Stop Saying No … Start Saying Throwdown

Have you ever been on a team and said, “We should try [insert crazy idea here]” only to immediately hear “No!” from a team member, manager, or coach? Talk about stifling innovation. To prevent this, Anthony Crain says that their teams are adopting a new philosophy. Stop saying No … start saying Throwdown! Using this idea, they can distinguish between a favorite way and a better way. “My story writing technique is better than yours.” Oh yeah? Prove it! “My estimation technique is better than yours.” Oh yeah? Prove it! “SAFe is better than traditional program management!” Oh yeah … you get the idea. Anthony says their teams have agreed to a single measurement framework for all throwdowns: quality, productivity, predictability, and engagement. Anthony shares how their teams use these measures to discover which ideas are better, which are inconclusive, and which may actually be worse—at the team level and at the portfolio level. And he even provides an example or two for you to evaluate.