Moving Cheese
The Art of Persuasion for Testers
Thomas Shipley - @tomdrivendev
Hi, I’m Thomas 😀
<--- and work for GlobalLogic
https://www.globallogic.com
<-- sometimes tweet @tomdrivendev
Three Ideas
People want help with their problems
We often share the same problems
Solve problems without permission
A (true) Story of Failed Persuasion
Introducing the Team...
Bob
QA
Sue
Dev
Ivy
Business Analyst
Zoe
Project Manager
Asking for Sue the Dev for Help
Are you free to help me with some performance tests?
Bob
QA
No sorry - not right now.
Sue
Dev
Oh OK… Speak to you later…
Who else here has experienced that conversation?
Hands up 🙌
Look at all those hands 👀
Learning from this story
What motivated you to attend today's talk?
The team doesn’t listen to my ideas
Team won’t contribute to testing
My manager doesn’t support my experiments
The bar isn’t open
Nothing else on right now
You want help with your problem
I struggle to build support for my ideas
We struggle to try new things
I know that. I used it to persuade you to attend today.
Let’s look at the abstract for this talk
Picture the scene. You are sitting in a testing conference - [conference], perhaps. You have heard a brilliant talk - enthusiastic, engaging, and, more importantly, an idea you can use. But you are concerned. You ask a question. "Thank you, speaker, for an excellent talk. My question: How can I convince my team to do this?" The answer leaves you wanting more. Isn't the art of persuading your team of this brilliant idea worth more than a couple of minutes? You are not alone. It is a common and sometimes frustrating experience. In this talk, I don't want to discuss a new testing technique or a flash new technology. Instead, I want to focus on people. The people who will not be at the conference. The people who you work with every day. How can I help you convince them of all the new ideas you are bursting to try after an exciting conference? How can you bring the magic back with you? Both as a tester and a consultant, I have spent countless hours introducing and managing change. Helping teams feel safe about taking risks and trying new ideas. Based on my experience with teams and clients, I want to help you: Recognise that persuasion is rooted in understanding people and their motivations. Understand why resistance to change is so common and how it can become less scary. Develop your own style of persuasion based on foundational principles. Have the confidence to sometimes bend the rules a little to show the potential of your idea. Testers have the opportunity to lift their teams through new ideas. But often, we are not let down by our idea, motivation or ability. Persuading others is our downfall. So we don't talk about it. Let us change that. Attend this session and start the conversation about how we, as a community, can influence others. Combine that with your great idea, and I believe you will be unstoppable.
The Foundation of Persuasion:
It is easier to help someone. Than persuade them to help you.
Sue probably needs help too.
The Trick to Persuasion:
Framing your problem so it is the other person's problem too.
new technology. Instead, I want to focus on people. The people who will not be at the conference. The people who you work with every day. How can I help you convince them of all the new ideas you are bursting to try after an exciting conference? How can you bring the magic back with you? Both as a tester and a consultant, I have spent countless hours introducing and managing change. Helping teams feel safe about taking risks and trying new ideas. Based on my experience with teams and clients, I want to help you: Recognise that persuasion is rooted in understanding people and their motivations. Understand why resistance to change is so common and how it can become less scary. Develop your own style of persuasion based on foundational principles. Have the confidence to sometimes bend the rules a little to show the potential of your idea. Testers have the opportunity to lift their teams through new ideas. But often, we are not let down by our idea, motivation or ability. Persuading others is our downfall. So we don't talk about it. Let us change that. Attend this session and start the conversation about how we, as a community, can influence others. Combine that with your great idea, and I believe you will be unstoppable.
Your Problem
I want to help with
Is Our Problem
A Structured Approach to Persuasion
The Three P’s of Persuasion
Personality
Your Style
How do you present your ideas when trying to persuade others?
People
Your Target
What is their problem?�How can you help them?
Plan
Your Approach
Do you have a deliberate plan? How will you show it is our problem?
Personality
Balanced Personality: Help Sue Want to Talk to You
How we act
How we are seen
Persistent
Positive
Ask Questions, Actively Listen
Trustworthy
Team Player
Credible
Bob
QA
Sue
Dev
How can I be credible?
Power as Credibility: French and Raven's Bases of Power
Coercive
Force people.
Threaten punishment. Achieve compliance only.
Reward
Reward people.
Thank you is a reward. Achieve compliance only.
Legitimate
Your position.
Inspiration. Lose your position lose your power.
Expert
Your skill.
Expertise is independent of position. Be trusted.
Referent
You are liked.
If people like you they are more likely to help you.
Informational
Information is power.
Access to information others don’t have.
People
What Problems Do Bob and Sue Share?
Your Problems
Their Problems
Focus Here!
Improving performance test code
Performance bug in the API
Gathering perf data
Bob
QA
Sue
Dev
…And Who On The Team Might Help?
Problematic
Satisfy
Keep updated and resolve concerns
Promoters
Engage
Work closely on solving the problem with them
Indifferent
Monitor
Anticipate needs and send general updates
Supporters
Inform
Keep updated and seek regular feedback
Individual Influence
Individual Interest
Ivy
Business Analyst
Zoe
Project Manager
Four Reasons Sue Might Resist Persuasion
Sue’s Reason |
Fear |
Loss of Control |
Comfort (Good enough) |
Personal (They don’t like you) |
Bob’s Response |
What causes this fear? Can I solve it? |
Provide a choice. Don’t dictate! |
Proof of concept, remove the physiological barrier |
Short Term: Get someone else to persuade. Long Term: Why don’t they like me? |
Sue
Dev
Bob
QA
Plan
Putting Together a Plan to Persuade Sue
Source of Credibility |
Expert, Informational |
Shared Problem |
Gathering performance data |
Promoters/Supporters |
Zoe (Project Manager) |
Bob
QA
Sue
Dev
Hi Sue, the perf bug at stand-up. I think we could do with more data.
More data would really help!
Great! but the perf test has a bug I am stuck on.
I really want to help. Zoe is under pressure too to report on progress.
Sure. It is a tricky bug and the data would really help solve it!
Could you help me? I am sure you will spot the issue quickly!
When Persuasion Just Won’t Work
The Secret of Persuasion:
The easiest way to persuade is to not bother at all. Just solve the problem!
“If it's a good idea, go ahead and do it. It is much easier to apologize than it is to get permission.”
Rear Admiral Grace Hopper
Four Steps to Getting Things Done Without Permission
Step Four
Seek the Sign Off You Need
Gather the evidence from previous steps to build a case for sign off and further investment.
Step Three
Showcase Work to Everyone
Informal demos, lunch and learns and team showcases. Build support for the idea.
Step Two
Create a Proof of Concept
A small proof of concept that proves the idea works and helps others understand it.
Step One
Talk About Your Idea
Ask questions of the idea with others. Identify your promoters and supporters.
You Might Fail And, That’s O.K.
Seek Forgiveness!
Skills developed while “Failing”
Wrapping Up
Three Ideas - Revisited
People want help with their problems
Showcase what you can do to help
We often share the same problems
Frame your problem so it is theirs too
Solve problems without permission
You will learn a lot either way
Your ideas will improve quality.
Use these techniques to amplify them.
Thank you!�
@tomdrivendev
https://tomdriven.dev