Team Cadence
Cadence is the antidote to failing willpower: not just a way of working, but a rhythm of working.
The foundation of cadence
Team cadence is what makes teams predictable and enables them to come in on time and under budget. It is the rhythm of work that keeps the team moving in the same direction.
One-on-ones
The foundation of team cadence is the one-on-one. One-on-ones are not for discussing tasks or deliverables. If the conversation drifts to deliverables, that goes offline into a status meeting. The one-on-one is about the person. It is an opportunity for the team lead to listen to the team member, and follows a specific format designed to facilitate active listening.
It turns on three questions:
- ✓How are you, really?
- ✓What is working, and what isn't, in your world?
- ✓What can I unblock for you?
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Types and Maturity of Meetings
Meetings are meant to be proactive engagements that move a team forward. They are not meant to be a chore or an obligation. The types of meetings and the format they take are very important, and need to be designed deliberately in relation to the team. Generally, every team needs to have:
- ✓One-on-ones
- ✓Daily stand-up
- ✓Status meeting
From there, specific meetings can be added based on the requirements of the team.
Visualising the work
Ideally, every team needs the work of a board. This visualises what they are doing and provides a place to update tasks and associate documentation. Reviewing the board regularly helps the team stay focused and become predictable in the work it puts out.
Planning
Each team needs to engage in a planning activity. This could look like:
- ✓Road mapping
- ✓Dependency mapping
- ✓Project coordination
- ✓Stakeholder management
The key element of planning is that it focuses the team and helps it stick to its priorities. The further in advance a team can plan, the more prepared it becomes, and the more likely it is to deliver on time and on budget.
The five areas of process
Team Cadence is one of five process areas. Jump straight to any of the others.
Team Formation
Performance starts as a structural issue. Team formation sets the ground rules up front, helping members understand where others come from and how they are wired, before the problems arise.
Product Lifecycle
It is rarely the best idea that wins, but the one that makes it through the process and gains a foothold. Test the assumptions, develop rigorously, then work out how to launch and succeed against competition.
Innovation
Build the team that explores without breaking the team that delivers. Innovation fails when organisations ask delivery teams to also be innovation teams, when those two functions are fundamentally incompatible.
Digital Transformation
Where people, process and technology really come together, and the technology is usually the least important part. The hard part is implementation: changing how people work and carrying them with you until new ways of working stick.
All five areas of process
Back to the Process overview, with the five areas of work gearing and how it all comes together in a team.
Book a conversation
Start with a short call about your team's rhythm of work. We will help you work out where to begin.