The first principle of the Agile Manifesto gets to the heart of the matter: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
While there is value in processes and tools, Agile values individuals and interactions more.
Things would be different if you could build software like you build cars, on an assembly line. But the reality is, great software development—like all creative activities involving more than one person—is first and foremost about people and interactions.
And so, as an individual and as someone who wants to work with great people, what should I pay attention to?
Four characteristics
I remember the words of Richard Vague, who wanted Juniper Bank (the company he founded in 2000) to take great care in hiring people with four characteristics:
- The ability to get things done. Some people exert themselves to get things done but everything goes against them—circumstances and complications seemingly beyond their control. Others get things done and make it look deceptively easy.
- Intelligence. Intelligence as in common sense and the ability to do two things: discern the important from the unimportant, and convey things clearly.
- Unselfishness. Selflessness. Collegiality.
- Straightforwardness. Honesty. Ethics.
Clever, diligent, stupid, and lazy
And further back when I worked at MBNA, I remember the words of a senior manager who told me about Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord, a German general (and “undisguised opponent” of the Nazi regime) before World War II:
I divide my officers into four groups. There are clever, diligent, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and diligent—their place is the General Staff. The next lot are stupid and lazy—they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the intellectual clarity and the composure necessary for difficult decisions. One must beware of anyone who is stupid and diligent—he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always cause only mischief.”
This classification calls out “stupid and diligent” as a dangerous combination. Despite good intentions, people who work hard at the wrong things create unnecessary complexity and more work for others. And while this is a problem with people in an individual contributor role, the problem gets worse with ambitious people in a management role.
Make it easier
There is another simple way to look at how everyone fits in, starting with you and me:
Do we make it easier for the people around us to be successful, or do we make it harder?
Any way you look at it, success with Agile starts with people. Pay attention to your own personal traits and invest in the right people. With the right people, good things can happen.
