Being Agile: Eleven Breakthrough Techniques to Keep You from “Waterfalling Backward”

Be a “Firewall” and Stop Being a “Fast-Forward” Button

At an organizational level, things are a little bit different. Oftentimes, pressures to multitask are externally applied to teams and individuals. Managers and other leaders need to become a “firewall” for your team and stop being what I euphemistically call a “fast-forward button.” The goal for leadership is to prevent any and all disruptions to your team to allow it to focus on its work. Learn to differentiate between what’s “important” and the “tyranny of the urgent.” Just because something is urgent doesn’t make it important.⁴

4. Please note that “urgent” and “important” are not mutually exclusive. A fire alarm is both urgent and important.

Try this out: Tell the team that you will ensure ...