{"id":2537,"date":"2011-04-18T02:20:28","date_gmt":"2011-04-18T06:20:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/?p=2537"},"modified":"2011-04-21T00:06:34","modified_gmt":"2011-04-21T04:06:34","slug":"existential-joys-agile-practice-people-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/existential-joys-agile-practice-people-process\/","title":{"rendered":"The existential joys of agile practice: people over process"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>At <a href=\"http:\/\/incrementor.com\/agilenyc\/\">Agile NYC<\/a> I presented a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pecha-kucha.org\/\">pecha kucha<\/a>. 20 slides. 20 seconds per slide. This is the third of four parts.<\/p>\n<h2>People over process<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear:both;padding-top:36px;\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"width: 200px\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2011\/02\/02\/nyregion\/02panel.html?_r=1&#038;scp=1&#038;sq=school%20closing&#038;st=cse\" onclick=\"javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','www.nytimes.com']);\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cathleen P. Black, who took over as New York City schools chancellor in January, at the Tuesday meeting of the Panel on Educational Policy.\" src=\"http:\/\/graphics8.nytimes.com\/images\/2011\/02\/02\/nyregion\/PANEL2-SUB\/PANEL2-SUB-articleInline.jpg\" title=\"Cathleen P. Black, who took over as New York City schools chancellor in January, at the Tuesday meeting of the Panel on Educational Policy.\" width=\"190\" height=\"126\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Robert Stolarik for The New York Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Cathie Black was Chancellor of New York City Schools for three months. She was hired despite having no education experience and no affinity for public schools, parents, teachers and students because she was, \u201can excellent manager\u201d. <\/p>\n<p>I love that agile doesn\u2019t celebrate management. It relies on individual contributors. It relies on community.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;padding-top:36px;\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2539\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/existential-joys-agile-practice-people-process\/2295419391_c062bb3dda\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/2295419391_c062bb3dda.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"500,375\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"painting by Eiko Judy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/2295419391_c062bb3dda.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/2295419391_c062bb3dda-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"painting by Eiko Judy\" title=\"painting by Eiko Judy\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/2295419391_c062bb3dda-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/2295419391_c062bb3dda.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>The oozy failure wrapped in the chocolatey success of agile is when we focus on process mechanics and lose sight of people.<\/p>\n<p>If we do, our practice becomes arbitrary and abstract.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a study that claims the best and worst performers have more in common with each other than those in the broad middle.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;padding-top:36px;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/nyc-first-pits-med.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2541\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/existential-joys-agile-practice-people-process\/nyc-first-pits-med\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/nyc-first-pits-med.png\" data-orig-size=\"500,375\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"NYC Lego First Pits\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/nyc-first-pits-med.png\" src=\"http:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/nyc-first-pits-med-300x225.png\" alt=\"NYC Lego First Pits\" title=\"NYC Lego First Pits\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2541\" srcset=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/nyc-first-pits-med-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/nyc-first-pits-med.png 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>While the best are energized by their caring and use that passion to drive to the best outcomes, the worst are demoralized and ruined by it. <\/p>\n<p>The indifferent middle, they just plug away.<\/p>\n<p>When we impose a process upon a workplace to avoid failure. We rob the best performers of opportunities to engage and care.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:both;padding:36px 0 36px 0;\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2540\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/existential-joys-agile-practice-people-process\/existential-joy-of-agile-practice-014\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/existential-joy-of-agile-practice.014.png\" data-orig-size=\"1024,768\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Sunset Big Island\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/existential-joy-of-agile-practice.014.png\" src=\"http:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/existential-joy-of-agile-practice.014-300x225.png\" alt=\"Sunset Big Island\" title=\"Sunset Big Island\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/existential-joy-of-agile-practice.014-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/existential-joy-of-agile-practice.014.png 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>We preclude the best in an attempt to avoid the worst and ensure mediocrity.<\/p>\n<p>I acknowledge that successful products can emerge from awful workplaces. And that that good teams often create failed products.<\/p>\n<p>But working in a way that tears down talented people\u2019s desire for work is tragic. To repeatedly do this this is to sap the world of its limited supply inspiration, creativity and joy.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div   style=\"clear:both;padding-top:36px;\">\n<h3>The existential joys of agile practice<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/existential-joys-agile-practice-family-tradition-care-craft\/\">A family tradition of care and craft<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/existential-joys-agile-practice-live-imperfect-reality\/\">I want to live in our imperfect reality<\/a><\/li>\n<li>People over process<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/existential-joys-agile-practice-angel-shoulder\/\">Angel on your shoulder<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Agile NYC I presented a pecha kucha. 20 slides. 20 seconds per slide. This is the third of four parts. People over process Robert Stolarik for The New York Times Cathie Black was Chancellor of New York City Schools &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/existential-joys-agile-practice-people-process\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8,30],"tags":[19,743,12,45,817,113,745],"class_list":["post-2537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-scrum","category-software-development","tag-agile-software-development","tag-agilenyc","tag-creativity","tag-failure","tag-pecha-kucha","tag-process","tag-values"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/nyc-first-pits-med.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2537"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2548,"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537\/revisions\/2548"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/judykat.com\/ken-judy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}