Are we cocooning? Why Should we?Not?

True transformation occurs only when we can look at ourselves squarely and face our attachments and inner demons, free from the buzz of commercial distraction and false social realities. We have to retreat into our own cocoons and come face-to-face with who we are. We have to turn toward our own inner darkness. For only by abandoning its attachments and facing the darkness does the caterpillar's body begin to spread out and it's light, beautiful wings begin to form.Julia Hill

Cocooning is the operation of isolating or hiding oneself from the natural social environment, which may be observed as disturbing, unfriendly, dangerous, or otherwise objectionable, at least for the present.

The caterpillar is an immature butterfly or moth, also known as the larval. A caterpillar transforms into a butterfly or moth after hibernating in a cocoon.

The term was popularized in the 1990s by marketing consultant Faith Popcorn in her book The Popcorn Report: The Future of Your Company, Your World, Your Life.

Popcorn suggested that cocooning could be broken down into three different types:

• the socialized cocoon, in which one retreats to the privacy of one's home;
• the armored cocoon, in which one establishes a barrier to protect oneself from external threats;
• the wandering cocoon, in which one travels with a technological barrier that serves to insulate one from the environment.

Cocooning is self-nurturing, which may consider distinctive to each individual and change often.

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Jung

“Remind yourself that you cannot fail at being yourself.” – Wayne Dyer

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle

“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” – Ram Dass

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates

Occasionally, we require to calm down the inner parental expression or just subdue it completely.

Even if you are balanced and healthy, you choose to safeguard yourself from other people’s dramas and the stress of urban life.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again but expecting different results.” Albert Einstein

Neil Thompson, in his book People Skills, suggests that there are six steps:

• Read - around the topics you are learning about or want to learn about and develop
• Ask - others about the way they do things and why
• Watch - what is going on around you
• Feel - pay attention to your emotions, what prompts them, and how you deal with negative ones
• Talk - share your views and experiences with others in your organization
• Think - learn to value time spent thinking about your work

Here’s the Cocooning Process in an essence:

• Establish a definite time for yourself
• Establish a silent location
• De-clutter that location
• A meditation that works for you
• Examine and write down
• Listen to yourself
• Maintain A Journal
• Ask questions

Why Should we? Not?

• It’s fundamental to understand self at a deeper level.
• Self-awareness and a little soul searching are crucial to prosperity in all sections of life.
• Obliges you to figure out and see situations from a particular point of view.
• Promotes a deeper level of learning and knowing
• Build up a better insight into what’s working and what’s not. 
• Build two components to emotional intelligence: self-awareness and self-regulation. 
• Diminished anxiety and depression, calmness and increased discernment.

A couple of my companions goes 1-month cocooning treat once in six month cycle, they are developing into better as a human being. They travel to Mountain, Jungles, Deserts, Beaches, North poles wherever they can devote moment with nature but away from urban corporate clamors!

I am trying for last several years, it is a good practice and helps a lot. Many of my friends have tried it and recommended me to do so....

A Mystery to Heuristic: Is it Unacceptable?

What is Mystery?

Something that is complex or impractical to figure out or demonstrate.

Whenever we start working out a problem for the first time, for us it looks like Mystery.

When we seek to figure out the trouble, in a process when it is taking more time, team members started exploring various Heuristic to deal with the problem faster.

Recently I have encountered the same situation in one of our assignments. The assignment was complex and we were trying it for the first time in the context where we are working. Most of our team members applied Heuristics to deal with the issue.

I glanced into all the heuristic which we have applied to come up with the solution. 

The quick fix is no more mystery for us but there is a working solution available with many issues which we will clear up rapidly.

What is Heuristic?

A heuristic is a technique, is a approach to problem-solving, learning, or discovery that utilizes a workable way not guaranteed to be excellent or appropriate, but acceptable for the immediate objectives.

Heuristics are susceptible to bias and introducing errors.

Just because something has worked in the past does not mean that it will work further, and relying on an existing heuristic can drive it challenging to identify alternative solutions or come up with different solutions.

Examples of heuristics include using:

• A rule of thumb
• An educated guess
• An intuitive judgment
• Stereotyping
• Profiling
• Common sense

The most fundamental heuristic is trial and error, which can be employed in everything from matching nuts and bolts to identifying the values of variables in algebra problems. In mathematics, some common heuristics involve the adoption of visual images, additional assumptions, forward/backward reasoning, and simplification.

Here are a few commonly used heuristics from George Pólya’s 1945 book, How to Solve It:[6]

If you are having difficulty understanding a problem, try drawing a picture.

• If you can’t find a solution, try assuming that you have a solution and seeing what you can derive from that (“working backward”).
• If the problem is abstract, try examining a concrete example.
• Try solving a more general problem first (the “inventor’s paradox”: the more ambitious plan may have more chances of success).

Most of these we have applied in our assignment to come out with the solution. It looks like common sense but helped us a lot to quickly come out with the solution.

Some more Heuristic which helped us

Similarity Heuristic:

The Similarity heuristic is a flexible strategy. The objective of the similarity heuristic is maximizing productivity through appropriate experience while not repeating unfavorable experiences. Decisions based on how useful or objectionable the present seems are based on how similar the past was to the present situation.

The availability Heuristic:

Involves making judgments based on how comfortable it is to create something to mind. When we are working to carry out a judgment, we might quickly recall a number of significant examples. Since these are more easily accessible in our mind, we will likely consider these results as being more familiar or frequently-existing. 

Cognitive Heuristic:

This involves searching through the possible options until an acceptability threshold is reached.Was introduced by Herbert A. Simon.

Simon used satisficing to describe the behavior of decision-makers under circumstances in which an optimal solution cannot be established. In decision making, satisficing refers to the use of aspiration levels when choosing from different paths of action. By this account, decision-makers select the first option that meets a given need or select the option that seems to address most needs rather than the “optimal” solution.

Fluency heuristic:

In psychology, a fluency heuristic is a mental heuristic in which, if one item is dealt with more fluently, faster, or more smoothly than another, the mind interprets that this item has a greater value with respect to the question being considered.In other words, the more effectively or elegantly a concept is communicated, the more likely it is to be treated seriously, whether or not it is logical.

Affect Heuristic:

The affect heuristic involves making judgments that are greatly aroused by the emotions that an individual is experiencing at that moment. 

Where finding an optimal solution is impossible or impractical, heuristic methods can be used to speed up the process of finding a satisfactory solution.

Rajesh's Comment

Inspiring remarks to read through and emboldens me to stretch further! thanks, Rajesh for your admirable words. The Agilist’s Guidebook’s 57th reader reviews. In 13 months, the book has reached to 600 copies. This remark encourages other readers to glance through the book and embrace if this book helps, anyway. Thanks for helping fellow readers and writers to improve I cherish this book will trigger a few thoughts to look at your world in a distinctive manner.

The Agilist Guidebook

How User Interview technique helped me to develop my books?

Both the book, “The Agilist Guidebook”, and my forthcoming book “The Scrum Master Guidebook”, heavily influenced by design thinking technique.

Conducting an effective focused interview is a fantastic tool for this type of information gathering, and is an extremely valuable component of the design thinking process.

Interviews provide a mechanisms to thoroughly understand an issue, problem, or indeed a proposed solution. Gaining insights, or understanding anything valuable from an interview for that matter, requires great skill and a plan.

I carefully use SPICE framework 

• Social: What do individuals require from their relationships with others?
• Physical: What do individuals need on a personal or practical level?
• Identity: What do individuals require to strengthen their sense of self-worth or build up their personal existence? 
• Communication: What kinds of information do individuals require and when and where do they desire it?
• Emotional: What do individuals need psychologically and emotionally?

The Various guideline I have employed to take the user interview efficiently to gather the expected information are

• Proper homework: I have extensively covered the homework before the interview. Whom I am interacting with, what he/she is presently working, what is his/her position, domain, business, nationality, etc information.
• User mapping and develop a list: I have gathered and detailed all the individuals whom I am going to take the interview. Their all the detail information I have gathered. 
• Establish rapport: Apply the technique to establish rapport during the interview. Give the warm to seamlessly connect with the individual.
• Listen intently and thoughtfully: Apply listening techniques, note down all that you hear and continue the conversation. Perhaps record the conversation for future reference.
• Formulate thoughtful, penetrating questions: Be genuinely curious, and remember the goal is to keep learning even if you consider the responses to a given query may not at all clarify what you’re researching. Dig deeply after a response.
• Observe sensitively and with focus: Be vigilant in your dialogue.
• Maintain a sense of humor: In all my discuss this is one of my favorite motives, The individual will feel good, I will find some way to set up environment light.
• Make yourself impartial: I do not comment or share my solution. I simply note down my observation. I am indifferent to all the conversations. 
• Use the power of silence: I give it an appropriate thought that an individual can think during our conversation, there is no hurry to respond to all the queries. I stimulate the conversation and wait for the answer.
• Active deep listening: I apply my big ears to find out what is not yet said! or all will be going to be answered. It encourages me to bring about my next questions. 
• Asking Why? I ask 5 why very graciously with an abundance of curiosity by sharing some of my life stories so that discussion proceeds and the individual shares more details. Which helped me to understand the situation better.
• Context and illustrations: Every context is unique, it is fundamental to understand the discover the context better. It is during the interview we discover the context better. 
• Avoid leading, closed question: Leading questions are usually undesirable as they emerge in inaccurate information. I ensure no questions ask which will answer into yes/no.
• Ask for real-life experience: I ask to record some real examples the individual has experience. That helped me a lot later to figure out the situation. 

All these good practices helped me to build many stories and insights into the other's life.

Many roles of Mother in Law

How my mother-in-law wears many hats when she is here with us?

She is an extremely talented cook, Passionate cook, chooses to cook with many experiments. She is 75 now and stayed far away from where we are living now. 

I am not a good eater, so she is annoyed most of the time but my kids like eating delicious foods.

Every time she visits, she will do something different with the new recipes.

I have noticed she has applied many hats to explaining the cooking. Which is her favorite subject, BTW she was a school teacher. Now retired.

Some time is she is a coach, sometime mentor, sometime counselor , sometime consultant, and sometime trainer!!!

How? I am sharing this same description in my training to explain these points distinctly.

• Sometimes she would ask you questions about what end result you choose and check if you had everything you required, what other material/ ingredients you might require and check with you that it matched your preferences. She is coaching for cooking. 
• Sometimes she would share his or her recipe with you and his or her experience of how he or she does it. She is mentoring for cooking. As mentors, she brings their range of expertise, knowledge, and experience.
• When we have to cook for many guests, she would examine any anxieties we had about cooking the foods, she is counseling. Counseling supports individuals in working through emotional distress or anxieties that prohibit them from functioning as well as they’d like to.
• Sometimes she would check out the situation, provide three or four recipe options and examine which was appropriate for you. She was a consultant. Consultants bring knowledge and expertise in their areas of work and pass advice on to their clients.
• Sometimes she would demonstrate how it was done, give you the equipment and ingredients you need, and observe while you were cooking it, giving feedback when required. She has become a Trainer. Great training is about preparing individuals with new skills and knowledge to help their personal and/or professional development.

We learn maximum when we perform it ourselves.90% of learning comes when we teach others. At the end of the day my mother in laws wants us to learn fast.

According to the coaching ladder, leaders will assure we reach to self-sustaining state, in our situation, my wife is equipped enough to run the cooking for several guests at any point of time, of course, we all have passed through these phases.

I am sure you have also observed similar type of scenarios and helped your team by explaining when to coach , when to mentor and when to delegate.

Are we aligned with Nature and nurturing ourselves to become Natural?

In my book, The Agilist Guidebook - a reference for organizational agile Transformation, I spoke about Pancha Bhoota Model.

We all composed of 5 bhoota.

Five forces which drive everything. The same five forces we can identify within the Organization to obtain Organizational Agility. 

According to the ancient theory of life on earth came into existence because of these elements.

Look at your organization, How strong or weak all these forces are? What can you identify as a coach? 

Is Air is pure enough ? or Polluted? Air governs the movement of all things in the universe, Air in the organization is like Agile leadership. In the Pancha Bhoota model, I consider Air is equal to Leadership. We all thrive with good quality air. Once Air quality degrade we get into many troubles.

How is the vastness of space? which I am comparing with an individual mindset. Do we have all growth mindset? or all stuck with a fixed mindset?

How is mother earth? how strong it is? Organizational development activities are rooted in the strength and fertility of the earth. 

Are we all coaching each other, Leaders are acting as a coach? in the Panch bhoota model, it is like pure water, the life of all the creatures in the earth. Is it contaminated? 

How is the fire? that is vital for everything, without fire, we can not do anything, that is the first human discovery to build the better life, to live a better life, same in the organizational context it is High-performing team.

All these pancha bhoota , how well they are balanced in the organization?

Five elements in the Pancha Bhoota Model are the enabler which will contribute to the organization to promote agility.

The old paradigm: Organizations as machines, The new paradigm: Organizations as living organisms. When living things appears, we need to take care of the organization like Panch bhoota takes care of our body.

In my forthcoming book, The Scrum Master Guidebook- A reference to obtain Mastery, I highlight, 7C Chakra Model.

We all have 7 chakras in our body, In yogic philosophy, Chakras are represented as energy vortex or houses of pranic energy that are found lying dormant in specific areas in our subtle body.

Energy centers or chakras filter and feed the human body with the essential energy from the chaos of the surrounding environment.

7C Chakra model, Communication, Creativity, Companionable, Competent Team, Change Management, Charismatic Leadership, and Catalyst --
• The Crown Chakra – All about Communication
• The Third Eye Chakra - All about Creativity and Innovation
• The Throat Chakra - All about Companionable skill
• The Heart Chakra - All about Competent Team
• The Solar Plexus Chakra - All about Change Management
• The Sacral Chakra – All about Charismatic Leadership
• The Root Chakra - All about Catalyst

The 7C Chakras in the human body are a gate that transmutes energy downward from the spiritual planes, which are the highest frequencies that enter into a person’s energy field. Energy from the physical body can be transmuted upward for being used in higher bodies.

When all these chakras are balanced, we become healthy and it reflects our personality.

7C chakras when strengthen Individual attains Obtains Agility.

Case studies for Scrum Masters

Case Study 1:

You are the scrum master for the project where the budget has been fixed. The scope has been discussed with the top-level managers and high-level plan has acknowledged. Managers demonstrated the confidence that IT delivery team has performed such work and can do it on time within budget. Now the project has come to the execution phase. During the execution of the project, you have started following the scrum process and start elaborating the backlog, showing the demo to the business stakeholders. You have started discovering that there many challenges which never looked at during the initial scope analysis and budget finalization. Whenever you are reviewing all these challenges to the business, the business is consistently blaming saying that IT is not competent to accomplish the work. You also as a scrum master acknowledge that there are competency issues that with the current team skill-set many things are not going as per the plan.

Give it a thought:
What you should be doing? Business is pretty upset? you may lose the contract? There is a deadline on the final date for go live and business is anxious.

• What do you think as a scrum master you can do?

Case study 2:

You are a scrum master for a team who is working on the latest digital product, your team is working on a couple of microservices API. Your team is small and having 9 members; most of the team members are having 4-6 yrs. of experience and they are extremely efficient developers and your manager is a micromanager where he is not having any other obligation other than taking care of the 9 individuals. He is forcefully coaching the team, where he is 100% immersed in the PM way of looking at the world. You have one Product owner who is in France and there are 3 more developers working as a contractor from

France working with this India team; any day their contract can be terminated and all the scrum events are going on smoothly but everywhere you discover people are sitting on top of your shoulders, asking for micro-level details, asking for billing hrs., asking for velocity vs quality defect data, and pressurizing to do more? At every senior leadership visit, your product is showcased as a digital product development initiative. You are under terrible pressure to deliver higher quality product and through rapid delivery. You are having an issue and the team members are not performing well and the attrition is very high.

• How do you drive?

Case study 3: 

You are the scrum master for a product-based company where your team is supporting back office work for a bank. Your end product development is done in India by your scrum team. You are dependent on some component which comes from the Vendor company based in Gurugram, India. Your product owner and the user base are in Germany. You have a total of 15 members in the team and many stakeholders are spread across multi geographical locations. You are the senior scrum master for this team and an expert who is expected to minimize some of the burning issues happening with the team. You have asked a few of the team members who are working for a long time with this scrum team. They showed a pessimistic view that nothing can be done. By applying your world-class communication skills,

• How can you motivate the team for a better performance? 
• How will you break the distributed challenges in this case? 
• How do you simplify vendor management and your scrum teams’ frictions with other partners?

Case study 4:
Penguin software is a small-scale software development company. They are mostly into software services. They have got a subcontract from a product development company to do end to end automation testing by integrating their team with the product development company’s scrum team.
The expectation is very high which is to rapidly automate all the end to end test suites that are continuously produced by the full-stack team members. As a scrum master, every sprint you will be fully in charge of the overall product quality. The team is using the latest cutting-edge technology for developing the solution. One of the challenges that is present is that you do not have highly competent team members to run the show. But while getting the order, your sales team had promised a lot. Now the order has come, and you need to fulfill the dream. You are the scrum master for the team.

• What are your thoughts to build the team, which is doing long term product development work for more than a year?

Case Study 5:
Project Power world has 40 team members in a scrum team. There are 5 scrum teams. It is a geographically distributed team. There was an immense expectation from this team with a tight timeline. Team was formed newly after going through several months of recruitment drive for new members. Each scrum team has one scrum master and one shared product owner for all these scrum teams. Each scrum team was dealing with many challenges within the India teams plus among India and Sweden teams. Leaders of the team are struggling hard to bring in scrum discipline and establish the self-organized team. There was cultural barrier which is leading to many issues, there were new ways of working which causing issues with old timer, there were new governance which causing some issues etc. There were leaderships support but only 50%.
By knowing more about human psychology,

• How can each scrum master can Improve the situation? 
• What do you do in such situation?

Case Study 6:
You are the scrum master for one of the product teams which is developing a Realtime Database. This is a database and it is not a standalone product. This database will be used by the Airline platform and there are many consumers who will use this product. Your team is releasing through sprints, but the airline platform team is doing a release in six months. You are going too fast for them and your team is not getting real-time feedback about the software you are building.
How are you planning to collaborate with the airline platform team, which is 100+ team members?
Your entire product management team is supporting you, but you are getting resistance while collaborating with the Airline team.
As a scrum master, what do you think you will be able to do to control the damage?
There is a lot of conflict within the team and outside the team. Teams are based out of Denmark, US and India. You are the senior scrum master and with the team for the last few months.

• What will be your change strategy?

Case study 7: 
Opto automation has many scrum teams which are building software for the next generation Industrial Automation control systems for the cement plant. The team has adopted many tools to increase the speed of delivery. New tools to code, design, test and deploy everything is being used in the project and it is completely new for the team members. It is a 30-member team and there are 3 scrum teams which are geographically distributed (India, Switzerland and US).
Recently, it moved from waterfall to an agile way of working. You are the scrum master for one of the scrum teams in India.

• How do you ensure all the change initiatives run smoothly and are sustained for the long-term? 
• Why do you think culturally divisive teams will listen to you? 

They are already comfortable with the team tools they were using.

Case study 8:
Germpower is an automobile software product company where many scrum teams are working to develop a product. Recently, they received an order to build a product, which needs to be migrated to a modern technology from a legacy product. The organization is not a high paying company and most of the team members do not have a strong track record with their education.
The software was absolutely unfamiliar, and nobody knows where to commence. The Scrum master was a senior team member within this organization. The Scrum master was one of the best people leaders and he was accepted by many of his colleagues. His leadership style was genuine and people-oriented. Everyone prefers to work with him. He encourages individuals to take initiatives; he supports and cares about the well being of the people. During the initial days, when the teams were in the discovery phase, there were demands to put extra efforts to know more about the technology plus the legacy system, as the scrum master was easygoing and a fun-loving individual. The team members were always putting extra efforts to understand more about the technology and the legacy system. Unfortunately, after 6 months of the project, he received an onsite long-term opportunity which was greatly required by the organization and he has to travel to Switzerland with his family. You have been recruited as the new scrum master for this project.

• What do you think you will be performing to reinstate the old scrum master style?

Case study 9:
MegaAero system is a product-based company building solution for the Aircraft cockpit. Recently the organization has started a new solution for the Cockpit Display System. Though the development is with multiple scrum teams, but the parameters are fixed (Time, cost, etc.). The contract has been signed, the release date is fixed, team members are from different departments and they are billing 50% for this program. You are the scrum master for `the multiple scrum teams!
An Expert higher than the Product Owner is your boss/Line manager. He is setting everything and asking on a daily basis about the program progress. The team members are under tremendous pressure to deliver. You can see the psychological pressure on the teams. They are already burning out due to the pressure. They express their concerns in the many retrospectives which you have started driving.

• What do you think about this scrum program and what should you do, what can you do differently by knowing the motivational factors?

Case Study 10:

You are the scrum master for the team name RAID which is building up a platform product for multiples business lines. Initially, this project was launched with a small idea and after one year of work, this was accepted by the business extremely successfully, and businesses prefer to develop RAID 2.0 and other business lines also grew interested to reuse this platform. The platform is built up in the XYZ cloud web service platform. Team members from XYZ company were in your scrum team as a full-stack developer to establish this proof of concept and ensure the capability of the XYZ cloud platform. Now after one year, your company decided to minimize the contract employee from the XYZ as a full-time developer. You as a scrum master scared that with the competent team members you have, you will not be able to demo sprint on sprint. As you had experienced at an initial couple of sprints where you were struggling to develop potentially shippable products every sprint, that why you have hired XYZ full-stack developers with higher prices and XYZ also involved to establish their cloud platform to be used. 

• What do you consider you need to work out as a scrum master? 

There is pressure from top to get rid of XYZ team members owing to the higher cost.

Can these case studies be solved by below model?

The Agilist Guidebook has become One year old!

Dear Readers, Friends, and Companions!!!

Cheerful message to share with you!

It has been one year since The Agilist’s Guidebook is in the Market!

I am celebrating it’s Happy one year Birthday!

Nice to recognize when you notice that what you have developed and has grown up so much!

When you have a kid, You will nurturer your kid like the parent, same with any of your new creation!

When you have a product you will act as a product owner!

For me, this creation is a journey which is going on. Bringing out something fresh to the world which did not exist.

This book took 4.5 years to develop! Time spent on this book creation was invaluable!

When I look back, I notice I have traveled so much and have to proceed further!

This book has transformed me personally and professionally! Thanks to heavenly strength!

This book is a creation from my side to this world from where I am picking up so much, it gave me boundless satisfaction, I can connect with my work in a stronger manner, I picked up a purpose to perform better at work.

I am imagining myself as a funnel through which all these experiences are pouring out! there are many further to show up...

This is a journey which has commenced and because of all the readers, this Journey is continuing.....

I have inspired by many books, thanks to all the authors and their books!

I have many colleagues who are advocating The Agilist’s Guidebook to diverse readers, gratitude to all my well-wishers to popularizing this book.

All my two decades of experience I have poured into this book, My friend proposed me to break this book into 5 books as it will be too much in a book, I decided to remain all in one book. Thinking this could be my last and finest offering to the world!

It was enormous excitement to associate with so many numerous readers.

All of you have shared with me numerous comment related to my book.

Most of you have highlighted how this book has encouraged you, in your present en-devour.

I personally have benefited from this book- The Agilist’s guidebook! to strengthen myself.

Whatever I have captured once, is invariably practical to anyone in today’s organizational transformation journey.

Regardless of the role anyone is performing, everyone will receive some of the other assists by reading this book.

Today at the end of one year, I have 600 books picked up by my readers.

• This book has presented me immense opportunity to discover many like-minded friends
• This book has granted me to speak at many conferences
• This book has authorized me to realize more respects in the international community
• This book has given me additional confidence at my work
• This book has offered me a unique purpose at my work
• This book has provided many readers with fresh thoughts
• This book has inspired me to compose a new book

Thanks to all the readers who have shared Amazon book review comments, they have influenced others to glance into the book.

Share and Care is the key to growth!

I always prefer my user to buy Kindle book which is at 99 rs, if it helps, go for 450 INR@Amazon for the physical version. I have fought a lot with the publisher to retain the price as reasonable as possible.

It was an encouragement to do better and higher in the forthcoming.

Thanks for all the colleagues, who have been constantly challenging me to create and compose a book. All these colleagues are making me stronger and better.

Most of you are inquiring when my next book will be published?

Here is the cheerful announcement that my next book is ready to launch in December.

This book will be dedicated to all my Scrum Masters colleagues.

I encourage everyone to write something, as it will strengthen your creative energy.

You will be able to discover some subject to research on,…

You will find more about The Agilist's Guidebook

https://theagilistguidebook.blogspot.com/

Please have a look before your buy this The Agilist's Guidebook

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Comment from Yonzee

Wow, looks like an editor written this 53rd review remark after reading the Agilist Guidebook!! Thanks, Yonzee for your note. It is a magnificent feeling when we appreciate gaining from each other’s wisdom. It took 5 years to compose this book, after viewing such a remark, it gives enormous pleasure! I believe if it produces at least 1 cents favor in the reader’s way of thinking, it would be excellent happiness for an author.

Comment form Harish

A recent comment from Harish Honwad. Harish has purchased The Agilist Guidebook on 25th of April,2019. Immediately he shared his observation with me about the book, Positive and Encouraging. Thanks, Harish to give time from your hectic schedule and providing priority to this book. Based on the Transformation experience captured in this book, if it serves anyway, this book is an accomplishment. We are all learning from each other’s experience. Even though all of our contexts are unique and we can not reuse solutions as it is but we are picking up an idea to experiment and bring positive changes in our organization. As long as we are bringing value to the organization from our role, our advancement in wisdom making journey progresses. Thanks to all the readers who care to share their remarks with others. Good or bad comments do not matter, we are all in learning journey in our career. Trying our level best to excel.

Comment from Dinesh Saini

A Brand new remark from Dinesh. Dinesh purchased the paperback copy from Amazon on April 1st, 2019. He sent me a LinkedIn message saying there are some issues with the printing. We approach and reported the issue to Publisher and Publisher replaced the book with a new copy. Thanks for the courage, Dinesh, after that incident Publisher has become more stringent in quality production. He has read the book and shared the comment with other readers.

Thanks to the reader like Dinesh for encouragement. It inspires me to think more user cases and gather and share more with you all. Some readers are liking those, some readers are not. Writing granted me a unique purpose for growing wisdom. I keep interacting with my readers to solicit better feedback so that those comments can be resolved in the new upcoming book.

Please keep reading and sharing, share how this book is supporting you at your job. Due to your support, I could able to reach 550 copies after 11 months of production.

500 books sold in 10 Months!!

Cheerful message to share with you all! Because of your support and appreciation, 500 copies have been disseminated so far after launching of the book in 10 months! Thanks to all my readers and well-wishers. Please continue reading and sharing….

The Agilist Guidebook

The Agilist Guidebook

The Agilist Guidebook has obtained a fresh review comment today. Gratitude to my readers to share their view with others. This is the 50th review comment on this book at Amazon India site. Because of your affection, this book after approximately 10 months in the market is very close to 500 figures in production. Inspiring me to think further and share further. Happy reading and sharing.

David's comment

Great team players: what can we pick up from them?

Workers with inferior people skills can usually identify themselves in the midst of unnecessary conflict. This can be tiresome and arduous for all concerned, and it can damage even the best-laid work plans.


What are the key characteristics we can learn from the great team players which we can apply in our team?


Purpose: All the team members recognize what is the significant purpose for what they are striving. Do you see the same at your team?

Trust: People on the team are extremely confident that the other members’ actions are in everyone’s best interest. Do you see the same at your team?

Passion: They come to the office to carry out a change to the world. Always ready to contribute and made their heart and soul into every opportunity they have to be on the work place. These team members care about their teammates and the culture surrounding the team. Passionate team members make things happen! Do you see the same at your team?

Hard Work: They keep seeking new of ways of working out the works, they never mind failing but they will again commence and continue moving.Do you see the same at your team?

Communication: The outstanding team members always heart out and share what are their concern and how they are feeling when they are upset. They are open and honest – speak up when required. They keep their teammates accountable to each other and to the team. Good team members are effective in informal sharing.

Reliable: People like the Individuals that show up on time, work hard, be positive and honest and predictable. Consistency is key. If you have such team members you are in mental piece.

Committed : Commitment to a common goal is one of the foundations of teamwork. It takes place when each representative of the team concentrates on achieving the team’s purpose over and above their individual objectives.

Accountable: Accountability gives individuals a greater sense of ownership over their work. You can improve ownership by delegating authority for functions within your team for team members to lead.

Flexible: He or she doesn’t hold rigidly to a point of view and defend it to death, specifically when the team needs to move forward to carry out an agreement or get something done, They don’t complain or get stressed out because something different is being tried or some other direction is being set.

Respect: Team members are conscious of how to listen and ask questions, especially clarifying and inquiring questions. Team members can offer support for their leaders by offering to support them with the projects they are working on. Co-workers can support each other by getting engaged and supporting other member’s.

Empathetic: One of the crucial skill for the team members. If they could not feel for others, then there will be dysfunctional issues. They recognizing emotions in others and being able to “put yourself in another person’s shoes” – figuring out the other person’s viewpoint and reality.

Sense of humor – It’s crucial that team members be able to laugh – at life, at stupid jokes, and frequently at or with each other in a healthful sense.

Celebrate small accomplishment; They have the habit of enjoying the success however small it may be

Coach, what type of coaching style you will adopt?

This question asked by one my colleagues, I thought for a moment and respond in a very generic story type answer.

Later he explained about these detailed style what he is using. Many things to learn!

“Coaching is people management – getting people to do what you want them to do and like doing it.”

Anonymous

The three styles of coaching are based on leadership studies conducted in the 1930s by Kurt Lewin, a German-American social psychologist, and pioneer in the psychological study of group dynamics.

Autocratic Coaching:

Autocratic coaching is the dictatorship of coaching styles. The coach is typically the only one who has input and makes decisions autonomously when dealing with the direction of their team. With autocratic coaching, coaches might explain the objectives and goals to their players , but the coach has an absolute say in regard to how the team acts and plays.

Democratic Coaching:

This coaching style prefers active communication and team involvement. Coaches who adopt the democratic style encourage participants to articulate their opinions and thoughts in order to establish the best decisions. This engagement usually results in a deeper relationship with the team as well as a closer inter-team bond.

Democratic coaching provides a broader array of ideas for the coach to choose from thanks to the team’s input.

Holistic Coaching:

This style involves more than just sport-related interactions: Holistic coaching adds aspects of life coaching to the responsibilities of a sports coach. It is a style that considers aspects beyond the athlete’s physical and mental states such as their emotional and spiritual states.

In the holistic style, the coach creates a relationship with every individual athlete based on interpersonal communication and genuine care.

All three styles have advantages and disadvantages.

Coaches should be ready to alter styles and realize they are working out so for a specific reason.

For example - when there is a safety issue, the style must be ‘autocratic’, there is no time for negotiation!

When starting a set play, such as a penalty corner, try the ‘democratic’ style, supporting the players’ considerable input and ideas, rather than dictating which techniques to pursue.

With a set unit of performance, apply the ‘Holistic’ style, providing players to carry out a pattern and to try this without intervention or judgment by the coach.

A holistic coach works with individuals who want to obtain higher flow and balance in their life.

“You don’t demand respect, you earn it.” - Steve Seidler

By examining, and accepting, each individual’s special attributes, experiences, creative thinking and personal requirements a holistic coach is competent to guide, motivate and inspire positive life changes.

After I have listened about all these talk, unknowingly, sometime we apply any of these while coaching the team members. Coaches rarely choose one style and stick to its guidelines.

How I became extrovert from introvert in the last two decades

An introvert is generally considered of as a quiet, reserved, and thoughtful human being.

People who are introverted tend to be inward direction, or focused more on internal thoughts, feelings and moods rather than seeking out external stimulation.


According to Eysenck’s theory, introverts are those that have naturally high levels of arousal. Because introverts tend to experience chronically high arousal levels, they tend to seek activities and environments where they can escape from over-stimulation. Because of their naturally high arousal levels, they are more alert and take in more information from the environment. Escaping somewhere to have time alone to recharge gives them the opportunity to process and reflect on what they have learned.



Psychologist Carl Jung was the first person to describe these two personality extremes back in the 1960s.



He wrote that introverts and extroverts could be separated based on how they regain energy. (The term “extrovert” is now used more commonly than “extrovert.”) Introverts, his basic definition said, prefer minimally stimulating environments, and they need time alone to recharge. Extroverts refuel by being with others.



“Quiet people have the loudest minds.” Stephen Hawking
Till at the end of college, I was an Introvert person. I always avoid social congregation, I choose to work alone. I had a very few friends.but all my friends are my very deep friendship with me.



Once I get the job and gradually advancing in the corporate world, I started realizing the benefits of Introvert and also getting into the extrovert world. Initial of the career when I was in transition period Introvert personally did help me in my professional career.



Now after at the 20 years of corporate career when I look back, I have changed a lot in my nature. I do like all this stuff which I used to avoid



Some of the general characteristics associated with extroversion include:

• Various, deep interests
• Likes to communicate by talking
• Enjoys being at the focus of attention
• Tends to act first before thinking
• Enjoys group work
• Feels isolated by too much time spent alone
• Looks to others and outside sources for ideas and inspiration
• Likes to talk about thoughts and feelings.

In western society, extroversion is celebrated. The outgoing and enthusiastic nature of a person who gets things done and is a great communicator is considered an asset.



Researchers at the University of Chicago, and Harvard and Stanford Universities found that introverted chief executives make better leaders.



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"I restore myself when I am alone" - Marilyn Monroe
Both of the styles are positive and negative based on the context.



Extroversion is more common than introversion. If we understand and develop both in balance will be beneficial we can channelize ourselves based on the need.


At least I can switch on and off based on the demand.


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It takes polish Introvert personality to compose a book! and takes polish extrovert personality to promote the book!


"Hardly anybody ever writes anything nice about introverts. Extroverts rule. This is rather odd when you realize that about nineteen writers out of twenty are introverts. We are been taught to be ashamed of not being 'outgoing'. But a writer's job is ingoing." - Ursula K. Le Guin

Junk food for Motivation, Please identify and avoid

People are the primary and the most significant support of each company. For achieving remarkable results each leader needs to have a motivation approach to establish and sustain the spirit of enthusiasm among employees.


Please avoid this list of mental foods

• Extremely poor compensation, number one junk food for motivation, if you have this, It will demotivate immediately
• Poor ambient workplace, Individuals will not able to concentrate and perform better work in substandard working condition
• Work which is monotonous and does not challenge the intellectual level of the employees
• Cowboy team members or outstanding individual contributor who does not support team members, when we have many such team representatives, it will demotivate others.
• There are no vision or road map for the team members, one of the worst junk food for the motivation
• Leaders are not communicating with the team members, Team members are perplexed, excellent junk food for the motivation
• No appreciation for the valuable work done, or no recognition for a long time
• Team members are not able to discover any career growth plan
• Team members are receiving instruction from top to execute each and every step, less autonomy to work out anything fresh and new
• No support available for any challenging work
• Getting criticism every now and then, leaders are rebuke in front of others most of the time
• Each team members are fighting with each other to meet their target goal, there is a race in the team
• A minor small mistake will create an huge issue on the job floor, individuals are scared
• Boss is asking report of work progress in every hour
• Hardly team members recognize each other as everybody is in the competition, no moment to spare
• All the critical decisions are happening at the close door, inviting a few key team members
• People are getting treated like a machine, they are tagged as a billing resource with a number
• The yearly appraisal system is broken, the particular case-by-case performance instances has been picked to evaluate team members
• Every team members are complaining all the time, negativism is in the air, backbiting, and criticism is visible
• People are not getting leave for more than 3 days until an emergency, there is always work, people are always busy.
• Attrition and layoff are extremely high, people have asked to leave without prior notice, nobody knows why
• Few powerful people are running the show, it is not merit but positional power which is driving the organization. Leaders are acting like tough parents
• Team members are stressed and getting into health issues

If you find these into the menu items, please do not entertain these foods, avoid or do something

Win-Win negotiation what has worked with me

“The Law of Win/Win says, ”Let’s not do it your way or my way; let’s do it the best way”
-- Greg Anderson

When I work out below, I could discover a road to a win-win arrangement.

• I do my homework before the conversation
• I try to identify a way through which both of us will get benefit for long term
• I look at the process not at the person. Ignore all the particular emotional baggage
• I find what if alternative avenues, 
• I try to exercise as creative as possible to uncover an alternative value proposition
• I applied all optimistic attitude ( Glass half filled) 
• I ask many questions to understand, discover and listen 
• I am honest, transparent and authentic in my agreement
• I show due respect to the opponent and his/her present condition etc
• We discuss consequence upfront and who will pay what 
• Once we finalize , let us document the same and sign

If you start a conversation with the assumption that you are right or that you must win, obviously it is difficult to talk.
~ Wendell Berry

Fostering Positive Relationship at work

What I have observed as a Scrum Master, we have taken this topic as one of the important items to practice.


Though it is for all, in coaching we give importance to the relationship as a key enabler in collaboration


In Agile transformation when collaboration is key, especially when we are going for large scale transformation.



My own feeling is we need more compassion, we need more empathy, we need more togetherness, in terms of working together. Cindy McCain
How scrum master resolves some of the conflicting priorities without having a better working relationship with many scrum teams? We need to learn this skill.


Let us look into the below practice and rehearse for sometime

• It takes time to establish a stable relationship. Have patience and continue to have a trusting relationship.
• Establish trust, give utmost attention to strengthen trust. It is one of the essential for a long lasting relationship
• Take care of your emotion when dealing with others. Calm down when you are with others.
• Identify a common ground for a win-win solution
• Express yourself and share what is significant. The more you share another person will also share more. It creates binding.
• Be positive and optimistic with others
• Support your team members, people like when someone cares about them
• Appreciate when you find something remarkable has been accomplished by your colleagues
• Show curiosity to discover more, it will encourage you to understand other better
• Discuss something else other than work and pick up the common interest
• Do not try to educate others without their concern, including free advice
• Let us not interrupt, let others finish
• Always highlight the benefit when someone is working with you
• Explain what motivates your in the work, highlight the positive aspects of the work, it inspires others also
• Walk the talk in the change initiative
• Look for an opportunity to the social gathering
• Build knowledge power and earn respect for it
• Listen, listen and demonstrate care.We have 2 ears and 1 mouth
• Respect others view and encourage others to express more
• Always keep your promise and commitment
• Nasty gossip at work is poisonous
• The blame game does not work, it creates more side effect, try to understand the big picture
• Strengthen your likability factors, raise all those factors

Sincerely practice these for sometime, I do see that these behaviors when I meet with few great scrum masters.

We need to make sure we're all working together to change mindsets, to change attitudes, and to fight against the bad habits that we have as a society. Justin Trudeau

Antifragile