effective management: getting the best from your team

Effective Management:Getting the Best from Your Team

Pete IsenseePrincipal Program ManagerXbox Platform Team

About Me

Development FailuresOf 500 real world development efforts• 15% cancelled or abortedOf those that lasted 25+ work-years• 25% failed to complete

For the overwhelming majority, there was not a single technological issue to explain the failure.

– DeMarco and Lister, Peopleware

Effective managers solve sociological problems

Key Takeaway

Pop Quiz• Who has a sociology degree?• Who took management classes in school?• Who has a manager mentor?• Who has read any books on management?• Who has been to a manager training class?

Recipe for Success• Hire the best• Motivate and inspire• Turn them loose• Give feedback• Manage underperformers

Hiring• Use your network• Need: smart & productive• Examine portfolios• Involve the team• Compare notes• Make a decision

Effective hiring managers never settle for “good enough”

Key Takeaway

Recipe for Success• Hire the best• Motivate and inspire• Turn them loose• Give feedback• Manage underperformers

Risk

TrustMotivation

Trust Cycle

Motivational Tactics• Be real• Think long term• Celebrate progress• Try something new• Foster l’esprit de corps• Maximize the workspace• The trivial and the silly are neither

Team Chemistry• Build a cult of quality• Cultivate a sense of eliteness• Encourage diversity• Foster employee connections• Give strategic, not tactical, advice

Effective managers build trust through relationships

Key Takeaway

Recipe for Success• Hire the best• Motivate and inspire• Turn them loose• Give feedback• Manage underperformers

6Ps: Setting Course• Premise• Purpose

• Principles• Priorities• Plan• People

6Ps: Example• Premise: The game engine keeps crashing• Purpose: Improve the quality of the engine

• Principles: Invest for the future, minimize content changes, evaluate multiple options

• Priorities: Quality, efficiency, readability, …• Plan: Investigate middleware, hire consultant, …• People: …

Cut Loose• Trust the team• Foster work/life balance• Don’t waste the team’s

time• Build consensus

Manage Change• Improvements

involve change• Fundamental

response to change: emotional

• Celebrate the status quo first

Effective managers point the team in the right direction and get out of their way

Key Takeaway

Recipe for Success• Hire the best• Motivate and inspire• Turn them loose• Give feedback• Manage underperformers

I’m Listening• Give feedback• Shortly before or after behavior• Start with what you like• Talk about ways to improve

• Receive feedback• Ask for feedback• Listen• Two valid responses: “Thanks” and “Go on”

Effective managers give feedback early & oftenEffective managers accept feedback graciously

Key Takeaways

Recipe for Success• Hire the best• Motivate and inspire• Turn them loose• Give feedback• Manage underperformers

Failure is Not an Option• Match skillset to the work• Don’t delay• Pave the way• Coordinate with mgmt, HR, legal• Your team will thank you

Effective managers match skillsets to workEffective managers know when to fire people

Key Takeaways

General People Mgmt Tactics• Use Different Communication Modes• Get People Alone• Get People Together• Hunt People Down• Hide/Work Offsite• Grant Authority• Get Advice• Go on Walkabout• Call in Favors• Stack the Deck• Buy People Coffee/Donuts

Remember the Recipe• Hire the best• Motivate and inspire• Turn them loose• Give feedback• Manage underperformers

• Solve sociological problems• When hiring, never settle for good enough• Build trust through relationships• Point the team in the right direction and get out of their way• Give feedback early and often• Accept feedback graciously• Match skillsets to work• Know when to fire people

Takeaways for Effective Managers

Resources• Email: pkisensee@msn.com• Website: tantalon.com• DeMarco & Lister: Peopleware• Spolsky: Guerilla Guide to Interviewing (web)• Berkun: Making Things Happen• Brechner: Hard Code