In XPv2,
Kent Beck identifies
improvement as a principle. He says "there is no
perfect process, there is no perfect design, there are no perfect
stories. You can, however, perfect your process, your design, and
your stories". You can also perfect yourself.
It's important to learn and improve. I want to continually improve
as a team member, as a scrum master, as a coach, and as a person.
Feedback is a value of XP that provides a
mechanism which facilitates improvement. Don't be afraid to ask
someone for feedback. However, recognise that it takes courage to
provide feedback, so make it easy for that person to give you
feedback. If it's general feedback you want, try explaining what
motivates you and demotivates you. If you have your own ideas on
areas in which you could improve volunteer that information.
When receiving feedback, listen actively and receive it genuinely
without being defensive. Seek explanations and specific examples
and show your appreciation by following at least some of the
advice. You should endeavour to make visible improvements based on
the feedback.
Wednesday, 14 December 2005
Seeking improvement and receiving feedback
Posted by Simon Baker - Permalink
