Principles are simply a set of guiding rules.
Here are the key principles for Agile Results:
Principle #1 – 80/20 Action.
Rather than spend 80 percent stuck in analysis and only 20 percent doing, it’s about shifting to spend 80 percent of your time in action.
Principle #2 – Change Your Approach.
Tune and adjust as you go. If it’s not working, let it go.
Principle #3 – Continuous Learning.
As you change and as things change around you, use your learning to improve your results.
Principle #4 – Flow Incremental Value.
Find a way to flow value. Chunking up your results helps you build momentum.
It also helps you build credibility with yourself and others. Rather than wait for a big bang at the end, you can flow value.
Principle #5 – Less Is More.
Bite off what you can chew and reduce work that’s in flight.
Principle #6 – Factor Action from Reference.
You should keep your action items separate from reference.
This helps reduce the signal-to-noise ratio.
Principle #7 – Set Boundaries.
Set boundaries in terms of time or energy.
Consider boundaries for the following Hot Spots: mind, body, emotions, career, financial, relationships, and fun.
The key is to have a minimum in some categories and a maximum in others.
Principle #8 – Fix Time, Flex Scope.
Treat time as a first-class citizen.
First set time boundaries.
Next, bite off what you can chew within those boundaries.
Principle #9 – Rhythm of Results.
Focus on daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly results.
Building a rhythm builds a habit that you don’t have to think about.
The habit becomes a ritual that produces a feeling of accomplishment.
Principle #10 – Version Your Results.
You can improve your results on each pass.
Version 3 will be better than version 2 which will be better than version 1.
This helps you fight perfectionism and produce incremental results.
