Leading by Adventure - 026 - Adventuring together using Kanban Standups

Adventuring together through teamwork, support and a sense of progress – Using Kanban and daily standups to support each other’s individual adventures Coloured rollers metaphor for Kanban

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Why take this challenge?

Explore Kanban and standup as a regular basis for support and encouragement

Increase the rate of progress on projects and processes

Build a greater sense of teamwork and shared ownership of progress

Graphic image reflecting different pathways to take the adventure

There are a number of qualities we associate with the term adventure: Challenge; Novelty; Achievement; Movement. Sometimes we can engage with and complete adventures on our own, and sometimes we need help. And it is always good to be able to share experiences and insight.

All of these things are as true of the work environment as they are of the great outdoors. From an adventure mindset, it is great to be given tasks that stretch us. Situations that cause us to think in novel ways. The opportunity to do more than we were previously capable of. To experience personal growth and progress toward our potential.

And as we engage with these adventures, it is great to feel we are not alone. That we have others to help us think things through. To help us shift the rocks in our way. To empathise with our setbacks and to celebrate our successes.

As part of Agile frameworks, people are rediscovering this opportunity for this experience through what is known as the daily stand-up, and through a very simple tool called Kanban. And this is the tool that is the subject of this week’s adventure.

Kanban

At its simplest, Kanban is a simple three box model: To Do; Doing; Done. Within a team it makes individual victories part of a shared landscape of team success. And, in this way, it builds cohesion and a sense of collective responsibility.

New priority actions are thought out and added to the To Do box. People select items which utilise their strengths, but ideally also develop them, and move them to the Doing box. And as they complete them, they go to the Done box. Progress is reviewed daily by the whole team in a brief daily stand-up meeting, where progress is quickly shared (and celebrated), problems aired and help allocated, and new tasks identified.

Kanban charts are best set up in a prominent visible central location, but sadly this is not currently an option for many of us. However, they can also be set up virtually, and there are great tools available to do this.

+ Green track - taking it in your stride

Personal Kanban

While the Kanban works best with a team, it can be used individually to great effect.

If you have a spare whiteboard or blank area of wall that you can divide into three labelled areas, that would be great. But if you don’t, you can use our virtual Kanban.

This week’s green track is about laying out your current to do list as sticky notes in the To Do box, and then moving today’s self-allocation into the Do box, and moving yesterday’s progress into the Done box. And to see how that feels. And to imagine how it might work with one of your teams.

+ Blue track - a bit of a workout (click to open)

Team Kanbans

The blue track this week is to try out Kanban with your team. This level of adventure is simply about the experience of trying out.

Begin to identify a team to pilot this with. It works best with an interrelated team pursuing a common overall goal where they are best placed to support and be interested in other people’s progress.

Create a virtual space of the 3 Kanban boxes that all your team can access, and work with them to layout this week’s tasks in the To Do box. Then shift today’s allocated tasks to the Doing box and agree to meet briefly first thing the following morning to update it. If you find yourself getting bogged down in a longer discussion than intended, you may need to think whether the extra time is of value to everyone, or whether the team you have included may be too broad. Or it may be about the discussion process you are using – in which case the red track might be helpful.

If the spirit of Kanban appeals to you, I would encourage you to consider setting up a Trello account. Their free version covers everything from the basics described above to something capable of running a small business (which I did for a few years, until the embarrassment of gaining so much for free prompted me to go to a paid account even though I didn’t really need it).

+ Red track - stepping up to bat (click to open)

Adventure stand-ups

The red track this week is to try out Kanban as part of a deliberate schedule of daily stand ups.

The key to stand ups is to ensure that their net value, as perceived by all participants is overall greater than their cost in time. Key in achieving this is the people you select, and how their interests mesh. As the leader, it is better to have multiple smaller focused gatherings than one big amorphous one.

Selected well, everything that is said is of interest to everyone. This will be most likely due to shared goals and interdependencies, but it can also be enhanced by coaching relationships, team bonuses, …

Each person (as they move any relevant sticky notes) answers the following questions …

What did you do/achieve yesterday (headlines only)
Is there anything you are stuck on, need help on (briefly)
What is your focus for today (again, very briefly)

Each person focuses on covering the main points in less than a minute. Anything that requires more time is scheduled between specific people (perhaps for immediately after, almost certainly that morning) for outside of the stand-up.

You can augment the session with a quick check round of “any other points?” – issues, ideas, recognition of achievements as appropriate.

Key to the stand-up is the energy of moving quickly through succinct focused contributions, and taking anything more involved off-line. For more information, google ‘daily standups’ or click the resources in the Pack section.

If you really are leading your team into adventure, the daily stand-up can be a great tool for ensuring a culture which supports the recognition, support, celebration, teamwork and sense of progress that goes alongside that.

You may find the following resources helpful in tackling your challenge or in gaining further benefits from the skills and insights you develop

To catch up on past adventures you may have missed, feel free to browse our Adventures Library

Let us know how you get on.
Share your experience, your insights and your observation using the comments section at the bottom of the Linkedin post.

Please help us to extend and develop our community by sharing what you are doing. Click on the links below where you are most active, and then like or share the article to your network. Thank you for helping.

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Useful links:

Introduction to Leading by Adventure  |  What we mean by spirituality?  |  Why Adventure
Adventures to date   |  I did it, but it didn’t work very well   |  How do I know if it is working
Bringing this thinking into your meetings   |  Adventure & Mental Health
Leading by Adventure community   |  Explore Strategic Support options