Gathering, collecting, searching & researching

It can feel so good, so busy. But there’s a time cost to all that searching and re-searching. Working on a project, report or presentation, we look for information, data, stats and studies to support ideas, claims and points. (This isn’t the university, academic, ‘it’s my job’ kind of researching, completing a PhD or other missive.)

The searching and re-searching is a never-ending journey we take looking for the perfect quote or the most awesome reference.

But how much is enough? When will you have read enough, checked or gathered enough data and evidence?

How will you know?

Most of us don’t know.

We keep going until a deadline, exhaustion, boredom or frustration.

The tip is: work out what you need. Create a shopping list. The most economical shopping is done with a list. Let's do the same. The search is never-ending, looking for the best or better, perhaps hoping that ’the next one’ will be ’the one’, the most perfect source. Sounds like a gambler banking on the next big win.

It's not 'no research'; it's being aware when you're not stopping searching.

Q: What are you searching and researching right now? 

A deadline is not the only standard

A deadline is not the only standard

I met a team this week who were working on a task and they were stressed about it, working hard, pushing on, staying back late to get the work done to meet a deadline.

It was due 6 days later. The only target or standard they were going for was the date, the deadline. And it seemed they were working as many hours as they could until the date arrived. But something was missing.

We talked about identifying, asking for or clarifying other standards as well as the date, say, the quality required or expected.

How much?

What’s required by the due date?

One page or six?

Some key headings?

Raw data or curated insights?

None of these were known. It was all about the due date. It was full speed ahead, doing whatever they could until time ran out. Other work and priorities they had on fell away.

We worked together on asking clarifying questions so they could gather more information about the expectations and requirements required for any of the work they're doing. It will save them hours/days of unnecessary work and will dramatically reduce stress levels.

Overwork, burnout and perfectionism is a growing problem at work. It’s worth seeking out and then going for more than a deadline.

Determine the minimum effective dose

What’s the least you could do, the least that’s required?

Some people think the world is going to ruin, that quality will drop if we don’t do our bestest of the very best of the best on every single thing we work on.

Oh sure, high quality and attention to detail matters, but not on everything! Keep quality for the things that really matter.

The whole minimum viable product (MVP) strategy is an example of doing just enough of the valuable stuff for a product or service to get it ready to put it out there.

So what’s the least you need to put in? Do that and then test or validate it.

Oh, and there’s the minimum effective dose strategy too. Medicos and pharmaceuticos know about identifying what’s the minimum amount of a drug or treatment that will ‘do the job’. (There’s the ‘do no harm’ mantra in there too.)

Let's play the same game. Stop doing harm to your self, your mind (and others) thinking you need a maximum dose of something (or everything) ... or that more will make it better.

Your good enough is likely good enough. Go test and validate it sooner than you think you can, to see how good enough it really is. That’s a minimum effective strategy that will bring some mega results.

Lynne Cazaly - Keynote at Agile Alliance 2019

What a privilege to be at Agile 2019 in Washington DC and today, to take to the stage and deliver a keynote.

The topic was ‘ish: The problem with our pursuit for perfection and the life changing practice of good enough.’

Here's a visual summary of the key points I presented. You can get the book, ebook or audiobook - yes with me narrating - wherever you normally buy your books!

The bottom line is, perfectionism is a problem that is on the increase. Most of us have a little bit of perfectionist in us. When we are encouraged to bring our whole selves to work, that means we will be bringing some of our perfectionist traits as well. Sometimes that can slow down our abilities to achieve, collaborate and deliver great value to our customers.

It’s worth our while to find alternative ways of working that don’t involve the pursuit of perfection (which is impossible to achieve.)

Are you a 'bit of a perfectionist'? 

Agile is a way of thinking and working

This week I'm at the Agile 2019 conference in Washington DC. Some people think 'agile' or 'agility' are buzzwords or cliches. Well they are if you throw them around trying to sound all ... agile!

Agile is actually a way of thinking and working that's sweeping the world. And it's not just limited to the tech industries where it started to thrive. It's being applied across all sorts of fields, sectors and industries.

I keynoted at the conference on the topic of ‘ish: The Problem with our Pursuit for Perfection and the Life-Changing Practice of Good Enough’.

This week I'll be posting insights and key points from the 18 streams and hundreds of sessions available on agility ... not to mention those magical, spontaneous conversations you get to have at great conferences!

If you’re stuck in long-term planning mode or taking w-a-y too long to get products and services created and out into the market, you’ll join the list of businesses who aren’t in business anymore! We all have to adjust, respond and adapt to the changes going on in the world and the demands and expectations our customers have. This is being agile.

How could you be more agile in your role, team or business?