- Be explicit about your expectations for each of the team members. This is a
discussion, not a declaration.
- Give feedback early and often, both constructive and kudos.
- Your first priority is the productivity of your team, not your individual
productivity. This means taking the time to help team members that are
struggling, even at the expense of closing out your own stories on time.
- Don't be afraid to be vulnerable, admit your own failings or tell your team
that you don't know. Allowing your team to see the decision making process
when you go through it can be very valuable and is much better than just being
the guy who has an answer to everything. As a plus, showing your own
vulnerability will lead to your team showing their vulnerability more readily.
- Even if you've got the answer, sometimes it makes sense to let your team make
the decision. There are often many right answers. Remember, your job isn't to
choose a right answer, it's to ensure that the team doesn't choose a wrong
answer.
> Even if you've got the answer, sometimes it makes sense to let your team make the decision. There are often many right answers. Remember, your job isn't to choose a right answer, it's to ensure that the team doesn't choose a wrong answer.
Couldn't agree more. Allowing the team to own decisions as a group goes a long way toward boosting morale and giving each member a greater sense of pride and ownership. Sometimes people need subtle guidance away from poor choices, but often time, allowing people to explore options on their own-even briefly, they'll often make the right choice in the end.
> Your first priority is the productivity of your team
I agree! The grandparent talks about unblocking team members and bringing them back on track. These little tweaks happen frequently as part of team productivity.
Other things also affect the team's productivity though! Consider how productivity will be impacted with various paths forward (Should we implement feature A or B, should we implement it with X or Y?)
