The Agile Mindset Series (Part 2 of 4: Driven Daily Dopamine)

Last week, I wrote about the first in this four-part series on Agile Mindset, its emotional impact as we perform Agile ceremonies (generation of everyday endorphins), how they are conducive to our happiness and coaching tips from beginners to mature Agile cultures. This week, I introduce to you the second hormone that elevates our mood: dopamine.

Before we jump deep into the effects of dopamine and potential routes to achieving this reward, let me tell you a personal coaching story from the North of England.

In 2011, Edinburgh, Scotland, I was challenged with coaching high performing teams in a high-pressure environment with millions of Euros at stake in the financial industry. Over a period of six months, I learned a great deal about the role of intrinsic motivation and its evolutionary nature in an Agile Mindset, which is why I'm well equipped to speak about happiness and the biochemistry (hormones) behind it.

Dopamine is often referred to as “the chemical of reward” because, quite simply, it is the chemical that is released when you hit your next milestone, targets and making you feel good.

Why?

Because you've achieved a goal and hopefully, you have done a great job of it, too. You know the feeling --

even when the chase is long and frustrating, there exists an appreciation for the work and a sense of accomplishment at the end.

Those of you whom I have had the pleasure of training know that I talk a whole lot about how, in order to be truly Agile, one must have developed an Agile mindset. Being Agile itself necessitates being happy. How do we do this through Agility?

Within Agile itself, at the most basic level, we focus on having clear goals, set within a short time frame, which we call sprints. These give folks ample opportunity for the release of dopamine. The end is more or less always in sight, especially with the use of a KanBan board -- and boy, does it feel rewarding to move something into that “done” column! Even more dopamine (and, as I mentioned last week, endorphins) is released during daily stand-ups, where there is not only human connection, but an earnest pledge to get the work done, while also staying updated on the work itself. There is pride and excitement felt amongst the team, too, when each member sees that the work is progressing.

I often ask my trainees to put a green tick on the story card when done, showing that the work has been accepted by the Product Owner. This simple exercise does wonders for the team and boosts morale...or should I say, rather, that it effectively increases dopamine levels.

But some of you are not new to Agile. I can almost hear some of you readers saying “been there, done that!” All hope is not lost for those of you who need to be a little more challenged for that extra hit of dopamine.

For one, you can highlight the completed stories in the “done” column as a team during the demo, acknowledging as a community how much you all have accomplished together. In this ceremony, also take a few minutes to appreciate team members on specific instances where they helped/enabled others and showed teamwork instead of individualistic heroism.

Need to bring it up a level still? For more advanced teams, I recommend inviting business stakeholders to the demo. If you've got the budget for it, cater the event. Or reward the team with a pizza party on the completion of a big feature. I have found that motivating people (and my kids) with food can do wonders, delivering adequate dopamine doses.

I have saved the most important dopamine accelerator for last. Perhaps the greatest and most natural way to release dopamine is by performing acts of kindness. Whether it is by helping a teammate out when they're stuck or by volunteering on Sundays, as I do at a school in my neighbourhood: the high you feel is all thanks to this one chemical. And even for those of you are completely dead inside, it may be enough to put a smile on your face.

For those of you are reading this today, I have a simple plan you can follow every day -- sort of like an affirmation -- to keep your dopamine levels fairly constant. The following are three things I try to do every once in a while to brighten up my week:

• Take a stressed teammate out for lunch or fresh juice (as caffeine might not be a good idea) and let them know how you appreciate their hard work. Some acknowledgment (plus food!) will elevate moods all around.
• Do one of those mundane tasks that you had saved for tomorrow or later this week and get it out of the way today. Even if it is as simple as calling your Aunt June to ask about her bad back, you will feel better crossing it off of your list of to-dos.  
• Volunteer! Donate! Give back to your community in some way or another. This feel-good activity will have you on a high that will help you feel more positively about yourself and others.

In fact, think of it as a challenge. Try to cross any of these three (or all of them) to feel more “dope” today. Let me know what you did and how it went in the comments section below! And with that, you're well on your way to creating a better and more productively creative & motivated world around you.

Try it out for yourself and share your findings with celebrating smaller milestones. I would love to hear about the outcomes.

Previous publications on this series are:

The Agile Mindset Series (Part 1 of 4: Energised Everyday Endorphins)

P.S: Stay tuned for Part 3 of this four part series in the upcoming thoughts on Agile Mindset based on Endocrinology where I describe the next hormone released during Agile Ceremonies while augmenting happiness with an Agile Mindset.