“Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own
Bruce Lee
I didn’t notice it until I’d been doing Filipino Martial Arts for a few years, but the adages of a fighting style developed with a focus on efficiency had a surprisingly large amount in common with Lean Product Development.
Jeet Kun Do is Bruce Lee’s martial art which represented a powerful paradigm shift away from venerated high-walled Kung Fu lineages to a focus on taking from every source that might have something to teach. Chief among the principles amount JKD is economy of motion. Simple works best.
There is a time and a place for a spinning hurricane kick, but 9 times out of 10 a right cross will get the job done. So too, product development.
I’ve noticed that, at several large companies due to the needs of conformity, and at several smaller companies due to not knowing any better, a series of program management rituals are performed because they will result in goodness. Control charts and burn downs and good estimates. The hills we die on.
I have, recently, trended more towards a Kanban approach to product. Focus on Kaizen. Focus on delivery. Focus on simplicity. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
As Mike Tyson said “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”. Your project will have setbacks. You have imperfect information. Your teams ability to adapt and execute and have a few strong moves in their pocket that they can use to get back on track are more valuable than a plan with contingencies. And what’s better for your businesses bottom line? It’s cheaper too
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who had practiced one kick 10,000 times”
Bruce Lee, again
Know your kicks. Here’s my suggestions:
- Stand ups – Your jab to check your range, get you out of trouble, and set up your other moves
- 1:1’s – Your footwork. Check your team health. Avoid pitfalls.
- Retrospective – This is your middle kick. It is your workhorse. This is, in my opinion, the single most important thing for a team
- Summary Report – This is my teep/push kick. It makes some room for me and sometimes does real damage
“But what about planning? What about stakeholder alignment?” Sure. You need some other moves too, but get those 4 down. Start with fundamentals and first principals
Be Like Water
Adaptability as a PM is one of your greatest strengths. Your work is theoretical and soft-skills. The cost of thoughtwork and ideation is relatively low. Challenge preconceived notions, and discard what is useless. Don’t stay pot committed to a plan because you happen to have been the one to come up with it. If you go into a fight thinking you’re going to win and start to get your ass kicked, it’s time to make a new plan, not just keep trying the same thing