Beyond mandates

Overview
Beyond mandates explores why teams become addicted to formal rules, principles, and roles, and how that reliance can stifle adaptability and innovation. It argues that while structure is necessary, over-reliance creates rigidity that hampers rapid problem solving.

Key Takeaways

• Rigid mandates can unintentionally block change and learning.
• Effective leaders balance clear principles with flexibility.
• Empowering teams to question and iterate on processes drives continuous improvement.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers seeking to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Technical leaders who want to foster a culture of adaptable decision-making.
• Team leads looking to balance structure with autonomy.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• Lean thinking
• Agile retrospectives
• Systems thinking