T Lab

Thu 15 Nov 2018 8:51PM

Guardrails

Matt McKenna Public Seen by 182

Here are the stages of a practice as it evolves, and how TLab is involved. For a matrix visualization with examples, see the attached screen shot.

Tentative Practice
- When a practice is being imagined or developed, and the person/people developing the practice believe it is for the whole company, they bring a proposal to T-Lab.
- The proposal includes the plan for getting the practice to the point where it’s ready for testing. Plan should include a company-wide sensing process.
- TLab uses GDM to refine the plan, offer guidance, and resource it with coach(es) and steward(s).

Teal Practice
- Teal practices can be team-specific or available to the whole company, and can be in flux (actively being worked on/improved) or baked (not actively being worked on, subject to minor improvements).
- TLab holds coaches and stewards accountable for the continuous improvement of Teal practices in flux.

- Coaches and stewards of Teal practices in flux join TLab meetings.
- Once Teal practices are baked, the coach(es) and steward(s) of that practice leave TLab, and the practice is out of scope for TLab.

Common Practice
- Common practices are available to the whole company, published in the playbook, and considered “how we do things.”
- Teal practices become common practices via ratification that is open to the whole company.
- Common practices can be in flux or baked, and are in scope for TLab in both cases.
- Coaches and stewards of common practices leave TLab when their practice is baked.

OTHER GUARDRAILS:

We will value inclusive decision-making, seeking feedback, continuous improvement of tools and practices.

We will never discuss the individual performance or behaviours of people who are not present.

We will always:

o Speak respectfully about groups and individuals
o Approach Teal adoption challenges with care and creativity
o Discuss results of practices, particularly challenges and under-utilization

If an individual’s work for the TCT is stalling, they will involve others on the committee to keep things moving.

Sterling is currently out of scope.

LCI Fri 16 Nov 2018 7:36PM

I can live with either word. I think James captured what I'm worried about which is people drowning in new teal zeal while they're just getting used to the basic stuff. Thanks Matt

James Bloemendal Fri 16 Nov 2018 2:23PM

Great work on this section!

A few thoughts:

1) If part of the purpose of the team is to help with adoption I think there is value in keeping the number of common practices as small as possible and that this team should a voice to making sure Teal doesn't become a new type of burden that keeps people from finding meaningful work.

2) If common practices become common by an all company GDM, what does that mean for the current ones, does that mean they haven't been ratified, or that these ones are assumed in?

3) I wonder if we want to change how a practice becomes a common practice from an "all company GDM" to "all company ratification" to give ourselves more flexibility to find the best solution for all company ratification? There may be better ways to ratify with a group of two hundred people. For example, we could do a proposal in Yammer or Loomio that invites clarifying questions and reactions, and then do visual confirmation at the offsite, some other all company meeting, or do the thumbs up and thumbs down in Loomio. Just one idea and I'm sure we could come up with more.

Matt McKenna Fri 16 Nov 2018 7:32PM

1) That's a great point, that I'm also hearing from Luz. I can see adding:

TLab will have a bias towards adopting fewer practices as "common."

2) Agree that these are in, and don't need further ratification.
3) I agree. Let's change it to "ratification." Good call.

LCI Fri 16 Nov 2018 7:39PM

I don't need the bias language as long as we know we have a role to play in discerning what it good for the org.

LCI Fri 16 Nov 2018 7:00PM

Agree with James’s first and third points.

On the second point, JB, Christine and I led an all-company sensing process that led to the creation of T Lab, the common practices, the draft and then final/ratified Playbook.

Doing more ratification seems cruel!

Christine Iadipaolo Fri 16 Nov 2018 7:22PM

Haha!

Haroon Alvi Fri 16 Nov 2018 7:10PM

I really like the way you guys have explained this section and the matrix makes it awesome. This idea of what is a common practice, what is tentative and so on was becoming really complicated and this section proposal organizes it well.

I understand Emily's point and I think this was something that she wanted clarity on since she became a part of TLab. Matt's response to her really clears that up for me and makes sense.

Just a reaction, I feel calling it 'teal' practice makes me think 'are the other practices not teal?' Maybe we could find a new term for it. I have nothing in mind and can live with this one too. Just that all our practices are teal so I felt that.

Thanks for the amazing work on this guys!

Christine Iadipaolo Fri 16 Nov 2018 7:44PM

@haroonalvi That's an interesting perspective - I hadn't considered this before. We are replacing the old O/S with a Teal O/S so it's conceivable there might be old "non-Teal" practices that are being replaced with "Teal" practices - maybe this distinction is a good thing?

Edwin Jansen Sat 17 Nov 2018 1:41PM

I agree Christine. There are many current practices, like hiring, comp setting, vacation approval, budget setting/spending, which are more Orange/Green than Teal, so I like the distinction that we have some common practices which are Teal, and some that are not (yet). And then a whole bunch that are (thank God) colour-neutral!

Poll Created Mon 19 Nov 2018 3:15PM

Guardrails - Proposal Closed Thu 22 Nov 2018 3:03PM

Here are the stages of a practice as it evolves, and how TLab is involved. For a matrix visualization with examples, see the attached screen shot.

Tentative Practice
• When a practice is being imagined or developed, and the person/people developing the practice believe it is for the whole company, they bring a proposal to T-Lab.
• The proposal includes the plan for getting the practice to the point where it’s ready for testing. Plan should include a company-wide sensing process.
• TLab uses GDM to refine the plan, offer guidance, and resource it with coach(es) and steward(s).

Teal Practice
• Teal practices can be team-specific or available to the whole company, and can be in flux (actively being worked on/improved) or baked (not actively being worked on, subject to minor improvements).
• TLab holds coaches and stewards accountable for the continuous improvement of Teal practices in flux.
• Coaches and stewards of Teal practices in flux join TLab meetings.
• Once Teal practices are baked, the coach(es) and steward(s) of that practice leave TLab, and the practice is out of scope for TLab.

Common Practice
• Common practices are available to the whole company, published in the playbook, and considered “how we do things.”
• Teal practices become common practices via ratification that is open to the whole company.
• Common practices can be in flux or baked, and are in scope for TLab in both cases.
• Coaches and stewards of common practices leave TLab when their practice is baked.

OTHER GUARDRAILS:

Members of TLab share responsibility for giving the stewards feedback and advice on the progress of their practice.

Members of TLab will participate in practice GDMs that are outside of the regular meeting when they have interest, reactions, or value to add.

TLab curates and publishes the Playbook, and curates the list of practices to be voted on in the annual ratification of common practices.

We will value inclusive decision-making, seeking feedback, continuous improvement of tools and practices.

We will never discuss the individual performance or behaviours of people who are not present.

We will always:
o Speak respectfully about groups and individuals
o Approach Teal adoption challenges with care and creativity
o Discuss results of practices, particularly challenges and under-utilization

If an individual’s work for the TCT is stalling, they will involve others on the committee to keep things moving.

Sterling is currently out of scope.