This is a team sport

New version of talk for New Zealand June 2018.

Transcript

2. once (and future) civil servant current consultant serial leaper from frying pan to fire
10. This is my truth.
12. I can tell you I don't have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career.
13. 2. Hiring 3. Culture 1. Context 4. Questions
14. 2. Hiring 3. Culture 1. Context 4. Questions
16. This is for everyone.
17. It’s not OK not to understand the internet anymore.
18. Some of you..are working right now on another app for people to share pictures of food or a social network for dogs. I am here to tell you that your country has a better use for your talents.
19. In 2011 the Government Digital Service (GDS) was founded.
20. GDS implemented spend controls on all digital projects..
21. ..and introduced the ‘Service Standard’ against which all projects would be assessed.
22. ..and so our story begins.
23. @jukesie
24. 2. Hiring 3. Culture 1. Context 4. Questions
26. The biggest digital transformation challenge is people not technology.
27. Hiring the best is your most important task.
28. Leave the rockstars to Homegrown.
29. Research your job titles. Don’t get cute. Don’t be clever. Do be clear. Do be honest.
30. A/B test the job titles. Use free job boards, social media and mailing lists and track which work best.
31. Write real job descriptions. Get people doing the jobs to help. It is OK to be aspirational but don’t ask for the world.
32. Test your job descriptions better-job-adverts.herokuapp.com/about
33. Ask the community for help. Draft job descriptions on Hackpad. Twitter polls on job titles. Feedback on interview processes.
34. Make the case for joining. Job descriptions are not enough. Write blogposts, speak at meetups, sponsor unconferences.
36. Play to your strengths. If you can’t compete on salary talk about other benefits. Not the foosball or the game nights. The challenge. The mission. The team.
37. Tap into your network. You are probably only one or two degrees of separation from the best candidate. Build and nurture networks.
38. Tap into your network. You are probably only one or two degrees of separation from the best candidate. Build and nurture networks.
39. Do it but be careful. Monoculture is worse than no culture.
41. If you post it they will (not) come
43. The internet of public service. jo n l er
44. Take interviews seriously. Use consistent questions. Never interview alone. Agree with other interviewer what you are looking for in a successful candidate. Specialist interviewers for specialist roles.
45. Be willing to wait. There is often pressure to fill a vacancy. Waiting for the right candidate rather than the available candidate saves time in the long run.
46. ..but once you find the right person you have to move fast.
47. It doesn’t end at the interview. Give useful feedback to unsuccessful candidates. Keep communicating with the successful candidate. Just sending an offer email and a start date is not enough
48. Introductions over induction. Plan the first week or two for any new hire carefully with a mix of the mundane and the interesting. Don’t overwhelm them but get them involved asap. Make them feel welcome and wanted.
49. 2. Hiring 3. Culture 1. Context 4. Questions
50. Culture eats strategy for breakfast.
53. Culture isn’t imposed it emerges. You cannot create a positive culture by top down edict. It can be aspirational and ambitious but it emerges from behaviours already existing.
54. Have the team prepare principles. Encourage the team(s) to come up with principles to work towards. Then reinforce them by making them a part of how you work every day.
55. Culture is more than posters on walls…but visibility is vital.
56. The details matter. Make sure people have the hardware and software they need to do their jobs. Make training available. Give staff time to experiment and learn.
57. The environment is important. Seat the team together. Speak to the team about desk layout if possible. Walls, walls, walls. Quiet spaces. Meeting rooms.
58. One remote. All remote. Team work is harder in remote teams but also has benefits. Use the tools. Over communicate. Schedule time with colleagues. Read the 18F guidance.
59. The maker vs manager schedule. If you haven’t read this and work in a team with designers, developers & managers —> http://www.paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html
60. Trust the team to make decisions. It is easy to talk about empowering staff but you have to 100% follow through. Read ‘Turn the Ship Around’ about the leader/leader approach.
61. Leaders need to be umbrellas. You have to protect the team from the HiPPO sh*t. Give them the space to do the work but don’t isolate them. Often their opinions will carry the most weight.
63. Corporate subcultures are hard. You can spend time building a team culture but your wider organisation has a culture of its own and they may not coexist comfortably.
64. Culture can be fragile. Especially in the early days. You have to be careful not to damage it with poor behaviours or bad decisions.
66. I don't know about you people, but I don't want to live in a world where someone else makes the world a better place better than we do. Gavin Belson, founder of Hooli
67. 2. Hiring 3. Culture 1. Context 4. Questions
68. Thanks.
69. Open Lab Friday 4-5 191 Thorndon Quay