Should Distributed Agile have a Third culture? by Line Mark Rugholt

Culturewise© all rights reserved

should distributed agile have a Third culture ?

Line Mark Rugholt, Culturewise

Agile NCR, Xebia

Delhi, 25th February 2011


purpose

• Should Distributed Agile have a Third Culture?

• Inspire Distributed Agilists to benefit from the “third culture” notion


presentation

• Line Mark Rugholt

• Process Facilitator (Attractor-Ramboll)

• Certified Cultural Detective

• MA Indian Studies

• Worked, traveled, and studied in India, now live in Delhi

• Culturewise, since 2007:

• Cultural workshops, expat training, books, networking, consulting, lectures...


agenda

• The concept of “Third Culture”

• Case stories

• Hierarchy - Flat Structure

• Communication style

• What can you do?


framing -distributed teams• Challenges:

• Distance

• Change

• Practical challenges

• !Cultural differences!

• Benefits:

• We are able communicate and learn new


change matrix

Influence- “our way”

A third culture- “a new and common way”

Keep at home- “ok, I do not need that..”

Change- “their way”

Source: Culturewise


can I please go to the toilet ?

• One of our Indian programmers contacted me on the chat from our Indian office in order to ask whether he could go the bathroom. I found this inquiry very funny, and in order to keep up the fun, I boldly answered that he could wait until he had the day off - and that today I wanted him to stay a couple of hours more. Some hours passed and the programmer called me and asked in a strained voice for allowance to go to the bathroom!


Indian - Danish management

Indian manager Danish manager

“Possessor of Power” “Facilitator”

has responsibility and takes decisions

delegates responsibility and decisions

has knowledge about the whole project

coordinates knowledge

used to team members following instructions

used to critical feedback from team members

role and placement in the hierarchy follows seniority

role in the hierarchy can change

Source: Culturewise


team membersIndian team member Danish team member

follows processes works independently

specialised holistic thinking

role is described defines role themselves

roles fits hierarchy role can change

Source: Culturewise


be a part of the team

• When I came to India for my first assignment as a project manager, my office was what I would call a “glass cage”. I did not like being there all by myself, so I went and joined the team outside. In the beginning they found it really strange and were not saying much - it was almost as if they feared me. However, after a while the team and I had great fun, and now I have become a part of the team, and the team members are much more open to me now.


choose a table

• Project managers in this company do not have their own office or other visible object that show their place in the hierarchy. But in order to accommodate Indian culture, the project managers could choose desks before the rest of the team.


third culture hierarchy

• Balance hierarchy

• Indians can use their competences and ideas

• Danes has to accept that there is some hierarchy

• Describe expectations to team roles

• Danes learn about processes and structure from Indian work culture


Communication

0% 100%5%

Indians95%

Danes

Source: Culturewise

How certain are you before you use the word “yes” in an answer?


Yes/no - matrixDanmark India

Confirmation “Yes” “Yes”

In doubt“No”

“No, maybe in two days”

“Yes, I will try”“Yes, if ....”

Rejection “No”“It might be difficult”

“Yes, but not yet”“Yes, sir”

Source: Culturewise


do they tell the truth ?

• I am not always sure that my Indian colleagues understand me. I experience that they nod and say yes, but later on I realise that they did not understand me. Can I do anything to make them admit that they do not understand me?


The shy Indians

• We Indians sugarcoat and Danes are frank. How can we tell them a negative message? What do they expect?


third culture communication

• “Indian yes or Danish yes”

• Balance communication style:

• Danes must be more positive

• Indians focus more on negative

• Processes that enhance communication


change matrix

Influence- “our way”

A third culture- “a new and common way”

Keep at home- “ok, I do not need that..”

Change- “their way”


how can you create a third culture?

• Gain knowledge => understanding:

• Cultural training, read books, be curious and ASK!

• Share expectations:

• Communication style, expectation to roles in a team, motivation, knowledge transfer....

• Set the stage - create a third culture:

• Design new processes and role descriptions

• “The Virtual Coffee Machine”


Line: Yes!

You: ??

Thanks!

should distributed agile have a Third culture ?

Should Distributed Agile have a Third culture? by Line Mark Rugholt

Technology

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