RE: looking for Love Rats

George!  Thanks for the suggestion.  Squeaky squirrels are much easier to find and less creepy for some.  I’ll go squirrel hunting, um, as it were . . .

 

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2016 10:56 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [SCRUMDEVELOPMENT] looking for Love Rats

 

  

Certainly "rat" has a connotation from American gangsters during 
prohibition. (See 
http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/rat) Slang usage 
of "rathole" is quite different, however. (See 
http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/rathole) Speaking 
of ratholing doesn't imply there's a rat in the room.

That said, I've been in groups where we used a stuffed squirrel (See 
http://amzn.to/2gRQvQz) to get us back on topic. The squirrel, of 
course, is a well-known distraction. (See 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSUXXzN26zg)

Such symbolic emblems, when used with good nature, are great for helping 
a group stay on track in their meetings.

- George

On 12/12/16 1:11 PM, 'Jean Richardson' [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>  
[SCRUMDEVELOPMENT] wrote:
>
>
> Interesting. I’ve never seen this before. I think I’d be very hesitant
> to refer to a team member as a rat.
>
>
>
> Do you have a source for the item below?
>
>
>
> n Jean
>
>
>
> *From:*[email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]]
> *Sent:* Saturday, December 10, 2016 12:43 AM
> *To:* [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> 
> *Subject:* Re: [SCRUMDEVELOPMENT] looking for Love Rats
>
>
>
>
>
> Curious, in my jargon, rats are:
>
>
>
> *RATS *
>
> · ▸ They are deceiver types who will use the trust of the team to
> gain insight into topics so they can then “rat” on what is going on to
> others.
>
> · ▸ Often on Agile teams, they are really deceivers because they
> are really anti-Agile or just plain negative people.
>
> · ▸ They often know the decisions that are made based on certain
> contexts that the team is in, but will twist the truth in order to bring
> the project down.
>
> · ▸ It is important to identify these deceivers as quickly as
> possible and get them off the team.
>
>
>
> PierreNEIS
> Senior Lean Agile Coach | Associate
> M: +352 / 661 727 867
> UK: +44 / 203 239 52 60
> wecompany.me <http://wecompany.me> | You can book me
>
> Actually Scrum Coach for S4HANA/Hybris Billing @ SAP SE
>
>
>
> On 9 Dec 2016, at 20:04, 'Jean Richardson' [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> 
> <mailto:[email protected]> [SCRUMDEVELOPMENT]
> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]%0b> 
> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> There was a CST in the world who was recommending Love Rats as a
> squeaker/attention getter for teams to use when someone was
> ratholing. It struck me as strange when I first heard about it, but
> I’ve found these guys are really handy in helping team members who
> can’t get a word in edgewise to make their observations clear. My
> rat supply is gaspingly low, and I see they’ve been discontinued.
>
>
>
> Anyone know of another supplier or have a rat or two they’d like to
> re-home? I’ve got some change burning a hole in my pocket . . .
>
>
>
> --- Jean
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *<image001.jpg>*
>
> 
>
>
> *Jean Richardson*
>
> Azure Gate Consulting
>
> /~ //Repatterning the Human Experience of Work/
>
> * *
>
> *AzureGate.net <http://azuregate.net/>*
>
> (503) 788-8998
>
> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> 
> <x-msg://18/Documents%20and%20Settings/lisa/My%20Documents/CLIENT%20FILES/Jean%20Richardson/[email protected]>
>
> * *
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 

-- 
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* George Dinwiddie * http://blog.gdinwiddie.com
Software Development http://www.idiacomputing.com
Consultant and Coach http://www.agilemaryland.org
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