The Importance of Trust in Agile Methodologies

One of the main values of agile methodologies is trust. However, it is not always clear what this means.

Here are some key insights from my notes on this topic:

• It is easy to manage inexperienced people (command-and-control works here) because we can persuade them about our view of the world.
• Experienced employees have their own experiences and are not easily convinced by what we say.
• To collaborate effectively with people, regardless of their experience, trust is needed. Trust paves the way for asking open questions and ultimately seeking better ways to operate than the current ones.

What is Trust? (Examples of basic principles):

• Assume 100% positive intent: We assume positive intent behind people’s behaviors.
• Questions serve as a means to find solutions: We believe that all questions asked are meant to find solutions (not to assign blame). Questions are an expression of care. We trust in the interlocutor’s intention, even if the person asks tough questions.
• Always answer questions honestly: Even when the answer might seem difficult, we assume that we always answer questions honestly.

What Hinders Open and Trustful Conversations?

The main obstacle to open and trusting conversation is the assumption that you “know” how the discussed topic should be done (what framework, pattern, class, method set, how it should look). Instead of listening and discussing, you strive to prove the sole correctness of your solution. You might win this battle, but you will lose the entire war. Trust will be strained or destroyed.

If there’s a hierarchy or dependency between you, the matter worsens. If you are a manager, listen to what your subordinate has to say. Then, by asking questions, verify whether their concept is correct. It might be better than yours. Or it might not. Good questions will verify this well.

Why Do We Need Trust?

Can’t we do without it? Without trust, it becomes natural to protect your interests (covering your back, job security, or playing various project games). These activities lead to undesirable side effects (loss of time and credibility).

(Text translated and moved from original old blog automatically by AI. May contain inaccuracies.)