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Thinking back over my 4 years at Spotify, I see 3 main insights:
1. Aligned autonomy is an ongoing struggle;
2. Building teams in the context of high growth require different assumptions;
3. Consulting companies are generally better at forming high-performing teams fast.
Thinking back over my 4 years at Spotify, I see 3 main insights:
1. Aligned autonomy is an ongoing struggle;
2. Building teams in the context of high growth require different assumptions;
3. Consulting companies are generally better at forming high-performing teams fast.
17.
Clear vision and future direction.
Day-to-day action.
18.
“An Air Sandwich is a strategy that
has clear vision and future direction
on the top layer, day-to-day action on
the bottom, and virtually nothing in
the middle...”
Nilofer Merchant
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/collaborative-strategy-with-nilofer-merchant/
19.
“We need X,
figure it out!”
doesn’t
actually work
20.
Hypergrowth!
(aka scale)
Politics
(aka people are involved)
“Air Sandwich”
21.
1 Tribe
~20 people
Multiple Product
Area / Tribes
~200 people(After peeling off an entire Mission along the way)
2015 2019
22.
AKA more than
doubling every year.
(even with exits and backfill)
23.
Hypergrowth!
(aka scale)
Politics
(aka people are involved)
“Air Sandwich”
53.
● “R&D” = “research & development” = product development arm of
Spotify as opposed to business operations
● “Squad” = cross-functional team
● “Tribe” = collection of Squads working on a shared mission
● “TPDI” = 4 main functions we have in R&D: Technology, Product,
Design, Insights. They all have independent reporting lines.
● Tribe leadership team - Typical consists of one lead from each of TPDI
but varies depending on context or other circumstances ← (I typically
operate here)
Crash course in Spotify jargon
54.
“Tribe R&D Leads”
Open-ended
Participants Agenda
Key events Problem-solving
Whatever is top of mind
Tribe Leads (TPDI + Coach)
55.
Open-ended
Participants Agenda
Key events Problem-solving
Whatever is top of mind
Tribe Leads (TPDI + Coach)
Add PMs and CLs
“Tribe R&D Leads”
56.
Open-ended
Participants Agenda
Key events Problem-solving
Whatever is top of mind
Tribe Leads (TPDI + Coach)
Add PMs and CLs
Add Senior ICs
“Tribe R&D Leads”
66.
“A term from the sociology of
science, “boundary object” refers
to an object (physical or mental)
that allows groups with different
goals to coordinate their actions.”
Brian Marick
http://www.exampler.com/blog/2011/05/22/business-value-as-a-boundary-object-2/
127.
1. I can’t accept the diagnosis
2. I can’t accept the guiding policies
3. Therefore I won’t engage in the
actions because they will seem
nonsensical.
An incompatible culture means...
128.
If you are not deliberate
about culture, you will
have random strategic
problems.
129.
Default culture
becomes whatever
new people bring
with them...
130.
… unless you a much
more deliberate
about occupying that
space.
131.
1. Role modelling
2. Systems (processes, tools, etc.)
3. Symbols
3 tools for deliberate culture
132.
Insight #2:
Building teams in the
context of high growth
requires different
assumptions.
133.
Because...
Can’t rely on
cultural osmosis
Can’t assume
stable teams
150.
At some point after I
started: ThoughtWorks
University
151.
https://www.thoughtworks.com/careers/graduates
“You’ll spend five weeks with
ThoughtWorkers from around the
world, discovering our values,
practices and principles, and
hearing all the best stories.”
152.
AKA much more
involved onboarding
(e.g., 4 - 6 weeks)
153.
Focus on craft,
not mission
Practice teaming
and re-teaming
Same training,
same assumptions
154.
“we need teams of
missionaries, not teams of
mercenaries.”
John Doerr, via Marty Cagan
155.
Enthusiasm for purpose
doesn’t compensate for
lack of skill.
164.
Coding Dojos
A pair demonstrates how they solve a
problem with an audience.
I especially liked the randori style with
rotation and audience participation.
165.
Mob Code Review
I remember doing this with reviewing
coding submissions. I think this is a
very effective design taste calibration
activity.
166.
How should this
happen when the work
IS interesting?
167.
Still have these kind of
extracurricular craft
events?
(practice vs working)
168.
Modify how work is
done to accommodate
more practice?
(aka regular on-the-job training)
169.
Unless something else
pops up, I’d like to
explore this next year.
170.
Focus on craft,
not mission
Practice teaming
and re-teaming
Same training,
same assumptions
171.
Consulting
company
Product
company
Typical lifetime of team
Weeks to months Multiple quarters
172.
“If it hurts, do it more often”
https://martinfowler.com/bliki/FrequencyReducesDifficulty.html
173.
Insight #3:
Consulting companies
are better at building
high-performing
teams fast.