You have already got a “DevOps team” and you are able to deliver projects much more quickly than before. Work is more streamlined and your small teams are empowered to work efficiently and make changes to provide value fast.
But how can you take your team to the next level? How can you deliver even more, better and quicker without pushing your teams too hard?
Step 1: Share the team vision
In order to be successful at any change, it is important that the whole team is on the same page to begin with. Engaging each team member, understanding where they are, and getting buy in to any new ways of working is a great place to start. It is even better if each team member is able to be actively involved in defining and prioritising the team goals, thinking through which changes will have the biggest impact on their daily work.
Step 2: Measure your progress
A common understanding of your current state with clear goals and metrics is needed to determine how successful any change is. Building a shared view of what success looks like will do wonders in galvanising the team and ensuring momentum is maintained.
Step 3: Foster autonomy and empowerment
All team members need to be able to make decisions pertinent to their daily work and their projects, and they need to be supported to do so by management. An culture of empowerment encourages each individual to work in the way they think is best. Individuals will want to succeed by delivering on the team’s shared goals, and enjoy being challenged with problems they feel they can solve.
Needless to say, a culture of blame destroys psychological safety and will negate any positive steps which are made towards autonomy and empowerment. Read more about blame here.
Step 4: Strive for innovation
If you want any chance of innovation within your team, do everything you can to free up team members from relentless daily targets and a last-minute culture. True innovation will only be possible if individuals are respected for their unique ideas and solutions knowing they have the trust of the management and they won’t be blamed if their idea doesn’t succeed.
Step 5: Engage with the DevOps community
The DevOps community in nearly every industry is thriving and a great source of experience and best practice knowledge bases. Encourage your team members to attend DevOps meetups (remotely or in-person), or become actively involved with any one of the DevOps forums or communities.
Step 6: Focus on job satisfaction
With job satisfaction comes committed employees who are able to do their best work. Team members need to be recognised and rewarded for their contributions. Freedom to make decisions and take ownership over your working environment is also key. A mentor can help each team member to work at their maximum level of contribution in addition to feeling valued and having the opportunity for personal and professional growth.
Step 7: Don’t forget collaboration
Collaboration tools, used effectively, have the power to steer the team’s way of working organically. Setup regular feedback sessions on the adoption and usage of the tools to make sure the transition is smooth and the tools are bringing positive change. Read more about communication here.
Taking your team to the next level is an ongoing journey with no shortcuts, however it can be one of the most valuable things you do! Why not give it a try!
Learn More
To discover more about how Sandhata can help you achieve DevOps success, take a look at our DevOps brochure or read some of our customer stories.
Bronwyn Davies
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