Engineering Team Lessons from Fruit Pickers

Fruit picking, seemingly worlds apart from software development, holds valuable insights for engineering teams seeking to enhance collaboration and productivity. Just as cyclists in a race or software developers in a team work toward common goals, fruit pickers too are engaged in collective efforts that offer a unique perspective on teamwork. Let's delve into the fruitful lessons that fruit pickers can impart to engineering teams:

Unity in Diversity: Fruit pickers often work in diverse groups, each with its unique set of skills and knowledge. This diversity is an asset, much like engineering teams that benefit from a mix of skills, experiences, and backgrounds. Collaborative problem-solving draws strength from this diversity.

Collective Effort Yields More: Just as a group of fruit pickers can harvest more fruit working together, engineering teams achieve more when they collaborate. Collective problem-solving and pair programming enable the utilization of diverse perspectives and experiences, resulting in more effective solutions.

Overcoming Resistance Together: When fruit pickers encounter challenging trees or terrain, working together becomes crucial. Engineering teams likewise face obstacles and unknown challenges. Having all perspectives, expertise, and experiences readily available within the team aids in overcoming these obstacles more efficiently.

Cost of Delay: Fruit pickers understand that waiting to pick fruit can lead to a loss in quality or quantity. Similarly, software development teams should be aware of the "cost of delay" in achieving their goals. Collaborative efforts often result in quicker delivery, helping the team capitalize on opportunities and associated revenue.

Splitting Roles: In fruit picking, some individuals may gather fruit while others inspect or sort it. Likewise, in engineering teams, different roles and responsibilities contribute to the overall success of the project. The right specialists in various areas can help teams overcome specific challenges.

Efficient Support: Fruit pickers receive support from their teams through activities like carrying supplies or sorting fruit. Engineering teams also benefit from internal platforms and developer experience tooling to streamline their processes and remove friction, enabling more efficient work.

Incentives and Team Success: Fruit pickers understand the importance of not everyone striving to be the fastest picker. Teams succeed when some individuals support the group by handling essential tasks like sorting or carrying. In engineering, individual-focused incentives can undermine team goals. A focus on individual recognition can lead to inefficiency, whereas rewarding teamwork and collaboration leads to success.

Sustainability: Fruit pickers recognize the need to pace themselves. Going all out from the start can lead to exhaustion when it matters most. Engineering teams can relate to this concept, especially in maintaining sustainable work practices, as they must conserve energy for unexpected incidents and demanding projects.

Just as fruit pickers maximize their productivity through teamwork, engineering teams can draw inspiration from these lessons to enhance their collaboration, efficiency, and success. The unity, diversity, and collective effort of fruit pickers highlight the power of working together toward a common goal, regardless of the field of endeavor.