Q: Why do I need Yammer?

A:  It’s simple… I want access to my fellow software engineers and technologists that live on the other side of boundaries that get created around other Departments, Products, Business Units, and Acquisitions.

True story. I had to quickly come up to speed on a technology I had not been introduced to previously.  I took the normal approach of aggressively searching online to find examples, white papers, blogs, anything to help.  Time was running out, and while I had learned a lot in a short amount of time, I wanted a little help connecting all of the dots and selecting what I needed to focus on to complete my task in a timely manner.  I needed 15 minutes with an expert in this technology to guide me down the right path, because I didn’t have time to go down the wrong one.

I jumped on Yammer and put out a call for help.  A development manager responded with the name of a person who he knew to be experienced with this technology.  He introduced us over email and a few minutes later, I was getting exactly what I needed.

We’ve all seen too many blogs and articles along the lines of “10 reasons you’re organization isn’t ready for Agile”.  I believe that buried under all of those ‘reasons’ are fundamental problems that will keep your organization from reaching any high level of productivity.  Here it is, the real top 10 list:

1. you’re not hiring the right people

2. you’re not hiring the right people

3. you’re not hiring the right people

4. you’re not hiring the right people

5. you’re not hiring the right people

6. you’re not hiring the right people

7. you’re not hiring the right people

8. you’re not hiring the right people

9. you’re not hiring the right people

10. you’re not hiring the right people

Hopefully this comprehensive list will help you and your organization.  Cheers.

Over the past 5 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many people who were very knowledgeable in many different areas.  However, one thing I’ve come to realize all too often is that when it comes to solving difficult problems, knowledge is, at most, half the battle.  Time and time again I have seen people struggle at solving a problem they did not immediately know the answer to.  Without a suite of problem solving skills, the value of their knowledge of the problem domain quickly diminishes.  These are the times when the Problem Solvers step in and get the job done.

So, who are the real problem solvers?

Visionaries – The greatest Problem Solvers can very quickly identify a clear path to success.  From this vision they are able to generate a plan of attack that will strategically expose the root problem and find the correct solution(s).

Leaders – As a leader, the Problem Solver is able to coordinate the effort.  They break the the plan of attack down into individual tasks that can be executed in parallel by the resources at hand.

Enablers – Possibly the most important skill a Problem Solver has is the ability to remove roadblocks or find alternative paths.  The key to solving a problem quickly is to never stop.  The Problem Solver recognizes this and focuses on getting himself/herself and others whatever it is they need to identify and fix the issue.

Communicators – Solving problems requires that the right people have the right information.  The Problem Solver is able to recognize important data and ensure that the information is shared.  Furthermore, they identify all available communication channels and use them effectively.

Adaptive - The Problem Solver knows that any new discovery can change everything.  At a moment’s notice, they are able to shift resources, open new communication channels, and devise an entirely new plan of attack.