> In the rare organizations where this dilemma has been resolved, it has been through superiors specifying WHAT it is to be achieved, but not HOW it is to be achieved. Subordinates are given a free hand in choosing the means, while superiors must place trust in their efforts and accept that failures may occur along the way.
Yes. I even have a half-written blog post on Auftragstaktik. But I've also seen it when working as an SRE for gmail. WHAT: "Keep gmail running." HOW: "Do whatever it takes."
There was a lot of practical project management and software architecture wisdom on that blog — unfortunately, all in Russian. I'm not sure how well automatic translation does these days, though.
Bureaucrats will take initiative in furtherance of outcomes when they are given credible assurance of top cover and legal safe haven. Few are actually willing to do that.
Yes, that, and even "if they are not actively held back". Anyone with any experience with bureaucracies is aware that there are such people in the system. Those with low pain tolerance may leave for private enterprise, but some remain despite everything.
> In the rare organizations where this dilemma has been resolved, it has been through superiors specifying WHAT it is to be achieved, but not HOW it is to be achieved. Subordinates are given a free hand in choosing the means, while superiors must place trust in their efforts and accept that failures may occur along the way.
You mean, like in the military, that follows https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission-type_tactics ? Like special forces? Like the SAS dudes?
Looks like a sort of a pattern... 😏
Yes. I even have a half-written blog post on Auftragstaktik. But I've also seen it when working as an SRE for gmail. WHAT: "Keep gmail running." HOW: "Do whatever it takes."
Funny enough, I personally learned about the Auftragstaktik from a (series of) blog posts on _Software_ Project Management. :)
Say more. Where was that?
For instance, here: https://gaperton.livejournal.com/60129.html
But there's more: https://gaperton.livejournal.com/tag/auftragstaktik/
There was a lot of practical project management and software architecture wisdom on that blog — unfortunately, all in Russian. I'm not sure how well automatic translation does these days, though.
Np, I do speak Russian. Thanks!
Bureaucrats will take initiative in furtherance of outcomes when they are given credible assurance of top cover and legal safe haven. Few are actually willing to do that.
Yes, that, and even "if they are not actively held back". Anyone with any experience with bureaucracies is aware that there are such people in the system. Those with low pain tolerance may leave for private enterprise, but some remain despite everything.