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Soft Skills Engineering

Episode 433: My teammate pretends we decided, but we didn't and my team is getting worse and worse

Nov 4, 2024
Team dynamics take center stage as the hosts discuss a teammate's puzzling habit of claiming decisions were made without consensus. They dive into the challenges of navigating such assertive communication styles, offering humorous yet practical strategies. Additionally, the conversation shifts to the cultural impact of a recent acquisition, where hiring trends have led to a dip in engineering quality. The hosts tackle the importance of ownership and motivation, advocating for proactive cultural shifts to enhance team morale and effectiveness.
31:29

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Quick takeaways

  • Promoting open dialogue and reassessing decisions can enhance team collaboration and address authority issues effectively.
  • Maintaining a culture of excellence requires rigorous hiring practices and proactive leadership to nurture high standards in growing teams.

Deep dives

The Battle Between Agile and Waterfall

In software development, switching from a waterfall approach to agile requires more than just process changes; it often involves a fundamental understanding of the team's dynamics and capabilities. The distinction between these methodologies can lead to confusion and frustration, as seen in the conversation around splitting a waterfall into sprints. While agile emphasizes incremental delivery, sometimes it may not be possible to break down larger projects into smaller parts without significant compromise. Ultimately, the effectiveness of either approach heavily depends on the talent and skill within the team, highlighting that the team's composition is more critical than the process employed.

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