insights you can use |
|
|
"Poor management can increase software costs more rapidly than any other factor." (Barry Boehm)  Behind Closed Doors: Secrets of Great Management (Pragmatic Programmers) 
Archives May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 Contents (c) 2003-2006 Esther Derby I also publish a quarterly newsletter for people who manage in software organizations. If you'd like to receive the newsletter, drop me an email. It's on paper, so please include surface coordinates - name and full address. 
Syndicate this site (XML) 
Links 
|
Monday, November 26, 2007
They don't get it (...well, maybe)
I got a call from an acquaintance, Gloria, who is trying to convince her organization to adopt agile methods. "I've given them every logical argument I can think of," she said. "They just don't get it. All I get is blank looks. How stupid can they be?" "They" probably aren't stupid at all. But they may have a different frame of reference, or a different mental model. They may value something that isn't considered in Gloria's logical arguments. They may agree completely with Gloria's argument, but don't see how to get to where she wants them to go. They may be afraid that if they do what Gloria suggests, their managers will be angry. What Gloria doesn't get is this: while logic is appealing, it isn't always the most effective tool for persuasion. Rather than try to win through logical argumentation, Gloria might try understanding: what other people value what other people fear what obstacles other people face what problems they want to solve. Labels: change | |