During informal agile discussion evenings, or even during more formalized sessions, people are often frustrated not to leave with clear answers.

Just recently, during the debrief of a successful session, we questioned several people. Unsurprisingly one of them said they were disappointed not to have gotten clear answers and to not be sure whether a) they left with more questions than answers, b) what the point was of such an event.

Answer is not solution

Unfortunately you will not be able to get clear answers to your problems because the context of your questions is too important an element for us to be able to respond to it definitively.

Unfortunately you will not be able to get clear answers to your problems because there are no definitive answers but rather a journey to implement, to initiate.

Unfortunately you will not be able to get clear answers to your problems because they don’t exist yet, they must emerge from your context (read cynefin!)

No certainties

We don’t work in a universe of hard sciences but rather soft ones. The complexity of the elements that mix together in our projects prevents us from having certainties. Leading a project in our domains is subtle, it’s delicate.

No answer, observation

So don’t come looking for precise answers. Come looking for ways of doing things, ways to approach an answer, an experience, etc. (That’s what I sell, what we sell -consultants or coaches depending on your own bestiary-).

And take the time to observe. We look for answers too quickly. During an agile transition for example, you’ll need to let a few months go by before things become clear. Or rather a few iterations. You need to count the frequency of feedback as much as the time spent.

We can only begin to imagine answers when we are immersed in the context. And answer is still not solution.

My frustration

Finally a last word about my frustration. When you ask a question, accept the answer that is given to you. No point asking a question if you judge certain answers unacceptable in advance.

Remember that our answers don’t necessarily make sense in your contexts, that’s also why they can sometimes seem disconnected from your reality.