Best team building practices

Software development is a team work. Nevertheless, specialized literature gives much less attention to the issues of team formation than to technologies.

Project managers are aware of two types of methodologies: knowledge management and project management. Methodologies for managing people have not yet invented. Management books are more likely to teach that what should never be allowed in the management of employees than what to do to become one team. Earlier, my colleague wrote an article on this topic. This, in turn, inspired me to describe my vision of this problem.
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For advice on the education team, project managers sometimes turn to psychology literature. But the fact is that psychologists write books about common problems of interpersonal relationships. Themes for developing mutual aid and increasing the number of manifestations of initiative are touched upon much less frequently. In my memory, this issue was considered in the article of my colleague.

Perhaps for advice on team building, it makes sense to turn to other, more studied areas of collective activity. For example, to the theater.

Why precisely to him? At least by virtue of similarity. The theater also combines completely different areas of activity. Nevertheless, on the stage, everything works as a single organism. Probably, because in the theater there are a number of tools that allow a variety of people to work for a common result.

Consider some of them:

• Table period;
• Super task;
• Position of the actor;
• The role of "resistance";
• Role picture;
• Building a stage setting.

Table period

Unfortunately, it’s not about fun parties. Under the table period is commonly understood as the time when reading material. Before the start of rehearsals on the stage, the actors pronounce the text of the role at the table. Without intonation, without playing anything. This is not learning the text or familiarity with the plot. The actors reveal the inner drama of the text, make notes on the margins of the script. At this stage the turning events of the play are determined.

For a manager, turning events are project milestones. Involve developers in project planning. At the first stage, it is not necessary to determine all the nuances of the technology, it is enough to outline the directions and identify potential risks. Developers learn to think and express expert opinion about the specifics of the project.

Super task

The most important task is the individual interpretation of the main idea of ​​the work. The purpose for which it was written. The director dictates the super-task to the actors.

What is the most important task of the manager? Run the project on time? No, managing the project’s progress is the job of a manager. The goal is always outside of work. Frederick Brooks answered this question best of all in his book The Mythical Man-Month:

“The main task of a software project manager is to create an organizational structure and workflow that promotes creativity and initiative, rather than overwhelming them.”

What is the most important task for the developer? Develop functionality with high quality and on time? No, this is his job. The goals of the developer include:

• Mastering new technology for him;
• The desire to become an architect of the project;
• The desire to train a novice, etc.

The situation when the developer has no super-task is a failure. He comes to work only in order to serve time.

Role of actor

The role of an actor is a certain kind of roles corresponding to the external and internal data of the actor. Speaking simply, there are actors comedians, there are actors tragedians.

Knowledge of the luggage of each developer is an important component in the recruitment process of the team. Give people projects that correspond to their inner "I." Among the complaints of people on the working conditions is such: "I performed a bunch of duties that did not concern me." This is a glaring thing. Equivalent to the fact that the masters of sports in swimming will force to lift the bar.

The role of "resistance"

The role of “resistance” is the role that categorically does not correspond to the role of the actor. If he does it, then he is able to go beyond his own “comfort zone”. If it breaks, it means that the director incorrectly picked up the actor for the role, set him the wrong most important task.

The importance of the developer’s interest in the project on which he works is hard to overestimate. Therefore, the manager must sometimes give the developer projects "for growth". In this sense, you need to be able to relate the greatness of the plan and the ability of the developer. Find a balance between knowledge and potential.

Role picture

Role drawing is the range in which an actor acts, retreating from or exceeding the most important task. During rehearsals, the director clearly fixes in which row the actor submits the text, in what temporhythm he works, where he misses or replays.

The manager should give subordinates the right to make mistakes, while recognizing their ability to exceed expectations. Create a team such conditions under which the developer, even in its worst form, will not be able to overwhelm the project. For an actor, such conditions mean intolerance of falsehood. Trained in such a way an actor accurately determines replay in films and performances that he watches. Develop from developers intolerance to bad code.

Building a stage setting

Building the stage set is a conditional division of the scene and the actors on it to the first, middle and long-range plan. Stage momentary. Because how they change, it depends on how interesting it will be to watch the play.

Every manager at least once in his life heard from the developer the phrase: “I dragged the project on myself.” The leader did not feel the support of other team members. People did not work together. Each was boiled in its own juice. The system has not acquired new features. The manager should: feel when an employee should be taken away from the front line; to understand which of the team members will give a friend a shoulder. Even an experienced employee will not pull the project alone. He will break.
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Team killers

The project is a kind of performance. Some productions live in the hearts of viewers for years. Others fail after several hits. Contrary to popular belief, the play is not the main thing. The main thing is how well the team works on the result.

The absence of an it-command from one of the listed tools is not critical. Lack of all - guaranteed to lead the project to failure. Before you come up with new ways to motivate a team, see if these tricks are used in your team. If not used, it is not just a reason to ponder, but to sound the alarm.

We summarize:

• Involve developers in project planning;
• Set a goal clearly;
• Learn the strengths and weaknesses of team members to know where they can and should be developed;
• Boycott bad code;
• Do not give the leader a chance to overstrain, but give the middle specialist an opportunity to prove themselves.

Of course, this article provides a far from complete list of secrets of theatrical behind the scenes. The purpose of the article was to demonstrate that learning from representatives of other industries is possible and necessary. The study of unfamiliar areas, at times, allows you to make amazing discoveries.

In conclusion, I will add: go to the theater more often. There at least you can turn off the phone and take a nap.