"They" say the first three rules of agile are:
- Communicate
- Communicate
- Communicate
- Collaborate
- Communicate
- Collaborate
Although the best communication is bi-directional (because closed loop systems---listen.talk.listen--- are more predictable, and more likely to produce results that are faithful with intention), too often communcation is one way. And to merely say: Communicate! may well miss the whole point which is to both inform and to impart influence. After all, if you can't influence those you are communicating to, what is the point?
So, the collaborate-communicate-collaborate model is intended to convey influence:
- First, you draw your audience into the issue; (they might have a good idea)
- Then, you provide the message; (somebody has to come to a conclusion) and finally
- Test for impact, effectiveness, accuracy with follow-up collaboration
Of course, this model is prone to be degenerative to the communicate-communicate-communicate:
- Too little time to collaborate (urgency, importance)
- Too disparate an audience spread over hill and dale (language, time of day, access)
- No way to gather and process feedback from collaboration (volume, content, process)
- Autocratic outlook (my way or the highway, and I'm in charge anyway)
- Egocentric confidence (father knows best, and you couldn't possibly know)
SUMMARIZING:
