It’s no surprise that the software development has changed radically, influenced in large part by the rise of cloud computing, scalable applications and mobile devices. Technological changes, however, are only part of the story. These changes would not have been possible without behavioral changes, particularly in the the use of open source and agile software development, a methodology emphasizing an evolving feature list and frequent releases.

But not all organizations are agile, or agile enough. Are there lessons from open source that can help shift your company to an agile approach? Both were radical ideas at the time, and involved a perceived release of control, one case from developing everything in-house to relying on a community, and from a rigid development process with lots of up-front planning, to an adaptive, iterative approach. As with any sort of organizational change adopting open source or becoming agile is not easy without persuading people. This was the topic of the Agile Boston meeting on Jan 23rd on The Relationship Between Software Hacking, The Agile Movement, & the Emerging World of Culture Design with guest speaker Eric Raymond, software hacker and author of the open source paper “The Cathedral and the Bazaar”.

The most valuable lesson, and one worth remembering in all areas of life, is to emphasize the benefits of change instead of appealing to doing the right thing. Eric put it in words that I would not have used: appealing to people’s fear and vanity (the need to be ahead). That sounds manipulative, but put another way very reasonable: describe outcomes with and without the change, and emphasize how much better things could be, and the danger of not taking the new approach.

Human beings being what they are, an appeal to logic is not always enough, or even the right approach. It helps to develop your charisma, which like most things can be taught. Eric described four techniques, discussed at the meeting and presented here from his blog entry:

The first way to be charismatic is non-attachment, the way sociopaths do it. To a sociopath, other humans are meat robots with emotional handles sticking out of them ready to be grabbed.

That is not my approach, or Eric’s either, for that matter. And I hope it’s not yours!

The second way is just the opposite of non-attachment – extreme empathy for others.

The third way to charisma is channeling. The channeler, instead of identifying with their target(s), identifies with some figure or personified idea that is emotionally powerful for the targets.

The fourth way is the call to excellence. Whatever else a would-be charismatic does or fails to do, he can succeed with one simple, powerful message: “You can be more than you are.”

To be a leader, emphasize the last three approaches, particularly empathy as you begin to work with an individual. That can be tricky, though, if empathy leads to sympathy, causing you to adapt to people’s expectations or fears, instead of working with them. Channeling is an excellent approach to influence others who you don’t know well — how can you appeal to shared values and a world outlook? Dealing with somebody in a startup, for example, is likely to be quite different than somebody in an established corporation. Their view of business is likely to be different.

Lastly, always use a call to excellence in your organization. Appeal to the better part of people and their desire for growth, both personally and organizationally. Your own example of growth and passion for your work is essential, as well as a commitment to work with others directly, and to help others improve.

What do you see in this picture? Is it just an outfielder making a catch? Or is it something more?

Big Picture Thinking

At one level, it is “just” an outfielder making a catch, but this was the 1955 World Series, Brooklyn Dodgers versus New York Yankees. Leading 2-0 in Game 6 with two Yankees on base, the Dodgers’ fans held their breath as Yogi Berra, future Hall of Famer and Yankees catcher sent a slicing drive towards left field. Sandy Amorós, a replacement outfielder, ran towards left-field and suddenly – miraculously – stuck his glove out and caught the ball. The Yankees’ opportunity was over, and the Brooklyn Dodgers were on their way to a World Series win.

With the additional background, you now see this as more than just a catch, but as an historic moment. As in this photo, the capacity to see the “big picture” is an essential skill for any leader or organization. Without understanding context, we miss key opportunities in business. Without understanding context, we miss hidden messages our employees are sending to us, we miss leadership opportunities.

Consider some parallels in business and technology. When Google went public, many thought of them as “just” a search company. The big picture view was quite different: holding the key to search enabled Google to drive advertising on the Internet through Google Ad Words, and an industry juggernaut was created. Today we have much the same scenario with Facebook’s IPO. Time will tell if Facebook really has the advertising mojo but the larger lesson remains the same – look deeper before making a judgement.

Examine your business strategy: maybe you’re having success with your current product, but your complacency is clouding your judgement and causing you to ignore the pitfalls ahead. Take a look at the big picture, and adjust your strategy before it’s too late, or risk going the way of Kodak, Digital Equipment, Palm and others. Look at your management dilemmas – a new employee looking for their place in an organization; what do you look for beyond the superficial that allows them to shine? Are you paying attention to hidden messages your key performers may be sending you that they are unhappy or restless and may be ready to move on?

Innovation and Riding the Wave

Keeping in mind the year, the other thing that leaps out about this picture is that the outfielder is African-American. Just eight short years earlier, in 1947, the Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball, shaking up the baseball establishment and bringing top talent to the majors. In the nine years from 1947 to 1955 five of the most valuable players in the National League were African-American, and four of those were Dodgers. Not coincidentally, the Dodgers went to the World Series five times during that span. What the Dodgers owner Branch Rickey had done was not only morally right, but daring and innovative. The Dodgers saw the future, and instead of retreating they moved forward.

In business and life, the opportunity to move forward is always there, but there are powerful forces holding us back as well. Especially when we have some success, inertia sets in that must be overcome or we fail to grow, as companies like Kodak and Polaroid have learned the hard way. There is no easy recipe to follow, but again it’s important to look at the big picture and look for industry trends. In technology, enthusiasm and excitement about new developments is a key. Look for this quality in your employees.

Leadership

None of the Dodgers success would have been possible without leadership. Jackie Robinson showed courage and conviction long before he was in the spotlight, and it was his character as much as his talent that moved Branch Rickey to challenge segregation. On July 6th 1944, more than a decade before Rosa Parks, Robinson refused to conform to Jim Crow laws in the United States Army. Although his actions earned him a court marshal, he was later found not guilty of insubordination and was honorably discharged.

The Dodgers challenged the status quo in 1947 to end segregation that had relegated African-Americans to the old Negro Leagues. Robinson’s character and unquestionable talent challenged the very foundation of segregation, and his determination in the face of discrimination and hate inspired his teammates. Pee Wee Reese, the Dodgers’ shortstop and team captain, showed great leadership in his support of Robinson. Reese refused to sign a petition that threatened a boycott if Robinson joined the team. Faced with hecklers and abuse in Cincinnati in 1947, Reese went over to Robinson, engaged him in conversation, and put his arm around his shoulder in a gesture of support which silenced the crowd.

Together Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese showed some of the best qualities of leadership – taking a principled stand; doing it publicly; leading by example; and perseverance. If Robinson could endure the taunts of fans and still excel, how could his teammates expect anything less of themselves? If Pee Wee Reese, the team captain, could stand up for Robinson, how could his teammates fail to follow his example?

Team Work

Finally, the other thing that stands out about this picture is who is making the catch. Sandy Amorós was really a bit player on the Dodgers team; not a superstar, and not even a regular on the team. In the moment of truth, he rose to the occasion.

Strong teams in business are like that. You have top performers, but you also must build a strong team collectively that trusts in each other. Only then will the team succeed and grow. Any team built on one or more superstars who get all the credit is unstable, and inevitably leads to dysfunctional teams and ultimately hurt our chances of success.

Additional Information

1955 Dodgers: Wikipedia
Sandy Amorós: Wikipedia
Branch Rickey: Wikipedia • Hall of Fame
Jackie Robinson: Wikepedia • Hall of Fame • Biography.com • History Channel short bio
Pee Wee Reese: Wikipedia • Hall of Fame
“42″ Movie: Trailer 1 • Trailer 2 (better)