Tag Archives: makeTheShift

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Start with WHY..

#makeTheShift: Start with WHY, and End in their (your customers) Hearts!

Simon says…

People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.

In his book Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action Simon Sinek talks about what separates APPLEs from the TIVOs of this world, and why it is important to start with the purpose behind what you do. 

Looking at it from another angle, they are the vision, mission, and plan. Here is my very simple and minimalistic definition:
  • Vision is WHAT we want to become. It is the Destination. It is WHERE we want to get. 
  • Mission is WHY we want to become that entity, it is the reason why we are on that journey.
  • Plan is the vehicle that gets us there. It is HOW we intend to get to our destination. 

As @simonsinek says, we often start with the outer layer going in. Most of us are focused on showing the product (WHAT), without connecting with the audience on emotional level with our WHY. 

WHY is the soul of any product, any organization. Trying to sell the product without clear WHY is like selling hollow product(s) without any ‘soul’ in it.

start with Why

            People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.

On the other hand, starting with WHY, you are connecting with the audience on an emotional level, on a much deeper level. As Simon indicated in the video, you buy with your heart, and then rationalize your purchase with your mind. You got to have a cause before you create a product and (try to) sell it. Start with the inner circle, start with WHY and everything else will fall in the right places. 

Case in point from the recent history, look at Tesla. Mr. Musk sold the WHY to us, simple. The company spends very little, next to nothing in the advertising money. Instead, people have bought into the WHY of Mr. Musk, and the companies he is leading. 

#makeTheShift:  Start with WHY, and End in their Hearts! Share on X

Start with the mission and then build products around it, products that help you satisfy your mission.

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#makeTheShift: Start using MMPs and MVIs

Too long we have used the terminologies such as Projects and Phases. It’s time to make the shift! Let’s overhaul our dictionary and start using terminologies such as MVPs and MVIs. Why such a big fuss about terminology itself?

Start using MMPs and MVIs

The terminology, the words we use influence our actions. The words that we use to describe things, to ourselves and our partners, affect that way we think. The thoughts affect our actions and eventually, the words have the influence on the Results that we seek. We do not want the handoffs, from one stage gate to other stage gates. Instead, we want to drive our efforts to put something, even a smaller increment of the product, in the hands of our Customers.

Shift the focus from Phases and onto creating Value. Identify the deliverables, no matter how small a product increment, that brings value to a customer. As Maryellen Weimer ( @FacultyFocus ) writes in her article, language has tremendous power to influence our thoughts and actions.

In his list of 7 Habits, Steven Covey recommends starting with an end state of mind! Identify MMP and MVIs and let them drive your development and deliveries.

Identify MMP & MVIs-Let them drive your development & deliveries #makeTheShiftpic.twitter.com/KDPimPEkPg Share on X
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#makeTheShift: Start Creating VALUE

#makeTheShift – Finishing Work and Start Creating Value

#makeTheShift

Stop starting too much work, Start creating VALUE

Too often we have too many things ‘in flight‘. With the computers in our palms and pockets, we are taking multi-tasking to the extreme! Start this new year with a promise to yourself: Promise not to start more work. Instead, shift the focus on finishing the work and creating Value.

It doesn’t matter how much work you have on your plate or how busy you are. What matters is how much Value you are creating for your customers. Adopt a Work in Progress (WIP) limit for yourself and adhere to the limit.

You will be amazed as to how much MORE you will accomplish in the new year with this formula!

{Adopt + Adhere } to WIP limit = Amazing Accomplishments! #makeTheShift pic.twitter.com/sWuSsK1eKL Share on X

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Unlearn What You Have Learned

Ten Habits You Must Break To Be Successful with Scrum

In the Star Wars movie The Empire Strikes Back when Luke Skywalker tries unsuccessfully to rescue his X-wing fighter from the swamp and gives up, Jedi Master Yoda has these words of wisdom for him:

Do or Do not, there is no try! You must unlearn what you have learned!

Scrum is no different! It is a new approach to building and delivering Products and Services. It is an approach that is relentless in creating VALUE for customers. In Scrum, you go to your Customers with a Product Increment, often and with regular frequency.

At the core of it, Scrum requires mental shift! The successful adoption starts with us unlearning the old habits and approaching with new, fresh eyes! You have to be willing to step out of the box, step out of your comfort zone, and be willing to try and form new habits.

Here are ten habits that I believe we must unlearn to be successful at adopting scrum:

  1. Create email trailsunlearn what you have learned - make the shift - makeTheShift
  2. Use Command and Control
  3. Create disciplines and silos
  4. Be a Hero
  5. Sign off on a detailed requirements document
  6. Stick to the iron triangle
  7. Be plan driven
  8. Be IT driven
  9. Have a big bang delivery
  10. Tell teams “How,” not “What”

Remember, these are the ‘bad’ behaviors, bad habits that we must break! We must unlearn what we have learned over the years, flush them out, and start on Scrum journey with a fresh approach!

Succeed at #scrum? Step out of comfort zone & unlearn what we have learned! #makeTheShift
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The original article that I wrote and is published by Scrum Alliance can be accessed here