thoughts... Stay away from emotional topics Highly recommend this quick You Tube clip of an interview with Anne Kreamer on 'Emotions in the Workplace'. Humans are emotional beings and it's ridiculous to think that we can fully check our emotions at the door when coming to work. Emotions bring out the passion in people and allow us confront real issues rather than becoming complacent. When we share feelings with our coworkers we develop deeper relationships and learn to emphasise with others. Climb the career ladder The myth out there is that you have to pursue a management job to build a career path that is progressing and rewarding appropriately. Our own OD department has developed two distinct paths: People Managers and Individual Contributors. I believe that both paths offer opportunities for promotion. In our current business environment, I think a resume is valued for the value a person realised - rather than the number of people managed. Lateral movements can develop new skills and open doors to new career paths. Do what you were hired to do We all know someone who "only does their job"... but does anyone like working with that person? It's frustrating when people don't accept personal ownership and accountability under a false shield of it being "outside their job responsibility". Going above and beyond to get the job done right is appreciated and recognised. Live at the office Developing interests and hobbies outside work boosts creativity and productivity at work. There may be times when work is crazy and long hours are absolutely necessary to meet a due date - but you should have peaks and valleys (not all peaks). Avoid burn-out by taking your vacation days (you've earned them!) and not working through your lunch hour. Working effectively and staying focused throughout the day should avoid consistent over-time hours. Network 24/7 Connect with people in a real, personal way to help your career. From the article previously mentioned: "It’s inefficient to... start mingling with random people.  ...Work social-media connections instead. You can get in touch with important people who interest you, whether they’re in your industry or not. Retweet messages of theirs, ask them questions, and strike up online relationships. From there, it can be easy to get them to meet you for lunch or coffee".

A Lesson in 'Ownership' from Thorston Heins - RIM CEO

Iain Marlow from the Globe & Mail recently interviewed Thorston Heins (“Lunch with RIM CEO Thorsten Heins: Time for a bite, and little else”). Much of the article was a repeat of the usual bio info that I already knew – but I did learn that he gets his bread from Sproll’s German Bakery which I will definitely check out (I am partial to authentic ‘apfel strudel’ coming from a Swiss home).

I’d like to look at the ownership demonstrated by Thorston in his interview with the Globe.

There is a lot to learn from Thorston’s example of taking ownership for RIM’s success. When asked what he thinks is the best-case scenario for the company – I was inspired by his personal answer. “It needs to expand market share, there’s no doubt,” Mr. Heins says. “Today, let’s be frank, I’m participating mostly in the QWERTY [keyboard] market. … I’m not really participating in any meaningful way in the [touch-screen] segment. So with BlackBerry 10, I will maintain and stay the leader in [devices with physical keyboards]. On full-touch, I’m in attack mode.”

I asked myself how I (and other RIM employees) can demonstrate ownership to personally contribute to RIM’s success...

Become a BlackBerry ambassador – Drink our own Champagne!

·         Sign up for a Beta program and provide testing feedback

·         Get a PlayBook and discover new ways to integrate it into your work and home life (I’m a fan of the yoga and Dilbert podcasts myself).

·         Take advantage of BlackBerry features, such Mobile Voice Solution (MVS)

Make a difference at work

• Stay passionate about what you do. Take pride in what you have done – it will make a difference.
• Do your work in the best way possible and deliver.
• Have courage to go beyond “your job” for the benefit of the company

There is a lot to learn from Thorston’s example of taking ownership for RIM’s success. Take a moment to think about how you can take ownership of your company's success.