Test Your Knowledge!

Foundation

  • What are the four Principles of TeamOps?"
The four principles of TeamOps are as below,
- Teams exist to deliver results
- Teams must be informed by an objective, shared reality
- Everyone must be able to contribute
- Decisions are the fuel for high-performance teams
  • TeamOps decision making: is it centralized or decentralized?"
TeamOps decision making is Decentralized. Individuals are empowered to make decisions without needing centralized approval.
  • True or false: You should iterate on and make changes to TeamOps for your own organization’s benefit."
True. TeamOps represents an ideal state, and it should be iterated on and evolved by everyone.
  • What are the prerequisites for TeamOps?"
below are prerequisites of TeamOps,
- Communication guidelines
- Shared set of values
- Team trust
- Focus on results
- Culture of belonging
  • Is TeamOps for everyone in an organization?"
Yes, TeamOps is for everyone in an organization. TeamOps is not exclusively for managers, leaders, or individual contributors. It is meant to be used by every member of an organization.
  • What does it mean that TeamOps represents an ideal state?"
An ideal state is theoretical, and rarely exists. Instead of trying to apply TeamOps perfectly, allow the principles to guide your decisions.

Shared Reality

  • With TeamOps, which roles are empowered to execute on decisions?"
There are no limitations. Everyone can contribute, no matter your seniority or tenure.
  • What is a stable counterpart?"
A partner in another function whom you work with consistently. This enhances collaboration, builds trust, and reduces risk of conflict between functions.
  • Who should be able to see an individual or team’s KPIs?"
Everyone. It is crucial that KPIs are documented and shared transparently across the organization.
  • Why is iteration a form of execution?"
With TeamOps, executing on decisions is reframed as a series of iterations: smaller steps that break execution down into manageable pieces.
  • If you can’t complete an objective by the due date, should you move the due date?"
No. Instead of changing due dates, cut the scope. This allows you to maintain momentum and make progress.
  • What are some of the benefits of setting a due date for a project?"
- Setting a due date...
- Builds trust
- Allows everyone to contribute to future progress
- Enables teams to execute on decisions

Everyone Contributes

  • True or false: Information should be shared on a “need to know” basis."
False. When using TeamOps, information should be public by default.
  • Where should information be stored?"
In a Single Source of Truth (SSoT).
  • What are some of the benefits of low-context communication?"
Low-context communication...
- Enables better informed decisions
- Doesn't require team members to have preexisting relationships or knowledge
- Documents the reasoning behind decisions
  • Why would you say “it depends” when evaluating a response?"
Situational leadership means that the response may change depending on the context.
  • True or false: A diverse array of perspectives supports informed decision-making."
True. When everyone can contribute in an inclusive way, the best idea wins.
  • What does it mean to say that values must be operationalized?"
Company values should be more than just ideas. Team members within the organization must be able to understand and utilize them.

Decision Velocity

  • What are boring solutions?"
Simple solutions. With TeamOps, you should embrace the Minimum Viable Change (MVC) rather than proposing the most cutting-edge, complex, or interesting solution.
  • Why is collaboration different from consensus?"
Collaboration allows everyone to contribute, while consensus requires everyone (or most people) to agree. Working toward consensus can slow progress.
  • Why should you ‘say why, not just what’?"
Transparently articulating the reasoning behind your decision builds trust, prevents speculation, and creates institutional memory.
  • What are some of the benefits of working asynchronously and focusing on documentation?"
- Asynchronous workflows...
- Give individuals agency
- Create or reinforce a bias for action
- Bridge gaps in knowledge
  • True or false: TeamOps enables an organization to continue to operate with the agility of a startup while scaling."
True. Resist the assumption that growth results in slower processes and less frequent decision-making.
  • What does it mean to push decisions to the lowest possible level?"
Decisions should be made by the person doing the work or the DRI - not their superiors.

Measurement clarity

  • True or false: TeamOps optimizes for knowledge retrieval."
True. This is different from many management philosophies that focus on knowledge transfer.
  • Why is it important to have a low level of shame?"
Iteration requires doing the smallest thing possible and getting it out as quickly as possible, which can create discomfort, but which results in fast decision making.
  • What does ‘short toes’ mean?"
When people are empowered to make contributions outside of their direct domain — without worrying about "stepping on each others' toes" — decisions can be made faster.
  • What are some benefits to treating everything as if it’s ‘in draft’?"
The freedom to make proposals...
- Removes bureaucracy
- Empowers smaller, faster changes
- Helps avoid playing politics
  • What’s a ‘two-way door’ decision?"
A decision that can be made without approval or consensus, and that is easy to reverse.
  • True or false: informal connections build trust."
True. Leaders should encourage team members to prioritize social calls, chat channels, and other informal communication.