The Poisonous Price of an Unsustainable Pace: Lessons from Software and Sports

In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we dive into Sustainable Pace, a core principle of the Agile Manifesto ("Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely"). From software development to youth sports, we explore the massively destructive effects of an unsustainable pace and highlight the transformative benefits of a culture grounded in sustainable practices. 🔥 Key Topics Covered 1. The Massively Destructive Results of Unsustainable Pace How the relentless work rate leads to burnout, dropouts, injuries, and errors. Insights from academic and medical studies showing the devastating effects of unsustainable workloads. Real-world connections to coding bug rates, over-specialization, and emotional exhaustion. Tim Urban's TED Talk ("Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator") and its ties to the procrastination monkey, panic monster, and unsustainable pace. Why misalignment between expectations and reality (e.g., unrealistic deadlines) breeds toxicity. Radical Candor's "obnoxious aggression" and it can join forces with unsustainable pace to form a diabolical duo.  2. The Positive Results of a Sustainable Pace Building high-quality, continuous delivery without chaos or burnout. The connection between psychological safety, inclusivity, and long-term success in both teams and individuals. Benefits of diverse experiences, low stress, and personal peace from a sustainable pace. Practical strategies to avoid contributing to toxic work or play environments. Stories from youth sports coaching and tech leadership that illustrate how sustainable pace leads to lasting excellence. 3. Actionable Insights for a Better Future How to shift from a culture of "run fast, burn out" to one of balance, productivity, and joy. The systemic changes needed to foster sustainable pace in tech teams and youth sports organizations. Why adopting sustainable practices isn't just about survival—it's about thriving. 🎙️ Why Listen? Whether you're a tech leader, Agile practitioner, parent, or coach, this episode is packed with actionable advice and thought-provoking discussions. Learn how sustainable pace can unlock continuous learning, higher quality results, and a more fulfilling life. ✅ Subscribe to Stay Updated Don't miss other enlightening discussions! Subscribe to the Mob Mentality Show on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube channel: https://www.mobmentalityshow.com 📢 Join the Conversation What’s your experience with unsustainable pace? How have you built or experienced sustainable practices in your work, team, or community? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let’s talk! Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/bTvjoGosBnw   

In this exciting episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we sit down with Martin Christensen, a product transformation coach, to explore the pivotal power of mobbing in product discovery. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Mobbing Product Discovery What is Product Discovery? Understand the fundamentals user value, business value, and technical feasibility. Mob Style vs. Solo User Interviews: Learn how mobbing on user interviews enhances insights through diverse perspectives and how it contrasts with traditional solo interviews. The Benefits of Diversity: Discover why the mantra “Mob Anything” unlocks innovation, faster UI/UX iterations, and fewer lines of code while maintaining focus on user experience. Collaboration, Psychological Growth, and Transformation Barriers to New Methods: Dive into the psychological and organizational obstacles that can hinder teams from adopting mobbing or trying new approaches. Adult Development and Teaming: Martin shares insights on how stages of psychological development and life events can break down egocentrism and foster stronger collaboration. The "No Pain, No Gain" Paradox: Can growth happen without trauma? Discover the nuanced relationship between challenges, growth, and maturity in collaborative environments. Impact of Complexity on Happiness: Unpack how the complexity of problems and overall team happiness affect the ability to work effectively as a mob. Why Watch This Episode? If you’re passionate about product development, user experience, or team collaboration, this episode is packed with actionable insights and relatable stories. From understanding the power of mobbing in product discovery to overcoming barriers to psychological maturity in teams, this conversation will leave you inspired to experiment and grow. 🎙️ Don’t miss out! Subscribe to the Mob Mentality Show today to catch this episode and explore other topics at the intersection of innovation, collaboration, and personal growth. 👉 Watch here or on your favorite platform: https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/ Video and show notes: https://youtu.be/IPYXElnuBns    

Have you ever wondered who else is adopting mob programming? Or perhaps you’re curious about the diversity of organizations that practice ensemble programming? In this Mob Mentality Show episode, we take a deep dive into the Companies That Mob/Ensemble Program Board, a powerful tool for tracking and sharing insights about organizations, coaches, and educators engaging in mobbing practices worldwide. Join us as we explore the story behind this invaluable resource and its broader implications for the mob programming community. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why Track Mobbing? Discover why Chris Lucian started documenting companies and organizations that practice mob programming, beginning with a simple blog post. From Blog to Trello: Learn how this tracking effort evolved from a personal blog to a comprehensive Trello Board, making it easier to manage and share. Uses of the Board: Explore the board’s practical applications, including showcasing the diversity of mobbing practices across countries, industries, and contexts like IoT (Internet of Things), eCommerce, hardware, firmware, software, government, and private sectors. Related Resources: Uncover the connections between this board and other similar initiatives, such as the Software Professional Resources Board and the "We Do TDD (Test-Driven Development)" website. Anecdotal ROI: Hear how this board can serve as anecdotal evidence of the return on investment (ROI) for mob programming from a "just sharing" perspective ( https://justsharing.dev/ ), helping promote its adoption in the software development community. New Categories: Find out about Austin’s updates, which include categories for coaches and professors who practice mobbing. Call to Action: Get inspired to contribute by adding new companies, organizations, or individuals to the board to help grow the global mobbing network. Why This Matters: The Companies That Mob/Ensemble Program Board isn’t just a list—it’s a living resource that reflects the growing diversity and diffusion of mobbing practices worldwide. It’s a tool for saving time, building community, and promoting the Just Sharing mindset. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or a newcomer to mobbing, this board helps you connect with others and find inspiration for your own mob programming journey. Get Involved: Want to see the board in action? Check it out here: Companies That Mob/Ensemble Program Board. Subscribe for More Episodes: Don’t miss out on future episodes of the Mob Mentality Show! Subscribe on your favorite platform today: Mob Mentality Show Website. Tune in and discover who else is mobbing—and why it’s transforming the way we work and learn! Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/yCB4n-0nxQk 

Have you ever wondered why Extreme Programming (XP) isn’t commonly taught in schools? In this engaging episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we dive into this intriguing question brought to us by the mob programming community. 🎓 What We Cover: 1️⃣ A Junior Developer's Dilemma: If schools don’t teach XP, does it mean it’s not critical for your career? 2️⃣ Academia’s Pushback: What are professors saying about XP and unit testing? Is XP seen as incompatible with academic goals? 3️⃣ Systems Thinking in Action: Unpacking how a systems-thinking approach (holistic problem-solving) provides clarity on this issue. 4️⃣ The Runner Analogy: How comparing sprinters and cross-country runners sheds light on coding strategies. 5️⃣ Universities vs. Industry Needs: Are schools preparing students for industry or academic research? What should their goals be? 6️⃣ Degree Confusion: Why students struggle to navigate differences between computer science and software engineering programs. 7️⃣ Niche or Necessity? Why XP, a small sector of the software industry, may not get the spotlight it deserves in schools. 8️⃣ Unit Testing's Lone Survival: Is unit testing finding its way into classrooms, but XP is not? 9️⃣ The “Unknown Unknowns” Problem: What happens when students don’t even realize the value XP could bring to their careers. 🔟 Solutions That Work: Experiments and strategies we’ve used to promote XP in university curricula. 💡 Why This Episode Matters: Maintainability in Code: Discover why maintainability is crucial—not just in industry, but even for academic projects. Handling Resistance: Learn how educators can introduce XP despite opposition from traditional academic mindsets. Spotlighting Success: Shout-outs to universities doing XP right and what others can learn from them. Academia-Industry Collaboration: Insights from years spent on professional committees advocating for XP. 📌 Who Should Watch This Episode? Students: Discover why your curriculum may overlook XP and how to build the skills yourself. Educators: Get inspired to bring XP into your classrooms and navigate institutional challenges. Industry Professionals: Understand the gap between academia and industry, and what it means for hiring new grads. Join us as we explore the challenges and opportunities of integrating XP into education. With actionable insights, engaging analogies, and practical advice, this episode is packed with ideas to spark change. Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/CidbB_SBGl0  

In this thought-provoking episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we are joined by Ariel Pérez to explore the fascinating intersection of Complex Adaptive Organizations, Organizational Topologies, and the FAST Agile Framework. Together, we dive into the challenges and opportunities of modern software development and organizational dynamics, offering actionable insights for leaders, teams, and anyone navigating complexity in their work. Highlights from the Episode... Complex Adaptive Organizations and FAST Agile: Manufacturing vs. Software Development: Why building the same product repeatedly differs from creating custom software . Complexity Theory in Software Development: How unpredictable side effects shape outcomes and the pursuit of predictability in organizations. Fixed Scope and Fixed Date: Are they real business needs, or just external motivators? What are their long-term impacts on quality and delivery? Theory X vs. Theory Y (management theories): How a leaders' management principles and practices influence autonomy, trust, and collaboration. Dynamic Teams in FAST Agile: The pros and cons of adapting teams dynamically to match work needs versus forcing work into rigid team structures. Story of Transitioning to FAST: A tale of initial resistance to the FAST Agile approach and the eventual embrace of its benefits. Building a Culture of Experimentation and Learning: Experimentation as a Foundation for Innovation: How to test hypotheses in product development and team practices without compromising quality. From Fear to Trust: Encouraging experimentation in new teams or under new leadership while creating safety for bold ideas. Practical Experiments: Implementing small feature flags, A/B testing (comparing two versions in production), and time-limited trial runs to foster innovation. Respect and Radical Candor: Building trust through open communication, mutual respect, and the occasional dose of healthy banter 😅. Risks and Controls: A Never-Ending Game of Whack-a-Mole: Balancing Risk and Control: How risk-heavy environments lead to more controls (e.g., CAB—Change Advisory Board, PR—Pull Request) and the ripple effects of other risks these controls create. Holistic Thinking: Why addressing one risk often introduces others and how to manage risk without stifling agility. Mob Programming as a Solution: Handling emergency changes safely and collaboratively without falling into the trap of excessive gatekeeping. Key Takeaways: Embrace complexity and adapt dynamically to navigate unpredictable challenges. Optimize for learning through experimentation and apply these insights to real-world problems. Avoid control-heavy environments that stifle innovation and agility by thinking holistically about risks. Join us as we unpack these ideas and share strategies to foster a responsive, trust-based culture in your teams and organizations. 🎧 Don’t miss this episode! Subscribe to the Mob Mentality Show on your favorite platform: https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/ FYI: Video and more show notes: https://youtu.be/ghzOSV4waIo  

Is some refactored code truly better—or is it just a matter of taste? In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we explore the debate: Is some refactoring a subjective preference or an objective improvement? Join us as we dive into the fascinating world of refactoring, where code quality, team dynamics, and even artificial intelligence (AI) come into play. Here’s what we discussed: The Ice Cream Debate: The story of a team/mob navigating a series of refactorings and asking, Are these changes about style, like preferring chocolate over vanilla? Or is there an objective improvement in the code? Cognitive Load, Cyclomatic Complexity, and More: How refactored code impacts key factors like cognitive load (mental effort required to understand code), cyclomatic complexity (a measure of the number of independent paths through a program), readability, and maintainability. Copilot AI's Take: Results of analyzing “before and after” versions of refactored code using Copilot AI (a large language model or LLM trained for coding). Does the AI agree with human developers? Gray Areas vs. Black-and-White Decisions: How much of refactoring is clear-cut improvement versus a matter of debate? Coaching Through Disagreements: Strategies to coach a team through potentially heated refactoring disagreements. Should you stick to principles or let the team run experiments in production against the principles? Decision-Making Tactics: How to align on contentious refactoring decisions. Should you flip a coin, follow a guiding principle, or defer to team consensus? Principles and North Stars: Identifying which coding principles matter most to your team and using them as a decision-making anchor. Dealing with Apathy: How to engage team members who are indifferent to coding principles and quality debates. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Applying Stephen Covey’s timeless principles to facilitate productive refactoring discussions and team collaboration. Diversity of Opinion as a Strength: Embracing different perspectives to make your team or mob/team stronger and more innovative. Radical Candor vs. Safe Experiments: Balancing direct feedback with the freedom to experiment—even if it means running tests in production. “Stop the Line” Moments: Deciding when a refactoring disagreement is serious enough to halt progress versus letting safe experiments play out. Whether you’re a developer, team lead, or software architect, this episode is packed with insights to improve your approach to refactoring and team dynamics. 👉 Don’t miss this thought-provoking discussion!  Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/s2bl7dFAIV0  

What happens when teams, codebases, or systems scale beyond their limits? In this thought-provoking episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we tackle this hyperbole: “Is scaling the root of all evil?” We explore how the challenges of scale—in team size, code complexity, and even societal structures—might be the culprit. 💡 Key Discussion Points: Defining Scale Across Contexts: How does scale impact teams, classrooms, codebases, and more? Innovation vs. Scale: Does scaling stifle the spread of good ideas, principles, and practices (e.g., in law, culture, or workplace norms)? Interpersonal Challenges: Why do interpersonal problems grow exponentially in larger groups? Code Quality and Scale: Does a larger codebase inherently lead to lower quality? Focus and Attention: How does scale dilute individual and team focus? What happens to attention in scaled systems? Second-Order Effects: Are rigid systems designed to handle scale unintentionally creating harmful side effects—and even side effects of those side effects? Experimentation and Innovation: How do rigid systems inhibit experimentation, and why does this matter for growth and innovation? Descaling as a Solution: Are the best solutions to scaling problems simply about reducing scale? Inverse Conway Maneuver: Exploring this organizational design concept and its relevance to scaling. Lessons from Coaching: How scaling challenges in youth baseball practices compare to leading software development teams. 🎯 Why You Should Watch/Listen This episode touches on the consequences of uncontrolled growth, from technical issues in software engineering to cultural and organizational challenges. Learn why "descaling" could be the key to improving focus, quality, and innovation in your team or organization. Plus, discover how mobbing (collaborative software development) naturally counters the pitfalls of scaling. 📢 Don’t miss out! Subscribe now on your favorite platform: https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/ Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/YLeyRHcI-eI  

Join us in this exciting episode of the Mob Mentality Show as we dive deep into the fascinating intersection of mob programming, neuroscience, and team dynamics with the insightful Mike Bowler! Mike brings over a decade of experience facilitating mob programming sessions across hundreds of teams and countless experiments. Whether you're a software developer, team coach, or collaboration enthusiast, this conversation will leave you with actionable insights and inspiring takeaways. 🔍 What We Discuss: - A Different Approach to Facilitating Mob Programming Sessions - The Neuroscience of Psychological Safety and Mobbing - Team Flow States and Brainwave Activity - About Mike Bowler 📢 Don’t Miss Out! Subscribe to the Mob Mentality Show on your favorite platform to learn more about innovative collaboration techniques and team success. 🔗 Find us here: https://www.mobmentalityshow.com Video and show notes: https://youtu.be/okeAxvRggVc 

What does it take to shift from fear to flow when reading and refactoring code? In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we dive deep into **"Paradigms of Code Reading"**, exploring the mindsets and techniques that shape how developers approach software understanding. Whether you're navigating legacy code or striving for clean, maintainable designs, this discussion offers actionable insights for individuals, pairs, and mobs alike.   ### What You’ll Learn in This Episode:   - **Code Reading Paradigms**: Discover the two ends of the spectrum:     - **Understand Every Line**: Keeping every detail in your head.     - **Extreme Abstraction Zen**: Focusing only on the current module or method.   - **AB Testing in Code Reading**: Insights from live experiments on how pairs and mobs read and understand code.   - **The Role of Trust**: How levels of trust in variable names, methods, and classes influence reading strategies.   - **Overcoming Fear and Skepticism**: What causes developers to ignore method names or distrust the knowledge baked into the code?   - **Cognitive Load and Flow Efficiency**: Learn how reducing cognitive load through small, fast tests can lead to more effective coding sessions.   - **Code Reading Clubs**   - **Coaching Toward Abstraction Zen**: Practical strategies to influence and support others in adopting better reading and refactoring paradigms.   - **Embracing Skeptics**: The value of radical candor, genuine curiosity, and visual aids like diagrams in addressing fear and building trust.   ### Key Takeaways:   - Refactoring starts with trust - Genuine curiosity can replace complaints, transforming how teams collaborate and learn.   - Drawing pictures and visualizing code can unlock new perspectives and improve comprehension.   - Skeptics are not obstacles—they're opportunities for deeper conversations and better design.   Whether you're a seasoned software engineer, a pair programming enthusiast, or new to mob programming, this episode will provide you with practical tools and thought-provoking questions to enhance your coding practice.   💡 **Want to stay ahead in your software journey?** Don't miss this deep dive into the cognitive, emotional, and technical aspects of reading code.   🔗 **Subscribe to the Mob Mentality Show**:   Get notified as soon as this episode drops! Available on all major platforms:   👉 https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/   🎧 Tune in to unlock new paradigms for code reading and refactoring. Let’s move from fear to flow together! Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/pXEp6jBeycs 

In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we dive into our Software Professional Resources Board, a dynamic Trello-based hub designed for software professionals looking to enhance their learning and collaboration in the industry. Join us as we share the board’s origin story and our journey in creating a comprehensive resource for everything from Extreme Programming (XP), mobbing, and leadership to cloud infrastructure, agile retrospectives, lean principles, and much more. ### What Makes Our Board Unique? We start by exploring why we chose **Trello** for our resource board and how it has become a cornerstone for organizing, sharing, and discovering knowledge. With its flexibility, Trello enables us to create an easily navigable environment, where resources are not only organized but can also be searched, linked, and explored across various software domains. Our conversation touches on other similar boards we’ve seen, like our popular "Retrospective Techniques for Coaches, Scrum Masters, and Facilitators" board, as well as spin-offs we’ve created for specific topics. ### A Variety of Topics Our board covers a broad spectrum of topics that are essential for modern software professionals, including **mobbing**, **refactoring**, **leadership**, **Infrastructure as Code (IaC)**, **agile** practices, and more. With resources curated for both technical and strategic learning, the board has become a go-to reference for articles, blog posts, videos, academic papers, book links, and quotes on various disciplines within software development. ### How We Use the Board for Continuous Learning Discover how we leverage the board not only to organize information but to foster continuous learning. We discuss Chris’ “community-supported learning binges” and our process for capturing insightful book quotes and key takeaways, turning the board into a knowledge-sharing powerhouse for software teams and individual contributors alike. ### Refactoring the Mind: Evolving the Board to Stay Relevant Our discussion also delves into the concept of "refactoring my mind by refactoring the board"—an idea about how reorganizing knowledge can improve our mental clarity and adaptability in complex projects. This involves regularly revisiting, reshaping, and expanding board content to reflect the latest insights and trends in software development, keeping it a living, breathing resource for our community. ### The Impact of Public Knowledge Sharing One of the most inspiring aspects of this board is its role in **public knowledge sharing**. We highlight feedback from the community, stories of how others have used the board in their professional journeys, and our own experiences with learning in public. By sharing this resource openly, we invite others to benefit from it, create connections, and add to the body of knowledge that supports software development excellence. Whether you’re a developer, coach, Scrum Master, or technical leader, this episode offers valuable insights into how to create and use a resources board to drive personal and team growth. Listen in for tips on organizing knowledge, capturing valuable insights, and using community feedback to make a resource board that truly enhances your software development journey. ### Topics Discussed: - The board's origin story and why we chose Trello - Organizing, searching, and sharing resources in Trello - Similar boards, including "Retrospective Techniques for Coaches, Scrum Masters, and Facilitators" - Variety of topics: mobbing, XP, leadership, IaC, agile, cloud, business, tech, retrospectives, and more - Types of media: articles, blogs, videos, book quotes, academic papers, and beyond - Spin-off boards and community learning sessions - Feedback from the community and lessons for public knowledge sharing **Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform to catch this episode and more!** Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/GmfWWiIeaVY