How to Debug Your Team to Boost Performance

Did you know that some principles of code debugging can transform your tech team's productivity? Lisa Van Gelder, a tech veteran with over 25 years of experience, shares her journey from debugging code to debugging entire teams.

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Lisa explains the concept of 'debugging' a tech team, akin to debugging code, which is crucial to identifying and resolving productivity and performance issues. She outlines the importance of metrics, specifically the DORA metrics and cycle time.

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Lisa advocates for a comprehensive debugging strategy involving data analysis and team conversations to uncover and address problems, emphasizing mastery, autonomy, purpose, and psychological safety as essential elements. 

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The conversation also highlights challenges and best practices for managing small and large teams and the necessity of stakeholder communication when making changes to avoid negative consequences.

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"You really want to debug a team if you don't know what's going on. If you know what's going on, cool, hopefully, you can fix it. But if you don't know, that's when debugging comes into it. " ~  Lisa Van Gelder 

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In This Episode:

• What is team debugging?
• How to start team debugging
• Interpreting metrics and team dynamics
• Best practices for gathering data and team insights
• Frameworks for interpreting data and understanding team issues
• Debugging different team sizes
• How to manage adverse debugging outcomes
• When to debug a team

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