In a fiction novel by Dave Eggers from 2013, technology company ‘The Circle’ has the vision that the world becomes a better place when everything people do is completely transparent. Because people behave better when others watch.
“In a world where bad choices are no longer an option, we have no choice but to be good.”
An intriguing thought with definitely some logic behind it. Drivers who know that their speed is being monitored are more likely to comply with the speed limit. Police body-cameras affect the behavior of people knowing they are being filmed, including the Police Officer. Employees who know that their internet-surfing is monitored avoid visiting ‘certain sites’. But without giving away the plot, in ‘The Circle’ it turns out to be different. That is not surprising; we all realize that on individual level, transparency must always be in balance with privacy and personal freedom.
Yet transparency, in the right sense of the word, is an important cornerstone of the agile mindset. To be agile, it’s crucial to continuously inspect the current situation to make the right adjustments. That is why transparency is vital in our work, our progress, our goals and our problems. Only then we are able to make an honest analysis of the current situation and determine the best next step. This gives the opportunity to change course, if that is necessary to achieve our goals.
Openness and transparency are also important for cooperation between people. A sparkling high performing team only arises if team members are open and honest with each other, trust each other and give feedback.
The theme of this first issue of the Blue Striped Frog Magazine is transparency. Not the stifling Big Brother transparency from ‘The Circle’, but the trust- creating transparency that makes it possible to be agile and continuously improve.
Happy reading!
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