coaching introverts: building on their quiet strengths
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This is the slide deck that accompanied my Agile 2010 presentation, "Coaching Introverts: Building on their Quiet Strengths."TRANSCRIPT
Coaching Introverts: Building on Their Quiet Strengths
Lisamarie Babik Menlo Evangelist
Agenda
• Why is it important to talk about introversion on an Agile team?
• What is Myers-Briggs? (specifically introversion vs. extraversion)
• Kahnweiler’s 4P’s for Introverts • An agile adaption of the 4 P’s
Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC
Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking?
• Some of what I cover might seem obvious
• My goal is to provide you with resources and vocabulary so that you can be more productive in coaching instead of using phrases like, “Try harder.”
• The people who are most surprised by material in this presentation are Extraverts.
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Who Am I?
• Former developer • Former project
manager (PMP®) • Occasional coach • Evangelist • Introvert
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Lisamarie
Some Characteristics of Agile Workplaces
• Collocation • Open Floor Plan • Paired Programming • Daily Standup/Daily Scrum • Show & Tell • Noisy!
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Example Agile Workplace
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Why is this Important?
• Because it is so interaction-intensive, Introverts can end up feeling excluded, overlooked, or misunderstood
• Working in an agile environment can be challenging under the best of circumstances
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Have You Ever Heard?
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You just need to pick an estimate! Stop asking so many questions about
details that don’t matter!
Have You Ever Heard?
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Why do you just sit and stare at us during
brainstorming?
What About You?
What are your preferences?
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Uh-Oh!
How are we going
to “fix” the introverts?
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Introversion/Extraversion is not a Binary Switch
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Introversion vs. Extraversion Introverts are… Energized by time alone
Process their thoughts in their head Prefer writing to talking Reserved Focus on depth
Extraverts are… Energized by and seek out people Talk out their thoughts
Prefer talking to writing Enthusiastic Focus on breadth
Source: “The Introverted Leader”, J. Kahnweiler, PhD Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC
Introversion is not shyness.
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Preference and natural inclination do not determine your fate!
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____Shyness & Introversion
Working in pairs, list ways in which shyness or introversion could inhibit performance on an Agile team.
Mark each with an “S” for shyness, an “I” for introversion, or a “B” for both.
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It’s more subtle than simply Introversion and Extraversion
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Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Introvert/Extravert
Sensing/Intuition
Thinking/Feeling
Judgment/Perception
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MBTI Indicates Differences Based On
• How you focus your attention or get your energy (extraversion or introversion)
• How you perceive or take in information (sensing or intuition)
• How you prefer to make decisions (thinking or feeling)
• Do you prefer to get things decided or do you prefer to stay open to new information and options? (judgment or perception)
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The “point” of Myers-Briggs types is not to categorize people
into neat little bins!
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Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC
4 Types of Inhibitors
Stress Perception Gaps • Negative Impressions • Slow Thinkers • No Backbone
Career Derailers • Underselling • Missed Connections • Avoiding Politics • Working Harder not Smarter
Invisibility • Lost Opportunities • Ideas Not Heard • Lost Personal Power
Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC Source: “The Introverted Leader”, J. Kahnweiler, PhD
4 Types of Inhibitors
Stress Perception Gaps
Career Derailers • Underselling • Missed Connections • Avoiding Politics • Working Harder not Smarter
Invisibility • Lost Opportunities • Ideas Not Heard • Lost Personal Power
Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC Source: “The Introverted Leader”, J. Kahnweiler, PhD
4 Types of Inhibitors
Stress Perception Gaps
Career Derailers
Invisibility • Lost Opportunities • Ideas Not Heard • Lost Personal Power
Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC Source: “The Introverted Leader”, J. Kahnweiler, PhD
4 Types of Inhibitors
Stress Perception Gaps
Career Derailers Invisibility
Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC Source: “The Introverted Leader”, J. Kahnweiler, PhD
Agile Challenges
What are the inhibitors for introverts in an Agile
environment?
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Keep in Mind
Awareness of these challenges is the first step toward helping people work through them, but let’s shift gears…
A number of you have some introversion characteristics. Before we start learning to help others, we have to learn to help ourselves.
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What the heck
are the 4 P’s?
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Kahnweiler’s 4 P’s Process
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Sources of Discontent
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Passive Aggressive
Lengthy E-mails Frustration
Career Stagnation
Exhaustion
That Got Me Thinking
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Agile!
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Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC
Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC
Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC
Coaching Scott Work with a partner to build a development plan for Scott.
Goals: Get Scott to… 1. Participate more fully with
the team 2. Feel valued 3. Share his expertise
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Final Thoughts
• When talking, leave “space” in the conversation to give your introverts time to reflect and respond
• avoid many introverts' least favorite question: "What's wrong?”
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Questions? Comments?
Lisamarie Babik Menlo Innovations LLC web: www.menloinnovations.com twitter: @menloinnovation no “s” e-mail: [email protected]
Copyright © 2010 Menlo Innovations LLC
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