I was inspired to write this blog after reading Chapter 6 in Kate Papilio, \ Scrum This!: Straight Talk About Agile Transitions from Someone Who’s Been There Paperback — September 24, 2022. In this chapter, she describes her experience moving a team from Scrum to Kanban, and how this decision was influenced by the principles of “Yes, and…” thinking.
For those unfamiliar with “Yes, and…”, it is a concept from improvisation that encourages the acceptance of ideas and the building upon them, rather than rejecting them outright with a “No, but…” mentality. In the context of agile, “Yes, and…” can be a powerful tool for fostering creativity, collaboration, and adaptability.
Yes, and… is a simple but powerful technique that can be used to facilitate collaboration and decision-making within agile teams. The idea behind Yes, and… is to build upon the ideas of others by first agreeing with their perspective (“yes”) and then adding your own ideas (“and”). This allows team members to feel heard and valued, while also encouraging creative thinking and problem-solving.
One way to apply the Yes, and… technique in the context of agile is to use it during sprint planning meetings. When discussing potential features or tasks for an upcoming sprint, team members can use Yes, and… to build upon the ideas of others and come up with creative solutions. For example, if one team member suggests adding a new feature to the product, another team member might respond with “Yes, and we could also consider incorporating user feedback from our last sprint to make sure this new feature addresses the needs of our customers.” By using Yes, and…, team members can work together to come up with more comprehensive and effective solutions.
Another way to use Yes, and… in agile is to facilitate discussions about processes and practices. For example, if a team is using Scrum and is having difficulty with sprint planning, team members can use Yes, and… to explore different options for improving the process. One team member might say “Yes, we need to spend more time on sprint planning, and we could also consider using Kanban to help us visualize our work and identify bottlenecks.” By using Yes, and…, team members can work together to come up with ideas for improving their processes and practices, which can lead to more effective and efficient work.
Overall, Yes, and… is a simple but powerful technique that can be used to facilitate collaboration and decision-making within agile teams. By building upon the ideas of others and encouraging creative thinking, teams can work together to solve problems and improve their processes and practices. By using Yes, and…, teams can create a culture of continuous learning and improvement, which is a key aspect of agile organizations.
In her book “Scrum That!”, Kate discusses the benefits of using Kanban over Scrum in certain situations, and emphasizes the importance of being open to trying new approaches and finding what works best for a given team or organization.
One way in which Kate incorporates a “yes, and” mentality in her approach to Kanban is by recognizing that not all work is equally complex, and that different frameworks may be more or less effective depending on the specific needs of a team. Rather than adhering strictly to Scrum in all cases, Kate encourages agile coaches to be open to trying alternative approaches such as Kanban, and to be willing to adapt and adjust as needed in order to find what works best for a given team.
As Kate’s said: “I disagreed with my mentor’s decision to put Scrum into a reporting team and moved them to Kanban… It thinks about things very linearly. …At any point in time, you can look up at the board, see all the work the team is doing, and where it is in development… The good news is that this will be really clear because it’s right there on the board and you can adapt… Kanban came out of Toyota way back in the day and there’s a ton more to it. I encourage you to take a look… knowing to take teams that are not succeeding with Scrum over to Kanban can do a lot to ease the pain.”
and this reminds me that “In Agile, it’s not about one size fits all. Different teams and organizations will benefit from different frameworks. Scrum may be great for some, while Lean or Kanban may work better for others. It’s important to find the framework that best fits the needs of the team and organization.” — Mike Cohn, Agile coach and author of “Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum”
This lesson is particularly relevant in today’s rapidly changing business landscape, where the ability to adapt and be flexible is increasingly important. By embracing a “yes, and” mentality, agile coaches can help teams and organizations stay agile and responsive, and better able to navigate the challenges of the modern business world.
“In my experience, organizations tend to over-implement Scrum in the early days of transition to Agile and knowing to take teams that are not succeeding with Scrum over to Kanban can do a lot to ease the pain.” — Kate Papilio, Scrum This!
In this statement, Kate Papilio highlights the importance of flexibility and adaptability in agile methodologies, and suggests that the use of “yes, and” thinking can help teams to more easily transition from Scrum to Kanban when necessary. It’s not an either or proposition; but implementing what the team finds valuable from the best of agile methods.
By embracing the concept of “yes, and” and adopting a mindset of openness and collaboration, teams can more easily identify and address challenges and obstacles, and find creative solutions that better fit their needs and goals. In this way, “yes, and” thinking can help teams to improve their effectiveness and efficiency, and better align their work with the needs of the business.
Here are the five most valuable agile lessons I took away from Kate’s chapter and how “Yes, and…” thinking can be applied in practice:
Embrace change and adaptability: In agile, change is constant, and the ability to adapt is crucial. By adopting a “Yes, and…” mindset, teams can more easily embrace change and come up with creative solutions to new challenges.
Encourage collaboration: “Yes, and…” encourages collaboration by valuing the input of others and building upon their ideas. This helps create a culture of teamwork and mutual support within the team.
Foster innovation: By saying “Yes, and…” to new ideas, teams can open themselves up to new possibilities and encourage innovation.
Improve communication: “Yes, and…” helps improve communication by encouraging open, honest dialogue and actively listening to others. This can lead to more productive conversations and better decision-making.
Enhance problem-solving: “Yes, and…” promotes a problem-solving mindset by encouraging the exploration of multiple options and considering different perspectives.
To apply these lessons in your own life and work, here are five actionable steps you can take:
Practice saying “yes, and” in everyday conversations: This means that when someone makes a suggestion or statement, instead of immediately negating it or shutting it down, try adding on to it and building upon it. For example, if a colleague suggests trying a new marketing strategy, instead of saying “No, that won’t work,” try saying “Yes, and what if we also add in XYZ element to make it even more effective?”
Host “yes, and” brainstorming sessions: When coming up with new ideas or solutions to problems, encourage team members to build upon each other’s ideas rather than immediately shooting them down. This helps foster a culture of creativity and collaboration. For example, if someone suggests a new project management tool, instead of saying “We already tried that and it didn’t work,” try saying “Yes, and how could we use that tool in a different way or in combination with other tools to make it more successful?”
Encourage risk-taking: In order to fully embrace the concept of “yes, and,” it’s important to create a safe space for team members to take risks and try new things. Encourage team members to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions, even if they may seem a bit unconventional at first.
Foster a culture of inclusivity: “Yes, and” thinking is all about building upon the ideas of others, so it’s important to create an inclusive environment where everyone’s ideas are valued and heard. This means actively seeking out diverse perspectives and making sure that all team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas.
Practice active listening: In order to effectively build upon someone else’s ideas, it’s important to truly listen and understand where they are coming from. This means setting aside distractions, maintaining eye contact, and actively trying to understand the other person’s perspective. By practicing active listening, team members will be better equipped to use “yes, and” thinking to collaborate and come up with creative solutions.
Agile leaders such as Scrum co-founder Ken Schwaber and Agile Manifesto co-author Alistair Cockburn have both emphasized the importance of “Yes, and…” thinking in the agile process. As Schwaber has said, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” By embracing “Yes, and…”, teams can not only improve their agility, but also create a culture of collaboration and innovation that drives long-term success.
So, next time you encounter, “Scrum … but” …try ‘Yes, and …” thinking
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