Re: Teams Leaders what are they, and do we need them? - Extension from Re: Re: Do C-Level managers, and business drivers really need to know about XP?

On Thursday, February 13, 2003, at 4:32:32 AM, Andrew McDonagh wrote:

> I'm a Team Leader on my current project.  However, I because I used to be a
> manager (in a different industry, long ago) I'm fully aware that there are
> people on the team who have more knowledgeable of different areas than me.
> Therefore I always strive to ensure that I get them to make the decision for
> those contexts.

> Now to me (and you by the sound of it) this seems like a perfectly
> reasonable way of working. However, I've seen in the past that management
> see this as shirking responsibility.  I feel that they imply, "It should be
> you making the decisions based upon the arguments given to you by the
> 'experienced' team member".

I'd be working with such managers to be more clear on the results they
want, and to have them be more clear on the results they're getting.
Management needs to be more about attaining goals and less about just how
you do it.

> But, sometimes the other person just doesn't seem comfortable making these
> decisions, in those circumstances, I tend to get them to spell out their
> thought processes, until they actually end up telling me why they think one
> way is better than the rest.  Then 'endorse' THEIR decision for them.

Yes. Someone else mentioned that technique recently. And, not everyone
needs to make a lot of decisions. Decisions need to be made. Maybe someone
who really likes to follow should become a more dynamic follower.

> BTW: I'd rather there not be a team leader at all, even dynamic ones.  The
> team would then be a democratic entity, where the specialist at anyone time
> involves everyone in the decision making process.

I do think that the team should decide. I don't think that is best
implemented by democracy. Consensus perhaps. Sometimes someone just jumps
up and says "let's go over here," and everyone goes over there.

Ron Jeffries
www.XProgramming.com
You don't need to see my identification.
These aren't the ideas you're looking for. Move along.


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