In part one we we saw the beginnings of self-management emerge out of chaos. In part two of this two part blog I complete the learnins from the Scrum Training game. 

Sprint Three typically starts to find a rhythm, The Team start to joke with each other and relax a little but at the same time it is clearly evident that they are delivering more. They start to identity with each other and Team cohesiveness develops.

At the completion of Sprint Three we review the results and often notice we have increased performance but not by the previous large margins. We are reaching a productivity frontier. Sometimes at this point I add one learning prior to the Team starting their next Retrospective; “to breakthrough a productivity frontier we often have to have the courage for systemic change”. I then shut up and start the timer for the Retrospective.

Retrospective Three is really interesting. One of two things tend to happen. The Team either has the courage to think outside the square and challenge the status quo by making systemic changes, or they don’t have the courage and end up agreeing to minor changes to the existing process. On later reflection they often admit that deep down they knew that this would not be sufficient but didn’t have the courage to speak up. Sprint Four starts.

If the Team made systemic changes then often chaos reappears. The familiarity of the previous system no longer exists. They are pioneering a new way and things don’t always go as they expect. If they have managed to create a sense of Team identity this is enough to engender commitment to make the systemic changes succeed. They stick with the changes and make minor tweaks.If they didn’t have the courage to make change, Sprint Four is often a repeat of Sprint Three with a slight increase in how well the Team gels.

The Sprint Four review makes interesting analysis. Often, the Team that had the courage to change have created a breakthrough that results in an entirely new productivity frontier. The unknown boundaries of the next frontier crate anticipation and electricity fills the room. Anything is possible.

The Team that didn’t have the courage to make systemic change often flat line even further. They butt up against the first productivity frontier. Addition effort will not yield sufficient additional outcome. Two unwelcome visitors set up camp in the team; disillusionment and its evil cousins complacency.

So what can we learn from this?

Firstly, Scrum highlights dysfunction. It doesn’t solve it. 

Secondly, if you want to break through a productivity frontier then you need to have the courage to challenge the status quo and be prepared to make systemic changes. Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing and expecting different results. Enough said.

Thirdly, Scrum uses the concept of a Container to control complexity. The containers (time boxes) forced the Team to make a move upon which they could inspect and adapt as opposed to more discussion, analysis and planning which would unlikely yield equivalent value.

Fourthly, for Complex work, empirical process control and self-management trump centralised control and predictive management. Out of chaos comes order but we need to be prepared to remove the restrictions of traditional environments and have faith in our people to achieve this.

Fifthly, Agile values are critical; courage, transparency, integrity, faith in people, commitment. The leaders job is to demonstrate these as behaviours, after all behaviours are nothing more than values in action.

And finally, Scrum is about the Art of the Possible; forecast what you can do, deliver together as a team, see the results, build team pride, consider what is possible next. Repeat. This tends to create a self-reinforcing upward spiral. Allocating work and demanding it be done does the opposite.