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Leadership for Test Managers and Testers
- 2. ! ! !!!!! ! !!!! A consultant, lecturer, author, and test manager, Rick Craig has led numerous teams of testers on both large and small projects. In his thirty years of consulting worldwide, Rick has advised and supported a diverse group of organizations on many testing and test management issues. From large insurance providers and telecommunications companies to smaller software services companies, he has mentored senior software managers and helped test teams improve their effectiveness. Rick is coauthor of Systematic Software Testing and is a frequent speaker at testing conferences, including every STAR conference since its inception in 1992. Rick Craig Software Quality Engineering
- 3. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 1 LEADERSHIP FOR TEST MANAGERS Rick Craig rcraig@sqe.com @ColCraig Agenda ― Course Outline 1. Introduction 2. Characteristics of Leadership 3. Motivation and Morale 4. Principles of Leadership 5. The Leader as a Teacher 6. Summary 2© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 4. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 2 Introduction What%is%leadership?% How%is%leadership%different% from%management?% 3© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Management vs. Leadership Management%is%the%process%of%working%with% and%through%others%to%achieve%organiza<onal% objec<ves%in%an%efficient%and%ethical%manner% Leadership%is%the%art%of%mo<va<ng%a%group% toward%a%common%objec<ve% 4© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 5. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 3 Management vs. Leadership The%Manager% The%Leader% Controls%processes% Makes%informed%inspired%decisions% Assumes%responsibility% Sets%and%explains%expecta<ons% Manages%within%guidelines% Creates%new%strategies%and%plans%for% success% Referees%disputes% Inspires%collabora<on% Exerts%authority% Models,%promotes,%and%rewards% ini<a<ves% Solves%problems% Forms%and%shares%vision%and%values% Polices%behavior% Builds%selfNesteem%and%focus% Minimizes%impact%of%change% Sponsors%and%supports%posi<ve% change% Manages%things% Develops%people% 5© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Class Discussion What%are%your% leadership% challenges?% 6© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 6. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 4 Characteristics of Leadership Cornerstones%of%leadership% Leaders—born%or%made?% 7© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Cornerstones of Leadership Authority Legitimate power Responsibility Obligation to act Accountability Answering for one’s actions Leaders 8© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 7. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 5 Crosby’s Leadership/Personality Grid Destructor%% Procras<nator% Caretaker% Preparer% Accomplisher% Agenda% “We’ll%do%it% this%way% now”% “I’ll%get%back%to% you%later%on% this”% “Make%sure% this%doesn’t% violate%any% laws”% “Lay%out%the% strategy%so% everyone% can%see%it”% “We%will% review% milestones% each%month”% Philosophy% “I%know% more%than% you%do”% “Let’s%not%rush% things”% “If%it%isn’t% broken,% don’t%fix%it”% “I%want%us% to%be% consistent% in%all%things”% “I%want% everyone%to% know%our% philosophy”% Rela<onship% “I%don’t% need% anyone”% “Let’s%see%how% they%work%out% first”% “We’ll%do% what% worked%last% <me”% “We%need% to%have% more% seminars”% “Include% customers,% suppliers,%and% employees”% What%we% see% Insensi<ve% lout%% Nervously% reluctant%% Frozen%in% <me% Planned% progress% Vibrantly% consistent%% 9© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Class Discussion Are%leaders% born%or% made?% 10© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 8. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 6 Are leaders born or made? (cont.) • Great%Man%Thomas%Carlyle% • Cogni<ve%Capacity%EllioY%Jaques% • TwiceNborn%Abraham%Zaleznick% • Crucible%Warren%Bennis% • Leadership%is%not%issued…%USMC% 11© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Are leaders born or made? – Alexander Graham Bell A%man,%as%a%general%rule,%owes%very% liYle%to%what%he%is%born%with%–%a%man% is%what%he%makes%of%himself.% 12© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 9. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 7 Class Discussion Characteristics of great leaders What names come to mind when you think of great leaders? What are some of the characteristics or traits of these leaders? 13© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Motivation and Morale What motivates testers? What is morale? What can you do if you have morale problems? 14© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 10. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 8 Motivation and Morale • Energizing%of%goalN oriented%behavior% Mo<va<on% • Esprit%de%corps,% team%spirit% Morale% 15© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Class Discussion What%mo<vates% testers?% 16© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 11. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 9 Motivators and Demotivators %% %% Lack of training Understaffed Lack of respect Micromanagement Lower pay Challenging and valuable job Modern tools Modern processes Training Job progression Professional work environment 17© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Morale ― Esprit de Corps — Alexander H. Leighton The capability of a group of people to pull together persistently and consistently in pursuit of a common purpose 18© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 12. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 10 Class Discussion/Exercise What affects morale?% 19© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 A CEO’s Perspective — Max De Pree Former CEO, Herman Miller “One%of%the%most%important%things% leaders%need%to%learn%is%to%recognize% the%signals%of%impending% deteriora<on…”% % 20© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 13. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 11 How Does the Leader Maintain Morale? • Teach belief in the mission • Instill confidence • Consider job assignments carefully • Demonstrate concern 21© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Leadership Principles (Part 1) • Know yourself and seek self- improvement • Be technically and tactically proficient • Develop sense of responsibility among subordinates • Make sound and timely decisions • Set the example • Know your staff and look out for their welfare 22© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 14. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 12 Leadership Principles (Part 2) • Keep your staff informed • Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your employees • Ensure tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished • Train as a team • Employ your team in accordance with their capabilities 23© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Additional Leadership Guidelines • Be patient • Give clear directions • Banish the “zero defect” mentality • Do not oversupervise • Be helpful • Demand accountability • Instill loyalty • Reward • Encourage • Maintain integrity • Anticipate needs 24© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 15. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 13 A Leader’s Span of Control 25© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 The Importance of Influence Leaders • The effective span of control for a typical leader is 4–8 • In a very flat organization, “influence” leaders emerge • They may become de facto leads • They are chosen by their peers due to their longevity, experience, personality, or communications skills • Influence leaders are the agents of change 26© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 16. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 14 The Leader as a Teacher Commanders should see the development of their subordinates as a direct reflection on themselves. — FMFM1 27© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 The Leader as a Teacher • Be patient • Keep employees informed • Use free time to talk to employees • Ensure training is interesting and relevant • Counsel employees on a regular basis • Pass on lessons learned to all employees • Make every effort to cultivate a sense of belonging to the organization 28© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 17. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 15 A Leadership “Test” List the top three responsibilities of each of your staff members (your view): 1) _______________________________________ _______________________________________ 2) _______________________________________ _______________________________________ 3) _______________________________________ Ask these same staff members to list their top three responsibilities (their view): 1) _______________________________________ _______________________________________ 2) _______________________________________ _______________________________________ 3) _______________________________________ 29© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Summary Prac<cal%Advice% The%BoYom%Line%% 30© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 18. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 16 Practical Advice for Day to Day Management 1. Work a normal workday 2. Make your workplace more productive 3. Don’t hog the credit 4. Be quick to praise in public—but don’t gush 5. Criticize in private 6. Build on failures 7. People are not modules 31© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Practical Advice for Day to Day Management 8. Trust your people 9. Stay technically competent 10. Invite criticism and comment 11. Act fast to right a wrong 12. Reward technicians the same as managers 13. Give up (some) of your perks 32© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 19. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 17 The Bottom Line • Managers who are also leaders – Motivate – Train – Challenge – Learn from their employees – Lead within the parameters of their personality – Allow team members to succeed by failing – Accept responsibility – Promote testing within the organization – Embrace new ideas and technology 33© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Shameless Commercial Message rcraig@sqe.com 34© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 20. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 18 Bonus Section Vision%Statement% Quality%Goals% Policy%Statement% 35© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Leaders Inspire and Set Direction • Formal direction documents include: Vision% statement% Quality% goals% Policy% statement% 36© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 21. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 19 Vision Statement • The system testing strategy of the ABC Software Company will employ state-of-the- practice testing techniques and tools in order to effectively and efficiently measure the quality of all systems of the company Vision Statement 37© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Quality Goals • A regression test bed will be established and maintained that covers all requirements and design attributes • The testing organization will achieve a DDP of 80% or greater, and there cannot be any Severity 1 escapes • An entire test cycle can be performed in one week or less • The TPI process maturity level for the system test group will be “efficient” or better Quality Goals 38© 2015 SQE Training V3.3
- 22. 5/14/15 © 2015 SQE Training V3.3 20 Test Policy • A%high%level%document% describing%the% principles,%approach,% and%major%objec<ves% of%the%organiza<on% regarding%test %% Test% Policy% 39© 2015 SQE Training V3.3 Example ― Test Policy • The System Test Group will: – Create and maintain System Test Plans – Analyze all accounting functions and perform a risk analysis to prioritize all tests – Design and maintain a covering test set – Execute tests according to the System Test Plan and report results to CCB – Advise/train development team on unit testing issues – Participate in design inspections; and if requested, participate in code reviews – Use the TPI model for continuous process improvement 40© 2015 SQE Training V3.3