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First Principles of Organisational Psychotherapy

June 21, 2023
Alien tech, Article, Culture change, Organisational effectiveness, Organisational Therapy
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First Principles of Organisational Psychotherapy

Delving into the depths of Organisational Psychotherapy, there’s something incredibly human about our quest to find its “first principles”. It’s about getting back to basics, cutting through the noise of jargon, models, and best practices, and getting right down to the root of things – shared assumptions and beliefs.

It’s not about organisational ‘mechanics’. It’s not even strictly about ‘performance’. No, my friends, it’s about ‘people’. It’s about you, me, and everyone we work with.

#1: People are not machines. 🚫🤖

Sounds obvious, right? Yet, we often treat them as such. We talk about ‘productivity’, ‘efficiency’, and ‘output’ as if we’re running a factory. We’re not. We’re working with diverse, complex individuals and communities, with feelings, ambitions, fears, and potential. Embrace that complexity; it’s where the magic happens.

#2: Connection breeds commitment. ❤️🔗

The era of ‘command and control’ is well and truly over. If you want commitment, you’ve got to foster connection. Build an environment where everyone feels heard, understood, and valued. Create a culture of respect and inclusivity.

#3: Growth is a journey, not a destination. 🚀🗺️

Real change isn’t a quick-fix solution. It’s a journey of self-discovery, and it takes time. Organisational Psychotherapy is about holding the space for that journey. It’s about helping organisations understand their patterns, their behaviours, their triggers, and their needs.

#4: Everyone’s got something to bring to the table. 🍽️💡

Every voice matters. Fresh ideas, innovative solutions, and genuine insight can come from anywhere. Be open to them, encourage them, and celebrate them.

#5: Our mental health matters. 🧠⚖️

This should be a no-brainer, but it bears repeating: your team’s mental health matters. Organisational Psychotherapy isn’t just about improving business outcomes; it’s about creating a happier, healthier, more joyful and more sustainable workplace.

Organisational psychotherapy isn’t an instant miracle cure; it’s a journey towards a healthier, happier, and more productive workplace. Let’s make it our mission to put these first principles into practice. Here’s to the journey ahead. 🥂

 

More About the Agile Trap

June 21, 2023
Agile, Alien tech, Article, Culture change, Marshall Model, Memeology, Organisational Therapy, Paradigm shifts, Quintessence, Rightshifting
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More About the Agile Trap

Have you ever wondered why the so-called Agile approach to software development, despite its charismatic promises, so often seems to miss the mark? You’re not alone in this predicament. Many are left puzzled as their Agile transformations fall short of expectations, leading to a mixture of confusion, disappointment, and ennui. The resolution to this problem doesn’t lie specifically within the Agile philosophy itself but within a broader, widely neglected perspective.

Not Designed for Adoption

From the get-go, Agile was never designed for easy adoption by traditional organisations. It demands a departure from conventional beliefs about work and collaboration, and this makes its implementation a real challenge, with its promises of flexibility, adaptability, and rapid delivery. However, Agile often fails to live up to its impish promises. The question remains, why?

The answer doesn’t lie within the intricacies of the approach, but rather with a comprehensive understanding of the organisation as a whole.

The Local Optimisation Trap

Accordingly, Agile transformations almost always degrade into local optimisations – offering immediate and visible local improvements but overlooking the bigger picture, such as flow efficiency across the entire organisation.

The Holistic Viewpoint

This is where alternative approaches such as the Theory of Constraints (ToC) come into the picture. They compel us to go beyond individual departments and silos, taking a holistic view of the organisation, identifying bottlenecks, and developing solutions that consider the broader operational flow.

Paradigm Shift

The shift from local to organisation-wide optimisation isn’t insignificant; it’s a PARADIGM shift. It necessitates a move from focusing on isolated components to recognising the wider interdependencies throughout the organisation.Truly a fundamental culture change.

Regrettably, this holistic view is rarely appreciated in organisations. It’s hard to grasp, challenging to execute, contradicts the prevalent silo-structures, and requires a readiness to collaborate – or even better, to integrate – multiple silos.

It’s a daunting journey, but it’s essential for building a resilient, adaptable, and more efficient organisation.

When we ask, “why does Agile often stumble?”, the answer isn’t found in Agile’s principles or methods. Rather, it’s embedded within the broader organisational mindset (a.k.a. the Analytic mindset), one that often misses the organisation-wide perspective. The journey from Agile’s local optimisation to a broader, organisation-wide approach is not an easy one. Here, Organisational Psychotherapy can help show the path towards significant improvement

Aspire to More

Let’s not limit our aspirations to enhance only the software development sector. Let’s aim to build a balanced, steady, and high-performing workflow across the organisation. This discourse is about reevaluating our understanding, going beyond our existing practices, and embracing the journey towards a more synergistic mindset, and a more holistic approach.

People Strategy

June 18, 2023
Alien tech, Antimatter principle, Article, Culture change, Quintessence
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People Strategy

In the grand canvas of our organisational lives, it is the people and relationships that paint the most vivid colors. This is where People Strategy comes alive. It’s not just a corporate concept or business jargon, it’s our shared dance of connection, growth, and belonging.

In a world that can feel dominated by bottom lines and productivity charts, People Strategy is the rallying cry for authenticity, courage, and compassion. It’s the audacious commitment to showing up for each other, leaning into vulnerability, and daring greatly.

At the heart of People Strategy, you’ll find an intricate web of relationships. These aren’t your typical transactional interactions, but deep, meaningful connections that serve as the bedrock of our collective success. Relationships are our opportunity for empathy, our conduit for shared joy, and our stronghold in challenging times. And it’s in nurturing these relationships that we truly come to see each other, hear each other, and create a space where everyone belongs.

But none of this happens in a vacuum. Our shared assumptions and beliefs, those unspoken agreements about what we value, how we behave, and what we expect from one another, serve as our guiding stars. They’re our collective compass, aligning us toward a shared horizon, grounding us in a culture of trust and understanding.

People Strategy, then, is our wholehearted embrace of our shared humanity. It’s our acknowledgement that we are infinitely more than the roles we play or the tasks we perform. It’s about having the courage to show up authentically, to extend our hands in empathy, and to step into the arena together. It’s our shared journey into daring leadership, fostering an environment where everyone is seen, heard, and valued. In the beautiful and often messy arena of human connection, People Strategy is our guiding light.

Beyond the Agile Trap

June 17, 2023
Agile, Alien tech, Article, Culture change, Flow, Flow•gnosis, Flowchain, Software development, Systems thinking
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Beyond the Agile Trap

Failure Writ Large

Have you ever questioned why Agile so often falls short of delivering on its impish promises? You’re not alone. Many find their Hail Mary agile initiatives underdelivering, leaving everyone perplexed, frustrated and embarrassed. The answer isn’t hidden within Agile, but it’s found in the overlooked, holistic mindset called “systems thinking”.

Cuckoos

Like a cuckoo, Agile’s brood parasite nature has strong-armed it a significant place in the field of software development, with its proponents’ knavish boasting of flexibility, adaptability, and rapid value delivery. However, despite its siren qualities, Agile frequently disappoints. But why?

The answer isn’t nestled in the details of Agile approaches, but rather within an organisation’s broader perspective.

Agile almost inevitably promotes mere local optimisations – approaches with immediate and tangible improvements that miss the context for organisation-wide benefits such as flow.

Systems Thinking

This is where systems thinking approaches like the Theory of Constraints (ToC) comes into play. This perspective urges us to look beyond individual silos and examine the system as a whole, identifying bottlenecks and developing comprehensive flow-oriented solutions. The move from local to system-wide optimisation isn’t a minor tweak; it’s a sea change. It requires a transition from concentrating on isolated elements to understanding the wider interdependencies of the entire system.

Rarely Seen

Regrettably, true systems thinking is rarely seen in organisations. It’s challenging to grasp, tough to implement, antithetical to the near-ubiquitous silo style of organisation, and calls for an open mind to coordinate – or better yet, merge – multiple silos.

However, it’s a crucial journey, a leap of faith necessary to build a robust, resilient, and more effective organisation.

Summary

When we ask, “why does Agile fail so often?”, the response isn’t found within Agile’s principles or practices. Instead, it lies in the broader organisational mindset that often overlooks the system-wide view. Moving from Agile’s local optimisation to the more comprehensive approach of system-wide optimisation isn’t a simple journey. Still, it’s a journey towards enlightenment. Let’s not settle for improving just the software development silo. Let’s strive to create a balanced, stable, and impressive flow chain. The essence of this conversation is about challenging our views, moving beyond our current practices, and welcoming the rewarding shift towards systems thinking. Here’s to building a future that doesn’t merely copy blindly, but optimises and truly excels.

The Biggest Oversight in Business

June 17, 2023
Alien tech, Article, Business, Culture change, Memeology, Organisational effectiveness, Productivity, Quintessence, Systems thinking
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The Biggest Oversight in Business

Lewin’s Equation

Lewin’s equation,

B=f(P,E)

suggests that behaviour (B) is a function (f) of the person (P) in their environment (E). This equation represents a pioneering leap in psychology, introducing a framework that doesn’t solely focus on either the individual or the environment, but instead recognises the interaction between the two.

Systems Thinking

Systems thinking, on the other hand, is a holistic approach to analysis, emphasising how a system’s constituent parts interrelate and how systems work over time within the context of larger systems. It’s about understanding a system by examining the linkages and interactions between the components that comprise the entirety of the system.

Intertwined

Let’s consider how Lewin’s equation and systems thinking might intertwine. Lewin’s equation encapsulates the essence of a systems perspective. It embraces the interaction of personal and environmental factors, acknowledging that behaviour isn’t static, but rather dynamic and context-dependent. In other words, it reflects the key principle of systems thinking: the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

Lewin’s equation can be seen as a precursor to systems thinking in behavioural sciences, as it articulates a similar concept—that individual elements in a system can’t be evaluated in isolation. Just as in systems thinking, where system behaviour can’t be understood by analysing individual components alone, in Lewin’s equation, behaviour can’t be fully understood without considering both the person and their environment.

Moreover, the systems thinking approach expands on Lewin’s equation by emphasising the importance of understanding feedback loops and the time dimension, which Lewin’s model doesn’t explicitly incorporate. Systems thinking suggests that feedback within the system (which could be a person’s environment in Lewin’s equation) can alter the person and thus their behaviour over time.

Overall, combining Lewin’s equation with systems thinking provides a more holistic, dynamic and interrelated view of human behaviour. This combination encourages the consideration of multiple factors and their interactions, enhancing our understanding of how behaviour emerges from the complex interplay of a person and their environment.

The New Lewin Equation

So, systems thinkers, and Deming, Scholtes fans, might choose to rewrite Lewin’s equation as

p=f(5P,95S):

individual performance (p) is a function of 5% the abilities of the individual person (P) and 95% the nature of the system (S) – the way the work works – within which the person must perform.

Considering an Agile Transformation?

June 9, 2023
Agile, Alien tech, Article, Culture change, Improvement, Innovation, Interactive books, Management, Organisational effectiveness, Paradigm shifts, Quintessence, Rightshifting
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Considering an Agile Transformation?

Are you pondering an Agile transformation for your organisation? Here’s the rub: at best, you’re merely going to catch up with practices from two decades ago. Agile transformation, in essence, is the process of transitioning an entire organisation from its existing approach to work, to an Agile approach. This could mean adopting Scrum, Kanban, or a hybrid of multiple Agile frameworks.

So, you’ve successfully transitioned to Agile. Congratulations, but what have you actually gained? It’s now the norm, not the exception. (And Lame Agile is the prevailing norm). Agile is the minimum, not the cutting edge. It’s high time organisations moved past Agile, seeking innovative, post-Agile approaches, such as “Quintessence“.

There’s no real benefit to running a marathon, only to realise you’re still miles and decades behind the frontrunners.

Get in touch if you’re curious…

How To Support Teams’ Learning And Development Needs

June 9, 2023
Alien tech, Article, Capability development, Coaching, Culture change, Improvement, Learning, Needs, Paradigm shifts, Psychology, Quintessence, Self-organisation, Teambuilding
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How To Support Teams’ Learning And Development Needs

Organisations can fundamentally support their teams’ learning and development needs by cultivating an environment that fosters intrinsic motivation. But how to achieve that?

One approach is the adoption of the Toyota Kata model. The term ‘Kata’, borrowed from martial arts, refers to a structured routine practiced so it becomes second nature. Toyota applies this concept in the realm of continuous improvement and coaching.

To put it simply, Toyota Kata isn’t about providing answers, but about establishing an organisational culture that motivates individuals to discover solutions themselves. This inherently appeals to intrinsic motivation, as employees are driven by the satisfaction of mastering challenges, the thrill of problem-solving, and the joy of personal development. They’re not learning and developing because they’re told to, they’re doing it because they want to.

Organisations utilising the Toyota Kata model promote a learning mindset where curiosity, creativity and resilience are valued. They foster an environment where it’s okay to make mistakes, as they’re considered part of the learning process. This can reduce or eliminate the fear of failure, which significantly hinders innovation and risk-taking.

Further, the Kata routines can ensure teams have a clear focus and direction. Through the Improvement Kata, employees are guided to understand the direction, grasp the current condition, establish the next target condition, and experiment towards that target. When people know where they’re headed and why, it encourages them to take ownership of their roles and fosters intrinsic motivation.

Moreover, the Coaching Kata supports managers in developing their subordinates by not simply providing solutions, but by asking insightful questions that encourage critical thinking. This way, managers become facilitators for growth rather than just taskmasters. This coaching approach can instill a sense of competence and autonomy, which are key components of intrinsic motivation.

Toyota Kata isn’t about achieving perfection, but about continuous learning and improvement. By acknowledging this journey and celebrating the learning process, organisations can make their teams feel valued and motivated to continue their development.

So, an organisation’s support for its teams’ learning and development needs goes way beyond merely offering training programmes or growth opportunities. It’s about creating a culture of continuous improvement and learning, fostering intrinsic motivation, and supporting this with models like Toyota Kata. When organisations achieve this, they’ll likely see not only improvements in their team’s skills and capabilities, but also enhanced engagement, productivity, and innovation.

Drucker On The Collective Memeplex

June 6, 2023
Alien tech, Article, Drucker, Management, Memeology, Organisational effectiveness, Organisational Therapy, Quintessence
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Drucker On The Collective Memeplex

Peter Drucker, one of the most influential management thinkers of the 20th century, had a lot to say about collective assumptions and beliefs in business. In his opinion, these elements are often deeply foundational to an organisation’s culture, influencing its strategy, operations and performance.

Drucker argued that the assumptions and beliefs shaping a business’s actions aren’t always explicit. They’re often unconscious, becoming part of the organisation’s culture. He referred to these implicit beliefs as the “theory of the business”. According to him, every organisation, whether it knows it or not, operates on such a theory.

For Drucker, this theory was essentially a set of assumptions about what a company gets paid for. It’s about understanding the reality of the business, its markets, its customers, its core competencies, and its societal role. These assumptions guide behaviour, decisions, and the direction of the organisation. They set boundaries and establish guidelines within which decisions are made and actions are taken.

However, Drucker warned of the dangers of clinging too tightly to these assumptions. He believed that businesses get into trouble when their environments shift but their theories of the business don’t. This, he argued, is why innovation and ongoing analysis are critical. Companies must continually question their assumptions, keeping them in line with changing realities.

He also believed that it’s important for these collective assumptions and beliefs to be shared across the organisation. If employees don’t understand or don’t buy into these beliefs, there’s likely to be confusion, inefficiency, and a lack of coordination. This can result in subpar performance.

In sum, for Drucker, collective assumptions and beliefs play a crucial role in shaping an organisation’s actions and performance. However, businesses must also be ready to challenge and adapt these assumptions as conditions change, ensuring that their theory of the business remains relevant and effective.

Self-Serving or All-Serving?

June 6, 2023
Alien tech, Antimatter principle, Article, Attendants, Needs, Organisational effectiveness
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Self-Serving or All-Serving?

It’s often said that we are best at solving problems we understand. But what if the problems aren’t ours? While (software) development teams excel at catering to their own needs, attending to the needs of others presents a new challenge. Uncover the disparity in this service and explore how the emerging role of Attendants promises to reshape this landscape by navigating the Needsscape and addressing the needs of all.

Development teams have long been the driving force behind many of the products and services that we use daily. But when it comes to meeting people’s needs, there’s a noticeable disparity. On the one hand, development teams are generally proficient at attending to their own needs. After all, they are most familiar with the tools and methods they use, and they sometimes even have the power to alter them to better suit their needs. They also have a clear line of communication within their teams to express their needs, and they understand the technical language and nuances that go into addressing these needs.

However, when it comes to the needs of others – users, stakeholders, or other teams within an organisation – development teams often fall short. They might struggle to fully understand the perspectives, problems, and desires of these other groups, especially if they do not have direct interaction or a clear line of communication with them. This gap in understanding can lead to products that do not fully meet the needs of the people they’re intended to serve.

In essence, the ability to attend to one’s own needs does not necessarily equate to the ability to meet the needs of others. It requires a broader understanding, empathy, communication skills, and a willingness to step outside one’s comfort zone. This is where the new role of Attendants can make a significant difference, with their primary focus on navigating the Needsscape and serving the needs of ALL the Folks That Matter™.

Business Is All About Attending to Folks’ Needs

June 6, 2023
Alien tech, Antimatter principle, Article, Attendants, Needs
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Business Is All About Attending to Folks’ Needs

So why not structure around that imperative? Imagine a profession unconstrained by traditional boundaries, an occupation focused on understanding and addressing needs in their entirety.

The Era of the Attendant

Welcome to the era of the Attendant – a role dedicated to exploring, mapping, and translating the ever-changing ‘Needsscape’ and serving the requirements of users, customers, groups and organisations. This is not just a job; it’s a paradigm shift in our professional landscape.

A Novel Professional Paradigm

I’d like to champion for a novel professional paradigm: the Attendant. Attendants stand apart in their unwavering commitment to exploring, comprehending, translating, and addressing the explicit and tacit needs of individuals, groups, and organisations. The Attendant role introduces a fresh perspective on the fulfilment of needs, unfettered by the limitations of a specific medium or discipline.

Mastery of the Needsscape

Central to an Attendant’s role is the mastery of the ‘Needsscape,’ a dynamic landscape of evolving requirements and expectations. Attendants are skilled at cultivating this Needsscape, distilling key insights, and transforming them into actionable and adaptable outcomes that cater to folks’ needs.

The introduction of the Attendant role marks a fundamental shift in our understanding of professional roles. This shift advocates for roles that place paramount importance on interpreting the ever-changing Needsscape and addressing these needs rather than being restricted to a certain set of tasks. The future demands not only the creation but also the attentive, adaptive, and progressive servicing of needs.

A Promising Future

Attendants, with their focus on deciphering and navigating the Needsscape, are ideally positioned to steer us into this promising future.

You may also like to read more about the Needsscape:

How Do We Change a System That Doesn’t Want to Change?

June 2, 2023
Alien tech, Article, Culture change, Empathy, Listening, Needs, Organisational effectiveness, Organisational Therapy, Quintessence
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How Do We Change a System That Doesn’t Want to Change?

Changing a system that doesn’t want to change is hard. To do so invites us to focus on needs, not wants. Wants are like wishes, but needs are what drive action. So, change requires us together to change what the system needs.

This means we need to change what the people who own and run the system need. They decide how the system works. Their needs shape it. For positive change, their needs must fit with the changes we need.

One way to do this is to invite folks to consider why the change is good. Let’s say a business is reluctant to address “people issues”. By illustrating, with dialogue, how people are central to them getting their needs met, work can be easier, save money, and make customers happier.

Organisational culture is also key. It’s like the personality of the business. It decides how people think and act at work. If we can change this culture, it can also change what the system and those in charge of it need.

In the end, changing a system is about changing its needs. This can help bring the change we all need.

What is Normative Learning?

June 2, 2023
Alien tech, Article, Community, Culture change, Learning, Needs
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What is Normative Learning?

Imagine waking up one day, only to realise that the world isn’t as you’ve always perceived it. Your beliefs, assumptions, even your understanding of yourself and your group(s) are challenged, inviting y’all into an enlightening journey of self-discovery and adaptation. Welcome to the fascinating realm of normative learning – an odyssey towards personal and community transformation, and broadened horizons.

Normative learning is a process of reevaluation and adaptation, where we reassess our understanding of the world and our place within it. This iterative process can be triggered when we encounter situations or information that contradict our preexisting beliefs, assumptions or expectations. Such moments force us to confront the fallibility of our understanding, prompting us to say, “Hmm… it now appears that the world does not work the way I/we thought it does.”

This kind of learning goes beyond simple knowledge acquisition. It’s a complex negotiation of personal and societal belief systems, often challenging the status quo, questioning ingrained habits, and promoting growth. It is not always an easy process, but it’s an essential one for both personal and societal development. The revision of assumptions and beliefs broadens our perspectives, enabling us to be more open, empathetic, and adaptable.

Moreover, this learning journey can also lead to a profound reevaluation of self. By reframing our worldview, we inherently alter our self-image and self-knowledge. As we understand more about the world, we understand more about ourselves, making normative learning not just a cognitive exercise but a path to personal and collective transformation and enlightenment. This complex relationship between knowledge, self-discovery, and societal norms is what makes normative learning a fascinating area of exploration.

Lessons from History: Ignaz Semmelweis, Unwashed Hands and Ignored Evidence

May 16, 2023
Alien tech, Article, Compassion, Culture change, Lamentation, Learning
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Lessons from History: Ignaz Semmelweis, Unwashed Hands and Ignored Evidence

Ignaz Semmelweis

The tale of Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, a 19th-century Hungarian physician, is a poignant lesson from history about the risks of ignoring empirical evidence. Semmelweis, often referred to as the ‘savior of mothers’, made a groundbreaking discovery: that childbed fever, a leading cause of death among women in childbirth, could be significantly reduced if doctors simply washed their hands with chlorinated lime solutions. Despite solid data supporting his assertion, Semmelweis’s peers rejected his claims, reluctant to accept the notion that they could be the carriers of disease. Tragically, the subsequent years saw egregious and unnecessary loss of life, only to have Semmelweis’s hygiene protocol later adopted as the standard.

Incredibly, despite clear evidence, and over a century of progress, studies show that healthcare professionals today still frequently neglect hand hygiene. This lapse not only perpetuates the risk of infections but also symbolizes a broader issue: the disregard for clear evidence in professional practices (and cf. Compassionomics).

Drawing an analogy, the field of software development offers a strikingly similar scenario. Despite decades of research suggesting that management practices are the rock upon which software projects so often founder, many developers and organisations still fail to address the issue. The reasons might vary, ranging from tight schedules to a lack of understanding of their importance, but the result remains the same: sub-optimal outcomes that could otherwise be avoided.

This recurring pattern of ignoring evidence in favor of established practices or convenience is not just an issue in medicine or software development, but can be found across various fields. It underscores the deeply ingrained human tendencies of resistance to evidence and pervasive cognitive biases. We often favour our existing assumptions and beliefs, even when confronted with compelling evidence that suggests we might better choose to think or act differently.

In conclusion, the case of Ignaz Semmelweis serves as a stark reminder of the importance of embracing evidence-based practices, however uncomfortable or inconvenient they may be. Both in medicine and software development, and indeed in every field of human endeavor, we might choose to keep our minds open to new evidence, be ready to question our established practices, and be willing to change.

The stakes are high: the health of our patients, the quality of our software, the progress of our societies, and ultimately, the advancement of our collective human knowledge.

It is clear that to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, we must learn to balance our intuition and experience with the humility to acknowledge and adapt when evidence points to a better way. It is a lesson that Dr. Semmelweis, with his chlorinated lime solutions, would want us to remember.

Why is True Fellowship So Rare, Especially in Tech?

May 3, 2023
Alien tech, Article, Collaboration, Culture change, Fellowship, Organisational effectiveness, Software development, Teambuilding, Technical
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Why is True Fellowship So Rare, Especially in Tech?

Why is fellowship in organisations, particularly in tech companies, such a rare phenomenon, and yet when it does emerge, it’s immensely powerful? What are the factors that make it so elusive, and conversely, the elements that make it thrive when it does manifest?

In the world of technology, competition and individualism often take centre stage, overshadowing the potential benefits of collaboration and fellowship. Could it be that the pressure to innovate, coupled with the race to stay ahead of the curve, pushes people to focus more on their individual achievements and personal wellbeing rather than the collective good?

There’s also the issue of diverse backgrounds and skill sets. With experts in various fields such as engineering, design, marketing, and more, it’s possible that this diversity might inadvertently create silos. Do these specialised domains lead to a lack of understanding and empathy among team members, preventing the formation of a cohesive, supportive environment?

And yet, when fellowship does take root within tech organisations, its power is undeniable. Why is that? Could it be that the amalgamation of diverse perspectives, skills, and experiences in a collaborative environment leads to breakthroughs and innovations that might otherwise be impossible? When individuals work together, for example with Ensemble Working, sharing their knowledge and challenging one another’s ideas, they pave the way for novel solutions and approaches.

Perhaps another reason for the potency of fellowship in tech companies is the sheer complexity of the problems they tackle. The adage “two heads are better than one” rings true, as the collective intelligence of a group working in harmony often surpasses that of even the brightest individual. In an environment where fellowship thrives, team members can rely on each other’s strengths, ultimately yielding better results.

So, why is fellowship so rare in tech organisations? It appears that the competitive nature of the industry, coupled with the diversity of skills and backgrounds, might pose challenges to fostering a collaborative environment. However, when such an environment does emerge, it unlocks the potential for innovation, breakthroughs, and success that are unparalleled in their impact. Thus organisations maigh choose to recognise and nurture the power of #fellowship to stay ahead in an ever-evolving commercial landscape.

People, Not Tech, Hold the Keys to AI

May 2, 2023
AI, Alien tech, Article, Psychology
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People, Not Tech, Hold the Keys to AI

To truly grasp AI, we don’t have to delve into the depths of technology; rather, we must understand people. It’s often thought that AI is solely about complex algorithms and computing power, but it’s much more than that. At its core, AI’s development and usage hinge upon human behaviour, decision-making, and social interactions.

AI’s designed to mimic and augment human thought processes, so it’s only natural that we should look to ourselves in order to comprehend it. By studying human cognition and emotions, we would be able to create AI systems that were more intuitive and effective, which in turn could have a profound impact on our daily lives.

Furthermore, AI’s ethical and social implications are deeply rooted in our understanding of human values and morality. To ensure AI is aligned with our beliefs, we must examine our own perspectives and consider the diverse range of opinions and cultures that shape our world.

In a nutshell, it’s the study of people that provides the necessary insights to develop, improve, and implement AI in a way that’s both beneficial and harmonious with our society. Only by understanding ourselves can we truly hope to unlock AI’s full potential.

And if Ai runs amok, it will only be because people will it so.

Effective Software Development

April 21, 2023
Alien tech, Article, Business, Capability development, Culture change, Improvement, Innovation, Lamentation, Management, Productivity, Quality, Quintessence
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Effective Software Development

Everyone in the software industry (managers excepted) knows the following is true, yet nobody wants to talk about it:

Effective software development is entirely incompatible with typical (hierarchical, command-and-control) management.

After 50 years in the industry, I’d go so far as to say:

Effective software development is entirely incompatible with ANY known form of management.

Corollary

Place managers in charge of software development and it can NEVER be ANYTHING but ineffective (high costs, low quality, poor due date performance, lack of innovation, etc.).

NB Applies more broadly, beyond the domain of software development, too.

Reasons

The reasons for this incompatibility can be explained as follows:

1. Creativity and innovation: Software development is a highly creative and innovative process that often requires developers to think out of the box, experiment, and come up with novel solutions. A hierarchical management structure stifles creativity and inhibits the free flow of ideas, emphasising, as it does, strict adherence to rules and policies.

2. Responsiveness and flexibility: In the rapidly changing world of technology, software development teams need to be responsive and adaptable in order to respond quickly to changes in requirements, market conditions, approaches, and user feedback. A command-and-control management style, which relies on rigid plans and mandated approaches, tools, makes it difficult to impossible for teams to pivot and adapt as needed.

3. Collaboration and communication: Effective software development relies on close collaboration and communication among team members with diverse skills and expertise. Hierarchical management structures create barriers to communication, with information flowing primarily up and down the chain of command, rather than freely among team members.

4. Autonomy and motivation: Software developers tend to be highly skilled, motivated individuals who thrive on autonomy and the ability to make decisions about their work. Command-and-control management undermines their motivation by imposing external control and limiting their decision-making authority.

The broader point being made in the corollary statement is that traditional hierarchical management is never the best fit for software development, and that organisations might choose to consider alternative organisational styles and structures that are more conducive to the unique demands of software development.

This idea can indeed apply beyond the domain of software development, as many industries are increasingly recognising the need for more responsive, collaborative, and flexible management approaches to drive innovation and adapt to rapidly changing environments.

Some Reasons Why You Might Choose To Pay Attention To My Works

March 26, 2023
Alien tech, Antimatter principle, Article, Business, Capability development, Conversations, Culture change, Customers, Flow•gnosis, Management, Marshall Model, Organisational effectiveness, Prod•gnosis, Product development, Rightshifting, Software development
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Some Reasons Why You Might Choose To Pay Attention To My Works

Hey there! I’m Bob Marshall, the Organisational Psychotherapist, with a passion for helping organisations transform their culture and improve collaboration. If you’re wondering why you might choose to pay attention to my insights, just let me say that my unique approach can bring profound benefits to all kinds of organisations, especially those involving collaborative knowledge work.

My blog at https://lnkd.in/dytkA2A is packed with insights and stories from my five decades of experience. I draw on this experience, including founding Europe’s first 100% Agile software house and heading Falling Blossoms, the world’s first Organisational Psychotherapy provider. My posts highlight the importance of nurturing productive relationships and fostering a people-oriented culture.

One post that stands out is about the Antimatter Principle, which emphasises attending to folks’ needs to create a thriving, collaborative work environment.

Another post discusses Flow•gnosis, an innovative approach to developing software-intensive products and services.

When you read my posts, you’ll also learn from my decades in both technology and business, including roles at Sun Microsystems, and many other organisations, large and small. This deep understanding of the tech landscape allows me to provide invaluable counsel and therapy to ambitious, progressive technology and digital business organisations.

Moreover, those who have worked with me have nothing but praise for my approach and the results it has brought to their organisations. Time and again, I’ve helped clients create a more humane, people-oriented, and productive work environment that has led to outstanding success.

As the author of “Hearts over Diamonds”, “Memeology”, and “Quintessence”, and the originator of Rightshifting and the Marshall Model, my posts regularly and freely share the foundational knowledge that has contribute to the success of so many of my clients. So, if you want to see a real difference in your organisation, don’t miss out on the wisdom and insights shared on my blog, books, white papers, etc.

Join me on this transformative journey towards elevating your organisation’s performance, and also creating a meaningful, fulfilling work environment that nurtures innovation, everyone’s personal growth, and long-lasting success. Get down with the opportunity to be part of a paradigm shift that’s redefining the way businesses thrive!

🔔🔔🔔🔔

Don’t miss out on the latest insights and strategies for transforming your organisation and its culture! If you find this post valuable, make sure to follow me on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to ring the bell 🔔 to receive notifications whenever I share new content. Ready to unlock your organisation’s full potential? Take action now and reach out for a chat, or visit my blog more transformative ideas. Together, let’s embark on this journey towards unprecedented success! 🔔

Software Development: It’s Not Even Slightly About Tech Skills and Coding Practices

March 21, 2023
Alien tech, Antimatter principle, Article, Community, Culture change, Product development, Software Delivery, Software development
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Software Development: It’s Not Even Slightly About Tech Skills and Coding Practices

💡 What’s the undervalued secret sauce of software success? You’re in for a wake-up call as we reveal the overlooked ingredients that make or break software success in the business world.

➡ Blimey, it’s no surprise that most execs – those few that are even slightly interested in software development – reckon it’s all about tech skills and coding practices. But I’ll tell you, there’s more to this picture than meets the eye. Sure, being a dab hand at coding is somewhat useful, but in the context of business operations, it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

You see, the nitty-gritty of software development, especially in a business setting, also involves top-notch communication, teamwork, and adaptability.

And let’s not forget, building strong interpersonal relationships is a piece of cake for no one, but it’s a skill developers need to master to keep things from going pear-shaped.

A good understanding of the customer’s needs and the company’s goals is also crucial. After all, you can’t score a winner if you don’t know where the goalposts are. So, execs might choose to realise that there’s more to software development than just cranking code. And much more to hiring than the recruitment of code toads.

A successful software development team is the whole package. It’s not just about having a bunch of coding whizzes; it’s also about fostering a culture where everyone’s on the same page, working together as a community to bring work to fruition. Otherwise, businesses might find themselves up a creek without a paddle.

Unleash Your Inner Maverick: Find the Courage to Think Different

March 13, 2023
Alien tech, Business, Culture change, Deming, Risk
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Unleash Your Inner Maverick: Find the Courage to Think Different

Dare to think different,
Brave the road less traveled by,
Find success ahead.

n business, as in life, it takes a lot of courage to think different. It’s easy to fall into the trap of following the status quo, copying what others have done, and playing it safe. But true innovation and success come from challenging norms and defaults, and taking calculated risks.

Thinking different in business requires the courage to break free from conventional wisdom, challenge assumptions and beliefs, and push boundaries. It means being willing to try new things, even if they haven’t been done before, and being okay with risking the possibility of failure.

And with great risk comes great reward. Businesses that embrace innovative thinking are the ones that stand out from the crowd, attract loyal customers and employees, and ultimately succeed.

So if you want to make a name for yourself in the world of business, don’t be afraid to think different and take bold steps towards the future.

A Generic Conference Submission On Quintessence

March 8, 2023
Alien tech, Business, Conferences, Culture change, Organisational effectiveness, Organisational Therapy, Quintessence, Software development, Systems thinking
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A Generic Conference Submission On Quintessence

Title

Quintessence: A Radical Approach to Effective Software Development

Summary

In this session, we will explore Quintessence, an entirely new and radical approach to effective software development that eschews the whole idea of methodologies. We will discuss the challenges faced by organisations in improving their software development efforts, specifically the collective assumptions and beliefs that hinder progress. Through practical examples, we will demonstrate how Quintessence can help organisations address these challenges and achieve better outcomes, such as increased engagement, accelerated uptake of new ideas, methods and practices, increased productivity, reduced stress, etc.

Session Description In Full

Software development has been described as “the most complex endeavour known to Man”. Despite the prevalence of popular methodologies such as Agile and Lean, many organisations still struggle to improve their software development processes and achieve better outcomes. One of the main reasons for this is the collective assumptions and beliefs held by these organisations, which hinder progress and frustrate the effectiveness of traditional methodologies.

Quintessence offers a new approach to effective software development that goes beyond traditional methodologies. It emphasises a paradigm shift in the way we think about software development. Instead of focusing on processes and methodologies, Quintessence places emphasis on the social and cultural context of software development.

In this session, we will explore the challenges faced by organisations in improving their approach to software development and how Quintessence can help address these challenges. We will discuss how collective assumptions and beliefs impact software development, and how Quintessence offers a road map or guide book for overcoming these challenges. Through practical examples, we will demonstrate how Quintessence can help organisations achieve better outcomes and improve their organisational culture.

Join us for an insightful discussion on this paradigm shift in software development and the practical applications of Quintessence. Whether you are a software developer, manager, or executive, this session will provide valuable insights into improving software development in your organisation.

Session type

  • Talk

Themes

  • Paradigm shift in software development
  • Overcoming collective assumptions and beliefs
  • Practical applications of Quintessence
  • Systems Thinking
  • Psychology
  • Bigger picture