Group Identity

A group of people involved in facilitating project retrospectives gathered in Oregon in 2002 to share their interest in retrospectives and brainstorm ways to increase their use across the software development industry. When the group created a list of action items, the first on the list was: Who are we? What are we trying to accomplish? Do we share a set of common goals? Once these fundamental questions were answered, the group was ready to move forward and make progress. The group is called Retroasis and convenes annually at different locations around the world.

Give the change effort an identity to help people recognize that it exists.

You are an Evangelist(144) or Dedicated Champion(129). You’ve had a Brown Bag(113) or perhaps just an informal meeting in the cafeteria or hallway.

It’s harder to introduce a new idea when people aren’t aware that the effort exists.

It’s easier to recognize and talk about something if it has an identity. This is why organizations often assign a name to individual projects and sports groups give their teams a name. This is why patterns are given a name! When the name is mentioned, people will think about the new idea and know what you are talking about. If they don’t know what it’s all about, they are likely to ask.

Assigning an identity to a change initiative helps people become aware that it exists and what it is trying to do. The more people hear and see the name, the more likely they are to become curious about it and get involved.

Therefore:

Give the change effort an identity.

A good way to begin is to give your group a name. It can be one that is created by the group itself—this builds camaraderie. The name can also come from other sources. At one company, a new process was introduced called the Product Input and Planning Process. When the CEO decided to champion this effort, he joked, “So the product owner is Gladys Knight and your team is the PIPs!” It stuck, but it gave the new approach instant visibility. Having support from a Corporate Angel(123) may have had something to do with that!

Use the name often and everywhere you can. Display it when you use your e-Forum(135), In Your Space(167), and when holding an event.

There are other ways to give a group an identity. For example, a regular meeting signals an organized effort. The meetings can be for planning and other business or incorporated with another activity. Ask for Help(104) from those who attend the meeting. The meetings may have few attendees, especially in the beginning, but even a small group begins to build a community. But use the meetings carefully. In some company cultures, holding meetings will give the initiative a negative identity. This is especially true if they are run badly.

A Web page, a URL, or an e-mail address helps make the group look official.

If the group decides to write a mission statement and objectives, display them where everyone can see. Mission statements and/or group objectives help those involved in the effort focus on what they are trying to do.

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This pattern establishes an identity for your efforts with the new idea. An identity makes the initiative more visible in the organization, gives it more credibility, and creates something that others can ask about, talk about, and get involved in. It helps form a vocabulary for the group that supports the new idea; this can be the beginning of a subculture.

But when you label something, people can label you. If they see your group as exclusive, they will develop misconceptions. Be clear about the purpose of the group and Involve Everyone(173).

One organization identifies the internal faculty of practitioners who contribute to the company’s internal training program as “University Faculty.” They have Web pages that include their biographies and pictures, and each person is given a new shirt every term with the corporate logo and the title of the training program. This creates a sense of identity for the faculty so that there is pride in ownership and participation.

In the German-based xpedition courses (www.xpeditionstraining.de), the first assignment for the teams of participants is to create a name. During the break, one of the trainers arranges for t-shirts to be printed for each team with their name. Since the training only lasts two days, this speeds up the team jelling process.