Who or Where is the Leader ?
Everyone is asking the same question. Be it the organization as an unit or a small team working on a small enhancement, or a sports team. Every one is in lookout for finding the next leader who can bring the spark, and drive their team/organization through the troubled water into calmer seas.
But who are the leader? what traits make them a leader? or where can they be found in abundance? Let’s eavesdrop into a high performing Scrum team to locate one.
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9:00 A.M.
Looking inside through the glass door of the meeting room, it looks like a standard meeting. The regulars walk by without even glancing, since all know about this scrum team’s schedule. Occasional waves from outside, acknowledged from inside but it is missing the normal energy.
If we enter the room, then we can feel the tension. The room seems to be engulfed in a thick fog of tension. You literally can cut it with a knife.
T, the tester, shifts uneasily in the chair. T has actually logged a show stopper issue last evening. That issue can jeopardize the whole Sprint. Even if it gets fixed in next couple of days, T has no way of catching up. T furtively looks at the developer.
D, the developer, is fuming inside and also kind of surprised. D is angry because D feels this is an issue the code should have handled. But D is unable to fix it. D needs time. D’s thought is disturbed by squeaking chair of E, the Vulnerability tester.
E looks relaxed. Why should E be worried, unless testing is completed Hack test will not start. But E is worried, since E is the last gate and E needs to be sure before release. E will need time, and all this means he will have none.
S, Solution Lead, and O, Product owner shifts nervously. They can see the sprint going down the drain. The backlog looks daunting and top that with business heat. They are not looking forward to it.
M, the Product Manager, clears throat. All look with hope. M is known to squeeze hours extra out of a clock when there is seemingly no time left.
“D, how about you go back and identify how you can segregate this feature from rest of the features ? Also, tell me how long before the fix goes in.” Instinctively, M revolves round to O “ Trust me, I have a plan.” M is thinking, “You better believe me, since if you ask me for the plan, I don’t have any. But it will come soon, I know.”
M starts giving instructions “T, re-plan your test scripts so that you can test the remaining features”, “E please start testing on areas which you know are tested and signed off”, “S, please work on creating a backlog story of the feature D is segregating”. “O, let’s discuss with business in terms of which are must have features of this sprint.”
To All “ Let’s re-convene in the afternoon.”
3 P.M.
Same meeting room, but the mood is different. They all are boiling with energy and ready to go.
D starts off “ I have put up additional layer, no it is not scope creep. This check is there in backlog, I just put it in a crude way. Will make it sophisticated in next sprint. This is working. Oh, this feature is indeed stand-alone. S pointed it out as well.” S chimes in “ I have the story ready, if required I can put it in back log.” T jumps in “ No need, I have restructured the test scripts, testing has started and we are progressing fast for rest of the features, we will make time.” E, not be left alone, “ I have started my work, have now buffer to burn too.” O, with a big grin, “ if nothing works, business has agreed that this feature is good to have, and they can wait one more sprint.”
M says, “ okay guys, then have a nice evening, any one up for a drink ?”
****
Now, who is the lead ? Some will gravitate to M, saying show of composure when others were panicking. Some will say D as show of ingenuity in actually removing the hinderance. Counter argument is T as show of adaptability. E for showing ability to go beyond call of duty. S for going ahead and re-doing his work for team success. O for showing courage to go and discuss with business, trust me, business meeting would not have been easy.
The decision is not unanimous, because there is no individual leader. All, were leaders by their own right. Since to be a leader, you need to be able to raise your hand up when your team needs you. All of them did that. It is a team of leaders.
We are celebrating Diwali right now. Globally, I have seen Diwali is acknowledged, as a celebration to bring some light and spark in our lives. So let this Diwali, we search for the “Leader in us”. Since if we find that Leader inside us, then we can add that spark to our team. We can be the light to guide the team in times of darkness.
Find the Leader in You, be the spark, HAPPY DIWALI !!
