Sprints to Habits.

As easy as 1,2,3

How to run a
habit-building
sprint
Copyright Bryan Cassady 2020
 Welcome…
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Introductions….
 • 11 Start-ups in 6 countries (8 winners, 1 loser, 2
unknown)
• Professor: 5 MBA programs (Innovation + Entrep)
Bryan Cassady
• Research : Addiction , Innovation Culture
• New Book CYCLES with 24 co-authors
• Certifications: 6 Sigma, Innovation Engineering,
Google Sprints, Exo Coach (in progress) , Tiny
Habits

1Innovation

3 2
Habits Sprints
Innovation + Sprints +
Habits
 Sprints are a great way to get behaviours
started. This is a discussion about how to best
turn these behaviours into long-term habits.

Context Too often the good behaviours started don’t

stick, so a common solution is to innovate
outside the core

I believe a better solution is a habit building

approach based on the latest science

1. After our talk, do you agree ?

2. Would new tools/ methods help ?

4 Questions 3. Could there be a market for these tools

/methods
4. Any interest in co-creation / development ”
Your Profile

If I got the
invitations right,
90% experts in
Sprints
AGENDA

1. Habits Introduction
2. 4 steps to build habits
3. Building habits with Sprints
4. A few ideas
5. Discussion

Note: this became more of a presentation than I wanted

Please ask questions, make comments in the chat
Download Link :
http://tiny.cc/habitswebPD
F
Behavior + Repetition +
Reinforcement

= Habits
 “a behaviour that's easier
to do than not to do and
something that happens
usually without thinking”
Mini Habits Stephen Guise- Author Mini-Habits
How much of what
we do is habit?
“… we can give reasons for most
of our actions, but the vast
majority happen automatically…

+/- 70% of what we do is right

brain driven and happens
automatically before we think
about it.

Our left brain then makes a

reason for what we did “
INNOVATION IS FAILING…

Innovation 94% are

80-90% of
is a top 5 unhappy
new
priority for with their
products/
70% of innovation
services fail
companies results

Source: McKinsey 2015

Every time someone innovates, there is an alternative.
A choice between business as usual and looking for
a better way.

Companies which succeed when

“looking for better way” is a habit.

12
PEOPLE’S HABITS ARE KILLING INNOVATON
Activity Minutes
Emails 116
Meetings 68
Reading news websites 65
Checking social media 44
Lunch 42
Discussing non-work-related things with co-workers 40
Searching for new jobs
Taking smoke breaks
26
23
Where is the
Making calls to partners or friends
Making hot drinks
18
17
time to think
Texting or instant messaging
Eating snacks
14
8
and work on
Making food in office
Other
7
20
new ideas?
Total Minutes 508

Hours 8,466666667

13
Source: Inc Study of 2000 workers in the US (2018) / Adobe Emails usage study 2018 13
 What do you need to make
innovation work

Purpose Passion Persistence

All of these things happen in a good sprint

 BUT …

8 times out of 10 times, when people

start with a new good behaviour,
they revert to the old bad habits
One Explanation…

It was not a habit

It got killed by the

Corporate immune system
 My view…
It was not a habit

The behaviour was not sustainable AND/OR

It was not facilitated AND/OR
It was not repeated AND/OR
It was not reinforced
And …

These behaviours might

still be killed by the
corporate immune system
MY RESEARCH

If change is gradual and if it is built on tiny-steps, any organization can

change. In my work with companies, the real key to success is change
over time. All companies build their innovation capacities over time…
and follow roughly the same process
Why objectivity is important
Overestimation is a common (very common) fault

87% of MBA students at Stanford University rated their academic performance as above the median
8/10 drivers say their driving skill is above average

Self Reported Innovation Readiness

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Stage 1 82% 61% 18% 10%
Actual Stage 2 14% 34% 46% 24%
Stage Stage 3 4% 3% 33% 43%
Stage 4 0% 2% 3% 23%
100% 100% 100% 100%

% Overestimate 0 61% 64% 77%

Accurate 82% 34% 33% 23%
% Underestimate 18% 5% 3% 0%
A sport analogy You can’t build a champion
player overnight. You gotta work
on the basics, then the
fundamentals, then advanced
skills.

If I want to teach someone how

to do a fade-away backhand
smash, the time to do this is
after they have a very strong
backhand.
 The big issue
In great sprints, people do
super-human things …
Behavior + Repetition +
Reinforcement

= Habits
Everything you really
need to know about
habit building in one
slide
 Details Secrets to success
What specific behavior you want to make Identify specific behaviors not aspirations. A
into a habit? behavior is something you can do right now or at
Step 1 Identify another specific point in time. An aspiration is
often a collection of behaviors.
Develop your skills (ability) and Motivating behavior seldom works. The starting
willingness to do the desired behavior point should be to build ability. Only when people
Step 2 Facilitate are able to do the behavior should you start with
motivation
Create environmental cues or triggers to Behavior only happens when we are able, willing
automatically perform the desired and get a trigger to take action. When people are
Step 3 Trigger behavior (Readiness). willing and able, identify specific cues/triggers to
get people to take action
When a behavior is happening you need to Reinforcement is the "secret sauce" of habit
reinforce it. creation. When people are doing the right
behaviors, they need to be reinforced. The best
Step 4
way to do this is to celebrate successes. This
Reinforcement celebration helps create the link. I am XXX, We are
XXX. This identity change in the foundation of
habits
Behaviour is the start of all
habits

Identify, then facilitate…

RESEARCH

The single most important thing

we have learned about habits
motivation is not enough
MOTIVATING PEOPLE DOESN’T WORK

The natural tendency is for leaders

to focus on motivating.

When companies announce new innovation

strategies, too many people see these actions as the
“flavor of the month.” Without the skills and systems
to make innovation happen, little changes.
Behaviour = Ready, Willing, Able

Ready: We have been cued or triggered to take action

Willing: We are willing to take action.
Able: We possess the necessary skills to take action.
 Behavioural
Threshold

Behaviour

Willingness
= No Behaviour ever Behaviour
(with trigger)

Ready
Willing No Behaviour
Able (ever)

Ability
Sink or Swim

You can be really motivated

But if you can’t swim and
you’re dropped off in the
ocean you will drown
 Behavioural
Threshold

Willingness
Even unlimited
motivation can
fail

Ability
 Behavioural
4-Step Process Threshold

4 Reinforce

Willingness
3
1. Identify Trigger

2. Facilitate
2
3. Trigger
Facilitate

4. Reinforce No Behaviour to build on

Habits not possible

Ability
 Step 2:
Facilitate Behaviour
How to FACILITATE BEHAVIOR

Start with Able

• Simplify goals
• Build ability
Then work on Willingness
• Make them successful
• Make them feel important
When Able and Willing, work on Readiness
ABILITY

If you don’t know how to swim, you’ll drown. If

your employees don’t know how to improve things,
they’ll try hard but inevitably fail

Note: Sprints are a great way to build ability.

Learning by doing = the best way to learn
YOU CAN ALSO START SMALL

Want to be a runner ?

Start by putting your shoes out

in the evening
And put them on in the
morning… then see if you run
WILLINGNESS

You cannot become a swimmer overnight. It takes

motivation. It also takes motivation

In Sprints we tend to focus on the big dream (MTP)

to build motivation .
That is important, but belief is more important
THE BEST WAY TO BUILD
WILLINGNESS IS TO MAKE
PEOPLE SUCCESSFUL

Success leads to success.

More importantly, the size of the success
doesn’t matter much.

SMALL
THE
SOLUTION = REGULAR
WINS
Example … creativity
The Impact of building the ability to create
Results of a 1-day training before create session

Pre-training Post-training

Number Willingness Number Willingness

Ideas 0-5 Ideas 0-5

Left Brain 48 2,4 132 3,8

Right Brain 100 3,8 120 4

A 3X fold increase in the number of ideas

And a dramatic increase in willingness
Step 3:
Trigger
 Behavioural
Step 2 Threshold

3 Reinforce

Repetition
Wins
Builds Ability
Build

Willingness
Motivation

Willingness
2
Trigger

Trigger

No Behaviour to build on
Habits not possible

Ability
Ability
AN EXAMPLE:

What we see What we think What we forget

Big feet Has been

Amazing talent practicing
Fish like features swimming
Natural born at 4 am for
swimmer 10 years!
44
READINESS

How do you get up at 4am? The first day is hard,

but after 275 days, the 276th is easy. Innovation
needs to be something that you do everyday

Most sprints are built around forcing moments

Time to talk, times to show
These types of triggers are critical
EXAMPLE : TRIGGERS

Almost anything works faster with a

deadline
• Inspiration days
• Pitch events The world’s largest
• Hackathons start-up training
• Daily stand-ups program (151 cities)

Moments of truth (they

call them forcing
moments) is their secret
sauce
 Step 4:
Behaviours to Habits
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF HABITS ARE:

How do you Turn Behaviour into Habits

Let Identity
Repetition
people win changes
LET PEOPLE WIN

Start small, let

people succeed. Do you have a place
With success comes where people succeed
a belief in ability, at innovation?
willingness and
identity changes.
REPETITION

Question :

We are what we do Do we do because that

repeatedly. Enough is who we are ?
repetition can make
most behaviours a Or we become what
habit we do ?
IDENTITY CHANGES

When you are a

William James swimmer, you swim

‘People tend to
When you’re an
become what innovator, you
they think about innovate.
themselves.’
Example … Tiny Habits
A 5-day program focused on tiny habits with celebration
Results with a reluctant (not volunteer) group of health workers
 Details Secrets to success
What specific behavior you want to make Identify specific behaviors not aspirations. A
into a habit? behavior is something you can do right now or at
Step 1 Identify another specific point in time. An aspiration is
often a collection of behaviors.
Develop your skills (ability) and Motivating behavior seldom works. The starting
willingness to do the desired behavior point should be to build ability. Only when people
Step 2 Facilitate are able to do the behavior should you start with
motivation
Create environmental cues or triggers to Behavior only happens when we are able, willing
automatically perform the desired and get a trigger to take action. When people are
Step 3 Trigger behavior (Readiness). willing and able, identify specific cues/triggers to
get people to take action
When a behavior is happening you need to Reinforcement is the "secret sauce" of habit
reinforce it. creation. When people are doing the right
behaviors, they need to be reinforced. The best
Step 4
way to do this is to celebrate successes. This
Reinforcement celebration helps create the link. I am XXX, We are
XXX. This identity change in the foundation of
habits
 Details Secrets to success
What specific behavior you want to make Identify specific behaviors not aspirations. A
into a habit? behavior is something you can do right now or at
Step 1 Identify another specific point in time. An aspiration is
often a collection of behaviors.
Develop your skills (ability) and Motivating behavior seldom works. The starting
willingness to do the desired behavior point should be to build ability. Only when people
Step 2 Facilitate are able to do the behavior should you start with
motivation
Create environmental cues or triggers to Behavior only happens when we are able, willing
automatically perform the desired and get a trigger to take action. When people are
Step 3 Trigger behavior (Readiness). willing and able, identify specific cues/triggers to
get people to take action
When a behavior is happening you need to Reinforcement is the "secret sauce" of habit
reinforce it. creation. When people are doing the right
behaviors, they need to be reinforced. The best
Step 4
way to do this is to celebrate successes. This
Reinforcement celebration helps create the link. I am XXX, We are
XXX. This identity change in the foundation of
habits
 Details Secrets to success
What specific behavior you want to make Identify specific behaviors not aspirations. A
into a habit? behavior is something you can do right now or at
Step 1 Identify another specific point in time. An aspiration is
often a collection of behaviors.
Develop your skills (ability) and Motivating behavior seldom works. The starting
willingness to do the desired behavior point should be to build ability. Only when people
Step 2 Facilitate are able to do the behavior should you start with
motivation
Create environmental cues or triggers to Behavior only happens when we are able, willing
automatically perform the desired and get a trigger to take action. When people are
Step 3 Trigger behavior (Readiness). willing and able, identify specific cues/triggers to
get people to take action
When a behavior is happening you need to Reinforcement is the "secret sauce" of habit
reinforce it. creation. When people are doing the right
behaviors, they need to be reinforced. The best
Step 4
way to do this is to celebrate successes. This
Reinforcement celebration helps create the link. I am XXX, We are
XXX. This identity change in the foundation of
habits
 Details Secrets to success
What specific behavior you want to make Identify specific behaviors not aspirations. A
into a habit? behavior is something you can do right now or at
Step 1 Identify another specific point in time. An aspiration is
often a collection of behaviors.
Develop your skills (ability) and Motivating behavior seldom works. The starting
willingness to do the desired behavior point should be to build ability. Only when people
Step 2 Facilitate are able to do the behavior should you start with
motivation
Create environmental cues or triggers to Behavior only happens when we are able, willing
automatically perform the desired and get a trigger to take action. When people are
Step 3 Trigger behavior (Readiness). willing and able, identify specific cues/triggers to
get people to take action
When a behavior is happening you need to Reinforcement is the "secret sauce" of habit
reinforce it. creation. When people are doing the right
behaviors, they need to be reinforced. The best
Step 4
way to do this is to celebrate successes. This
Reinforcement celebration helps create the link. I am XXX, We are
XXX. This identity change in the foundation of
habits
 Sprints
to build habits
 Habit Building is a 4-Step Process
Miss one step and you fail

Details Contribution of a Sprint Score

What specific behavior you want to make Alignment on the Sprint objectives and if an EXO
Step 1 Identify into a habit? sprint, agreement on MTP
Low

Learning by doing
Develop your skills (ability) and willingness
Step 2 Facilitate to do the desired behavior
Creation of a learning mindset High
Quick wins, build confidence and motivation
Create environmental cues or triggers to Daily stand-ups
Step 3 Trigger automatically perform the desired behavior Demo sessions Low
(Readiness). (During the Sprint)

Step 4 When a behavior is happening you need to Reinforced during the sprint, but usually not
Low
Reinforcement reinforce it. afterwards
Q:
How could we make every sprint
a habit building sprint ?

A:
Add strategic elements before,
during and after the sprint
60
 Idea # 1
(pre/during/post)

A data lake system

Academiclabs
ExoSprint Experts
New Experts

2 Match Data

4 5
Use
Data
1 Dump Data

3 Extend Data
A data lake plus alert systems

Pre-sprint Sprint Post Sprint

Activity Data collection Search Archives A place to store data

and analysis AI to identify themes Scrape and index external data

Use of Data lake Content analysis Areas for further research Ongoing indexing of new data
Data visualization

Output Identify Experts Stimulus for building ideas Notifications for future work
Identify themes for research

Budget : +/- 5K per company with analysis and training

 Idea # 2 (pre-sprint)

An innovation readiness
Assessment
What could be done before your Sprint (1)
Identify what changes are possible
An objective organizational assessment validated with over 500
companies
Deliverables
• Bright Spots
• Areas for improvement
• Likely corporate immune responses
• The best next step for the company now

Budget : +/- 1,5 K per company plus $50 / report

65
 One page summary INNOVATION READINESS ASSESSMENT
TEST

ATTITUDE, LEADERSHIP & CULTURE ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION

Look At Strengths To Build On: Creativity, Structure, Co-creation, 6.00
Autonomy
5.00
5.50 4.00
5.00 3.00
Structure Competitive
4.50 2.00
STEP 1 The Basics OK 1.00
4.00
Benchmark
Pay Particular Attention To 3.50
-
TEST

Strategy First 37 STEP 2 Build processes/procedures 3.00

2.50 Risk Taking Creativity

Hunger 32 Pay particular attention to 2.00
Desire / Hunger Philosophies
Philosophy 37 Speed 33
Benchmark TEST Proactivity
Learning Orientation * 23 Proactivity 43 STEP 3 Entrepreneurial Orientation
General systems 41 Pay particular attention to STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OPERATING PROCEDURES
If Issues, Fix Customer focus 11 Risk Taking 27
Future focus People processes
Strategy alignment Ecosystem Management 27 Clear what business we are in
7.00
6.00
Speed / Results Organizational
Innovation training If Issues, Fix Structure 79 Shared vision
focus 5.00 Design
Action = values 4.00
(For management and workers) All Stage 1 activities Creativity 60 Clear priorities 3.00
Benchmark
Match Innovation overall strat. 2.00
Innovation Events Moments of truth Top Support Innovation
Systems to select
Customer Focus
TEST
ideas
Invite Speakers Ask for ideas If Issues, Fix Align Targets
Strategy alignment (OVERALL)
Lean Start-up (learning training) Set up systems All Stage 1/2 activities Ecosystem
Co-creation
- 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 Management
External Events Accleration programs Ask for more ideas TEST Benchmark

Reward Proactivity Create Sessions Hackathons

LEARNING ORIENTATION INNOVATION & BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Coaching Ecosystem development
6.00
Tell them it is important and Innovation Sprints Celebrate risk taking 4.50
5.50 4.00
get them to believe … Reward Innovation Bring in Entrepreneurs 5.00
3.50
----------- Reward Innopreneurship 4.50
3.00
4.00
* learning orientation is a complied score of Ask for ideas, push for speed 3.50
2.50
Commitment to Learning, Knowledge Sharing and
Open Minded Build ideas and systems to test Expect Entrepreneurship, bring in 3.00 2.00

1.50
entrepreneurs/ partners to shake things up 2.50

2.00 1.00
Commitment to Learning Knowledge Sharing Open Minded InnovationResults Business Results
Benchmark TEST Benchmark TEST

Percentile Overall Score 38

Score Strengths Creativity, Structure, Co-creation, Desire / Hunger 32
Philosophies 37

38 Weaknesses
Autonomy, Risk Taking, Customer Focus,
Ecosystem Management, Systems to select
Autonomy
Competitive
Creativity
11
52
60
ideas, Commitment to Learning, Open Minded, Proactivity 43
Risk Taking 27
Structure 79
More Information Strategy alignment 37
People processes 54
This report was developed via a collaboration between many experts in Innovation. Organizational Design 43
Customer Focus 11
Co-creation 93
Ecosystem Management 27
Speed / Results focus 33
Systems to select ideas 15
Commitment to Learning 10
Knowledge Sharing 49
For more information on the study, please contact Open Minded 10
Bryan Cassady : + 32 475 860 757 / [email protected]

Idea # 3 (pre-sprint)

Alignment tools /
workshops
What could be done before your Sprint (2)
Get more clarity on objective during and after the Sprint
An alignment workshop

Deliverables
• Mission
• JTBD Better clarification of overall
• Business model objectives and the role of the
Sprint
• Cultural targets
• And most importantly TRUE NORTH objectives

Budget : 2,5 K + travel

Train the trainer also possible
68
Idea # 4 (During Sprint)

A collection of tools /
methods / trainings
What could added be during the Sprint

I think the tools are

already well developed

It might make sense to

collect trainings and
tools from a wide range
of coaches

Budget :
$ 100 - $ 300
71
Idea # 5 (Post-Sprint)

A habit building
workshop
What could added be after the Sprint

A half-day habit building workshop

• A more detailed version of this
presentation
• A workshop showing how to make
“habit recipes”
• A kick off to get commitment to first
habits

Budget : Per training 2,5 K + travel

Train the trainer also possible
73
Idea # 6 (Post-Sprint)

Tiny Habits for

Innovation
 Over 100 Habit Recipes
Tiny is mighty focused on all aspects
of Innovation
Get people started
small tiny habits and
let them grow

Budget : 1,5 K set-up; 2,5 K per week

Training built in…
And the system can be customized

Using this system, 1 coach can follow

up with 100 habit builders per week
 Idea # 7 (Post-Sprint)

Standardized follow-up
tools
 Project Kickoff Meeting
90 Minutes to Launch an Innovation Project
into Cycles of Learning
10:00 Review Team Roles & Responsibilities
Standardized project kick-off 20:00 Review Idea for Clarity
30:00 Key Risks Analysis
And follow-up tools 20:00 Build Learning Plan
10:00 Review Next Meeting's Agenda

To keep the pressure on Project Update Meeting

45 Minutes to Update Management on
Learnings related to your Innovation Project
10:00 Discuss Learning from the Week
10:00 Make a Decision about the Project
10:00 Update the Idea
15:00 Plan Specific Next Steps

Budget : 1,5K / day

Train the trainer also possible
Idea # 8 (Post-Sprint)

Follow-up training to
keep building ability
 Manage
Value Value
Title Title ment /
Creation Capture
Systems
Ready, Willing And Able: A Habit Building Approach To
Incl Make Innovation Happen !   

Select 4 OR 9 of the following

1 8 Ways To Do Better Mentoring 
2 A Systems View Of Change Management   
3 Building A Culture For Innovation Success   
4 Business Model Innovation  
5 Buzz Marketing - Using Social Media Effectively  
6 Co-Creation- Building Value Together   
7 Customer Focused Innovation Research  
FOLLOW-UP TRAININGS 8 Execution - Getting Things Done   
9 Forecasting And Business Planning 
10 Innovation Ecosystem Development   
11 Innovation Portfolios   
12 Investing In Innovation   
13 Market Timing- When To Be First Or Second  
14 People And Teams For Innovation Success 
15 Pitch Workshop   
16 Pricing For Value And Profits  
17 Rethinking Market Research  
18 Speed - New Thoughts On An Old Idea   
19 Strategic Thinking For New Products   
20 The Power Of Theory   
21 The Science Of Innovation- Facts And Best Practices   
Budget : Per training 2,5 K + travel 22 Up to 1 new workshop tailored to your organization
Train the trainer also possible
 Your thoughts ?
Too often the good behaviours started don’t stick, so a common
solution is to innovate outside the core

I believe a better solution is a habit building approach based on the

latest science

My questions for you…

1. After our talk, do you agree ?

2. Would new tools/ methods help ?
3. Could there be a market for these tools /methods
4. Any interest in co-creation / development
(and a special offer to take part in a tiny habits program)
To get a conversation started, could I ask you to take 3 minutes
to fill in this form: http://tiny.cc/eventfb

I will share the results and then let’s talk some more
 Download Link : http://tiny.cc/habitswebPDF
Resources
About me: www.bryancassady.com
Research: The Science of Innovation (http://tiny.cc/scienceofinnovation )
My Book: https://www.bryancassady.com/author/
Innovation Readiness Assessment: www.fast-bridge.net/innovready/
Sample Report : LINK

Habit Building
Atomic Habits, James Clear (LINK)
Tiny Habits, BJ Fogg (LINK)
Draft habits lecture: http://tiny.cc/drafthabitslecture

Try the tiny habits system: https://www.tinyhabits.com/join

25 minute start, 3 min per day
Credits
This graphic is inspired by work done by BJ Fogg