teams

Practical Ways You Can Try Walking a Mile in Someone Else’s ShoesIt’s a familiar saying about empathy: “Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes.” It’s true enough—especially at work, where situations can become tense. If you experience the pressures others face, you’ll gain insight into their realities. Read on for practical applications.
From Jeff Bezos—A Valuable Lesson on Competition

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos recently addressed a group of children at an elementary school. There was was one particularly interesting sound bite: "Who succeeds at Amazon? Explorers and pioneers. Who fails? Those who focus on killing our competitors." Here's why you shouldn't obsess over competition.

From the Good Old Days to Today: Twenty-Five Years of Testing with SQEToday, Rick Craig travels the world speaking about testing. Since he started working at SQE twenty-five years ago, the company has changed, he has changed, and testing has changed—although maybe not as much as you think. This trip back in time looks at what makes our industry great year after year.
How to Deal with Slackers on Your TeamSlackers rarely change their behavior, so waiting for them to shape up might entail a very long wait. But before you go running to your manager to report a coworker who isn't pulling his weight, read this story for some tips on how to confront the person and what you can do to change the situation.
Can You Build a Team through Team Games?Venkatesh Krishnamurthy asks: Can you build effective teams through games? Remember, team building is not a one-time thing—it is an ongoing exercise. It needs constant nourishment from the stakeholders and team members.
Playing Devil’s Advocate: Use Premortems for Your Project’s SuccessMost teams could benefit from having a devil’s advocate—someone who would help the team identify weaknesses in their thinking and seek changes that would prevent or minimize adverse outcomes. A project team can become its own devil’s advocate by using premortems before the project proceeds.
Let Your Teams Design Their Own Approaches to AgileIf you are thinking of agile as part of a program, each team has to have its own approach to agile because each team has its own risks and problems. If you treat people as adults, explain the desired results, and provide training and other resources they need, they are likely to succeed.
Multiple Views of What It Means to Treat People with Respect

Treating employees, coworkers, and superiors with respect is a key component of good management. But did you ever stop to think that respect can mean different things to different people? Read on to discover the varying ways people can show respect. You might learn something about your team.