How many layers exist between your Executives and your teams? Who is translating and interpreting the data from the teams work? Are your Executives going to the Gemba and demos?
Bringing executives who are leading Scaling Agility initiatives closer to the raw data from the work of the teams is crucial for informed decision-making and effective leadership. Here are some approaches to accomplish this:
- Establish data transparency: Foster a culture of data transparency where information flows freely between teams and executives. Encourage open communication channels and ensure that data is accessible to all relevant stakeholders. Make sure executives have visibility into the raw data generated by the teams.
- Regular data reporting: Implement regular data reporting processes that provide executives with insights into the progress, performance, and outcomes of the teams' work. Create dashboards, reports, or visualizations that showcase the relevant metrics and key data points. This helps executives stay updated and connected to the ground reality.
- Data-driven reviews and retrospectives: Conduct data-driven reviews and retrospectives where executives and teams come together to analyze the raw data and derive insights. Encourage discussions around the data, its implications, and potential areas for improvement. This collaborative approach enables executives to gain a deeper understanding of the teams' work and challenges.
- Team presentations and demos: Arrange periodic team presentations and demos where teams showcase their work to executives. This provides an opportunity for executives to directly interact with team members, ask questions, and see the raw data in action. Team presentations help bridge the gap between executives and the work happening on the ground.
- Gemba walks or site visits: Encourage executives to participate in Gemba walks or site visits to observe the teams' work firsthand. By physically visiting the teams' workspace, executives can engage with team members, see the process in action, and gain a better understanding of the raw data generated. This direct exposure helps executives connect with the teams and their work context.
- Data literacy training: Provide data literacy training to executives to enhance their ability to interpret and analyze raw data. Equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to understand the significance of different data points, identify trends, and draw insights. This training empowers executives to engage with the raw data more effectively.
- Collaborative data analysis: Encourage collaboration between executives and data analysts to jointly analyze the raw data. By involving executives in data analysis sessions, they can contribute their domain expertise and gain a deeper understanding of the data analysis process. This collaborative approach promotes shared ownership and alignment between executives and data analysts.
- Foster a learning culture: Create a learning culture that encourages executives to continuously explore and dive into the raw data. Promote a mindset of curiosity and inquiry, where executives actively seek out opportunities to learn from the data. Encourage them to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and explore new insights hidden within the raw data.
- Executive involvement in team activities: Encourage executives to actively participate in team activities, such as stand-up meetings, retrospectives, or project reviews. This involvement allows executives to witness the team dynamics, observe the challenges faced, and directly engage with the raw data being generated by the teams.
- Feedback loops and continuous improvement: Establish feedback loops between executives and teams to foster continuous improvement. Encourage executives to provide feedback on the quality and relevance of the raw data. Similarly, gather feedback from teams on how executives' involvement and understanding of the data can be improved. This iterative process helps bridge any remaining gaps and enhances the collaboration between executives and teams.
By implementing these approaches, executives leading Scaling Agility initiatives can get closer to the raw data generated by the teams. This enables them to make more informed decisions, understand the challenges faced by the teams, and provide effective leadership based on a deeper understanding of the ground realities.
You already know this & we can help your executives and leaders lead your scaling agility challenge!
For more personal stories and a confidential conversation, please get in touch with me via DM or email at siraj@visiontemenos.com
