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Quoting Watts Humphrey, "Developers are caught in a victim's mentality." We never think it's our fault, it's always somebody else's.
-Jared Richardson
.. it is a really special feeling when you give someone a book and it changes the way they think and act. So I'm really pleased to have just finished reading a book that I know I'll be handing out ...
-Jeffery Fredrick
Do it right from day one or you never will
-Andy Hunt

Product Owner as Lifeguard (Oct 23)
I'm preparing for next week's product owner training, I'm thinking more about the lifeguard model of responsibility. I have a similar model for developers, testers, managers.... for most people I think. :)

When someone is drowning, whose job is it to reach out? Should the drowning victim be expected to meet you halfway? That's a crazy thought, isn't it? But when the project is in trouble, how often do we say "That's not my job" or "I'll do this much, but that's their job, not mine!"

At the end of the day, we're all lifeguards. When you see someone drowning, jump in! Imagine a lifeguard sitting on the tower, watching someone thrashing in the water, and saying "That's not my area. I only guard the water up to that fence. You'll need to wait for Joe to come back from his break."

If we want our projects, and our company, to succeed we've got to look around, see what's not working, and go after it. It may be someone else's area, but if it needs doing, then do it. Don't step on toes, but offer help... get the job done. If we all put out every fire we see, everyone wins.

When someone drowns, don't blame the victim... blame the lifeguards. Jump in.

Category: Agile


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