I have an article posted at Techwell, Management Myth #1: The Myth of 100% Utilization. This myth has always been a problem. It’s even more of a problem now as more organizations transition to agile.
People need time to think. They need time to adapt to their current circumstances. They need time to create their teams. Some of the time, people are thinking about this iteration’s stories. Some of the time, people are thinking about the product roadmap. Some of the time, people are thinking about the next iteration’s stories.
Thinking is work. Not all work occurs when fingers touch a keyboard. Not all work occurs when mouths are open and moving. Even I have learned to sometimes think with my mouth shut, although that is an infrequent occurrence.
The more “utilized” a person is, the less a person can think. And that means a person is not going to innovate. A person cannot provide the best they can for their organization, which is not why you hired that person.
If you are one of those people who is working with a manager who still thinks in terms of 100% utilization, consider my peer project portfolio coaching. If you are a manager, who is considering another way, consider Manage Your Project Portfolio and consider my peer project portfolio coaching with your leadership team.
In any case, please read the column, and leave comments on the column over at TechWell.
