People and Teams
People and Teams
People and Teams Stories
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Building a Culture of Continuous ImprovementA culture of continuous improvement means you are open to improving how you build and deliver. You don't accept the status quo; you choose how to work and feel empowered to change it if it no longer makes sense. Kevin Goldsmith gives some ideas for frameworks to adopt in order to move toward this people-first culture. | 
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What Intelligent People Say Instead of “I Don’t Know”It takes a certain level of self-confidence to admit to not knowing something when people view you as the expert. Still, if you don’t know the answer and you (or others) think you should, you have some options other than “I don’t know.” These alternative responses are more useful to you and to your questioner. | 
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4 Impediments to Nurturing a Feedback-Rich CultureBeing able to have open, candid conversations that fuel learning, growth, and improvement is critical to a team’s success, so it is important to look out for impediments that can get in the way of having a feedback-rich culture. Here are four common impediments to watch for, as well as behaviors you should nurture. | 
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Fighting Key-Person Dependency Risk on Your TeamKey-person dependency risk is when only one person on your team possesses certain business-critical abilities or knowledge—so if that person leaves, you're in trouble. The first step of mitigating that risk is taking stock of your team members and their skills. Decide what's important, and train or hire accordingly. | 
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Relax This Summer and Be a Maker For many, it's time for a much-needed break with a summer vacation at the beach, listening to the ocean waves with toes in the sand. But numerous studies show it’s important to take time to find a way to destress on a regular basis. If doing nothing isn't your cup of tea, Pamela Rentz has some project ideas. |
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Good Cop, Bad Cop: How to Evaluate a Company’s Culture before Accepting a JobIn a job interview, you learn a fair amount about the job you’re applying for. But it’s much harder to learn about the corporate culture so as to determine if the organization is a place you want to work. Try using a "good cop, bad cop" routine when asking questions to find out if the new environment is a good fit. |
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Is Your Agile Team Taking Every Opportunity for Communication?Scrum events are well-defined points where team members communicate, but they shouldn't be the only times. If you’re not considering coding, tests, and the delivery process as opportunities for a conversation, you are missing an important chance to leverage individuals and interactions, as the Agile Manifesto states. | 
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The “Dear Mother” Approach to Getting Past Writer’s BlockIf you want to be a thought leader in the software community, you may want to share your expertise by getting published. But no matter how knowledgeable you are in your particular domain, writing about it is another matter entirely. If you're struck by writer's block, try writing a letter to unblock your thoughts. |
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