Agile SCM: Martial Arts Principles

of insecurity, and so better self confidence is likely to reduce this.

SCM is about managing change to people (and the processes they use) as well as the managing of change to configuration items, so dealing with conflicts is important. Careful introduction of new processes leaning more towards encouragement than unforgiving enforcement, usually lead to less conflict and greater progress. Make it easy to do the right thing. Blend with the energy of the developers and acknowledge their concerns before attempting to influence and lead them.

Energy, Efficiency and Timing
Most martial arts deal with energy, although a fairly crude divide between internal (more energetic) and external (often characterized by strikes or blows) might suggest that many arts don't. At the higher levels, this is usually not the case - but maybe energy isn't so explicitly taught or trained. Instead it is something people learn by hard experience and training. Important factors are: relaxation, sensitivity and awareness.

It may seem counter intuitive at first but relaxed muscles can move much faster than tense ones. Even such an overtly muscular movement such as a punch can be made much more powerful when done with appropriate relaxation.

Dave Allen in "Getting things Done" refers to his karate experience of power being generated from your ability to relax. He moves from this to being able to get things done faster only if you can slow down:

Retreat from the task at hand, so that you can gain a new perspective on what you're doing. If you get too wrapped up in all of the stuff coming at you, you lose your ability to respond appropriately and effectively. If your inbox and your outbox are completely full, or if people are screaming at you, then it's difficult to back off and think about things at a different level.

One key difference between a novice and a master is often the energy expended vs. the result obtained. The master evades the attack just in time and just barely, but then follows up and effortlessly takes the balance of the attacker by sensing their weak point. The novice's movements are much larger and less focused, and they may expend a lot of effort in trying to force the attacker to the ground without realizing they haven't taken the attacker's balance and the attacker is well balanced and able to resist.

Sensitivity and awareness allow you to sense what is really happening and be able to respond to it with appropriate timing. They can be trained to levels that start to appear spooky. One of the authors has been present at workshops where people have started reliably sensing (slow) attacks while blindfolded with some fairly brief instruction and practice. Developing this to real practical usage takes time and practice, but the basic capabilities are available to all of us.

Peter Ralston writes:

How skillfully we perform in any situation depends on how clearly we can perceive what is occurring. Those who respond effectively can do so because they perceive more clearly what's actually there, instead of ignoring what's there or confusing it with what they think or hope is true.

In the development and SCM world, our ability to sense what is happening, and the dynamics of the interaction within a team have a great effect on our ability to influence people. Being centered, as mentioned in conflict resolution, allows relaxation and the ability to sense the movement of energy and really discern what is happening. We have no doubt all had the experience of enthusiastically explaining an idea that seems to be being received extremely well.