Brotherhood of the Wolf February 11, 2008
Posted by ActiveEngine Sensei in ActiveEngine, Business Processes, Coaching, Mythology, Problem Solving.Tags: ActiveEngine, On Boarding, Team Work
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The Wolf Credo:
Respect the elders
Teach the young
Cooperate with the pack
Play when you can
Hunt when you must
Rest in between
Share you affections
Voice your feelings
Leave your mark.Del Getz and Associates
It’s not enough to identify objectives, FTE’s and timetables. You have to focus your team like a unit. The wolf pack is natures most effective hunting unit, but in order to become that cohesive machine there are many activities that take place. “Respect your elders”, “Corporate with the pack”, “Teach the young” doesn’t sound like cut throat competition within the team. It also doesn’t really sound like SCRUM. The pack leader is there to silence the dissent that will destroy the pack. But the pack leader is the not only role.
The new team members are the future as all new projects will arise from their efforts. The leader has to discipline the team to enable the new team members to progress along the right path. Guarding territory can never conflict with getting new members ready for the hunt. The new team members will ask questions, voice opinions, bring new ideas to the group. Run with some of these ideas, as this will stretch the mind and team’s muscle. Modeling ideas, quick throw away code, all these things that the group can play with while including the new team members will unlock some doors that have been shut tight for a while. Things will get solved in new ways.
Each team member will evolve their ActiveEngine as their skills and ambitions grow. When it comes time to hunt, the pack will be ready.
ActiveEngine 
Dave,
Much of the management philosopy that is taught today seems to be opposed to a leader behaving as a strong pack leader. Instead, they favor a team of equals where the leader is there to stroke and cajole team members. I think you’re onto something with this analogy. You should develop it more.
[…] ways you can engage with others. Can you practice your techniques in a better way. Recite the Wolf Creedo and end an argument. Better you, start a new one in jest and revel in the ideas. Bang out some […]
I don’t understand the ” It also doesn’t really sound like SCRUM.”
Why would this not be scrum?
Simply said, the pack leader leads, and will override what the team decides should he / she see fit based on their experience. Some times the team think sets its sites too low when trying to raise the bar. The pack lack is really there to nip at the heals and keep things rolling forward.
Don’t get me wrong – this is not to say that the pack leader does not listen to ground up estimates. They must, but they also have to be engaged enough to know when to kick things up notch or slow them down.
OK I see, that is not really scrum. I understand that a team should be challenged enough so that they don’t put the bar too low.
I don’t think that what you describe is the only way to do that. If a pack leader is part of the team, he can raise his concerns in different ways.
Definitely. Sometimes it’s with humor, sometimes quiet skepticism. Sometimes the leader needs to take on an external intrusion and fight for her team. “Defend the pack” can really inspire team members.
You might enjoy my post https://activeengine.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/faith-the-time-is-now-again/ as it offers a more energetic interpretation. Thanks for taking time to read my blog!