You’ve read the book. Now what?
Don’t try to change everything at once.
Pick one thing.
Do it tomorrow. Here’s your menu:
If you’re drowning in meetings:
Cancel your daily standup. Replace it with a written update. Due at the start of each person’s day. “What I did. What I’m doing. What’s blocking me.” Try it for two weeks. You’ll never go back.
If you’re exhausted by notifications:
Turn them off. All of them except your emergency channel. Check Slack three times a day instead of three hundred. Tell your team you’re doing it and why.
If information is scattered everywhere:
Pick one place for documentation. Move the three most important docs there today. Add one doc per day until the migration is done. Redirect every “where do I find X?” question to the new location.
If trust is broken:
Uninstall the tracking software. Today. Have honest conversations with the people you were surveilling. It will be uncomfortable. It will also be the beginning of a real relationship.
If your tools are multiplying:
List every tool your team uses. Pick the three that matter. Sunset the rest. Give people a month to migrate anything important.
If you’ve never met in person:
Book the offsite. Don’t wait for the “right time.” Pick a date, pick a city, and send the invites. Figure out the details later.
If you’re hiring:
Add a writing sample to your interview process. A real one, not a cover letter. Ask candidates to explain something complex in writing. Weight it heavily.