Scott Berkun, author of The Myths of Innovation
My favorite?
“Development By Denial (DBD) - Everybody pretends there is a method for what’s being done, and that things are going ok, when in reality, things are a mess and the process is on the floor. The worse things get, the more people depend on their denial of what’s really happening, or their isolation in their own small part of the project, to survive. “
Denial is truly a powerful methodology but denial wastes people’s precious time. I’ve experienced teams (my own and those around me), that, even when it seems obvious to everyone around them that something isn’t right, won’t admit to themselves or others that something has gone horribly wrong. If a team can admit to each other that something isn’t working, there is a chance to correct it.
Denial by a group, may come from a lack of trust and communication (surprise!) amongst team members. Fear of what others will think, fear of being seen as negative, fear of failure are powerful driving forces. It’s up to the team to foster a safe, honest environment.
Some ways to beat denial that come to mind:
Check Your Motives - When making decisions, are you serving the best needs of the project? What’s driving you?
Ask Others - If you have uncertainty or doubt about the way a project is progressing, ask others what they think. You never know what you can learn about your own attitudes and processes by listening to others.
Encourage Others to Share - Is there someone in the room or on the team who is quiet but has a unique point of view on a particular problem? Encourage that person to share with the group.
Make Room for Regular Dialog - In addition to working meetings, make some space in the project for a “How are things going?” discussion.
Solicit Quick, Anonymous Feedback - I’ll be writing a post this week on a method for gathering quick, anonymous feedback. Check back!
