In today’s competitive job market, organizations are inundated with a deluge of resumes for every open position. To streamline the hiring process and manage this influx, many companies have turned to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that rely heavily on keyword matching to screen potential candidates. However, this automated approach is not only inefficient but also unjustified, leading to significant drawbacks and missed opportunities in identifying the best talent for the job.
The Unjustified Reign of Keyword-Driven Screening
The use of ATS software has become ubiquitous in modern recruitment practices, with the promise of saving time and effort by quickly filtering through a large volume of resumes. These systems are programmed to scan resumes for specific keywords related to job requirements, skills, and qualifications set by the hiring team. Candidates whose resumes contain these keywords are then flagged for further review, while those lacking them are often discarded without human intervention.
However, this reliance on keywords overlooks the nuances of a candidate’s experience, achievements, and potential cultural fit within the organization. It fails to capture the full scope of a candidate’s capabilities beyond what is explicitly stated in their resume, leading to a narrow and incomplete view of potential candidates.
The Unintended Consequences of Keyword-Centric Screening
Keyword-driven screening can have severe consequences for the recruitment process and the future of the organization:
1. Ineffective Candidate Evaluation: Relying solely on keywords overlooks the nuances of a candidate’s experience, achievements, and potential cultural fit within the organization. It fails to capture the full scope of a candidate’s capabilities beyond what is explicitly stated in their resume.
2. Perpetuating Bias and Discrimination: Keyword matching can inadvertently perpetuate bias in hiring by favoring candidates who use specific industry buzzwords or have certain educational backgrounds. This can result in overlooking qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds or unconventional career paths.
3. Wasted Opportunities for Hidden Gems: Exceptional candidates who possess valuable skills or experiences not captured by standard keywords may be unfairly excluded from consideration. Creativity, adaptability, and potential for growth are often overlooked in favor of rigid keyword criteria.
4. Negative Candidate Experience: Candidates who feel their applications are being judged solely on keyword matches may perceive the hiring process as impersonal and dehumanizing. This can damage the employer brand and deter top talent from engaging with the organization in the future.
5. Identify incorrect candidates: This has been a recent experience, where in based on a few key words, the hiring team is short listing potential candidates, when reviewed / test evaluated / interview – these candidates are found lacking in their relevant skills as quoted on their problems.
The Need for a Holistic Approach
To address the shortcomings of keyword-driven screening and enhance the quality of candidate selection, organizations must adopt a more holistic approach to recruitment:
1. Define Clear Job Requirements: Instead of relying solely on keywords, hiring teams should clearly outline the essential skills, experiences, and qualities required for each role. This ensures that screening criteria are aligned with actual job needs.
2. Utilize Technology Wisely: While ATS systems can be valuable tools for managing high volumes of applications, they should be used as aids rather than substitutes for human judgment. Combining automated screening with manual review can help identify top talent more effectively.
3. Emphasize Soft Skills and Potential: Look beyond technical qualifications and prioritize soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and adaptability. Assessing a candidate’s potential for growth and cultural fit can lead to more successful long-term hires.
4. Implement Diverse Hiring Practices: Actively seek out candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences to foster innovation and inclusivity within the organization. Encourage hiring teams to look beyond traditional metrics and consider a wide range of perspectives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the reign of keyword-driven candidate screening is not only inefficient but also unjustified. It leads to missed opportunities, bias, and subpar hiring decisions. By adopting a more balanced approach that combines technology with human judgment, organizations can improve their ability to identify top talent that aligns with their values and goals. Embracing diversity, emphasizing potential over checkboxes, and prioritizing candidate experience are key steps towards building a stronger workforce capable of driving innovation and success in today’s dynamic business landscape.
It is always known, observed, and seen that Project Managers use tradeoffs to provide decision-makers with data on the impact of a change on scope, time, cost, quality and risks (Though I mention this, I have never seen a proper and adequate level of impact analysis to the level as needed and required), then the sponsor understands the full impact whenever they have a variance or a change request.
Tradeoffs help maintain the project’s feasibility.
Check this fictional conversation:
Situation – Fixed Price, Fixed Scope, Quality Parameters have been agreed and Cost is Pre-agreed, The SoW is signed off. Contracts are in place. Planning is done and dusted, now the project is in execution phase.
And Bingo … we have an interesting request from the customer to the sponsor to change the dates of delivery and so the conversation happens somewhat like this:
The sponsor says to the project manager, “I want to move up the finish date from June 30 to May 30. Make it happen.” The sponsor starts to leave the meeting.
The project manager says, “Yes, I can shorten the duration of the project by four weeks. Your assistant told me about that, and I modeled it. To cut a month off the duration, I will need to have two additional developers and a tester for the month of April and the budget will increase by $10,000 for extra resources.”
A tradeoff has two sides. First, there’s the positive side where the PM shortens the duration of the project. Second, there’s the negative side where the project manager says they need an added budget for two additional engineers for the month and additional consultants.
The sponsor says,” No all I want is to cut the duration. No additional people or money.”
The PM says, “If I told you I could do that it would be lie. To shorten the date there will be other changes. It is not possible without consequences.”
The sponsor responds, “A good PM would be able to do whatever I want!”
Then the project manager replies, “But it would be a lie.”
Who wins this conversation / argument / decision making process, well it may seem that that the Sponsor would force the Project manager to agree to his / her ideas and thought process, but ultimately project drags on time and cost, has poor quality (a lot of defects, un-tested elements), team members have burnt out, the morale is low and customer is unhappy writing stinker of emails, there is a all-round loss and credibility issue, but who cares.
Did the sponsor review the impact of the new need / requirement where in the timelines / duration has been reduced?
Requirements for Trade offs
Tradeoffs are part of the toolset good project managers use. They must build the project plan with quantified measurable outcomes for every delivery. And the schedule must have work estimates and accurate precedence relationships. Then model every change with its compensating tradeoffs.
When project sponsors want to make a change, successful project managers never say, “Oh no, we can’t add that to the project.” What they say is, “Certainly I can add that to the project, but I will need three more people full time.” Other negative sides of the tradeoff could be, “We will have to increase the budget by $ XXX” or “We’ll have to reduce the savings in our scope by $ XXX.”
This is the language of tradeoffs. The project manager is not saying no. Instead, they are telling the sponsor or stakeholder what it will “cost” to bring about the change they want. Tradeoffs maintain the feasibility of the project. Merely shortening the duration does not.
There are no easy solutions and no easy decisions that one could make … Impact Analysis and Cost of Delay as a concept should be utilized for proper decision making.
Remember in any project, on one side we have the leadership / sponsors and others who at times have un-reasonable demands and the other end of the spectrum we have project manager who is trying to make the ends meet … Due to job constraints and lack of their ability to standup, the project manager looses the game and finally leadership and sponsors lose money, get poor quality and loss of face to the customers.
We have always tried to be penny-wise pound foolish
With all said and done, changes would occur and would be required to be managed. How should a tradeoff occur? What parameters should the Project manager be concerned about?
Juggling the 4 corners of the Project (Standing on 4 Pillars)
Any project would have to learn to live with these 4 corners of the game:
Project scope (including quality of deliverables)
Time / Duration
Risk
Cost (human resources and materials).
Which is more important? Given an option to make a choice, Let see a few permutation / combination to make a judgement call.
Let us say Scope is Changing, it is increasing … Then
Scope Change: Impact would be on: Quality, Cost, Time (atleast on one of them, but if you really think, it will impact all of them)
Where do we prioritize the approach, what should be the order of our decision making and relevant / related impact, Should it?
Order of Impact / Decision
Order of Impact / Decision
Order of Impact / Decision
Cost
Quality
Time
Time
Cost
Cost
Quality
Time
Quality
It is not an easy decision, but if quality is a thought, then as per me, it is a bad / poor idea. Spend more on Cost and try to minimize the impact on Quality and Time
The project is like a tube of toothpaste. When management / sponsors squeezes on a project’s duration corner by cutting the due date by a month, the toothpaste compensates by oozing out from one of the other corners. When the sponsor squeezes the duration, it will deliver less scope, cost more, or have a higher risk of failure and this is the kind of impact analysis that is required to be performed by the project and related stakeholders.
Changes in one parameter would always impact at least one other corner. That fact exists whether people recognize it or not. It’s not realistic to assume that making arbitrary changes to one corner of the project, like the duration, can happen without any compensating effects through the rest of the project.
Interestingly, the majority of the leadership and sponsors fail to recognize this impact. Because in most projects only one, or at most two, of these corners is measurable. The completion date is always measurable and is often rock solid. In some situations, the project budget is also measurable. But most internal projects have no other measurable dimensions. Even with the two measured dimensions of duration and budget, the business value of the project (the scope) and the risk of not delivering that scope on time are usually unmeasurable. So executives continue to make arbitrary changes to the duration and the budget and think that it will have no impact on the project’s scope, quality or risk.
What concerns me is that most of the leadership have no clue on this front, each of these leadership person must have risen through the ranks and would have faced these similar challenges in their project management days and now they behave very differently. Does change in position also impact the way a correct process should be adopted?
Is this science so difficult that we do not understand elements?
I recommend performing “What If” Analysis, where one can watch the impact of moving one parameter (or as we say one pillar) over others. This requires building some models (but once you do it, will serve the organization for its life), then performing different permutation and combinations can give all type of results, choose the lesser evil.
When doing such analysis, keep emotions out of the window and work on real and hard facts.
Do let me know your experiences on this front, would be an great discussion over coffee !!!
One of the main task for any Scrum Master is to manage and motivate the development team (do not forget the Product Owner) to deliver the best-in-class output with outcome to the respective end-users / stakeholders. Pure Agile / Scrum processes will not achieve this, A Scrum Master above all else should be a people person.
During the life of the product development, Scrum Master would enable / facilitate creating a range of tangible deliverables that are critical to the meeting of DoD and release to the production. These would include Impediment board, risks, teaming agreement, cadence of sprint and so on… The funny part of the story is that when the product is delivered all the tangible outputs that we are speaking about would be of no use (atleast to the end-user community). They have little or no value outside the life of the product.
It is important for us to understand that Scrum is all about people, who help to create beautiful and meaningful outputs that serve the needs of the stakeholders and market in general.
The main task for the Scrum Master is to ensure that the development team can deliver and all blockages that occur in the journey of theirs are removed or assisted to be removed.
Over next few paragraphs, we shall de-mystify the needs and requirements on what and how a Scrum Master should enact the approach.
Step # 1 – Get the basics right – Right People, Right Skills, Right Tasks.
As a Scrum Master, help, guide and assist / facilitate the development team to get the right skilled people -with adequate dose of attitude and aptitude. Do not focus on technical skills, focus on learnability, ability to survive in a tough environment, how to respect, being open, have the right level of commitment to the team and others.
There would always be some gap between your needs / wants vs. what talent is available. Remember a perfect match may not be available, try to manage this as a risk and work towards mitigating the same. Try to always get a balanced set of capabilities and skills, do not fall in the trap of choosing all the folks that favor you or you like. Infact look for people who can work with others and create magic for your customers.
Also find a balance between internal and external resources, several times you may be forced by the Leadership to take an internal person (in order to save on cost) but evaluate the person as you would when you take any external resource and ensure it fits in your culture band that you are building in your team.
Step # 2 – Go for Quality rather than Quantity.
More resources may not always be the right approach, but the right resources is what matters. Life and experiences have always suggested that a small set of motivated people have delivered far more than a much larger group of able people. Be the master negotiator with the leadership or the resource allocating person to get the best talent for your team, you may have to act as a salesman to get the right quality in your team (Scrum does not talk about this … but it is critical)
Step # 3 – Clear Roles and Responsibilities.
For any team and individual – we all look for clarity of our roles and expectations, how shall we be judged. Yes, there are no defined / allocated roles in Scrum, but it does not hurt to have pseudo approaches for the initial few sprints and then educate the team to self-allocate, self-define how they want to work out. Scrum Master is like parenting job, initially we would be required to do babysitting, but the as team grows, becomes more mature , our role should be limited to guidance and coaching.
Step # 4 – Building the team
Do not take for granted that Team is automatically built – You need to invest your sweat equity into it.
There is no right or wrong way to build a team, different cultures, different set of people will bond in different lengths of time. To build the team with right values, try these elements:
Ensure roles are clearly understood
Ensure communication channels are open between you and the team and amongst the team
Bring people together (More physically)
Give people time to know each other
Have the Product Owner address the team on the needs, vision, big picture, roadmap of the product in focus
Step # 5 – Focus on personal development of team members
It may not be the core objective of Scrum Master, but not focusing on the same would have adverse impact.
Face this task much earlier in the life cycle, ideally when people first get involved in the team, As a part of their initial induction have an understanding of their career needs and wants. The areas where they want to grow and contribute. If their expectations are out of line or un-reasonable, then put it straight on the record.
Help the Product Owner agree to have about 4-6 Hrs / Sprint (Assuming 2 weeks of Sprint cycle) to get it invested in growth, learning of new tools, more on the product development, team building, exploration of new ideas (like using Gen AI to help in the development) and so on … this is a bit of selling exercise with the PO and team (also!)
However, make sure that the training / workshops or getting people involved in specific things do not derail the product development, it should not deviate from the core objective with which the team was formed.
Step # 6 – Be aware of team dynamics and politics
When people work together, they develop their own style of communication. Working together, as a Scrum Master your ability to understand the team dynamics is going to become more critical and critical.
Note: There is no right or wrong team working style or responding to team dynamics. Team dynamics will never remain static, it changes over a period – and when the team matures or new team members join, old ones move on, this can help you rebalance the approach for the team.
Implement PI (Predictive Index Assessment) for everyone on your team. Identify their personalities and ensure you and others in the team understand how to deal with a given personality. This is no rocket science, but not knowing how to deal with a Collaborative vs. Strategists can cause unwarranted losses and damage to the morale of the team and thereby to the product.
Encourage openness and honesty – when these elements are in place, then the team would have few barriers to open communications.
Remember to lead by example if you do not want politics in the team, then do not politic yourself. You want to be trusted by the team.
Final note on this one – Team is more important than any individual, In Agile it is the team that would deliver and not an individual.
Step # 7 – Managing Part time resources
At times, you may not get a fully dedicated person to work on your product development. You would have to work with Shared resources, when such a situation arises, ensure:
To get fixed and measurable time from shared folks
Make sure you have sufficient skills and talent and working hands, remember it is not the number of people in your team, but it is the amount time that these folks are ready to devote to you.
Recommend your team to build a little slack and inefficiency in the approach (this acts like a risk mitigation strategy)
Your approach to managing the time utilization (not saying to act like a project manager- but watch the game) would be critical to the success of the delivery
Step # 8 – Working with the Wider Organization
Remember your team, the product’s existence is never in isolation. There is always a requirement with some other function, department to get your product out of door, it could be the marketing or the sales team or the travel team (to book your tickets, hotels) or some other platform team whose output would be critical for integration and working of your product.
There is always to a need to manage relationships with the wider organization, and it would vary depending on context and content of the product as developed, Therefore as Scrum Master is it important to guide and assist the team to manage these relationship internally in the system.
Providing adequate and timely notice to dependency would help them plan their side of the work and provide sufficient time allocation for your work.
Step # 9 – Have a sense of humor
The ability to generate and enjoy humor is an extremely positive trait for a Scrum Master. Developing products / projects can at times be quite stressful – the ability to laugh and crack jokes (not on any individual) would help the team manage the stress.
If you are not natural at this … do not worry, just smile a lot. People love to see a smiling face, do not underestimate the power of a simple smile. A well-placed smile of yours can completely change the dynamics of the conversation, can lift an individual from a negative stance to a positive frame of mind.
These are a few ideas that has potentially given me the required results and mind you – it has always worked.
Ego, as defined in psychological terms, represents an individual’s sense of self-importance and self-worth. In project management, ego manifests as a personal need for recognition, power, and control. While a certain level of self-confidence is essential for effective leadership, an unchecked ego can lead to conflicts, communication breakdowns, and hinder project progress.
While having a healthy level of confidence and self-assuredness is generally beneficial, an excessively inflated ego can be challenging to handle and can have a significant impact on our work life.
In the realm of project management, achieving success requires more than just technical expertise and organizational skills. The human factor plays a pivotal role, and one aspect that can significantly impact project outcomes is ego management. Ego, often associated with self-importance and pride, can become a stumbling block or a catalyst for collaboration and success in project management. Today in this blog / article, we shall explore the concept of ego management and its critical role in project management, highlighting strategies to nurture collaboration and enhance project outcomes.
The Role of Ego Management in Project Success: Effective ego management fosters an environment where individuals can collaborate, share ideas, and work together towards a common goal. By minimizing egotistical behaviors, project managers can create a culture of trust, open communication, and innovation. Ego management is particularly crucial in project teams that comprise diverse individuals with unique perspectives, experiences, and expertise. When ego is managed effectively, it paves the way for improved decision-making, conflict resolution, and overall project success.
Based on past experiences of managing and participating projects, I have observed others, my bosses, leadership, Project managers on how they managed Ego to ensure their project success … I am listing based on my bets memory recall a few of those approaches:
Strategies for Ego Management in Project Management
Establish Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and expectations helps minimize power struggles and conflicts arising from ego-related issues. When everyone understands their contributions and how they fit into the project’s overall objectives, it reduces the chances of ego-driven conflicts.
Foster a Positive Team Culture: Encouraging a positive team culture characterized by trust, mutual respect, and recognition of achievements helps diminish ego-related challenges. Recognize and appreciate individual contributions while reinforcing the importance of teamwork.
Implement Conflict Resolution Mechanisms: Despite efforts to manage egos, conflicts may arise. Implementing effective conflict resolution mechanisms, such as mediation or facilitated discussions, can address, and resolve conflicts before they escalate and impact project progress. In one of my earlier engagement, the Scrum Master implemented the concept of Team Agreement and Conflict resolution approach, She split the team into two and then asked the team to develop Team agreement (with one group) and Conflict resolution (with the other), Once it was done, then the teams were exchanged and asked to review and suggest chances to the data as written by the other team and finally come to an agreement – which then became the BIBLE for the team to behave and manage relationships internally
Promote Collective Ownership: Emphasizing shared responsibility and recognizing the team’s collective achievements helps to mitigate individual ego-driven tendencies. Celebrating team accomplishments rather than individual achievements creates a sense of unity and encourages collaboration. – This has been one of the major elements of implementation with one of my earlier managers – Approach was simple – celebrate the smallest of achievement – Even if that was a successful code review or a major bug fix found, or a Sprint Goal achieved.
Cultivate a Collaborative Environment: Project managers should prioritize building a culture of collaboration by encouraging open dialogue, active listening, and valuing diverse perspectives. By creating an atmosphere where team members feel heard and respected, ego-driven conflicts can be minimized. For instance in one of my previous organization, there was a process, where the Project manager would have at least 2 one on one with the team members daily and one meeting (called – “All Hand Meet”) – during this meeting – no project discussion, but more of personal touch, life discussions, general elements were discussed, this helped all the team members to know each other and value the skills and talent that others bought to the table.
Though we have a few interesting ideas for managing Ego, we also need to understand the reasons and challenges from the other side of the fence. Observations and better understanding after 3 decades of working gave me the following elements on Ego:
Intrinsic Nature: Ego is an inherent part of human psychology. It stems from our need for self-identity, self-worth, and recognition. It can manifest in various forms, such as the desire for power, control, or validation. Since ego is deeply rooted in individuals, managing it requires self-awareness and conscious effort. At times this can also happen due to our local environment at home or office
Lack of Self-Awareness: Ego management requires self-awareness, which can be lacking in individuals who are not introspective or reflective. Without recognizing and understanding their own ego-driven behaviors, individuals may inadvertently perpetuate conflicts, hinder collaboration, and impede project progress. Sometimes what a person does, may not realize that their actions are counter-productive, but they fail to understand & appreciate this
Resistance to Change: Ego often resists change, as it challenges our sense of self and disrupts established patterns of behavior. When confronted with alternative viewpoints, suggestions, or feedback, individuals with strong egos may feel threatened and resist adopting new ideas or approaches. This resistance can hinder collaboration and innovation in project management – This is a basic human nature to resist, we form opinions about things and do not want to change and this itself could be a showstopper in our life.
Fear of Vulnerability: Ego can serve as a defense mechanism to shield individuals from vulnerability. Admitting mistakes, seeking help, or acknowledging limitations can be seen as a blow to one’s ego. This fear of vulnerability can make it difficult to foster open communication and address issues proactively, leading to strained relationships and project challenges. This is the most dangerous part of the human character and nature.
Competition and Comparison: Ego often thrives in environments where competition and comparison prevail. When individuals feel the need to outperform others or maintain a superior image, collaboration and teamwork can be compromised. Project environments driven by ego-focused competition can undermine trust and hinder collective progress. At times this can be hugely negative element for the project and its team members – but at times it could be a savior in some manner.
Power Dynamics: Hierarchical power structures can exacerbate ego-related challenges. In environments where authority is concentrated and decisions are made unilaterally, individuals may feel the need to assert their own importance or protect their ego. This can lead to power struggles, lack of transparency, and diminished collaboration within project team.
Emotional Investment: Ego is closely linked to emotions and personal identity. When individuals become emotionally invested in their ideas, decisions, or positions, it becomes harder to objectively evaluate alternatives or consider differing perspectives. Emotional attachment to one’s ego can hinder rational decision-making and impede effective collaboration.
Last few words of wisdom:
Overcoming the challenges associated with ego requires a combination of self-reflection, open communication, empathy, and creating a supportive project environment. By promoting a culture of humility, self-awareness, and collaboration, project managers can address ego-related challenges effectively and foster an atmosphere conducive to project success.
To foster a healthier work environment, it is important for individuals to develop self-awareness and emotional intelligence, which can help them manage their ego and cultivate more constructive behaviors. Organizations can also promote a culture of collaboration, open communication, and continuous feedback, which can mitigate the negative impact of ego-driven behavior and promote a more productive and harmonious work environment.
Ego management plays a vital role in project management. By effectively managing ego-driven behaviors, project managers can create an environment conducive to collaboration, open communication, and innovation. Nurturing a culture of humility, respect, and shared ownership cultivates a high-performing project team that maximizes its potential for success. Embracing ego management strategies empowers project managers to navigate the complexities of human dynamics, ultimately enhancing project outcomes and achieving organizational goals.
It will always be the ownership of leadership to have the right environment and culture in the organization, This should also be reflected in our hiring practices, can we devise some approaches where these symptoms of Ego can be tracked and traced, this would help the organization and project at large in a long way post hiring of the candidate; but to have these ideas and thoughts implemented (at least on a pilot basis), it requires courage, forward thinking, ability to navigate thru a maze of negative and not so proactive thoughts and actions of people and finance (tools are not free)
Leadership / Management should see the writing on the wall before it is too late and the we miss the bus ….
See you later in some other thought provoking article ….
If you have ideas what you want to see me write – Pls let me know.
Work-life balance in the IT world / industry can be a complex and a difficult issue, as the nature of the work often involves long hours, tight deadlines, and high-pressure situations. While achieving work-life balance in the IT industry can be challenging, it is not impossible, work-life balance is an essential concept, it can sometimes be challenging to implement effectively in real-life organizational setting, but many organizations within the industry are actively working to create a more balanced environment.
I remember during the pandemic, when the entire (I would say about 98% of us) were working from home, It was very worrying for me, if someone called me and I was not in front of my laptop (could be a washroom break, or gone to answer the doorbell), it was assumed that I am not working, Where as when you are in office and people see you once and then you are not on the seat / or your place, it is acceptable – I can spend a whole 1 hr. chatting with someone in cafeteria and that would be considered just fine. My issues are a little different as people behave differently as the policies and the leadership approaches are erratic.
Why do we have challenges in maintaining the Work-Life Balances at our workplace, with my decent experiences of working across the globe and for different types of organizations, I have got some interesting thoughts here – which may resonate with you, Do check them:
Inadequate Project Management and Planning: Poor project management and planning can play a significant role in work-life balance. Unclear communication, unrealistic deadlines, and no proper resource allocation – all these aid to excessive workloads and the need for constant overtime. Prioritization and efficient time management are crucial in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The 1st principle for good work and time management – here goes for a toss.
Lack of Boundaries: In some work environments, there is a blurring of boundaries between work and personal life. With advancements in technology, employees may find it difficult to disconnect from work, as they are constantly connected to their devices and expected to be available outside of regular working hours. This lack of boundaries can erode work-life balance and lead to a sense of being “always available.”
Limited Support Systems: Despite having work-life balance policies in many companies, organizations may not provide the necessary support systems to help employees achieve balance. For example, inadequate childcare support or limited access to wellness programs can make it challenging for employees to effectively manage their personal commitments alongside their work responsibilities.
Cultural Expectations and Peer Pressure: In certain workplace cultures, there can be unwritten expectations that employees need to constantly be available and put work above everything else. Peer pressure and cultural norms within the organization may discourage employees from prioritizing their personal lives or taking time off, even when work-life balance policies are theoretically are existing. It is just a hoax to have such policies in the 1st place – Not sure how employee (including me) falls in such trap.
Long Working Hours Culture: A variant of the above mentioned point, many industries and organizations have a prevalent culture of long working hours, where employees are expected to work well beyond their designated hours. This culture often undermines work-life balance, leading to increased stress, burnout, and a lack of time for personal commitments or leisure activities. Organizational culture and expectations can make it difficult for employees to truly achieve balance as needed in life.
Demand for 24/7 Operations: The IT industry often operates in a 24/7 environment, particularly in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, and IT support (this is the nature of business). As we go global, the customer wants solutions and resolutions to their challenges and problems during their day-time – which could be off-hours for people working in different time zone. This can lead to employees being on call or working irregular hours, which can impact work-life balance. However, organizations can implement measures such as shift rotations, adequate staffing, and clear expectations around availability to help mitigate the negative effects. (I would state a few organizations have performed Shift approaches, extra cash, transport facilities and others to help their employees work effectively)
Final Approach:
It is important to note that while these elements as stated exist, there are also organizations that prioritize work-life balance and successfully implement policies and practices that support their employees’ well-being. However, the challenges mentioned above highlight the need for organizations to go beyond policies and actively create a culture and environment that values work-life balance, promotes flexibility, and supports employees in achieving harmony between their personal and professional lives.
While work-life balance in the IT industry may present unique challenges, organizations are increasingly recognizing its importance and taking steps to address it. By implementing policies and practices that support flexibility, well-being, and effective project management, the industry can create an environment that enables employees to achieve a healthier work-life balance. However, it is important to note that the extent to which work-life balance is achievable can vary between organizations within the industry, and it may require individual efforts as well.
This article is based and drawn on my Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Agile Coach experiences over a period of many years across different domains and industries and not to forget the geographies that I have worked in.
Beyond my fundamental training on Scrum and Agile, I had the privilege of working with and learning from highly competent, ethical professionals who had provided me ample opportunities to learn, make mistakes, and re-apply my learnings. People with whom I have been associated have practiced “Fail Fast” and showed me directions on how to prepare for the future. They have guided me to deal with stakeholders who need to be managed at a different level (as each of them was a different personality – No One size that fits all)
Everyone wants to succeed, but regardless of many forms of success, one must also be successful in dealing with others.
While there are many attributes that contribute to the growth and behavior of an individual, I have listed down what worked for me and helped me in my agile coaching journey.
Positive personal effectiveness is achieved when we can ethically win confidence, respect, and cooperation in our dealings with others (they could be your Seniors or Juniors).
Scrum Master’s job is to work with others; they cannot delegate this nor can they avoid the required interaction. For Scrum Masters to be successful, they should practice the below mentioned nine people skills for ‘Self-Improvement and Effectiveness’.
Personal Ethics
Adaptability
Tact
Creditability
Intercommunication
Persuasiveness
Objectivity
Initiative
Self-Discipline
From the above one would spot over-lapping approaches across many skills like Intercommunication and Persuasiveness vs. Tact.
Personal Ethics
It is thefirst people related skill that any individual should develop, and it applies to a Scrum Master also. It is basic to establish and maintain a high standard of excellence in the practice, life and behavior. Good character, stemming from good ethics, is a quality of leadership and it distinguishes any leader from others. It inspires well-founded and reciprocal confidence and trust of others in you.
I learnt in my career that the best and most successful people at the top (like Ratan Tata) were those who displayed and practiced personal ethics and took personal responsibilities toward their own people, project, organizations, employees, and society at large.
Consistent reliance on personal ethics should be our guiding principle in our personal encounters, which would inspire others to follow the same pattern and principles.
This should be the default element of any Scrum Master and bare minimum traits to have. There cannot be any compromise on this front.
Adaptability
Not everything would always go as per plan. It is important for us to be adaptable, especially in our project environment, where requirements can change, scope gets impacted, estimates go for a toss, – and the delivery of the MVP is at risk. This is the place where adaptability as a people skill would help us bring harmony to our attitudes and actions in our dealings with the situation and economic environment.
The required degree of adaptability varies with the situation, at times it would be temporary or minor in nature and at others, it would cause a major impact in our dealings and thought processes.
Experience has taught me that however crucial the circumstances may be, adaptability with a cool and collected mindset helps in managing the situation better.
The product owner could be putting pressure on the team, teams may have internal conflicts and challenges to deal with, or the market situation may not be as per our needs or plans. To deal with all these situations, adaptability is required. There is no substitute for the same.
Every project would demand a certain amount of adaptability, as its needs and goals would be different than your prior experiences. As a scrum master one would play multiple roles in a day-to-day affair of the product development. Depending on the need, one would act as a wise counselor or demonstrate as an inspiring mentor or display compassion. Scrum Master should know that change is inevitable and would have an overarching impact. A Scrum Master who can adapt to these changing situations would be able to survive and thrive in the business.
Tact
Scrum Master needs to master the art of tact in dealing with the team, PO and stakeholders including the leadership and show genuine concern for their situation and feelings. Tact as an approach cannot work alone, it has to be used with other personal effectiveness traits and people skills.
Lacking tact can be a costly impediment to personal effectiveness. How can we avoid conflict with someone who takes a totally arbitrary posture of disagreement? Now look at these 2 statements –
“Please tell me a little more about how you came to this conclusion.”
“I don’t agree with you.”
The first one might prevent antagonism, but the latter one would more likely cause it.
This is what we call tact – an important parameter in our approach to dealing with people. Self-control under pressure is a powerful tool of discretion. Lacking tact as a skill could be a costly impediment to personal effectiveness. A practical guide to improving your handling of situations with “tact” should consider these three elements:
Perception
Discretion
Empathy
Tact is more about mutual respect for other parties involved in the situation or discussions.
Credibility
Credibility is an essential attribute that is built upon elements of Trust, Integrity, Reliability, and Commitments. Credibility lends its power to personal effectiveness as it helps you earn the genuine respect, trust, and confidence of others.
Imagine a Scrum Master with credibility issues. Will they be able to lead the team, or will the team respect such a person?
Commitment and promises are a necessity in every part and type of job that we do. Breach of these would have issues on credibility of the person, whether it is in the society, organization, project, or family. A person’s past performance creates a track record which builds up credibility.
Intercommunications
Intercommunication is a synthesizer to all the other elements as discussed in this article. Intercommunication capabilities create the power to use all the skills more effectively. A good communicator conveys messages, ideas, thoughts, suggestions, and intentions clearly and concisely, while displaying the reciprocal interactions – listening, hearing, and evaluating the comments and feelings of others. This is a common element of Scrum Master’s daily job.
The effectiveness of Scrum Master’s communication is always reflected in the responses they receive, whether in action or attitude or words. These responses are an excellent ongoing opportunity for evaluating the style of our communication. If the Scrum team’s performance matters, it needs to have excellent communication from Scrum Master. Scrum is a high-intensity team sport. Good communication is one of the essential elements to build a robust Scrum team. Lack of communication or poor communication will invariably cause your Scrum team to fall apart.
Signs of poor communication
Here are the most common indicators of improper communication that you as a Scrum Master should be careful about:
Using a monologue over a dialogue
Disregarding the feelings of others
Being subjective/vague
Resisting feedback
Lack of shared language of communication
Persuasiveness
It is an art of gaining approval, acceptance or agreement when presenting your thoughts, ideas, plans, suggestions, and opinions to others.
It is one of the most valuable skills for the scrum master to have, as it leads to gaining cooperation, and a greater success in our dealing with the situations and people.
Quite often, traditional managers can be very autocratic when they delegate their authority. Scrum supports empowerment. Self-analyzing and self-organizing teams decide the best course of action. At times, it becomes necessary to advise the team to follow the Scrum process or carry out a particular activity. Generally, the teams respond positively by listening to the scrum master and engaging with the task. However, if the team fails to respond in time, or fails to respond positively, it may be required to engage with the team so it can comply. This is where the attitude comes in – the Scrum Master can either instruct the team or discuss the issue and persuade the team to respond positively.
An autocratic attitude is frowned upon by the team, and at an individual level, it may become difficult to avail the team member’s cooperation. The servant-leader role suggests that a scrum master should refrain from delegating his or her authority. Instead, the person should persuade the team member to cooperate.
Persuasiveness forms an integral part of well-defined communication. It is derived from competence, convictions, and ethically driven behavior.
Objectivity
Being objective helps to evaluate the situation, data, information which would be un-influenced by emotions, beliefs, or any personal preference. For a Scrum Master maintaining objectivity – an unbiased perspective when dealing with others and doing so fairly – is vital to achieving personal effectiveness. Objectivity is closely linked to credibility.
For objectivity to survive, an open mind is required, or should I say, it is the bare minimum requirement. An open mind would allow the Scrum Master to have the freedom to evaluate possible choices. A closed mind would rob us of these advantages.
Scrum Masters should be careful about objectivity as per social science research. This is difficult and arises out of the adverse influences of the following:
Personal prejudices and bias
Value judgement
Ethical dilemma
Complexity of social phenomena
A clear objective of Scrum Master should be to focus on the development and dissemination of knowledge and skills which are required to exploit the potential of the latest technologies and have collaborative design and working environment.
Initiative
This is an approach or a skill, where the Scrum Master converts an idea into action. The focus is to find if the idea would work, and whether we should pivot or throw away the thought.
A good product is well-crafted when engineering practices are in place with good effect. Scrum Master should arrange workshops on coding guidelines, designs, tools, and different engineering practices. Arrange a workshop for the team members where you can discuss or try a new tool, current architecture, latest technology, build-process, and do much more. This can be implemented by reserving time for the workshop and organizing an arbitrator who can be from the team.
Never have a laid-back attitude with your team or product, or when dealing with the stakeholders. Play on your front foot and move forward.
Self-Discipline
It is the ability to control one’s impulses, emotions, desires, and behavior. Agile transformation is all about self-disciplined team members. When we find discipline is missing, we do not get the value flow from the team to the end users. Self-discipline is important because it gives the Scrum Master the opportunity to excel in their professional life. It helps establish a set work routine and holds one accountable for the goals by pushing them to pursue advanced job opportunities.
Self-control is discipline in the face of pressure from an immediate urge, desire, or compulsion. It relates to delaying immediate gratification of the senses. Its struggle is the conflict between intellectual knowing and emotional desiring. It is the choice between physical and psychological satisfaction now vs. the hope or expectation of something better later.
A Scrum Master is required and expected that they would maintain a high degree of self-control and discipline.
Because self-discipline is a learned behavior, Scrum Master should make the choice to develop it. It’s important to set clear goals and have a solid plan for how they’ll achieve them. Knowing where we’re headed makes it easier to stay focused and avoid distractions. Here are a few steps you can follow to become self-disciplined:
Know your current situation
Define your expectations and set goals for yourself
Push yourself to meet your goals
Measure your progress
Learn from the situation
Reward yourself when you accomplish it
Identify your areas of improvement
Repeat the cycle – have a defined frequency
Remember there is no magic – it is all about you, your behavior and ability to handle complex, difficult situations, when the career and aspirations of people are involved. It is a delicate balance and Scrum Master needs to walk the tight rope.
Always inspect and adapt. Be the servant leader that Agile expects you to be.
This was in my Product Backlog for a long time, and I always wanted to jot down a few of my debatable thoughts (as others may not agree with my views) on how to identify the skills that we should look for when hiring for Leadership roles for an organization that follows Agile ways of working or is at very advanced stages of adoption and transformation.
Visualize that your organization is in a steady and stable Agile way of working. Across the board (including non-IT functions are also implementing Agile ways of working like Kanban and your product development teams are involved in Scrum or Kanban as the need may be). Your organizational Leadership is undergoing a massive change and restructuring is planned, wherein your company would be hiring Leaders (Heads for various Business Units) from the industry to take your organization forward.
Now with the requirement in our focus, we should design our Job Description (Do remember every hiring and at all levels should have a JD). The Leadership of an Agile organization is responsible for leading and implementing the company’s strategic vision, objectives, and goals in an Agile environment. They are accountable for developing and executing strategies that drive the organization’s growth and success while promoting a culture of agility, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Having the wrong leaders in an Agile organization can have a significant negative impact on organizational performance and the team’s productivity. Here are some potential consequences:
Slow decision-making: Agile teams require quick decision-making and responsiveness to changing requirements. If leaders are indecisive or take too long to make decisions, it can slow down the team’s progress.
Lack of clarity and direction: Agile teams require clear goals and direction to work effectively. If leaders are unclear or constantly changing their minds, it can cause confusion and make it difficult for the team to focus on their tasks.
Poor communication: Effective communication is critical in Agile teams. If leaders are poor communicators or don’t listen to their team members, it can cause misunderstandings, delays, and ultimately result in poor-quality work.
Lack of trust: Agile teams require a high level of trust between team members and their leaders. If leaders don’t trust their team members or their abilities, it can create a negative atmosphere and lead to decreased morale and motivation.
Lack of support: Agile teams require support from their leaders to be successful. If leaders are unsupportive or don’t provide the necessary resources, it can hinder the team’s ability to deliver high-quality.
If you or your organization has a dysfunctional leadership, then it can be challenging, but several steps can be taken to address the situation and promote a more collaborative and effective leadership culture. Hiring the right candidate is a critical element of the game and the first step that your company should be embarking upon.
In one of my previous engagements, we experienced a significant negative impact of Leadership approach and behavior on their organizations, agile teams, and employees. Listed here are some of the ways in which poor leadership had adverse effects on the entire journey:
Low Morale: It created an environment of low morale and a lack of motivation among employees. This led to high turnover rates and low productivity and a lot of sick leaves.
Poor Performance: When we experienced ineffective leadership, it resulted in poor performance from employees. This led to missed deadlines, and sub-standard quality, and this resulted in missed revenue targets.
Unhealthy Workplace Culture: Poor leadership in the organization led to a toxic workplace culture that was characterized by favoritism, discrimination, and harassment.
Lack of Direction: Poor leadership did not provide clear direction and vision for the organization. This resulted in confusion (across all levels), frustration, and a lack of focus among employees, causing considerable wastage of resources and missed opportunities.
Now with this background, let’s identify what are the good attributes of a Leader in an Agile Organization and check for these thoughts and approaches when you engage any person who would be part of your leadership team:
Visionary: Good leaders have a clear vision of where the organization is heading and communicate it effectively to the team. They inspire and motivate the team to work towards a common goal.
Agile Mindset: Having an Agile mindset and being open to change is vital. They embrace the Agile principles and values and lead by example. They promote a culture of continuous improvement and experimentation.
Servant Leadership: Effective leaders practice servant leadership. They focus on serving the team and removing impediments that hinder the team’s progress. They empower the team to make decisions and take ownership of their work.
Collaborative: A good leader in an Agile organization is collaborative and fosters a culture of collaboration. They encourage cross-functional collaboration and communication to ensure that the team is aligned and working towards the same goal.
Effective Communicator: It is important for the leader is an effective communicator. They communicate clearly and regularly with the team and stakeholders. They provide feedback to the team and encourage feedback from the team.
Decisive: Ideal leaders make informed decisions in a timely manner and are not afraid to take risks. They allow the Product Owner to prioritize the team’s work and ensure that the team is working on the most valuable work items (they would not and should not interfere in the working of the team).
Empathetic: Empathy is an essential quality that leaders should imbibe. They understand the team’s perspective and concerns and consider them when making decisions. They create a safe and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
Continuous Learner: Leaders must be lifelong learners. They stay up to date with the latest Agile practices and methodologies and encourage the team to do the same. They seek feedback and learn from their mistakes to continuously improve themselves and the team.
One would always want a leader who would provide support, and ensure the team has sufficient resources and support that they need to implement Agile. This may include providing training, coaching, or other support, led by example. Leaders must adopt Model Agile behavior and demonstrate how it can improve the team’s performance. This can help to motivate the team to adopt Agile principles.
Managing an organization that applies and adopts Agile requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to work with the team to find a solution that works for everyone. By educating the team, addressing concerns, starting small, providing support, leading by example, and monitoring progress, you can help the team become more open to Agile and ultimately improve their performance.
Agile and its variants / frameworks like Scrum, Kanban’s has been around us for more than 2 decades now, but very few organizations have been able to apply and reap the benefits of the same to the degree of investments made by each organization.
We want to be Agile, but do not want to embrace the value and eco system of Agile, I see a lot of organizations wanting to do Spotify ways of doing things, they have gone ahead and labeled their teams as Squads, Tribes and Chapters … but has anything changed, has the approach changed? Or the culture undergone a transformation? Has labelling teams made them adopt the Spotify ways of working …. I do not believe so.
Any change needs to be driven, its needs to anchored, its needs support and needs to be groomed for survival. It needs time, patience and attention from the Leadership or the sponsors who are putting the hard dollars ($$$) on the table, but alas dollars ($$$) are available, but the sponsors or the leadership team is missing from action.
Why is it so difficult to follow in practice 14 pages of PDF called Scrum Guide? Have we understood the intent of the document? Or it was just a new buzz word or a new kid on the block?
Historically if we see we had 7S theory, Lean, ISO, CMMI, Six Sigma’s and many more … where they now, if organizations have used them, have they got tangible cum measurable benefits? Why would an organization adopt ISO and CMMI and also Six Sigma (either together or one after other) … at the end of the day all speak the same language but with a slight difference, the end result is supposed to the same, the outcome needs to be the same. Why would any organization need improvement approaches using different models and methods, well the harsh truth is that we never implemented the initial one in the true spirit, therefore news ones would be required.
I would like to present an analogy over here … Each day when I get out of my bed, I would brush my teeth (well – Let’s say I use Colgate as a toothpaste), once done and dusted with Colgate, would I use Close-Up as new toothpaste for doing the same job, well my response would be a BIG “NO”, why No … Well, if I have done my job clearly and well with Colgate / 1st option, I should not be needing the second option.
Over a period of years based on my experience, I am jotting down a few elements to be implemented or practiced to gain the true value of using Agile as a framework for developing solutions and products.
As mentioned in of my earlier post, we need a beginner’s mindset and attitude to be succeeding in Agile. Beyond this a few more elements as food for thought:
Start with understanding the problem statement:
Whenever we develop any product, solutions, or any output, it is critical to understand the user base, end user behavior, their needs, their requirements, their current pain areas, problem statements. By doing this we as a Scrum Team would start to understand the big picture of our purpose and create the right vision and objectives for development. In order for the team to create a solution, it needs to internalize the problem, understand the depth of the need, impact of the wrong solution or no solution.
Visualize how our developed solutions and products would change the working pattern or the social behaviors of the society and people who would use it or be impacted by it.
I would like to sound critical here … In real life our Product Owners directly jump to the explaining the user story … but the science behind the story is missing for the team, they are unable to see the vision and visualize the trances of their incremental solution on how it would lead to the potential solution.
Start with Human Beings
Remember our solutions would be used by real people, we need to start engaging and interacting with potential end users for understanding the needs, possibilities, experience, knowledge for creating a deeper understanding. End Users know their pains and gains of the system better than anybody else.
Interdisciplinary Teams
Collaboration is a key element of working on any project (irrespective of using Agile or not), Projects cannot be done by a single source or an entity, we would require collaboration of skills and talent to come together and ensure there is a healthy chemistry of working and all of us are working towards a common goal. Teams with varied skills and talent help in developing a creative process and continuous reflect on the same to see its feasibility of applicability
Our current challenge is that our teams are having different objectives, vision, goals and KRA. Each of us are focused on getting our KRA done to meet the performance appraisal objective. We are conveniently missing the client goals and objectives
Experiments and Prototypes
Only final product when used by the real end users would we know if our development has been successful or not, but to get intermediatory feedback, Scrum team should heavily depend upon experiments and prototypes, this is a quick way to get feedback and understand if our course of direction needs to change. Reviews should always be at 2 levels, one at the Product Owner level and other with the team that would be in touch with the end user community. Both the reviews should be looking at the holistic approach. One should always practice that “Less is More”. Emphasize that solutions have to be proven, ones that have got feedback should be actioned upon … Important – do not focus on only negative elements (actually there should be no negative element, it is more about a feedback).
Be mindful of the process
As in project, there would be some degree of process, that is either pre-defined or the scrum team would define it for itself. Process could be on how the Product Backlog Refinement would occur, Of Defining and agreeing on Definition of Ready/Done, What approach the team would adopt on Daily Standup / Scrum and so on … It could also lead into how conflicts have to be managed, how issues / impediment management would be taken care of.
The idea is to have simple and effective processes that would enable the team to work on a cruise control mode and deliver value
Accept Complexity
At times our solutions would be very complex even for a simple set of problem statement, we may have to integrate multiple 3rd party tools and products, that itself would raise a level of complexity, sometimes working in some cultures could have its own set of challenges, the stakeholder community is changing regularly, this puts additional burden on getting re-aligned with the ever-changing thought process and new stakeholders.
Co-Create and Grow with the concept of Co-Create
Agile is to solve problems, create new solutions, have happy customers. All this cannot be done in isolation, we need to engage multiple vendors, stakeholders, partners, business models, financial elements.
At times systems thinking along with Lean Start up approaches would be critical. Agile recommends collaboration with the stakeholders and the best approach would always be to co-create, It would help us pose right questions to the right people at the right time to get feedback and enable our journey to the next logical stop.
We need to regularly converge and diverge to reconverge back. This is a constant process and should be helping and assisting scrum team along with the decision makers.
All that is described above is nothing new, we all know it, we have read it, heard it, but are unable to put all of these elements in practice.
It takes 3 things to make Agile work in any organization …
Willingness of the Leadership to embrace agile (it cannot be just a lip service)
Attitude of the Scrum Team towards Agile
Aptitude of all involved stakeholders to respect the agile ways of working.
How many of us are willing to say that all 3 happen in our respective organization.
It is time that Leadership wakes up and smells the coffee … before its too late (remember they close the Check In Counters at the Airport 45 mins before the scheduled take off) … we being late would only impact us … as the flight has got its money and flown without you, with this analogy, Industry and Users would move forward and provide their dollars and business to your competitors, if you are not there.
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape with many disruptions, new technology changes, digitization’s, certifications, Customers becoming more demanding and , agility has become paramount for organizations seeking success.
As Agile frameworks continue to gain momentum, the role of a Business Analyst (BA) is also transforming. Many Business Analyst aspire to take on more strategic responsibilities and broaden their impact within the organization, many of them would like to be associated with Agile teams, but business analyst is not even a role as recognized by Agile world.
One such transition that often comes to mind is moving from a Business Analyst to a Product Owner (it seems a natural movement). Is it so simple to migrate to the new role in new ways of working?, If you are as confused as I was a few days ago, then continue to read and explore the thoughts that I have jotted down here.
In this blog, we will explore how a Business Analyst can upgrade / migrate to become a Product Owner in an Agile environment.
Before we delve into the transition process, it is essential to understand the key distinctions between a Business Analyst and a Product Owner. While both roles involve collaborating with stakeholders, their focus and scope vary.
A Business Analyst primarily acts as a bridge between business stakeholders and development teams. They gather and analyze requirements, identify business needs, and ensure alignment between stakeholders and the project team. BAs are skilled in eliciting, documenting, and managing requirements throughout the project lifecycle.
On the other hand, a Product Owner is a critical role within Agile frameworks such as Scrum. They represent the voice of the customer and are responsible for maximizing the value delivered by the team. Product Owners prioritize the backlog, work with the team and the stakeholders (including but not limited to End users) to define user stories, and ensure the team understands the product vision.
To transition from a Business Analyst to a Product Owner, it’s important to identify and address the skill gaps. While BAs possess valuable skills, they need to acquire additional competencies related to product management and Agile ways of working.
Product Management: Business Analyst should develop a deep understanding of product strategy, market analysis, user research, and product lifecycle management. They need to think strategically, define product vision, and make informed decisions to maximize product value. You need to master more tricks in the game to learn how to negotiate, prioritize and formulate the product backlog.
Agile Frameworks: BAs should familiarize themselves with Agile principles and frameworks such as Scrum, Kanban, and others. They must understand the iterative nature of Agile, embrace adaptive planning, and learn to collaborate effectively within cross-functional teams and not worry about ever evolving requirements, but learn how to manage the stakeholders, keep expectation management in scope and manage the risk of not meeting the commitments.
Stakeholder Management: As a Product Owner, relationship management becomes vital. Developing skills in stakeholder engagement, negotiation, and conflict resolution will enable smooth communication and alignment with stakeholders throughout the product development journey. Product owner needs to be decision maker. Understand the different stances of the product owner and know when to en-act which stand with stakeholders at the different durations and time intervals with the stakeholders / customers.
To upgrade to a Product Owner, Business Analysts should actively seek opportunities to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for the role. Here are a few practical steps to consider:
Self-Study: Read books, articles, and blogs on Agile frameworks, product management, and the role of a Product Owner. Online platforms and communities offer a wealth of resources, webinars, and podcasts that can aid in self-learning, Participate in webinars, meetups, conferences, online sessions, review and listen to podcast – there is tons of data and information available in the industry – know the right source and the right place to acquire the available information. Again, a word of caution – do not read everything – follow some known Guru’s and experts from the market to get the right guidance.
Collaboration and Mentorship: Engage with experienced Product Owners, Agile practitioners, and industry professionals. Seek opportunities to shadow and collaborate with them, learning from their experiences and gaining practical insights. Try and seek a 1:1 session, exchange your queries and doubts, create situations and scenarios to gain insights into the thinking pattern of these experts – a lot of data to consume, filter the information for the right reasons.
On-the-Job Experience: Look for opportunities to take on Product Owner responsibilities within your current organization or in side projects. Start by actively participating in backlog refinement sessions, sprint planning, and user story development, at times participate (with permission) to only observe and see the whole flow getting worked out. – You may not be associated with the project, but by participating, observing one would gain tremendous thought process, which again should be harnessed by self-study and mentoring approaches
Training and Certification: Consider attending workshops, seminars, and certification programs that focus on Agile frameworks and product management. Certifications such as Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) can help validate your knowledge and enhance your marketability. Test your skills and knowledge via external validations, which can be easily done with different certifications from the industry, when you choose a training or workshop, evaluate the trainer, seek past feedback and references, do not evaluate over the cost.
Final element of this game should be to practice what we have gained, learnt or mastered, Transitioning to a Product Owner role requires effectively showcasing the skills and experiences gained as a Business Analyst. Highlighting these transferable skills will help demonstrate your readiness for the new role:
Requirement Analysis: As a BA, you have honed your ability to understand complex business processes and translate them into functional requirements. This analytical and problem-solving skill set is highly valuable for prioritizing features and defining user stories, Learn techniques such as Cost of Delay (CoD), MoSCoW, Force Field Analysis, Buy a Feature approach – these techniques would enable better management of the product backlog and meeting the needs and requirements of your customer.
Domain Knowledge: BAs often gain industry-specific knowledge through their projects. This domain expertise can be invaluable in understanding user needs, identifying market trends, and making informed product decisions. Understand the working of the industry, if the industry as you are associated with, is regulated, then learn about the issues, impact of decisions by the statutorily bodies on your product and services and how the requirements would evolve in the given situation and context.
Stakeholder Collaboration: BAs frequently interact with stakeholders, ensuring their needs are met throughout the project lifecycle. This experience in gathering and managing requirements and facilitating communication can be leveraged in the Product Owner role, this is no different for the Product Owner role, but learn to play the different stances of the product owner at different time to create the necessary impact on the product, its evolution.
Communication and Documentation: Business Analysts excel at clear and concise communication, as well as documenting requirements and user stories. These skills translate seamlessly into effective communication with development teams, stakeholders, and user groups as a Product Owner, Learn to communicate with minimum documentation, embrace the Agile manifesto and its principles – Interact with teams and stakeholders, have informal coffee chats. Get engaged with the people whom you work with or people who work with you.
Before you take the final call, be aware of these Anti Patterns when you move from Business Analyst role to a Product Owner one
Difficulty in prioritization: BAs often deal with multiple projects and requirements simultaneously, which can lead to difficulties in prioritizing features effectively. As a Product Owner, having a clear understanding of the product vision & strategy and the ability to prioritize based on user value, business impact, and market needs is crucial. Failure to prioritize effectively may result in a product that lacks focus or fails to deliver the most important features first. Remember Product Owner is a decision making role.
Lack of ownership and accountability: BAs typically operate within a structured framework and may not be accustomed to taking full ownership and accountability for the product’s success. As a PO, it is essential to take responsibility for the product, make tough decisions, and drive its overall direction. Without a strong sense of ownership, the product may suffer from indecisiveness or lack of direction. Remember in Nutshell PO = CEO of the product
Insufficient collaboration with development teams: BAs are accustomed to working as intermediaries between stakeholders and development teams. However, as a PO, close collaboration with the development team is crucial. Failing to actively engage and communicate with the team can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and suboptimal outcomes. The PO should work closely with the team, provide clarifications, prioritize features, and ensure the team’s understanding of the product vision. Note that the Agile teams work in clear autonomy approach, give them the product needs and requirements and allow them to function in a manner where in their creativity can emerge and provide the right value for the customer.
Requirement-driven approach: BAs often have a strong background in gathering and documenting requirements. However, it is essential for a PO to adopt a more holistic and strategic mindset, considering the overall product vision, market dynamics, user needs, and business goals. Look beyond the obvious and there is a wealth of information on needs and wants of the customer there to be address and resolved.
Lack of user-centricity: BAs sometimes prioritize the needs and wants of stakeholders over those of end-users. This can result in a product that doesn’t effectively address user pain points or deliver value to the target audience. A successful PO should place a strong emphasis on understanding user needs, conducting user research, and ensuring the product meets user expectations, use approaches such as “Gemba” or “HMW – How Might We”. Use thoughts and elements from Liberating Structures.
Resistance to change and agility: BAs typically operate within defined processes and methodologies. However, a successful PO needs to be adaptable, open to change, and embrace an agile mindset. Resistance to change can hinder the ability to respond quickly to market shifts, adapt to feedback, and make necessary adjustments to the product strategy. At times the product as developed could be required to be changed once the requirements are developed, this is an iterative approach, we work and act as we learn more about the users, their issues, pain points, technology capabilities and so on. Agility is all about responding to change.
It’s important to recognize these anti-patterns and address them proactively. By understanding the challenges that may arise, BAs transitioning into the role of a PO can develop the necessary skills, mindset, and behaviors to be effective in their new position. Continuous learning, collaboration, and a focus on user value are key to overcoming these anti-patterns and succeeding as a Product Owner
Last few words of Wisdom:
Transitioning from a Business Analyst to a Product Owner is an exciting journey for professionals seeking to expand their impact in an Agile environment. By identifying skill gaps, acquiring relevant knowledge, and showcasing transferable skills, BAs can successfully upgrade their role. Embracing continuous learning, collaborating with experienced practitioners, and gaining practical experience will empower Business Analysts to become effective Product Owners who drive value and contribute to the success of Agile team. Remember one key element – Product Owner is the Value Maximizer in the game.
The demand for Scrum Masters to also have project management skills can be attributed to several factors and trends in the industry. While it is not a universal requirement, some organizations may prefer or require their Scrum Masters to possess project management capabilities. Here are a few reasons as per me to why this demand is existing in the market?
Overlapping responsibilities: Scrum Masters and project managers share certain responsibilities, such as facilitating communication, removing obstacles, and ensuring the smooth progress of product development or execution of the projects. By combining both roles, organizations can streamline their processes and avoid duplication of efforts.
Hybrid approaches: Many organizations adopt a hybrid approach to project management, combining agile methodologies like Scrum with traditional project management practices. In such cases, having a Scrum Master who is also familiar with project management can be advantageous, as they can bridge the gap between the two approaches and facilitate effective collaboration (question: Are the organizations getting the monies worth by doing this approach – would love to see a few case studies and experience sharing from others)
Project coordination: In larger organizations or complex projects involving multiple teams, a Scrum Master with project management skills can help coordinate and align the efforts of different teams or departments. They can ensure that the work being done by various Scrum teams is in sync and aligned with the overall project objectives (but is this not the pure role of a Scrum Master – Have we ever given a thought and management / leadership understand the pure meaning of the role called – Scrum Master)
Stakeholder management: Project managers often deal with various stakeholders, including clients, executives, and team members. Having a Scrum Master with project management skills can enhance their ability to manage stakeholders effectively, ensuring clear communication, managing expectations, and resolving conflicts (but again here we had Product Owner to deal with the stakeholders and manage their expectations, for resolving conflicts within the team – Scrum Master can handle the job)
Career progression: For individuals working in agile environments, gaining project management skills can offer opportunities for career advancement. By acquiring a broader skill set, Scrum Masters can expand their roles and take on project management responsibilities, leading to increased career prospects within the organization (but when the world is moving towards Agile and Agile adoption is increasing by the day – Not sure if any Scrum Master would care to become a career project manager – any takers?)
It is worth noting that while the demand exists to have a combo offer of Scrum Master Cum Project Manager, not all organizations require Scrum Masters to be project managers. The specific requirements may vary depending on the organization’s structure, size, and project management approach. Agile methodologies like Scrum prioritize flexibility and adaptability, so organizations may choose to have separate roles for Scrum Masters and project managers, depending on their specific needs and preferences.
Have we ever heard that Organizations are looking for Project Manager Cum Scrum Master? You would say Yes ….if you notice industry is looking for Scrum Master Cum Project Manager – Mind you there is a see change of difference between the two demands that the market is looking out for.
When such demands are placed, It gives me a lot more food for thought … in terms if the organization really wants to adopt Agile and do the implementation or it is just a new card that the leadership wants to use in the organization.
Has the management thought on these lines:
Conflicting priorities: Scrum Masters and Project Managers often have different priorities and approaches. Scrum Masters focus on facilitating the agile process, promoting self-organization, and removing impediments for the development team. Project Managers, on the other hand, may prioritize adherence to schedules, budgets, and overall project objectives. Balancing these potentially conflicting priorities can be challenging – It is like Chalk and Cheese, we mixing two elements together – Are we aware of the reactions and impact it would have on the moral of the person and the approach of agile adoption.
Time management: Both roles require significant time and effort to fulfill their responsibilities effectively. Juggling the tasks of a Scrum Master, such as organizing and facilitating ceremonies, coaching the team, and ensuring adherence to agile principles, along with the project management responsibilities like planning, tracking progress, and managing stakeholders, can be demanding and time-consuming (when a SM acts like a PM then the whole concept of Self-Organizing, Self-Managed goes out of the window, there is no concept of team autonomy – Time management for me would be a secondary thought)
Role clarity and expectations: Combining the roles of a Scrum Master and a Project Manager can lead to ambiguity in responsibilities and expectations. Team members may become uncertain about whom to approach for specific issues, and there could be confusion about the boundaries of each role. It is crucial to establish clear expectations and communicate them effectively to avoid role confusion. More than the team, I believe it would utter confusion for the person to play dual role – This is also an indication that Leadership of the organization does not even understand the concept of Agile and have little or no clue on how the work of a Scrum Master is performed. For them we all are just resources available to get some job done.
Skill set requirements: Being an effective Scrum Master and also a Project Manager requires a diverse skill set. Scrum Masters need expertise in agile methodologies, facilitation, coaching, and team dynamics. Project Managers require skills in project planning, risk management, budgeting, and stakeholder management. Finding individuals who excel in both areas can be challenging, as the skill sets required for each role may not overlap entirely. This is an interesting problem to have … if this logic can be applied for Scrum Master and Project Managers … then the same logic should be applied for all roles in the organization, like COO and CFO could be same or COO and CIO could be the same individuals and similar more. I hope the management wakes up and smells the coffee.
Potential burnout: Taking on the responsibilities of both a Scrum Master and a Project Manager can lead to increased workload and potential burnout. Both roles can be demanding individually and combining them may intensify the pressure. It is important to manage workload effectively, delegate tasks when possible, and prioritize self-care to prevent burnout. – Now the important question that I would have is where the HR policies of “Work Life Balance”, are these concept confined to the policies and to be used when recruiting people, later they have little or no meaning
Conflict of interest: Scrum Masters are advocates for the team, ensuring that they have the autonomy and support needed to deliver value. Project Managers, on the other hand, may have obligations to meet specific project objectives, timelines, and stakeholder expectations. Balancing these sometimes conflicting interests can be challenging and may require careful negotiation and communication. Meeting the timelines should be everyone’s job in the project or organization, At times we do not right resources (meaning skills), tools are missing, dependencies do not respond, client behaves abnormally, team members at times are moved across projects, no proper or adequate KT is done for the new joiners to the team – and with all these challenges, one expects ON TIME Delivery !!!
With my hand folded, I request leadership and decision makers across the globe to carefully consider these challenges and assess whether combining the roles of a Scrum Master and a Project Manager aligns with their specific needs and context. It is important to ensure that individuals in these dual roles receive the necessary support, training, and resources to succeed in fulfilling their responsibilities effectively. In a better world – one would not combine these two roles.
A small query – How many of us on a daily basis would combine / mix our tea and coffee together and enjoy the same – Any takers – On a daily basis (not experiment)?
agilescrumworld 