Mary Poppendieck talks about her last book "Leading Lean Software Development", a book for the product, program and all C-level managers, showing them how to apply agile principles and practices starting from the realization that development teams are not successful if they are not in the same boat with their managers.
A flow system requires focus on reliable handoffs and system throughput, not on utilization. It requires creative people who vigilantly address problems and improve the workflow. It requires a leadership team that understands "Results are Not the Point" - the real point is to create a system and grow people who are capable of delivering excellent results over the long term.
In the nature vs. nurture debate, researchers have declared nurture the winner. People who excel are the ones who work the hardest; it takes ten+ years of deliberate practice to become an expert. Deliberate practice is not about putting in hours, it’s about working to improve performance. It does not mean doing what you are good at; it means challenging yourself under the guidance of a teacher.
