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Values for Using AI with Teams
In this conversation, Matthew Gwyther and Neal Taylor explore the relationship between teams and AI and values that can be used to augment the team with AI. Key takeaways Key Values for augmenting teams with AI Transcript NealSo Matt we were talking about Teams and AI and I thought just as a way of introduction:…
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Doing a Liftoff with Large Groups
Navigating Large Group Liftoffs: Insights from Diana Larsen Facilitating a liftoff with a large group can be a daunting task. In a recent session, Diana Larsen shared her experiences and strategies for managing liftoffs with 40+ participants, emphasizing the importance of skilled facilitation and structured planning. Team Coordination: Diana highlighted the need for breaking large…
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Team Metaphors
The Good ship in slack waters. The metaphor brings the team meaning. As you start to build up your team, you’ll notice certain images, narratives, and symbols filter through in the language that people use. But it’s not something that can be contrived. Often it’s compelled by the situation, by the dynamics of the team…
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Teams: Spirit and Myth
A basic rule of thumb for any 4×4 adventurer is that the amount of fuel determines how far you’ll be able to travel through the desert. The amount of water determines how long you’ll last. You need both.You can calculate how many miles it is from one checkpoint to another, but you cannot predict the…
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Team Liftoffs Lounge: Pre-Rubicon Reading Material
The rubicon represents the moment of commitment to a course of actions. When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 BCE, he broke Roman law and sealed the fate of the Republic. The Rubicon was a small river marking the northern boundary of Italy, and generals were forbidden to lead their armies across it under…
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Mini articles inspired by Liftoff
Jim and Melissa York have written a series of mini articles which explore some of the key concepts of a Liftoff: What is a product vision? What is a team mission? What is a mission test? It’s always refreshing to read what other people write about these elements, because there’s always an opportunity to learn…
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Liftoff Activities Recorded
Last week, Diana Larsen and Neal Taylor met up online to record a short explanation of each of the key nine activities that constitute an effective Liftoff. These videos have now been added to each of the pages. The pages are linked to the Miro template (in progress) so that if anyone requires further information…
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Liftoff @Miroverse – Template ‘In Design’
Last week I had a call with the designers at Miro where we discussed the template for ‘Liftoff – starting agile and high performing teams’. It is quite nerve-racking getting a template out there that people will be using! The design I did was probably a good first attempt at structuring the information but it…
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Heilmeier Catechism
George H. Heilmeier, a former DARPA director (1975-1977), crafted a set of questions known as the “Heilmeier Catechism” to help Agency officials think through and evaluate proposed research programs. The keen observer may notice that a good liftoff ensures that such questions are also answered, and collaboratively. What’s also interesting is that the removal of…
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Can you do a Liftoff in stages?
Technically, yes! We believe it’s best to run a Liftoff as a consecutive two-day event, but it is possible to do it in stages. For example, I once facilitated a Liftoff in two parts: first, I worked through the Purpose section with leadership and team, then a couple of weeks later, we covered Alignment and Context with just the…