The document discusses the loneliness experienced by managers in agile environments. It explores how managers may feel lonely when their interests are not aligned with their team or when there are perception gaps. It also examines what constitutes a team for different roles like product and project managers. The document suggests that as managers train to become CEOs, they are training to become lonely. It argues that managers should find the teams they are most relevant to and organizations should construct cross-level management teams to reduce loneliness and clarify goals.

1. The loneliness of the agile
short-sprint manager
Dr. Dror Zernik
dror@agilesparks.com
Cell:+972 52-8305999
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2. Team– revisited
Multi-functional, self-organized, auto-
managed group of people with a common
goal?
Axiom 1: Work in the modern world is
carried out in teams
better
• Is this true only for Dev teams?
• Which teams do I (manager) belong to?
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3. Loneliness
Axiom 2: Oh, It’s lonely at the top
• The CEO is lonely… (?)
• Does this reflect downwards?
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4. Loneliness – revisited I
• I feel lonely when my interests are not
aligned with the team’s interests?
• I feel lonely when there is a gap between
my perception of the situation and the
other team member’s perception?
• I fee lonely when both of the above
happen a lot/too much…
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5. Loneliness – revisited II
• Is the Product Manager lonely in his
work? What is his reference team?
• Project Manager?
• Dev Manager?
• Other Managers? QA/Infra/…?
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6. Management path – revisited
Axiom 3: As a manager I’m in the path
from being a team member to
becoming the CEO (?)
So – as a manager I’m training to become
lonely!?
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7. Is every meeting I attend a team?
Recurring
• What role am I expected to play in the
meeting?
– Leader?
– Professional?
– Observer?
– Responsible adult?
– Team member?
• Am I required in this meeting? Just to
stress out its importance?
• Can a decision be taken without me?
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8. Agile – revisited
• Does Agile make it worse? Or better?
• Can I use agile thinking to solve the
conflict?
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9. So what is a team? Revisit II
- Processes – product backlog preparation –
team?
- Change management team?
- Multi-team coordination team? (Steering,
core)
- Task force team? Thinking tank team?
- Emergency handling team?
- The team I manage (managers, often)
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10. New definition of a manager?
• A multi-team member
• A creator/owner of multi-functional teams
• A team member participant that plays
varying roles in each team; the role may be
rapidly changing based on the situation…
• A person in charge of aligning all the
teams bellow him to their goals?
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11. Sample case 1
• An unexpected change in product plan
– Action plan – management team
– Product backlog team (discovery process)
– R&D plan – my manager’s teams
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12. Sample case 2
Strategic decisions
in he project I’m
leading contradict
my opinion…
– I wish the project would fail…?
– How do I get the team to believe me and
the new decisions?
– What are my goals???
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13. The bottom line?
• As a manager - I should find the teams I’m
really relevant for/relevant for me…
• Larger organizations should construct
middle level management teams, cross
multiple levels (1st – 3rd, 2nd - 4th)level
• Create clear joined goals for management
teams. Take good care of these teams…
• Where is the CEO?
• Truly waiting for audience ideas…
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