Podcast appearances and mentions of adam ulery

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by his colleague and friend, Adam Ulery, to talk about product backlogs.   In this episode, Dan and Adam explore the recent patterns showing interesting ways of using Agile terms, as it is an example nowadays that people call product backlogs the source of requirements for the Team, they discuss today the challenges that may arise as a result of this misinterpretation.   Key Takeaways What are product backlogs? And why they are not just the source of requirements. A product backlog is a list of all the things that will be needed for product development. If you consider product backlogs the source of requirements, then the only action that can be taken is to deliver them, not leaving any room for creativity or flexibility. No new alternatives seem to be welcomed if “the requirements” are already set. The product backlog often grows when items are added (this is one main distinction from a list of requirements). Where's the commitment point? Adam advises differing that commitment point as far into the future as possible so the Team can make the best decision that they can. Don't forget the learning component. We are building to learn, always trying to learn and to use that knowledge to inform what we do next. We always update our plans based on what we are learning. Do Teams have to have a hierarchical structure with epic and features? Adam explains how this became a trend over time. There is a need to organize the work to show to the client, but when encountering unexpected work that needs to be done, it does not need to appear in the user story format since it is simply not valuable.   Mentioned in this Episode: The Art of Prayer, Kenneth E. Hagin   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!  

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by his colleague and repeated guest, Adam Ulery.   In this episode, Dan and Adam are exploring the true meaning of being Agile, which is often a subject of discussion. Dan recently found the work of two researchers named Corey Baham and Rudy Hirschheim on the theoretical cores of Agile which provides valuable information about the identity of Agile.   Key Takeaways What does Agile mean? The four cores of the Theoretical model on Agility in the mentioned research are validity, inspection and adaptation, working collaboratively, and continuous customer involvement. Going superficially vs. deeply into Agile: A superficial approach is when people go through the motions or practice Agile behaviors and activities, maybe not fully understanding the reason why they are doing what they are doing or the benefits implied. Going deeper into Agile means seeking a better understanding of the reasons behind your behavior. Agility at the Team level: An example of a superficial approach to Agile can be when a person is named the product owner, then he/she gets a list of tasks to do, and maybe even is required to check before doing anything. There are cases when the new product owner also takes on the new role on top of a previous list of accountabilities, resulting in a very superficial approach to the functions. Not going beyond the functions of your role can also be a superficial way to execute a role. A deep way to develop the role is to begin to understand its true purpose and to remove the barriers preventing the achievement of those goals. The whole Team must be aligned when the priorities change. The environment has to add value to the Scrum framework. A tight partner of alignment is discipline; the team has to say no to the things they shouldn't be working on. At the leadership level, the Scrum values have to be deeply understood. Superficially, a leader has a general understanding of Agile, more in terms of a process, another way to manage projects. An Agile Leader has an understanding of Agile as an effective tool to help the organization to achieve the outcomes it wants.  An Agile Leader removes the impediments for the Team to exercise the Agile values. The whole Team must be aligned when the priorities change. Change isn't easy. The whole Team must be aligned when the priorities change. To experience great rewards you have to put in the effort and go through the pain.   Mentioned in this Episode: “Issues, challenges, and a proposed theoretical core of Agile Software Development Research,” by Corey Baham and Rudy Hirschheim Lead from the Future: How to Turn Visionary Thinking Into Breakthrough Growth, by Mark W. Johnson and Josh Suskewicz   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by Adam Ulery for the first episode of 2023. In this episode, they are talking about new beginnings and how they are the perfect opportunity to plan forward and set intentions for the future. Adam and Dan dive deep into the importance of goal setting and how to do it in the most effective way possible.   Key Takeaways Goal setting: It is important to set and reset goals when one cycle ends and another begins. Sometimes New Year's resolutions don't last long. A key element to achieving goals and being happy with your performance is just being intentional. Even if you don't achieve the goal, the benefit is the learning opportunities you found through the process. Most of the time, preparing for goal setting is about taking the time to reflect and process your thoughts about what it is that you are trying to achieve. Take action! SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. When does a goal need to be reset? Reassess your goals at the end of each cycle. Measure along the way so you know where you are. These metrics are fundamental to knowing where your performance is around the goal. How Teams and Individuals can be more effective in reaching their goals: Allocate capacities for each goal. Remember to be intentional about your goals. Team members have to hold each other mutually accountable. Surround yourself with high performers and your performance will elevate as well.   Mentioned in this Episode: The Way of a Pilgrim and A Pilgrim Continues His Way, Olga Savin   “How agile software development methods reduce work exhaustion: Insights on role perceptions and organizational skills”, Viswanath Venkatesh, James Y. L. Thong, Frank K. Y. Chan, Hartmut Hoehle, and Kai Spohrer   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by Adam Ulery, Eric Landes, Andrea Floyd, Erica Menendez, and Kris Chavious. In this episode, they are celebrating Thanksgiving by sharing what they are thankful for from an Agile Perspective.   Key Takeaways Adam is thankful for the great people he met in the Agile Community and for Dan for making this podcast! Andrea is reflecting on the previous year and shows her appreciation for those who show up with curiosity. Eric is thankful for being able to coach with two special colleagues. Kris stops to appreciate his Agile colleagues, their unique perspectives, and how they teach each other while respecting each other's opinions. Erica is thankful for the Scrum Values, to have them, and to be able to use them in everyday life.   Mentioned in this Episode: No: The Only Negotiating System You Need for Work and Home, by Jim Camp   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by Adam Ulery to discuss the topic of accountability. In this episode, they address the concept of accountability that could sometimes be misunderstood and even carries some misconceptions.   Adam and Dan talk today about how leaders can foster accountability in organizations and which practices are the most effective to support this work. During this insightful conversation, they dive deep into the meaning and extends of ownership, setting clear expectations, and the value of honoring vulnerability as a necessary exercise to avoid the fear of making mistakes.   Key Takeaways Is accountability negative? Many people treat the concept of accountability as if it is negative, but it actually is very positive, once it is experienced in a high-performing Team. Accountability can be disguised in blame in some unhealthy Team environments. Fear in an organization makes it hard for it to foster accountability. Fearing failure is counterproductive since making mistakes is the way for humans to grow. Making a good decision doesn't necessarily lead to a good outcome and sometimes bad decisions end up in a good result. Accountability is ownership. Owning your decisions and part in the decision-making is showing accountability. Accountability is to be willing to face the consequences that come with the outcome, success or failure. Accountability is also doing what you said you would do. Leaders must model accountability. Leaders must be honest with themselves and be vulnerable in order to encourage those behaviors in others. Leaders can increase the level of accountability in an organization by empowering people to succeed, giving them the resources they need, expecting them to take action, and then making it safe for them to make mistakes. Can people negotiate what can they be accountable for? It is important to communicate expectations clearly in order to align people with them. Open communication is vital since it allows a mutual understanding of where ownership begins and where it ends. The SBI Model is great to build accountability. The SBI model is one of the most effective to provide positive and negative feedback. Saying how something made you feel is a way of modeling vulnerability.   Mentioned in this Episode: Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts, by Annie Duke  SBI Model Listen to Episode 35 for more about the SBI Model Leading Change, John P. Kotter   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

Most often than not, people who are in real estate will tell you that one of their goals in pursuing a real estate business is to achieve financial freedom. In today's #Highlights episode, we look back at our conversations with real estate entrepreneurs Tim Bratz of CLE Turnkey Real Estate and Adam Ulery of Dreamstone Investments. The two talk about their journey in real estate and how they were able to achieve financial freedom.Tim shares how he shifted from renovating residential houses to renovating apartments after realizing that's where the majority of his net worth came from. Meanwhile, Adam explains why servant leadership is important, how he got himself out of a scarcity mindset by surrounding himself with the right people, and how having an abundance mindset positively affects all areas of his life. Listen now and start your path to financial freedom today!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by three of his Agile colleagues, Erik Lindgren, Hal Hogue, and Adam Ulery.   In this episode, they discuss a common question with respect to Teams: Should we choose long-running Teams or dynamically formed ones? These four Agile colleagues share today valuable examples on how to form Teams and practical ways to help Teams succeed at delivering high-value products.   Key Takeaways Advantages of long-lived cross-functional Teams: Teams get to know each other better and build relationships. Teams have working agreements that make them more effective. Stability! Much less coordination is needed. Cons of long-lived Teams: There is not much flexibility. There is the risk of losing alignment with the rest of the organization. What to do when someone's professional goals push them in a different direction? A Team could be kept together as long as possible but eventually, changes will happen. We always need to look for ways for people to grow professionally. What to consider when Teams are changing. Keep the Team involved with the decisions that are being made. When Teams change, the Team might be needing a skill that isn't available. Change is inevitable, be prepared for them. What are the Team creation methods that work best? A formal Team-forming workshop sets up Teams nicely for success, developing shared values. Having a clear understanding of the type of work that the Team will be going after and based on that, finding the matched skills and competencies to that type of work. Allow self-organization to happen. Establish what is going to be created first in order to set up a Team; those Teams tend to grow organically. Choosing a Team's name can help people feel they belong and gives them the ability to become part of something bigger than themselves. Why not both long-run and dynamically formed Teams? Decide with your colleagues what can work better, encouraging self-organized Teams, since it is always positive to decide how the Team wants to be organized for the task in question. The core of Agility is focusing on individuals and interactions. When to form a new Team? If you have some special project or initiative that may require deep specialties in an area. Some Teams can come together to innovate in a particular area.   Mentioned in this Episode: Listen to “Podcast Ep. 5: Exploring an Experimental Mindset with Adam Ulery”   Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, Tantum Collins, David Silverman, and Chris Fussell   Netflix Documentary, The Last Dance   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by Adam Ulery to explore the topic of scaled approaches independent of embracing an industry framework. In this episode, Dan and Adam are discussing scaling without adopting an Agile framework like SAFe. They share the reasons organizations use industry frameworks to scale, dive deep into the characteristics of SAFe and other frameworks, and describe the principles that need to be prioritized while scaling, such as Clarity of Vision, Goal Alignment, Frequent Delivery of Value, Planning and Coordination, and Transparency.   Key Takeaways SAFe is the most popular Agile framework for leading enterprises because it works; it's trusted, customizable, and sustainable. Why do people want to use an industry framework to start with? People choose an industry framework to start with because they recognize and feel familiar with something that is out there in the market. There is a script to follow, so people don't have to think about the complicated parts; it is already done for them. When to look for another scaling framework that is not SAFe? When the scaling framework doesn't work for the client, based on where they are at the moment. Dan and Adam share an example to describe the situation where certain frameworks would not be of use. The model can't be against the organizational structure. Principles around how an organization can scale: Clarity of Vision: Make sure there is a good vision for the groups that are involved in the change, clearly expressing the purpose and goal behind the everyday work. Goal Alignment: Capture the vision and create an alignment of goals that promotes it. Aligning strategy to execution is an enormous tool. Frequent Delivery of Value: Teams learn by delivering value and receiving feedback, which helps coordinating and planning the next step. Transparency: Practicing transparency is key in a scaling process, especially when things get more complicated. Technologies involved in scaling must be aligned; coherence is crucial.   Mentioned in this Episode: Back Mechanic, by Dr. Stuart McGill Thinking Orthodox: Understanding and Acquiring the Orthodox Christian Mind, Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by two of his colleagues, Adam Ulery and Kris Chavious.   In this episode, Dan, Adam, and Kris are answering a listener who asked about the Dos and Don'ts of a Scrum Master. They cover topics such as culture, how to handle time boxes, meetings, and the challenging role of a Scrum Master removing impediments, among others.   Key Takeaways ● Dos for a Scrum Master: ○ As a Scrum Master, you bring the culture to the team. People share more when they are comfortable; a light and energetic atmosphere is important. ○ Get to know the people on your team. ○ A Scrum Master needs to be the positive force to the team. ○ Joke around! Make work fun. ○ How do you level down the stress in teams? Incorporate personal stories to lighten things up or play music (instrumental if there are activities to be done). ● Dos and Don'ts related to time boxes: ○ Some people may not understand what that means. ○ Time boxes are a maximum point but if you finish earlier it's just fine. ○ Don't be authoritarian about the time box. ○ Be mindful of the time box, but make sure to leave some time for people to share if something is pending or needs to be addressed in a future meeting. ● The Role of a Scrum Master removing impediments: ○ Enabling and facilitating are roles of the Scrum Master but he is not responsible for solving all the problems. ○ A Scrum Master needs to bring thinking tools to the team and know how to ask questions in order to achieve a solution. ● Don't unnecessarily schedule meetings! ● Scrum Masters shouldn't be an extreme micromanager. ○ You don't have to be on your team every day, we are all professionals. There are mechanisms set to see the progress of the work every day. ● As a Scrum Master, you sometimes have to have uncomfortable conversations. ○ Don't tolerate damaging behavior, address it right away!   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by two of his Agile Coach's colleagues, Andrea Floyd and Adam Ulery.   In this episode, Dan, Andrea, and Adam are answering a listener's question who is just entering the role of a Scrum Master in the organization he works for and realized that it's going through the consequences of a lack of the application of the ADKAR model. This listener asks for help in order to prevent his team from completely crashing and burning with the adoption of the SAFe methodology tasked by the leadership.   Key Takeaways A safe Scaled Agile framework. When looking for a safe way to scale, visit Scaled Agile Framework where you can find lots of information and an implementation road map for different organizations to implement. Change will affect everyone on the Team. Training is necessary for all individuals to understand how change is going to impact them. SAFe is a framework; there are other tools to complement it. Look for opportunities to create organic learning groups. What is the tiebreaker between the roles of a Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Engineering? Engage the community to have a collaborative conversation about what will make the best impact for the desired outcome. Who has the tiebreaker? That depends on the topic of the change involved, it could be the Scrum Master or the Product Owner. The Scrum Master needs to help in guiding the practices and the processes around Scrum. It is crucial to have working agreements and an explicit understanding of who is responsible for what domain and area. To script the opening move is one strategy to making changes. Understanding accountabilities for each role is key for a successful change. Is there a change management plan template or some best practices to show the “why” for the process? How do you make people want to change? Create excitement by helping people understand how the change benefits them and why change is happening. The implementation roadmap at Scaled Agile Framework is a very useful resource, all needed modifications can be done to fit your organization's needs. Visit LACE to learn how to create a Lean-Agile Center of Excellence. Tips for change agents to help them build some transparency: Always come from a place of humbleness and curiosity in the way you are approaching change. Empathy is a needed skill when confronting change. When you first start something it always feels a little chaotic and the human normal reaction is to go back to what is familiar; use empathy to understand this feeling; just be human.   Mentioned in this Episode: Scaled Agile Framework LACE Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours, by Shirzad Chamine Scrum Guide Kanban: Successful Evolutionary Change for Your Technology Business (aka “blue book”) A Simpler Intro to Kanban Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by Adam Ulery to continue the conversation in regard to Organizational Change. In the previous episode, they discussed the first two steps proposed by the ADKAR Model for Change Management (Awareness and Desire), and today they follow with Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement.   Key Takeaways What does Knowledge Building look like? Training and education are needed to help people get the knowledge they are going to need to be successful in this change. The mindset component is a major part of an Agile Transformation; this mindset involves a different way to approach business and the delivery of a product. Dan and Adam talk about the “Follow the rules” approach. There has to be some knowledge acquisition before “learning by doing.” Formal training is very helpful (videos, books, classroom training). A potential pitful is not giving adequate time or resources to allow the knowledge acquisition to really take place. See one, do one, teach one. When someone teaches others they start to learn what they are teaching in a better way. Knowledge and Ability are tied together. Knowing something needs to go along with being able to do it. Acquiring more knowledge and improving abilities grow together. Feedback is crucial to increasing someone's ability to solve a problem. Failing safely is part of learning. Adam and Dan share on gradually increasing knowledge and ability from an enterprise perspective within a safe environment that fosters change. The Reinforcement piece. Celebrate examples of the change. Be happy and excited about the change. By reinforcing you are creating more awareness! Rewarding people is necessary. (Bonuses matter!) Public celebrations and peer-to-peer recognition are effective ways of reinforcement.   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by Adam Ulery to accompany you on Christmas Eve in an Agile way. This time of the year is for reflection, to be grateful about the blessing of the year as well as a time to think about what wants to be changed and improved.   This episode is the first of two where Adam and Dan talk about organizational change management and present the steps involved in the ADKAR Method: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement as they dive deep into the first two steps: Awareness and Desire.   Key Takeaways Annual goals or New Year's resolutions? Time for reflection and forward planning. New Year's resolutions tend to be pleading kinds of decisions and they tend to be abandoned during the year. Organizational Change Management. Real change management is needed to achieve effective change. ADKAR Method: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. Waterfall Project Management. If you don't understand the change or the need for it, you won't support it. What is the nature of the change? People really need to understand why the change is necessary (Awareness). Top leadership needs to communicate how the change is aligned with the direction and the strategy of the company. What are some ways of building Awareness? There needs to be Awareness of the nature of the change. Marketing people can be in charge of the communication of the change as well as HR. In-person events are important to communicate change. Awareness building even before there is a brand to build. One-on-one conversations are useful to anticipate the change coming. Awareness is the key first step (and it's surprising how often this step is skipped). Desire: Why should I change the tasks that I do on an everyday basis? Dan tells a professional experience about change, awareness, and desire. Long feedback loops are obstacles and cause struggle; shortening them provides tremendous value. How can you build desire for people “in the middle”? Help them think about their personal goals, ambitions, and aspirations and explain some of the benefits involved in the upcoming change.   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by six collaborators to this very special episode in which the third year anniversary of the Agile Coaches' Corner is being celebrated! In this episode, Ola Tunde, Steve Sladoje, Adam Ulery, Erica Menendez, Andrea Floyd, and Quincy Jordan are sharing their experiences during this last year, they are talking about the challenges and discoveries of working remotely, and how the future looks like now that we all find ourselves living a “new normal” as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. Special thanks and appreciation to all listeners and collaborators who have been following and allowing Agile Coaches' Corner to turn three years of age!   Key Takeaways ● Thoughts about remote working. ○ We lived in a virtual world that now is turning hybrid. ○ Sometimes pivoting and changing can be challenging, but the faster you adapt to the changes, the better. ○ There is no replacement for in-person interactions, but seeing people on camera is better than just voice. ● Is the remote nature impeding Agility principles? ○ Face-to-face interaction also includes video. ○ You can still be engaged with customers and stakeholders by being visible and present, they need to know that your productivity hasn't declined. ● What does trust look like in a remote work situation? ○ Being trusted in remote working is directly related to how you manage expectations. ○ To promote trust increase communication and make sure that your calendar matches it too. ○ Forge relationships with people. ○ Trust is an essential foundation for enabling teams to be self-organizing and self-managing. ● The Agile Manifesto states that the most effective communications are the ones that happen face-to-face, how has this changed in our current reality? ○ Nothing beats the richness of communicating face-to-face, but effective communication can be achieved if we are flexible. ○ There is a need to relook at ways of successful communication, we need to use preexisting enablers and get more creative. ● How have videos helped to enable better communication? ○ Not everyone can use video and still effective communication can be reached. ○ The constant use of screens can challenge our abilities to stay focused and really be present. ● Finding the right place to work remotely can be a challenge. ○ Everyone should have their own designated space to work. ● Where can things go from here? Are we going back to the “traditional” collaboration tools? ○ The technology that was developed and put into practice during the pandemic can be incorporated into the work back at the office. ● How can leadership embrace the “new normal”? ○ We should not hurry into going back to the office since there are plenty of advantages in remote working; communication, collaboration, and effectiveness are reached without the costs, risks, and expenses of working from the office.   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by a recurrent guest, Adam Ulery, to talk about the importance of aligning strategy with execution as a necessary step to reach the top-level vision at an organization. The lack of alignment between strategy and execution is often seen among leadership teams and portfolio management teams and is manifested in program and delivery teams as well. This deficiency is mostly perceived as a symptom, not realizing that is the root cause.   In this episode, Dan and Adam discuss some of the root causes of the lack of alignment, they share strategies to organizations that are lacking alignment, and they dive deep into how to measure if a company is moving closer or farther from its strategy in order to enable accountability in every sector of the organization.   Key Takeaways What does the lack of alignment between strategy and execution look like? The team is not sure what to work on. The team feels it is not getting clear direction on the objectives. Heads of organizations might not be in agreement  There are serious consequences as a result of the lack of alignment between teams; one of them is having too much work in process (since the team is not rejecting the job that does not strictly align with the organization's vision). The Root Causes for lack of alignment: If there is no strategy it is impossible to align to it. Having a strategy that is not coherent, clear, well written, or there isn't an understanding on how to execute on it. The leadership team doesn't have a clear understanding of the strategy. Sometimes strategies are too broad or too complex to be meaningful. Undermining the strategy by executives that don't agree with it. The strategy is not communicated effectively. How to begin aligning strategy and execution? First, the organization needs to create a strategy if it doesn't have one.  If there is a strategy, make sure it is clear or clarify it. Ask yourself: Are we committed to this strategy? Are we executing it? Understanding the deviations from the strategy is part of becoming accountable. Celebrate those who show behaviors that prove an alignment with the strategy. How does an organization measure if they are moving closer or farther away from the strategy to help enable accountability? Establish value-based measures and consistently use them. Pay attention to key results, not to the activity. Reinforce the collaboration between verticals and horizontals. A periodic inspection is necessary. What can somebody closer to a team level do in the absence of a clear strategy? Ask questions, be curious, talk openly about this in a productive way. Make visible that there is no alignment between strategy and execution.   Mentioned in this Episode: Listen to Episode 138: “Strategic vs. Tactical Decisions and Actions with Adam Ulery”   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by return guest, and Senior Consultant in AgileThought's Innovate line of service, Adam Ulery! Adam is a perpetually curious, continuous learner who is always willing to encourage others to try new things (as he very often does himself). He is very focused on helping organizations clarify and meet their business outcomes, and he loves to help companies become resilient and rediscover their curiosity.   In this episode, they are exploring the topic of strategic vs. tactical decisions and actions in agility. Adam explains why it is important to make this distinction; why, as leaders, we need to be focused on strategy more than tactics; the key differences between a strategic and tactical perspective; and tips, techniques, and advice for navigating strategy vs. tactics.   Key Takeaways Why is it important to distinguish between strategic vs. tactical decisions and actions? With the distinction, leaders will often focus too much on the tactics and not enough on the strategy or strategic duties Organizations are often focused on the tactical details of what's happening in their business and less on the strategy — distinguishing between the two allow for a more healthy/appropriate balance Why is focusing more on tactics rather than strategy bad? What are common anti-patterns? As a leader, you shouldn't be too involved in the micro-details of what to do to fix an issue (instead, let the people closest to the work do the work) As a leader, you should be focusing on the higher-level leadership activities rather than getting granular on what the experts should be doing on a micro-level If you're too focused on the details of what your team is doing, you're slowing down the decision-making Employees that are being watched/queried by a higher-level leader are going to end up slowing down and deferring to them to make decisions where they don't need to (which eventually leads to demotivation down the line) If the leader continues to operate in this way (of micro-managing) the employees don't have the time to cultivate and nurture the competencies and higher skills needed to be self-sufficient Focusing on tactics more takes eyes off of meeting the strategic outcomes that are desired Instead of focusing on: “Does the team have the right priorities?” focus on: “Is what we're putting out to market this month aligned with our organizational goals?” Leaders should be focusing on higher-level things (i.e. business outcomes and ensuring they are aligned to the organization's strategy) Focusing on tactics as a leader also takes eyes off of improving the system in which people are working (for example: building customer loyalty by delivering what they need quickly and reliably) If leaders are focusing on embracing technical excellence and the small details of how to actually get those activities coordinated and executed on, then they're not focusing on the higher-level strategy of building customer loyalty or the long-term view If leaders are getting in the trenches and focusing on low-level things, it distracts them from being able to think about long-range goals The differences between a strategic and tactical perspective: A tactical perspective is shorter-range and a strategic perspective is longer-range If you're a leader, you add value by executing on the strategy, creating vision, and growing your people On the operational level, you add value by “doing the thing”/executing on deliverables Neither is better than the other; it's just about how you want to add value, where you're focusing, and where you want to spend your time Tips for how to navigate strategy vs. tactics: Leaders need to work on their fears associated with letting go of control and do what they need to do in order to let others take control and be self-sufficient Leaders need to enable and equip their people by making sure that they are competent and skilled before they take control (if you give control at the wrong point, you risk massive downsides) As a leader, allow your people to be accountable (and teach them how to be accountable); and as they build their skills, competencies, and they're able to take over; let them be accountable As a leader, it is your duty to make sure that everyone knows what the strategy is and that they understand it (because it is hard to align to a strategy if you don't know what it is) Do introspection, self-study, look in and analyze your own behavior and actions as a leader — are you too “in the weeds” with tactics?   Mentioned in this Episode: Adam Ulery's LinkedIn Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders, by L. David Marquet Agile Coaches' Corner Ep. 135: “Exploring Velocity: What is It? How Do We Measure It? How Can We Leverage It?” Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days, by Jake Knapp Stanford d.school   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

Most literature around starting an agile (or scrum) team makes the assumption that you will be starting from scratch. But oftentimes, you're joining an organization with teams that are in the middle of a half-built or fully-built product.   As an agile coach being brought into an organization, you usually have to work with pre-existing teams that are in the middle of their product life cycle with pre-existing behaviors and norms. In this episode, Dan and Sam are exploring what it is actually like starting in the middle of an agile journey and offer their tips and advice for agile coaches in addressing common challenges associated with pre-formed teams, products in the middle of their life cycle, and organizations already in the middle of their agile journey.   Key Takeaways The different ways you can be “in the middle”: In the middle of an agile journey In the middle of team formation (or by working with an already fully-formed team) In the middle of building a product A combination of all three Addressing challenges of joining a team that is in the middle: There needs to be a mindset shift around the whole team being accountable (rather than each individual for themselves) When a team already has its behaviors and norms established, they can be nervous with new roles and expectations being introduced It is important to respect the team's history and knowledge Scrum doesn't say “abandon your job titles,” rather, ‘‘You work out how you want your team to look. As long as you can get to done.” (i.e. it's okay to stick with your original job titles as long as you remember that you're all in this together as a team; not individuals) Those in senior positions (i.e. those with more expertise and experience) should shift into a mentorship role for those junior to them Recognize that the team is going to have to take smaller bites at the apple every sprint instead of taking on these huge challenges that will take months Create safety by delivering in smaller chunks Do regression testing more often Slow down and automate the old stuff Addressing challenges of a product life cycle that is in the middle: Sometimes, adding value to the product might be in removing features that nobody (or few people) use, that are slowing down the delivery of new features that people will use If it's expensive and not giving your team/organization a return on investment, reevaluation should take place around why you are spending money to maintain this feature Look at value investments from a product standpoint even when you're not starting a new product from scratch A challenge with jumping into products in the middle is that the strategy has been laid out in a fairly plan-driven way (the requirements are largely thought to be understood) “Scope creep” isn't actually a monster; it's a friend that helps you have a better understanding of your requirements Bring users in earlier and ask for feedback earlier (this helps get users engaged, interested; you're able to correct course mid-flight to create something that users actually want) You don't have to wait until a sprint to adjust Addressing challenges of joining an organization that is in the middle of its agile journey: This usually takes the form of A) the organization has tried to do an agile transformation themselves and now recognize they need help, or B) they had a consultant or coach come in previously, dismissed them when they thought they were done, everything went off the rails, and now they need to bring in another consultant once again to fix it “[Agile is] a journey; not a destination. So we have to continue going [forward]. I think it's actually a misnomer to say that we, [as agile coaches], come in in the middle of an agile journey. It's all middle. Once you take that first step, it's ‘middle' for the rest of time.” Agile journeys take a long time; there's not a magic wand to shift behavior The organization needs to learn how to do the learning because it never stops Adam Ulery's tips for being brought into an organization “in the middle”: First, understand where the organization is right now What do they do really well right now? Where are the gaps that need to be addressed? Conduct an assessment (doesn't need to be formal) to understand their current challenges What are their goals? Their business goals, their agile journey goals, and where they would like to be in the not-so-distant future (i.e. six months to three years)? Based on this, develop a plan on how to move forward with them   Mentioned in this Episode: Agile in the Enterprise Survey by Gartner Sam Falco's LinkedIn Adam Ulery's LinkedIn   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

It's a tough time to find cash flowing anything right now, which is why I wanted to hear more about how the big boys are doing it. Here I interviewed Adam Ulery of Dreamstone investments, and discovered that utilizing the team within investment funds isn't as scary as I once thought. In fact, I can learn a lot from them. Interested in talking about opportunities? Schedule a call with Tyler Sheff and Mike Marino at: KeyWestCashFlow.com/Call

The Commercial Real Estate Academy podcast was created to demystify the commercial real estate industry for the masses. During our weekly episodes, we interview industry experts on a host of different commercial real estate-related topics. Through these interviews, we hope to arm you with the knowledge, references, and tools you'll need to confidently pursue commercial real estate opportunities as a business owner and/or an investor. Raphael Collazo and Jeff Walston are excited to introduce their guest for this week! In today's episode, we hosted Adam Ulrey, Head of Investor Relations for Dreamstone Investments and Co-host of the "Tech Guys Who Invest" podcast, for a lively conversation on multifamily real estate and brand building. ▶️ During our conversation, we explored topics such as: • How he got into commercial real estate, • The advantages and disadvantages of having a technical background when investing in commercial real estate, • How to effectively source investment opportunities, • Lessons learned from scaling their real estate business, • Advice for those interested in real estate investing while holding a W2 job, • The benefits associated with brand building, • As well as much more... ▶️ If you're interested in learning more about Adam, feel free to contact him at: ▶ Email: aulery@dreamstoneinvest.com ▶ Website: http://www.dreamstoneinvest.com/ ▶ Podcast: https://www.tgwipodcast.com/ Below I've provided links to books that were referenced during the episode: 1) Rich Dad Poor Dad - https://amzn.to/3fIjeHh 2) The Bible - https://amzn.to/3bODQfQ 3) Cashflow Quadrant - https://amzn.to/3hQdUnP 4) The Compound Effect - https://amzn.to/3yDpdpm If you find value in these episodes, please SUBSCRIBE and don't forget to press the bell

Adam Ulery is a business agility consultant focused on helping organizations clarify and meet their business outcomes. He helps companies become resilient, rediscover curiosity, and change their traditional approach to business and product development, working primarily in software development. Adam is also a real estate investor helping busy business people energize their retirement plans and grow wealth through multifamily real estate investing. Adam is head of Investor Relations for Dreamstone Investments and is the co-host of Tech Guys Who Invest podcast and Tampa Cashflow Education meetup. [00:01 – 05:06] Getting to know Adam Ulery I talk briefly about great values that await you in this episode I welcome our guest, Adam Ulery Adam talks about his background   [05:07 – 14:34] Getting Past Your Fears of Investing Getting over that fear of investing Taking yourself from the scarcity mindset to the abundance/growth mindset Establishing your investor identity and being clear on your goals   [14:35 – 22:53] Passive Syndication Investing Passive Syndication Investing Educating yourself on specific asset classes you want to invest in Adam’s experience managing his time as an active real estate investor and a w2 employee   [22:54 – 28:58] Closing Segment Quick break for our sponsors What is the best investment you've ever made other than your education?Very first rental property What is the worst investment you ever made?Buying collectible figures What is the most important lesson that you've learned in business and investing?Learn by doing, by taking action Connect with our guest. See the links below.   Tweetable Quotes: “It’s so important to learn by listening to great podcasts, reading a book, reading a blog. But at some point, you have to pull the trigger and start learning by doing it, no matter how scary it is. Feel the fear and do it anyway.” - Adam Ulery  “There’s enough resources, energy for all of us to have abundance, to have wealth and to grow.” - Adam Ulery “Fear holds so many people back, but it’s all about mindset.” - Adam Ulery “Being educated on what you want to invest in is absolutely crucial.” - Adam Ulery   Resources Mentioned: AgileThought Dreamstone Investments Tech Guys Who Invest Podcast   Connect with Adam on Linkedin, send him an email at adam@dreamstoneinvest.com. Check out https://www.tgwipodcast.com/   LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to explode their business growth by sharing this episode or click here to listen to our previous episodes.

Adam Ulery was settled in his career as a tech professional but quickly found that he needed more for himself and his family. Upon researching many niches for build wealth and financial freedom Adam settled on Multifamily real estate as a vehicle. He is a servant leader, coach, and investor, focused on multifamily real estate investing. Adam is co-host of the Tech Guys Who Invest podcast, which is an educational show dedicated to increasing the financial education of everyday people. Additionally, Adam is a business agility consultant, helping organizations transform the way they deliver products and services, with a focus on software. https://www.dreamstoneinvest.com/ — Want to learn more about passive investing? Grab my FREE eCourse: https://www.passiveinvestorsclub.com/course  Thank you and I appreciate you watching this video. Please like, subscribe, and share with others that you may find this valuable. Your comments are useful and help us generate better quality content based on your feedback. — Subscribe to my channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb66-jA-WR4-LlJqp8Sn2wg?sub_confirmation=1 — The Passive Investors Club is a community of like-minded individuals seeking financial freedom through passive investing in commercial real estate. More information about our club: https://www.passiveinvestorsclub.com Follow Me Online Here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DwaineClarkeOfficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwaineclarke/ Website: http://passiveinvestorsclub.com Podcast: https://apple.co/2lT08WU

Adam Ulery is Dreamstone Investments' head of Investor Relations. He's a change agent, servant leader, coach, entrepreneur, and investor focused on multifamily real estate investing. Adam loves adding exceptional value to people through humble service.Adam is co-host of the Tech Guys Who Invest Podcast, which is an educational show dedicated to increasing the financial education of everyday people. [00:01 – 04:28] Opening SegmentLet's get to know Adam UleryAdam talks about his backgroundDiscovered real estate was the asset for himThe educational process of learning about commercial apartments[04:29 – 21:00] Investing to Achieve Financial FreedomAdam talks about Apartment investing as a team sportBuilding his real estate teamBecoming a part of Dreamstone InvestmentsDeals they syndicated as a groupLessons Adam learned along the wayHow Adam reinforces the mindset shifts he wanted in himselfPossibilities of stepping out of his W2 job and go full-time in real estate investingHurdles they are currently facing and attempting to overcome[21:01 – 23:52] Closing SegmentAdam's advice to aspiring investorsNever give up. How Adam stays on top of his gameHis way to make the world a better placeHow to reach out to Adam – links belowFinal wordsTweetable Quotes:“There are all these forces against you that you have to break through. But you can do it, and if you put your mind to it you can achieve anything.” - Adam Ulery“Never give up. When you set your mind to it go for it and just don't give up.” - Adam Ulery“The only people who fail are those who stopped trying too early.” - Adam UleryResources Mentioned: Rich Dad Poor Dad - Robert T. KiyosakiTech Guys Who Invest PodcastDreamstone InvestmentsMetropolitan Ministries------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Connect with Adam on LinkedIn, send him an email at adam@dreamstoneinvest.com. Check out https://www.tgwipodcast.com/   Connect with me:I love helping others place money outside of traditional investments that both diversify strategy and provide solid predictable returns.Call: 901-500-6191FacebookLinkedInLike, subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or whatever platform you listen on. Thank you for tuning in! Email me --> sam@brickeninvestmentgroup.com

Adam Ulery is Dreamstone Investments' head of Investor Relations. He's a change agent, servant leader, coach, entrepreneur, and investor focused on multifamily real estate investing. Adam loves adding exceptional value to people through humble service.Adam is co-host of the Tech Guys Who Invest Podcast, which is an educational show dedicated to increasing the financial education of everyday people. [00:01 – 04:28] Opening SegmentLet's get to know Adam UleryAdam talks about his backgroundDiscovered real estate was the asset for himThe educational process of learning about commercial apartments[04:29 – 21:00] Investing to Achieve Financial FreedomAdam talks about Apartment investing as a team sportBuilding his real estate teamBecoming a part of Dreamstone InvestmentsDeals they syndicated as a groupLessons Adam learned along the wayHow Adam reinforces the mindset shifts he wanted in himselfPossibilities of stepping out of his W2 job and go full-time in real estate investingHurdles they are currently facing and attempting to overcome[21:01 – 23:52] Closing SegmentAdam's advice to aspiring investorsNever give up. How Adam stays on top of his gameHis way to make the world a better placeHow to reach out to Adam – links belowFinal wordsTweetable Quotes:“There are all these forces against you that you have to break through. But you can do it, and if you put your mind to it you can achieve anything.” - Adam Ulery“Never give up. When you set your mind to it go for it and just don't give up.” - Adam Ulery“The only people who fail are those who stopped trying too early.” - Adam UleryResources Mentioned: Rich Dad Poor Dad - Robert T. KiyosakiTech Guys Who Invest PodcastDreamstone InvestmentsMetropolitan Ministries------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Connect with Adam on LinkedIn, send him an email at adam@dreamstoneinvest.com. Check out https://www.tgwipodcast.com/   Connect with me:I love helping others place money outside of traditional investments that both diversify strategy and provide solid predictable returns.Call: 901-500-6191FacebookLinkedInLike, subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or whatever platform you listen on. Thank you for tuning in! Email me --> sam@brickeninvestmentgroup.com

Real estate investing is a great tool to create flexibility and freedom with time and money. However, there are fears that hold many people back from taking action and getting started. Many would-be investors imagine all of the negative scenarios and never take action to get that first deal. Overcoming fear is critical if you want to get started or scale your business or investment portfolio.   Kevin Galang and Adam Ulery are the hosts of the Tech Guys Who Invest podcast. Kevin is a software sales engineer who invests in notes on the side. He hosts the Note Nuggets podcast which shares bite-size tips to invest in notes. Adam is a business consultant for technology firms and also works with Dreamstone investments in Atalanta as an apartment syndicator.   Both Kevin and Adam faced fear when starting out, but they overcame that fear to get started. Start by understanding what you are actually afraid of. Once you understand the issue, you can seek help to overcome that fear and take action. It’s important to clarify your goals and then align your actions to those goals. Kevin and Adam have created a tool to help real estate investors clarify their best fit to make it easier to get started.    Partner: Text: “EQRP” to 72000 and receive a special eQRP report on taking control of your retirement money   Key Takeaways   How Kevin works 9-5 selling software and invests in mortgage notes on the side.   I like the idea of controlling something, but not owning it. -Kevin   Adam works in technology and is a multifamily syndicator on his off-hours The Tech Guys Who Invest Podcast: Teaching people how to invest wisely and safely.    Self-limiting beliefs and fear are internal, and any person can break through that to become greater than they are now. -Adam   How to overcome fear and the steps to take in creating your best life How to clarify your goals and align them with your actions Utilizing your resources to help mitigate your fear (stop overthinking!)  How Adam overcame his fears when starting in apartment syndication    I rely on my team and play to my strengths -Adam   Using the Investor Identity Canvas tool to clarify where you best fit in the real estate investing game based on your goals How people use the Investor Identity Canvas tool  How the Investor Identity Canvas can help you gain clarity into what real estate niche is best for you Partner: Download our Sample Deal Package Bullseye Round:   Apparent Failure: Kevin: Was getting rejected repeatedly by banks trying to get on their investor's list. I would make up any excuse to not make the calls. That taught me to put aside my fear and repeat the calls until I was good at it.   Digital Resource: Miro (online visual collaboration tool)    Most Recommended Book: How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie) Late Bloomers (Rich Karlgaard) Emotional Intelligence (Brandon Goleman)    Daily Habit: Kevin: Journaling (3 things I’m grateful for and 3 top priorities)  Adam: Savers Routine (Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod)   Wish I Knew When I Was Starting Out: Kevin: Nobody does it by themselves. You’re not meant to be perfect.   Where to Grab a Bite in Tampa, FL Oyster Catchers Meat Market   Contact Kevin & Adam: Kevin: Note Nuggets Podcast Tech Guys Who Invest Adam: Dreamstone Investments adam@dreamstoneinvest.com 

Dan Neumann is joined by Senior Agile Coach at AgileThought, Adam Ulery, to discuss the concept of Agile forcing continuous improvement.   Does agile “force” continuous improvement? What does this mean? Is this inherently negative or positive? How does agile implement continuous improvement as a natural consequence? Dan and Adam address these questions and share their tips on how to leverage agile to maximize your continuous improvement in all levels of your organization!   Key Takeaways What does “Agile forcing continuous improvement” mean? Agile “forces” continuous improvement because continuous improvement is inherently baked into agility “Force,” not as coercion, but as a natural outcome of adopting an agile mindset The frequent use of feedback loops is built into the way you work in an agile environment, “forcing” continuous improvement How Agile implements continuous improvement as a natural consequence: Regardless of the framework, there is a feedback loop with the goal being to deliver as much value as possible to the end consumer Inspecting and adapting the product and the process at regular intervals Agile encourages and fosters teams to be able to talk about things transparently and openly and not see impediments as an indictment of their performance Through failing fast (i.e. learning fast through your failures or mistakes) the team will continue to improve Tips for leveraging Agile’s continuous improvement: Address the fear of speaking up by teaching leadership roles on how to make the environment safe for the delivery teams Acknowledge that the environment may have not been safe in the past but that changes are being implemented and it will be different going forward The shorter the feedback loop, the shorter the risk (so if something doesn’t go right, you’re not that far from recovery) Deliver early and often, get the feedback loops working so that teams can course-correct as they learn It’s important to get to a point where it is understood that quick learning is what the team and leadership is looking for (and that failure is not failure; it’s learning) Leadership needs to be supportive of the mindset shift regarding quick learning/failing fast so that the team can feel encouraged in exhibiting these behaviors If you are a leader who wants to begin to make their team more comfortable with quick learning you need to educate yourself, believe it, communicate with your team, be transparent that you’re still learning and growing, set your expectations about what you’d like to see, and call out real examples as they happen so that the team can begin to recognize it As a leader, display vulnerability and acknowledge that you have not done the best with communicating in the past but that it will be different, going forward  Model the behaviors you want to see as a leader You need to create safety and support your team in order to thrive and increase performance   Mentioned in this Episode: Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't, by Simon Sinek Radical Focus: Achieving Your Most Important Goals with Objectives and Key Results, by Christina R. Wodtke Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs, by John Doerr   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

In celebration of the two-year anniversary of the podcast, Dan Neumann is joined by Sam Falco, co-founder of the Agile Coaches’ Corner podcast. In the theme of continuous improvement, Dan and Sam take a look back on the last two years of the podcast and reflect on all that they’ve learned about podcasting and agility. They also invite on some of their favorite past guests and AgileThought colleagues to share their own biggest takeaways and lessons learned from the past two years on the theme of agility. Andrea Floyd, Agile Transformation Consultant; Adam Ulery, Senior Agile Coach; Quincy Jordan, Principal Transformation Consultant; Steven Granese, Managing Director of the Transform Practice; and Michael Guiler, Agile Consultant.   Key Takeaways Andrea Floyd Key lesson: the importance of the Agile mindset and an Agile culture coupled with any Agile journey “What does it mean for us to be successful?” “What will that take from a mindset and culture perspective?” — Andrea Floyd Tools and techniques: exercises around value stream mapping, understanding what value means to your customers and users, design-thinking techniques around customer journey mapping, good leadership, and commitment from the whole organization Adam Ulery Key lesson: the importance of having committed top-level leaders in an Agile transformation The buy-in of leadership in a transformation is key (it makes the difference in creating real change or giving up) Drawbacks that occur without leadership buy-in: change will only occur in small pockets at best, more than likely it will flounder and never transform the people and the way they work Tools and techniques: in order for leaders to transform themselves they must be committed and willing, step out of their comfort zone, push through fears, and commit to change In summary: it is important to have top-level leaders that are committed to the transformation and are committed to change Quincy Jordan Key lesson: Agile is Agile (it has transformed, evolved, and adapted over the years) It used to be considered strictly for software development but has now been taken outside of IT; into HR, marketing, etc. The overall thinking has made a big splash in non-IT environments A challenge with agility being adopted into non-IT environments: sometimes business and leadership have a misconception that agility is only IT so they believe it is not relevant to them When agility ripples outside of IT, it can be really powerful Michael Guiler Key lesson: that the business side has really begun to take hold of agility What has caused the shift from technology-driven agility to business-driven agility: the entire world has fundamentally begun to understand that agility is key (i.e. “We can’t just have really detail-oriented plans with a command and control structure and be able to compete in today’s world” — Michael Guiler) Now, business wants to build an environment where they can really pivot on a dime and compete — and agility is the way to do that Steven Granese Key lesson: it is very difficult to define what agility is — especially with large organizations There are a lot of different ideas and definitions about what agility is It can be hard to define what problem the client is trying to solve and why agility would help them How Steven has seen the problems that clients are trying to solve change over the years: 1) From a focus on speed (the speed with which they need to continuously adapt) to a focus on market changes (it’s the organizations that focus on market demands that are the ones having the most success) 2) There used to be more of a concern about leaning too much on tooling and automation but now it has become so good and there is so much more that is possible now due to the tools that are available Sam Falco Key lesson: Agility spreads beyond IT — even to a personal level  “Even on a personal level, I have taken a lot of the principles and ideas — and even the practices of Scrum — into my own personal life. I use Scrum on a weekly basis; I do one-week sprints for myself.” — Sam Falco Sam has lowered his personal work-in-progress limit from three to two and his throughput shot way up He’s learned how to apply agility in all sorts of situations Dan Neumann Key lesson: the power of collaboration (specifically, the value of collaborating with people) You can riff off each other if a client isn’t quite hearing what one of you is trying to say Diversity of perspective is tremendously valuable (just like on any well-functioning team)   Mentioned in this Episode: Steven Granese Andrea Floyd Adam Ulery Quincy Jordan Michael Guiler The Age of Agile: How Smart Companies Are Transforming the Way Work Gets Done, by Stephen Denning Eric Landes   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

Perhaps you've heard of the term servant leadership? However, if you're new to the concept, it can be boiled down to the conscious decision made by an individual to lead others, based on their intrinsic motivation to serve others, rather than the desire to accumulate and wield power. Today's guest is Adam Ulery, who considers servant leadership to be his superpower. Adam is a business agility consultant focused on helping organizations clarify and meet their business outcomes.

Finding your investment niche and developing the right mindset are critical and foundational steps in establishing a thriving business. Today’s guests are Adam Ulery and Kevin Galang, the voices behind the Tech Guys Who Invest podcast, who provide insights into their investment niches. We open the conversation by exploring why Adam and Kevin got into investing, even though both of their backgrounds told them that you make money by working for someone else. Kevin and Adam discuss how investing leads to financial security, especially if you establish multiple streams of passive income. They then explain how different mindsets influence how you invest, and why you should be guided by math and not emotion. We focus on the importance of aligning an abundance, investor, and growth mindset to go further and faster in your career, along with helping you to grow as a person. Diving into their specialties, they talk about their different approaches and the benefits of either commercial multifamily investment, in Adam’s case, or in note investing, Kevin’s forte. While sharing what they look for in investments, Adam and Kevin emphasize the value of networking, developing a trustworthy team of people with different skill sets, and playing to your strengths. Near the end of the episode, they share their top books and the keys to their success. Tune in to learn how you can develop the kind of mindset that leads to success. Key Points From This Episode:Introducing Adam and Kevin — the minds behind the Tech Guys Who Invest.Adam and Kevin’s journey into real estate and which investment niches they specialize in.How real estate investing and having passive income has given Adam a sense of security. Why having unexpected costs means that you can’t “save your way to financial success.”The importance of having an investor mindset and being guided by math, not emotions.Why also having an abundance and growth-focused mindset will lead to greater success. Hear about each of the guests’ approaches to investing. Kevin’s perspective on why note investing allows for so many exit strategies.How networking was key in Adam closing his first deal and building an investment team. Why closing a deal doesn’t always work out as one might expect.Specifics about Kevin’s early note investments and how creative you can get with them. The level of control that note investing can give you over a deal.What Kevin learned from playing the stock market and why it’s not for him.Why education and understanding each deal is important for passive investors. Learn the components that Adam looks for in a multifamily investment.Understanding the worst-case scenario before closing a deal.Why you should seek counsel from local real estate attorneys and brokers.If you enjoy the guests and content please subscribe and leave a review. Your reviews matter and each one has a major impact on the success of the show!Want to get more investing resources?Visit kentritter.com for more free passive real estate investing resources including videos, blogs, and tools visitInterested in Investing alongside my firm? Contact me at kritter@birgeandheld.com.My company Birge and Held Asset Management have a twelve-year track record creating sustainable wealth for over 2,000 investors through high-quality multifamily investments.https://birgeandheld.comThank you for listening!

Adam Ulery is a business agility consultant focused on helping organizations clarify and meet their business outcomes. He helps companies become resilient, rediscover curiosity, and change their traditional approach to business and product development, working primarily in software development. Adam is also a real estate investor helping busy business people energize their retirement plans through multifamily real estate investing. Adam is the host of the Tech Guys Who Invest podcast and Tampa Cashflow Education meetup. Most importantly, Adam is a husband and father who loves traveling and experiencing life with his family.The theme of Tyler and Adam’s discussion centered on elevating your life for more freedom and never accepting mediocrity. Adam described himself as someone in the midst of escaping an average life and breaking into an extraordinary one. He shared the book that changed his life, offered advice to others on their journey, and discussed his ongoing growth and discovery.Other topics included the technology that’s most important to Adam’s real estate business, the SAVERS routine, overcoming negative self-talk, the difference between scarcity and abundance mindsets, weekly reflections, finding motivation and much more. This is a great discussion with a “normal guy” pushing the limits!Music: Energetic Run (hooksounds.com)You can connect with Adam via his website, email and social media:tgwipodcast.comadam@dreamstoneinvest.comlinkedin.com/in/adamulery/Apply for coaching with Tyler! The world's top performers in any field have a coach to help them achieve drastically greater results and in less time. The most successful real estate investors are no different. To apply for a results coaching session with Tyler, visit coachwithtyler.com.
This episode of Elevate is brought to you by CF Capital LLC, a national real estate investment firm that focuses on acquiring and operating multifamily assets that provide stable cash flow, capital appreciation, and a margin of safety. CF Capital leverages its expertise in acquisitions and management to provide investors with superior risk-adjusted returns while placing a premium on preserving capital. Learn more at cfcapllc.com.

Today I met with my friend, Adam Ulery; the host of the Tech Guys Who Invest podcast.  We spoke about some real estate deals and also spoke about podcasting and some ideas I had going forward with podcasting. I also recap the speed reading challenge and an issue I ran into and quickly resolved for less than the original solution.

This week, Sam Falco is hosting the podcast once again! He’s invited on his colleague and friend, Adam Ulery, who is a Senior Agile Coach at AgileThought. Adam is a perpetually curious, continuous learner who is always willing to encourage others to try new things (as he very often does himself). He is very focused on helping organizations clarify and meet their business outcomes, and loves to help companies become resilient and rediscover their curiosity.   Today, they’re sharing their best tips for new Scrum Masters. When Sam and Adam were new Scrum Masters they found that there were not a lot of experienced Scrum Masters that were accessible to them. In fact, they didn’t even have access to many of the common resources that exist today! So today they want to share all that they’ve learned over the course of their careers and lend a hand to all of the new Scrum Masters out there!   Key Takeaways Tips for the new Scrum Master: Seek to understand where the team is in terms of their Scrum maturity level Observe the team without immediately trying to make changes to the way the team does things to inform yourself about where they are Ask yourself: ‘How well is what they’re doing working for them? Are they working well together as a team?’ If these things look good in-person even though they could look incorrect on-paper you may not want to change these things Do some sort of an assessment with the team to establish a baseline for where they are and how they’re executing Scrum (then periodically reassess down the line) Have the team self-assess Create a shared team vision Regardless of your experience level, educate yourself on the craft Get involved with a community group to improve your area of practice (and if there isn’t one where you are, start one) Indulge in books around your craft — they’re a great resource for taking you to the next level Go to conferences, big or small Tips for the new Scrum Master who is assigned to a pre-existing team: Start by working with them on the areas that need improvement (based off of an assessment) by getting the team’s input and having the team decide what they’d like to work on (assuming they’re mature enough to want to do that) Receive constant feedback by creating an open channel with the team to communicate Have transparency with what you’re doing there and what you want for them How to become a more effective Scrum Master: Find a mentor Be a mentor — just because you’re new doesn’t mean you have nothing to offer Become a speaker — you’ll discover you know more than you thought you did   Mentioned in this Episode: The Scrum Guide The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, by Stephen R. Covey Tampa Bay ScrumMasters Guild Ken Schwaber Agile Project Management with Scrum, by Ken Schwaber Software Estimation Without Guessing: Effective Planning in an Imperfect World, by George Dinwiddie The Water Dancer, by Ta-Nehisi Coates   Adam Ulery’s Book Picks: Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb Killing Sacred Cows: Overcoming the Financial Myths That Are Destroying Your Prosperity, by Garrett B. Gunderson and Stephen Palmer The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren The DevOps Handbook: How to Create World-Class Agility, Reliability, and Security in Technology Organizations, by Gene Kim, Patrick Debois, John Willis, and Jez Humble   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

This week's episode of The Crushing Debt Podcast is my interview with Adam Ulery and Kevin Galang, Tech Guys Who Invest. I had the honor to be guest number one on the Tech Guys Who Invest Podcast a while back and wanted to return the favor by having the guys on my show. Adam invests mostly in multi-family properties and Kevin invests mostly in promissory notes. They both invest as a way to get passive income, cash flow, out of debt, and live the lifestyle they choose. They also both have careers in technology. You'll hear about Adam and Kevin's attitudes towards debt and a few stories about how they got into and out of debt. To learn more about them, visit www.TGWIPodcast.com or contact them at TechGuysWhoInvest@gmail.com.  Also check out Kevin's second show - Secondhand Success - at www.secondhandsuccess.com.  If you want to share a story of how you got into and then out of debt, please visit the website at www.YesnerLaw.com or email me at Shawn@YesnerLaw.com. If you enjoyed this episode, I would really appreciate if you would share the content on Facebook, LinkedIn or any other social media site!

In today’s episode of the Agile Coaches’ Corner, returning guest and AgileThought colleague, Adam Ulery, will be joining the podcast!   Adam is a perpetually curious, continuous learner who is always willing to encourage others to try new things (as he very often does himself). He’s a Senior Agile Coach and investor in multifamily properties. He’s focused on helping organizations clarify and meet their business outcomes and loves to help companies become resilient, rediscover curiosity, and change their traditional approach to business.   Today they will be discussing Business Value Points (BVPs). Business Value Points are a way for for leaders, sponsors, and funders of a project to measure progress. It enables them to understand the progress being made towards building their product. Adam shares a more in-depth look at what BVPs are, why we should care, and breaks down what they measure! He also provides tons of practical tips and methods for generating BVPs for Product Backlog items.   Key Takeaways What are business value points? And why should we care? BVPs are a great way for leaders to measure progress against their investment Provides leaders, sponsors, and funders of a project a way to understand the progress teams are making towards delivering value with their product Compliments Story Points to give a more complete picture of the Product Backlog What do Business Value Points measure? BVPs measure the amount of value a feature or story is expected to deliver. The ratio between BVP and Story Points helps inform prioritization decisions The three factors of Story Points: Complexity, Uncertainty, Effort The three factors of Business Value Points: User Value, Time Criticality, Risk Reduction or Opportunity Enablement Adam Ulrey breaks down the three factors in BVP: User Value: the value of a particular feature to the business (or to the end user) Time Criticality (or “Cost of Delay”): How important it is that the feature is released right now Risk Reduction or Opportunity Enablement: Does doing this reduce the risk of future delivery? Is there value in the information we will receive? Will this unlock or enable new business opportunities in some way? Ways to generate Business Value Points for Product Backlog Items: Planning Poker Card Sorting   Mentioned in this Episode: Adam Ulery (LinkedIn) Planning Poker® Card Sorting Nimble: A Coaching Guide for Responsive Facilitation, by Rebecca Sutherns   Adam Ulery’s Book Pick: The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve, by G. Edward Griffin   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

On this episode of the TGWI Podcast, Kevin has the pleasure of interviewing Adam and asks him questions about his investor identity as a multifamily investor. To see the full show notes, go to, tgwipodcast.com/multifamily

In this episode we cover what it means to take action. We discuss why people don’t take action, techniques for moving past the fear keeping people from doing so, the importance of goals, mindset, how we are taking action and more!   Referenced in the show TGWI Episode 5 - Review of Rod Khleif’s Multifamily Bootcamp and Networking Tips TGWI Episode 6 – Let’s talk “Abundance!” Rod’s podcast https://rodkhleif.com/lifetime-cashflow-podcast/ Tyler’s podcast https://www.cashflowguys.com/podcast/ Dave Ramsey https://www.daveramsey.com/ Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dwek How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie Podfest Connect with Kevin Galang at https://www.secondhandsuccess.com/contact/ Connect with Adam Ulery at https://ibuycoastal.com/contact-us

Joining Dan Neumann today is returning guest, Adam Ulery, a colleague of his at AgileThought.   Adam is a perpetually curious, continuous learner who is always willing to encourage others to try new things (as he very often does himself). As a Sr. Agile Coach and multifamily investor, he’s very focused on helping organizations clarify and meet their business outcomes and loves to help companies become resilient and rediscover their curiosity.   This week, Dan and Adam explore some facilitation tips. Facilitation is an incredibly important skill for many different roles, so in this episode, Dan and Adam explore both basic tips as well as some pro tips. There are many great, key takeaways on how you, as a facilitator, should handle the group, prepare accordingly, use effective tools to gain consensus during meetings, and allow your group to make the most of the meet-up and get where they need to go.   Key Takeaways Types of roles that need solid facilitation skills: Scrum master Any type of coach (Agile or otherwise) Anyone who’s going to be leading meetings, workshops, or training What types of events facilitation skills are used for? Sprint planning, daily Scrums, sprint reviews, and retrospectives Workshops where you’re trying to teach a concept to a group of people Release planning or quarterly planning events The basics of good facilitation: As a facilitator, you should be preparing in advance, getting info radiators up, and understand the goal of the session Information radiators should be concise, clear, valuable, seen by everyone, and include the agenda, parking lot, and working agreement A good room setup (including big flip charts or large amounts of whiteboards) Clarify the roles in the meeting Really utilize the parking lot tool to table items without the risk of losing sight of them and be able to continue to discuss the important topics at hand Useful facilitator tools/deciding tactics for gaining consensus or attention: Roman voting Fist of five Show of hands for a simple yes or no decision Raise your hand, quietly Dot voting (to narrow down topics) Adam’s Pro facilitation tips: Let the group make the decision; the facilitator should remain neutral and not drive the group to make a particular decision If you must wear two hats, make it clear when you’re switching from facilitator to group member Control your own reactions to not influence your audience Actively listen and clarify (even if it seems obvious) Work hard to stay out of their way, be self-aware, and allow them to get where they’re going Encourage workflow and be the guardrails Allow people to be heard but don’t let them take over the conversation   Mentioned in this Episode: Roman voting Fist of five Dot voting Eric Landes (LinkedIn) Agile Coaches’ Corner episode with Eric Landes   Adam Ulery’s Book Picks Ben Franklin: America’s Original Entrepreneur, by Blaine McCormick and Benjamin Franklin Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman Rich Dad’s CASHFLOW Quadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom, by Robert Kiyosaki   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

Today’s topic is all about retrospectives! A retrospective is a short meeting for project teams to reflect on the most recent stage of their project, analyze their processes, and identify issues or things they can do better, moving forward. Joining Dan Neumann today is return guest — and his colleague at AgileThought — Sam Falco. Sam is an Agile Coach and Certified Scrum Professional with an extensive background leading Agile development teams. Dan and Sam dive deep into discussing Agile retrospectives, going over the five phases of the widely accepted framework from Esther Derby’s and Diana Larsen’s book, Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great. They also discuss what makes an effective retrospective, some of the failure patterns in unsuccessful retrospectives, and some great resources on retrospectives to follow up on after this week’s show!   Key Takeaways The 5 phases of the Agile Retrospectives framework: Set the Stage Gather Data Generate Insights Decide What to Do Close the Retrospective What makes an effective retrospective? Engage the team in ‘setting the stage’ activities (as it is imperative for the team to effectively work together) Track useful and pertinent data to bring to the retrospective Leverage an experimental mindset Generate insights by digging deeper beyond the superficial issues by using the 5 Whys Narrow down the list, make the list doable/actionable, hold people accountable, and follow through Show appreciation for your teammates Ask for feedback as a facilitator to improve future retrospectives What are some failure patterns? Making the cycles too short and time-cutting due to no value Covering the same issues every time without any experiment to fix it Turning the retrospective into an unproductive complaint session Having a long list of too many things to change (which dilutes focus) Declaring your hands are tied and the problem cannot be fixed   Mentioned in this Episode: Diana Larsen Agile Coaches’ Corner episode: “Exploring an Experimental Mindset with Adam Ulery” 5 Whys Retromat The Thiagi Group Fun Retrospectives Liberating Structures 1-2-4-All Agile Coaches’ Corner episode: “Setting Up Working Agreements with Christy Erbeck” Rory’s Story Cubes Retrium   Dan Neumann and Sam Falco’s Book Picks Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great, by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen Getting Value out of Agile Retrospectives — A Toolbox of Retrospectives Exercises, by Luis Gonçalves and Ben Linders Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won, by Tobias Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim Bluebird, Bluebird, by Attica Locke Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts., by Brené Brown   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

In today’s episode of the Agile Coaches’ Corner, your host, Dan Neumann, and his guest, Adam Ulery, will be exploring an experimental mindset. Adam is one of Dan’s colleagues at AgileThought. Adam is a perpetually curious, continuous learner who is always willing to encourage others to try new things (as he very often does himself). He’s a Sr. Agile Coach and multifamily investor. He’s focused on helping organizations clarify and meet their business outcomes and loves to help companies become resilient, rediscover curiosity, and change their traditional approach to business. Dan and Adam explore both the ‘experimental’ and the ‘mindset’ side of an experimental mindset, fully explaining what it is, how it’s used, the importance of it, and the benefits. They also highlight how to successfully set out to experiment and some of the key learning that can come from implementing it.   Key Takeaways What is an ‘experimental mindset?’ Trying something new or different to see if it will work with an intention Intentional about what you’re setting out to learn (through a hypothesis) and then measuring results How to successfully set out to experiment: Begin with an end in mind (i.e. know what you’re setting out to achieve) Be curious and start asking questions Have a general awareness as a team and notice patterns to identify areas that may need experimenting (i.e. “what would happen if…?”) Begin collecting data to help identify patterns The importance of ‘mindset’ in an experimental mindset: Being open and willing to try new things Approaching it with a genuine curiosity The benefits of an experimental mindset: The results will always be valuable regardless of the outcome They are small, safe experiments (vs. big, risky bets) Provides valuable learning outcomes that mitigate risk Key Learnings: Experimental mindset is being intentional about what you’re setting out to learn It’s important to have an open mind and approach things with a genuine curiosity Identify patterns through collecting data to pinpoint areas that may need experimenting Mentioned in this Episode: Adam Ulery (LinkedIn) Adam Ulery’s Book Picks Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts., by Brené Brown Principles: Life and Work, by Ray Dalio The Age of Agile: How Smart Companies Are Transforming the Way Work Gets Done, by Stephen Denning Crushing It in Apartments and Commercial Real Estate: How a Small Investor Can Make It Big, by Brian H. Murray Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!