Leading Lean Software Development: Results Are Not the Point

Chapter 5. Great People

Snapshot

“The first time I came to North America, I was surprised to see that Japan is on the far right side of the map,” wrote Namiko Abe. “It felt very strange. Japan is always located at the center of the map that I grew up with.”¹ The experiences of childhood have a huge influence on the way people frame their world—what is at the center and what is peripheral. We are unlikely to change the cultural frame that we grew up with, but we can become sensitive to cultural differences and learn to understand and respect other cultures. It turns out that there is no one way to motivate people, no best way to organize teams, and no universal rule governing interactions. In addition to cultural differences, each individual ...