Mob Anti-Patterns Explained: Fly on the Wall, Runaway Driver, and More with James Herr
From The Mob Mentality Show by The Mob Mentality Show
November 4, 2025 · 42 min · Episode 320
About this episode
The episode explores anti-patterns in mob programming with insights from James Herr.
In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we sit down with James Herr from Flexion to explore the dark side of mob programming — the anti-patterns that quietly erode collaboration, learning, and flow in your team.From the “Fly on the Wall” who silently observes but never joins in, to the “Runaway Driver” who takes control and goes rogue, and the “Knee-High Navigator” who dictates every keystroke, these relatable scenarios shine a light on what can go wrong during mob or ensemble programming sessions — and, we share some potential experiments ideas to address them.James shares real-world insights from years of ensemble experience, walking through the subtle behaviors and team dynamics that lead to these anti-patterns. The discussion moves beyond surface-level symptoms to uncover psychological safety, learning theft, and communication habits that make or break mobbing success.You’ll learn:- What causes common mob programming anti-patterns — and how to recognize them early- Practical techniques to help newcomers integrate smoothly without being overwhelmed- How to use “strong-style” collaboration and mini-retros to restore balance in a team- When to “let it cook” vs. when to…
People in this episode
Host: The Mob Mentality Show
Guest: James Herr
Topics covered
- mob programming
- anti-patterns
- team dynamics
- collaboration
- psychological safety
- learning
- communication
Keywords
- mob programming
- anti-patterns
- Fly on the Wall
- Runaway Driver
- team dynamics
- psychological safety
- strong-style collaboration
- onboarding
- communication habits
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Flexion
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- Collaborative Software Design in Practice: Kenny (Baas) Schwegler on DDD, EventStorming, and Real Team Learning · January 27, 2026 · 49 min
- Applying TDD and XP in Graphical, Binary, and Legacy Codebases with Sam Taggart · January 13, 2026 · 40 min
- Fully Engaged Mob vs Disengaged Mob: How Team Engagement Directly Impacts Software Delivery · January 6, 2026 · 19 min
- Escape Room Style Mobbing · December 9, 2025 · 24 min
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