Articles for category: Drive

October 21, 2021

Greg Thomas

What is the Problem?

I watched this clip twice tonight, only because it is so relatable. Do we know the problem we are trying to solve? Does everyone at the table understand what we are trying to do? Are we all on the same page? We can all nod our heads and go yes, but in that case, who are you helping. Understand the problem, get everyone on the same page, move forward.

October 17, 2021

Greg Thomas

Leading Sprints

The goal of every sprint should be pretty simple, irrespective of the release, and one that the team can easily get behind… “Did we do what we said we were going to do?” This is a statement that everyone can get behind – whether you’re pushing self-organization, leadership, accountability, responsibility – it’s clear what the beginning and end goal of the sprint is. But often we lose sight of the goal when it’s supposed to be a quick 100/200/400M in front of us (no one sprints an 800M or 1500M). If your team isn’t achieving that one goal, the question

October 14, 2021

Greg Thomas

Finding a New Room

When everyone was together at the office, we would use the expression – “Let’s get in a room and figure this out”. But there are no rooms, they are all closed up. If you’re a company that is now “remote first” you won’t have these rooms again. But this phase still matters – “Getting into a room and figuring this out”. This is why you need to find a new room to capture the same message and evoke the same feelings you used to have when you were on site, together and you could do this. This is what your

October 13, 2021

Greg Thomas

The Commitments You Make

If you sign up to do something, it’s on you to do it. If you don’t do it, your team will question the next time you take on a commitment and the next time, and on and on and on. Commitments are not easy, nor should they be. That’s why we need to think to make them. If you do take on a commitment and get stuck, good, that means you’re working on it. But the follow-up is to put your hand up and ask for help. You have a whole team waiting to jump in and help you.

October 11, 2021

Greg Thomas

Where the Release is at?

Only one person on a project ever knows where the release is truly at. Whether it’s the person that’s taking the sum of the parts or the person responsible for their own team’s part – there is always that one person on every project that has the most intimate knowledge as to what is being released. They don’t need to feel the pulse, they are the pulse, and they release pulsates at every right and wrong through them. They don’t do all the work to get it out the door, but they do know what all the work is required