If you are having difficulty pivoting your teams, it could also mean an output-oriented mentality is dominant among people. It is time to think in terms of outcomes with your teams.
How are they different? Simple: If you are solely focused on your deliverables, it is output-focused thinking as deliveries being your output.
If you are focused on how you make a difference in your customer’s life, the difference is the outcome; hence, outcome-oriented thinking.
You might ask what I mean by focusing on one or the other. Should we not focus on our projects?
You should, but as a vehicle to your outcome by ensuring that the output meets the opportunities that drive the work.
How do you know which camp your team falls in? Simple! Ask them what you are trying to achieve and what difference you want to make in your customers’ daily flow. Not even a single coherent answer? Now you know it.
It is not just engineering that needs to feel comfortable as the outcome demands a different output. Every part of the organization must be able to pivot with a positive attitude.
It takes a while to make the mind shift to the latter. But the benefits will be priceless.