Tiger Teams are not the answer.

The Tiger Team Trap: Why Special Teams Aren’t the Answer (and What to Do Instead)

Have you ever been in a situation where your organization suddenly faces an urgent, high-priority task? If so, you’ve probably heard someone suggest forming a “Tiger Team” to tackle it. It sounds great in theory, right? “A special team of top performers laser-focused on solving the big problem.” But here’s the thing – Tiger Teams often create more problems than they solve. Let’s dive into why this approach can be problematic and explore better alternatives.

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A magnifying glass sitting on an old nautical chart

Setting Clear Expectations: Delegating without Micromanaging, Part 1

A magnifying glass sitting on an old nautical chartManagers rely on others to get work done, making delegation an essential skill. When they delegate poorly, it can lead to accusations of micromanagement. For people and in some organizations, the threat of being thought of as a micromanager is terrifying. At the same time, managers who don’t delegate or fail at setting clear expectations are unlikely to achieve what their organization needs. Good delegation requires careful navigation through treacherous waters, and a few principles can help managers do it well.

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The word "authority" printed on paper

Four Steps Toward Owning Your Authority as a Manager

The word "authority" printed on paperAuthority is a defining feature of a manager. By definition, managers can do things that others can’t do simply by virtue of their role. This power is neither good nor bad on its own. Unfortunately, many managers are ambivalent about their positional power. This unease hinders their ability to use it well. As a manager, owning your authority means you must come to terms with it.

Effective managers exercise their positional power without overusing or neglecting it. They invoke it when needed and use it to help necessary things get done. As a manager, acknowledging four things about your authority can help you own it so it doesn’t own you.

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Three old, leather-bound books on a wooden shelf

Three Delegation Myths

Three old, leather-bound books on a wooden shelfDelegation is an essential practice for managers. In any organization, one of the vital functions of management is to distribute and coordinate work among the group. However, delegating well requires understanding what delegation is and isn’t. Here are three common delegation myths that effective managers don’t fall prey to.

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Transparent Business Decisions

Transparent Business Decisions [Video]

So one of the challenges that we run into a lot, we’re talking about Agile, we’re talking about Scrum, Kanban, anything really within Agile, is that people talk about empiricism. Empiricism is just inspect and adapt and be transparent – inspection, adaptation, and transparency. The problem is that while these make nice posters and t-shirt … Continue Reading→