"The Wise Fool asks questions that may be unpopular or that seem politically risky...Often, many people want to ask the same question, but they do not dare." Excerpt from Organizational Patterns for Agile Software Development by James Coplien and Neil Harrison.

As I am reading through this book on organizational patterns of successful agile implementations, I came upon this pattern of the Wise Fool. Just as a backgrounder, the book is a great resource for those more well versed in agile methods, but not recommended for someone trying to learn and apply apply techniques for the first time. It reminds me of walking through a fun house and seeing yourself and your friends in different shapes, sizes, etc.

This book presents many of the same paradigms of other books, but in an eye opening way. More on the book review in a future post...

Anyway, back to the Wise Fool. The Wise Fool lives on a slippery slope. In my past experience, the Wise Fool was not wise. In this case, they only played the role of a fool and, whether they realize it or not, undermined the efforts of the team. In one instance, they divided the team into two belief structures and eroded the productivity of the entire team.

If you find yourself in this situation, deal with it immediately! It will only get worse, growing like a tumor in your organization. A true Wise Fool understands the difference between asking legitimate questions and constant complaining. They are usually well respected by their peers. They will challenge management and their peers seeking to improve the entire team. Wise Fools will rise to the top of the retrospective meeting discussion and raise thought provoking issues. A true Wise Fool is an important asset to have on your agile team if you are seeking continuous improvement.

You cannot assign the role of Wise Fool. This is a role that must rise from the ranks. If you don't have one on your team you can seek to hire characteristics for the Wise Fool - usually seasoned engineers who have seen it all before. Also remember that your organization must be willing to accept the criticism. You can foster this in your organization by cultivating behavior of speaking out and challenging group think.