Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

The art and wisdom of changing teams | Heidi Helfand (author of Dynamic Reteaming)

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Jan 18, 2024

Heidi Helfand, author of Dynamic Reteaming, shares her expertise on organizational changes. She discusses the art of reteaming, emphasizing its benefits and outlining five effective patterns. With insights from her 20+ years in tech, Heidi shares successful real-life examples and the importance of stable, dynamic teams. She also introduces the RIDE framework for decision-making and offers practical listening techniques to improve communication. Plus, she highlights the challenges of mini startups within larger firms and the importance of fostering connections during team transitions.

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INSIGHT

Change Is Inevitable

Traditional advice emphasizes stable teams, but this isn't always feasible in growing or shrinking companies.
Embrace change instead of resisting it; focus on the people layer alongside product development.

ADVICE

Whiteboard Reteaming

Visualize the future team structure on whiteboards and gather team input.
This transparency helps identify opportunities and address potential issues early on.

ADVICE

Decision-Making Clarity

Use the RIDE framework (Request, Input, Decide, Execute) for decision-making clarity during reorgs.
Be clear about who is requesting, providing input, deciding, and executing the change.

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