Clean in Software

How Amphora uses Clean Questions in our Software Company

Transcript

1. simonc@amphora-research.com Amphora & Clean Simon Coles 2014-01-17 !1
2. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Intro to Amphora • Niche software company focusing on Record Keeping software for R&D Scientists • Privately held, bootstrapped • Over 10 years old, profitable, no debt • Customers all over the world, mostly in North America and Europe • One of the few (the only?) surviving early vendors in this space !2
3. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Sales Challenges • Sorting out sales is the key to growth and profitability • Typically a complex sale • Selling something the prospect hasn’t bought before (we’re solving a latent problem) • Sales needs to guide prospects, rather than convince • Help them understand their problem and company • “Soft” sales approach • We manage the business for the long term • If we do the right thing by prospects and our customers they’ll reward us • This is a hard skill set and attitude to hire • But it is paying off now, huge amount of referral activity !3
4. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Technical Challenges • Staring at a computer screen all your life isn’t normal • The desire to do this is seldom correlated with high communication skills • The issues which need to be discussed are complex and often involve subtleties which are easily missed • Left to their own devices technical teams can be a hotbed of politics and resentment • And that’s without considering relations with other departments !4
5. simon.coles@amphora-research.com “Apprenticeship Patterns” by Dave Hoover and Adewale Oshineye “Software development is composed of two primary activities: learning and communication.” !5
6. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Organisational Challenges • Quality of internal relationships is key to productivity and innovation • Particularly between different groups, and those groups have little in common • This is often the first time our employees have direct, intimate exposure to other disciplines • Then throw travel and remote work into the mix… • Keeping everyone aligned is crucial, and that means communication !6
7. simon.coles@amphora-research.com 3 Pronged Strategy • Everyone is trained in Clean Questioning • Everyone is Neuroprofiled, results shared openly • Monthly Life Coaching ! • All of these are in the culture !7
8. simon.coles@amphora-research.com The Story • Many years ago Caitlin Walker came and taught Clean Questioning and Metaphor at New Information Paradigms • This directly led to the ELN product • Helped us work in a new developing area !8
9. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Book Plug (I’m almost famous!) • The initial metaphor development is written up in Caitlin’s upcoming book • Really helped us identify the adoption and architectural issues inherent in this new market • Useful both internally and also for external discussions !9 “Systemic Modelling - Adventures in Living, Learning and Working Collaboratively”
10. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Fast Forward • As is the way, I was doing most of the sales effort • We had sales people, but were struggling to scale • Sales people were managing the sales • But I was doing all the meetings • Didn’t work if someone else did it • Something was missing • My time was becoming a real bottleneck and it was starting to be a barrier to growth !10
11. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Caitlin Returns • Nearly a decade later, I find Caitlin again • This time we did two important things for the sales process • A metaphor for what I do in sales meetings so I could pass it on • Taught all of the sales people Clean Questioning !11
12. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Clean and Sales • Clean Questioning in sales is awesome • Completely changes the dynamic • Allows you to go into situations you wouldn’t have done before • Suits our “Soft” sales approach extremely well • Our sales approach is a major competitive differentiation, we often win deals because we’re not “Like the other guys” !12
13. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Clean Everywhere Else • We then taught everyone else Clean and Systemic Modelling • New recruits get it as part of internal training • Helpful for • Understanding how people look at the world • How they work at their best • How to communicate respectfully • How to resolve issues !13
14. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Neuroprofiling • Then we started to get interested in how people’s brains work • Turns out this is fascinating • Working with Caitlin and colleagues we • Gave everyone an IQ test and produced a profile • Used that to explore how individuals can work at their best • And how the rest of us can help !14
15. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Neuroprofiling • Turns out that everyone is different, especially when you have different professions • Hugely helpful for everyone • Raises awareness when talking with external parties as well • Significant impact in software design, documentation etc. • Helps us be more productive, and more harmonious !15
16. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Life Coaching • Regular Monthly thing for everyone • “Compassionate Coaching” • Sessions are completely confidential and can be on any subject (personal or work) • Everyone nervous at first but greatly valued • Making it a general thing is important, no stigma involved !16
17. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Corporate Summary • Clean helped us clarify the product • Clean helped us sell the product • Clean helps us work together • Neurodiversity helps us understand each other • Neurodiversity helps us get the best from ourselves and each other • Regular Coaching settles everyone and helps resolve issues before they become issues !17
18. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Unexpected Stuff • Helped our family relationships • e.g. your wife isn’t being obstinate, that’s how her brain works (and vice versa!) • Helped us be better parents • More insight into how people learn • More openness in allowing children to explore how their brains work • Clean questioning is excellent for talking with Children !18
19. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Unexpected Stuff • When you are using your brain in the way that is most natural you have a lot more fun • Asking someone to do something in their “Neuro sweet spot” is like asking them to be paid to do their hobby • It’s no burden to swap activities between people • e.g. • Some people love organising stuff, get real pleasure out of bringing order to chaos • Some people really enjoy reading and summarising • Some people love finding the one number that’s out of whack in a spreadsheet of financial detail !19
20. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Recommendations • Clean is part of the basic skill set everyone should have • Neuroprofiling is awesome for individuals and teams • Life Coaching is hugely hugely helpful • Problems • You need the culture right to pull it off, some of this might backfire without a lot of trust • In my experience Caitlin’s skill set and approach is unique - I’ve tried other people/programmes without success • Fortunately she’s very keen on self-sustaining work !20
21. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Recommendations • Life Coaching can/should be done ASAP • It is expensive but well worth it • Start with the senior team - lead from the front • Find a coach you are comfortable with • There are many different styles, don’t be afraid to experiment • Then roll it out to everyone, without exception • 1 session a month • Everyone is expected to have a session • Completely confidential (and make sure people feel this) !21
22. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Recommendations • Then roll out Clean Questioning • Start with a small group, probably senior managers • You can train internally but would recommend someone like Caitlin for • Group training • Difficult situations e.g. people who aren’t that used to talking or where there is discord • Note that Clean is a multi-faceted tool and will bring a myriad of benefits !22
23. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Recommendations • Life Coaching and Clean are probably a good basis for any company • You can stop there if you want • Once those are embedded, you could look at Neuroprofiling if you feel your culture can handle it !23
24. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Neuroprofiling • Really insightful for individuals and groups • Needs to be handled with sensitivity but also a firm hand • Don’t start it if there’s any hint of insecurity or politics in the organisation • Be careful how you position and implement it, be aware of the HR issues • You will almost certainly need external assistance • As far as I know Training Attention are the only ones providing this !24
25. simonc@amphora-research.com Questions (After the presentation there were questions. These additional slides cover a bit of what was asked) !25
26. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Q: Risk of people being typecast • When we Neuroprofiled people, was there a risk of them then being defined by their profile, and restricted in what roles/tasks they perform? • Answer: Not really • Everyone is in the right jobs, they are all well qualified and performing well • This is about understanding ourselves and each other better • The Neuroprofile doesn’t really tell you what someone’s real-world capability is, more how they use their brain to get it • With this knowledge, we can easily help them be more effective and happy with small little changes • If you want to know what someone is capable of… look at what they do in the real world! !26
27. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Q: Example outcomes of Neuroprofiling • Don’t give X big spreadsheets of lots of numbers • Can easily understand the concepts, it is the presentation which makes it hard • Split into 3 less dense spreadsheets is much more digestible • Don’t expect X to research and summarise large blocks of text. Y is much better at that (and enjoys it). • X’s Verbal is so high he really can talk, think 3 steps ahead, and resolve the technical issue - at the same time. But don’t ask him to read notes while doing it. • Y really needs to pre-plan things because they can’t think on their feet so well, but that means they are very insightful about strategy etc. !27
28. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Q: Example of Clean Interactions • Sales issue being discussed, a techie joins in the conversation with a clean question which leads to a new product resolving the sales issue • Techies are excellent debuggers! • Clean gives them a voice • Manager makes an “opaque” decision which no one understands • Instead of allowing the confusion to continue, Clean Questions deployed to challenge/clarify in a non-threatening way • Turns out manager was unconsciously using a variety of additional considerations in the decision !28
29. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Summary • If you want a miserable workplace, avoid Clean • If you want a happy, empowered, joyful workplace - give everyone the gift of Clean Questioning • If your company’s success is based on Knowledge Worker productivity • You’ll have a lot more fun • You’ll probably make more money as well !29
30. simon.coles@amphora-research.com Pointers • Caitlin’s TED talk which is a good intro to Clean • Caitlin’s book (when it comes out) • Clean Coaching book • Sort your culture out… :-) ! • Happy to be contacted if you would like to discuss further !30