Aspiration, explained
We have a voice and we use it to make an impact.
- We communicate openly and honestly and then take initiative to create meaningful change.
- We foster a culture of trust and collaboration through genuine conversations.
- We are a self-motivated team, driven by a deep ownership of both our personal productivity and company goals.
- When we see a problem, we say something. If we don’t have a solution, we are ready to help discover one.
- We are not critics. We are change makers. We are in the arena, daring greatly.
- “Leaders are not the ones with the right position or a proclaimed or given title, the actual leaders are the people who start acting, who step up, who do change, no matter in what way or how small!” — Akilnathan Logeswaran
Examples / Observations
Observation created 3 months agoStarts with observing an issue by (conversing with her direct report)[https://careerplug.slack.com/archives/C037Z53KPHQ/p1713276253909209].
Then she identifies a potential solutions and steps up to execute the solution.
Then owned it, and lead the 5 dysfunctions of a team workshops.
Ensured it was not in the squads way (additive and unobtrusive)... and handled the scheduling to ensure it stayed that way.
Has had (great communication)[https://careerplug.slack.com/archives/C037Z53KPHQ/p1736174398474009?thread_ts=1735833915.695419&cid=C037Z53KPHQ] with the management team.
But more importantly than any of that... I've personally heard from multiple members of the team that they found it to be really valuable and the issues they were dealign with are beginning to melt away 💪🏾
Speak Up Step Up - Results - Improvement of Daily Work - Without anyone complaining about it?!?!?! Rare and wonderful!!
Observation created about 1 year agohttps://careerplug.slack.com/archives/C01UT24GPLJ/p1707768920221849
It is hard to say to the Prez, “yo, I wasn’t clear”… and then work to make yourself clear; fully explaining your “why”.
Most simply don’t say anything or make up excuses. Most don’t display the courage to exemplify SUSU. Most aren’t as skilled in communication. Most aren't Daniel 😉
What you did here Daniel… THIS IS THE WAY 🙌🏾
Observation created about 1 year ago
Long story... but the short version is that many months ago I told the company that we'd guarantee a 10 biz-day turn around on anything that was submitted to ProductBoard. Many things happened and we weren't living up to this promise.
Incredibly bad. And 100% my fault.
Laura, took it upon herself to just start processing these things. No one asked... no one (that I'm aware of) even complained. She showed us what to do when we don't want a bad thing to continue. She showed us to have the humility and curiosity to seek feedback because there may be great insights in these submissions. She showed us what is like to be Speak Up and Step Up.
Today, I had some notifications about someone in there replying to people... and saw her reply to a co-worker who acually submitted a bug in the wrong place. This would have gone unnoticed and diminished trust.
But, no... Laura showed up and we are all better for it.
Grateful would be an understatement.
Observation created over 1 year agoGrrrr... standups aren't as useful because there are so many that no one reads them all. But they are important for keeping everyone informed, connected, and supported.
CW: 🤔 What if we build a form that sends the standup to the channel with everyone AND to the squad channel?
When folks are blocked, it is hard to know. No one LIKES saying "hey i'm stuck"... there is NO inclusive way to do this, so ohh well, status quo I guess.
CW: Nah... what if in that standup form we had a safe radio button that gives folks options. This may not work, but it is low cost, and if it does work to drive attention to when someone is blocked isn't that worth it?
We don't have a culture of learning... by that I mean, where do you put stuff that is interesting that helped you? Gah... too hard, so status quo
CW: Sooo, learning is a daily thing right? Why not ask ourselves daily, if there is something you've learned that you think others may find interest in or benefit from. We could build a habit of learning and isn't that the root of a learning culture?
I could go on... but I hope you get the point. CW is the CP Iron-Man (to know what I mean, checkout a few seconds of this TikTok... CW doesn't just rest on their laurels, they sense and respond. They do!!!
I adore everything about this. The desire for things to be better... the initiative... the fact that I love the single simple solution that creates a system to reinforce good habits, improve inclusiveness, and elevates everyone.
CW... you already know I'm a SUPER FAN of yours... and this is but one example of why.
Also... to be clear about what inspired me to post this? In the #product_team channel we've had THREE interesting learnings POSTED, SHARED, CROSS-POLLINATED to everyone in just the past 24 hours. Of course there could be alert fatigue at some point, but right now... it is absolutely amazing. It is how you build a culture.
This goes beyond my "reasonably highest" accolades of a :snoop-nod:.... this gets the super rare :snoop-nod: :snoop-dance:!!!
Well done! KEEP ITERATING!!! :high-five:
Observation created over 1 year agoIn the Ability Prioritization it is framed around 4 concepts:
The power of observation; to sense an opportunity
The power of prioritization; knowing when is the right time to make a change
The power of bringing people along; ushering in the change you’re trying to make
The power of action; not be something we just talk about, but something we doJoel sensed that multiple squads were essentially blocked from getting key data.
Joel is obviously aware of his own workload and knew he had some time to take a little time to do a thing that may have a big impact
Joel then posted in a public channel a simple message that was overflowing with the best kind of humility and a question which made it clear he is purely trying to help
Joel didn't wait... he didn't schedule a meeting... he didn't spin up a thread to discuss... he just did a thing and offered it up as an iteration (which probably took less time than it would have if he had a convo about it).This is a shining example of navigating the spectrum of action.
Sometimes we need to take our time and "measure twice, cut once". But it is when folks fall in love with the wrong thing that this becomes THE ONLY WAY. It is when folks fall in love with the process over the goal 😩.
On the other end of the "spectrum of action" is what former teams I've been on have called "just fucking do it".
When the "right thing" is so clear... when the systems are such that the blast radius is low enough (aka it is safe enough to try)... when the communication is clear... when the goal is clear... when the trust is high...... in these situations the best thing to do is... well... to DO!
Way to see this need, and fill this need Joel! 💪🏾🙏🏾
Conversations about (2) Speak Up, Step Up
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