Podcasts about Agile

Sara Di Gregorio: Coaching Product Owners from Isolation to Collaboration Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Using User Story Mapping to Break Down PO Isolation "One of the key strengths is the ability to build a strong collaborative relationship with the Scrum team. We constantly exchange feedback, with the shared goal of improving both our collaborating and the way of working." - Sara Di Gregorio   Sara considers herself fortunate—she currently works with Product Owners who exemplify what great collaboration looks like. One of their key strengths is the ability to build strong collaborative relationships with the Scrum team. They don't wait for sprint reviews to exchange feedback; instead, they constantly communicate with the shared goal of improving both collaboration and ways of working.  These Product Owners involve the team early, using techniques like user story mapping after analysis phases to create open discussions around upcoming topics and help the team understand potential dependencies. They make themselves truly available—they observe daily stand-ups not as passive attendees but as engaged contributors. If the team needs five minutes to discuss something afterward, the Product Owner is ready. They attend Scrum events with genuine interest in working with the team, not just fulfilling an attendance requirement. They encourage open dialogue, even participating in retrospectives to understand how the team is working and where they can improve collaboration. What sets these Product Owners apart is their communication approach. They don't come in thinking they know everything or that they need to do everything alone. Their mindset is collaborative: "We're doing this together." They recognize that developers aren't just executors—they're users of the product, experts who can provide valuable perspectives.  When Product Owners ask "Why do you want this?" and developers respond with "If we do it this way, we can be faster, and you can try your product sooner," that's when magic happens. Great Product Owners understand that strong communication skills and collaborative relationships create better products, better teams, and better outcomes for everyone involved.   Self-reflection Question: How are your Product Owners involving the team early in discovery and analysis, and are they building collaborative relationships or just attending required events? The Bad Product Owner: The Isolated Expert Who Thinks Teams Just Execute   "Sometimes they feel very comfortable in their subject, so they assume they know everything, and the team has only to execute what they asked for." - Sara Di Gregorio   Sara has encountered Product Owners who embody the worst anti-pattern: they believe they don't need to interact with the development team because they're confident in their subject matter expertise. They assume they know everything, and the team's job is simply to execute what they ask for. These Product Owners work isolated from the development team, writing detailed user stories alone and skipping the interesting discussions with developers. They only involve the team when they think it's necessary, treating developers as order-takers rather than collaborators who could contribute valuable insights.  The impact is significant—teams lose the opportunity to understand the "why" behind features, Product Owners miss perspectives that could improve the product, and collaboration becomes transactional instead of transformational. Sara's approach to addressing this anti-pattern is patient but deliberate. She creates space for dialogue and provides training with the Product Owner to help them understand how important it is to collaborate and cooperate with the team. She shows them the impact of including the team from the beginning of feature study.  One powerful technique she uses is user story mapping workshops, bringing both the team and Product Owner together. The Product Owner explains what they want to deliver from their point of view, but then something crucial happens: the team asks lots of questions to understand "Why do you want this?"—not just "I will do it."  Through this exercise, Sara watched Product Owners have profound realizations. They understood they could change their mindset by talking with developers, who often are users of the product and can offer perspectives like "If we do it this way, we can be faster, and you can try your product sooner."  The workshop helps teams understand the big picture of what the Product Owner is asking for while helping the Product Owner reflect on what they're actually asking. It transforms the relationship from isolation to collaboration, from directive to dialogue, from assumption to shared understanding.   In this segment, we refer to the User Story Mapping blog post by Jeff Patton.   Self-reflection Question: Are your Product Owners writing user stories in isolation, or are they involving the team in discovery to create shared understanding and better solutions?   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Hello San Francisco - we're arrived for Microsoft Ignite 2025! The #CloudRealities podcast team has landed this week in San Francisco, we're bringing you the best updates right from the heart of the event. Join us to connect AI at scale, cloud modernization, and secure innovation—empowering organizations to become AI-first. Plus, we'll keep you updated on all the latest news and juicy gossip. Dave, Esmee, and Rob continue their conversation with Alistair Speirs, GM of Global Infrastructure for Microsoft's Azure Business Group, exploring how to build and scale the AI and Cloud datacenters of the future worldwide—while also addressing sovereignty requirements.  TLDR00:40 – Introduction to Alistair Speirs04:42 – Keynote highlights and Expo floor insights06:50 – Deep dive conversation with Alistair36:36 – Favorite IT-themed movie, using your brain as compute storage, and why people still matter GuestAlistair Speirs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistair/ HostsDave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Esmee van de Giessen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/Rob Kernahan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/ ProductionMarcel van der Burg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/ SoundBen Corbett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Corbett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/ 'Cloud Realities' is an original podcast from Capgemini

Hello San Francisco - we're arrived for Microsoft Ignite 2025! The #CloudRealities podcast team has landed this week in San Francisco, we're bringing you the best updates right from the heart of the event. Join us to connect AI at scale, cloud modernization, and secure innovation—empowering organizations to become AI-first. Plus, we'll keep you updated on all the latest news and juicy gossip. Dave, Esmee, and Rob wrap up their Ignite 2025 series with Yina Arenas, CVP of Microsoft Foundry, to discuss why Foundry is the go-to choice for enterprises and how it champions responsible development and innovation.  TLDR00:40 – Introduction to Yina Arenas01:14 – How the team is doing, keynote highlights, and insights from the Expo floor02:50 – Deep dive with Yina on the evolution of Cloud Foundry29:24 – Favourite IT-themed movie, human interaction, and our society31:56 – Personal (and slightly juicy) reflections on the week37:30 – Team reflections on Ignite 2025, including an executive summary per guest and appreciation for Dennis Hansen50:54 – The team's favorite IT-themed movies59:30 – Personal favorite restaurantGuestYina Arenas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yinaa/ HostsDave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Esmee van de Giessen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/Rob Kernahan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/ ProductionMarcel van der Burg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/ SoundBen Corbett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Corbett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/ 'Cloud Realities' is an original podc

This interview was recorded at GOTO Copenhagen 2024.https://gotocph.comRuss Olsen - Author of "Getting Clojure" & "Eloquent Ruby"James Lewis - Software Architect & Director at ThoughtworksRESOURCESRusshttps://bsky.app/profile/russolsen.bsky.socialhttps://hachyderm.io/@russolsenhttps://github.com/russolsenhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/russolsenhttp://russolsen.comJameshttps://bsky.app/profile/boicy.bovon.orghttps://linkedin.com/in/james-lewis-microserviceshttps://github.com/boicyhttps://www.bovon.orgRead the full abstract here:https://gotocph.com/2024/sessions/3522RECOMMENDED BOOKSRuss Olsen • Getting Clojure • https://amzn.to/3J8zI8sRuss Olsen • Eloquent Ruby • https://amzn.to/37gOhcGRuss Olsen • Design Patterns in Ruby • https://amzn.to/3r2uBjWBarry O'Reilly • Unlearn • https://amzn.to/3O3DQeIJez Humble, Joanne Molesky & Barry O'Reilly • Lean Enterprise • https://amzn.to/3Cpt6ETSarah Wells • Enabling Microservice Success • https://amzn.to/4aa8xrvMartin Fowler • Refactoring • https://amzn.to/3EVcHXQMatthew Skelton & Manuel Pais • Team Topologies • http://amzn.to/3sVLyLQInspiring Tech Leaders - The Technology PodcastInterviews with Tech Leaders and insights on the latest emerging technology trends.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifyBlueskyTwitterInstagramLinkedInFacebookCHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUSJoin this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/joinLooking for a unique learning experience?Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.techSUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!

Wir freuen uns total auf diese Folge, auch wenn wir ein bisschen Angst haben, sie auszuspielen. In dieser Folge reflektieren wir die letzten paar Monate. Warum es weniger Podcast-Folgen von uns die letzten paar Monate gab, diese waren nämlich nicht ganz so einfach. Wir reflektieren uns selbst als Individuen uns als Firma und geben dir ein Modell mit an die Hand, wie du dein Team, deine Organisation aber auch vielleicht dich selber unterstützen kannst, in der aktuell doch eher schwierigen Zeit.

Sara Di Gregorio: How to Know Your Team Has Internalized Agile Values Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "Scrum isn't just a process to follow, it's a way of working." - Sara Di Gregorio   For Sara, success as a Scrum Master isn't measured by what the team delivers—it's measured by how they grow. She knows that if you facilitate team growth in communication and collaboration, delivery will naturally improve.  The indicators she watches for are subtle but powerful. When teams come to her with specific requests outside the regular schedule—"Can we have 30 minutes to talk and reflect mid-sprint?"—she knows something has shifted. When teams want to reflect outside the retrospective cycle, it means they've internalized the value of continuous improvement, not just going through the motions. She listens for the word "goal" during sprint planning.  When team members start their planning by talking about goals, she feels a surge of recognition: "Okay, for me, this is very, very, very important." Success shows up in unexpected places. One of her colleague's teams pushed back during a cross-team meeting, saying "We're going out of the timebox" and suggesting they move the discussion to a different time. That kind of proactive leadership and accountability signals maturity. It means the team isn't just attending Scrum events because they have to—they truly understand why each event matters and actively participate to make them valuable.  When Sara first met a team, they asked if she wanted to change things. She said no. What she focuses on is how people improve and understand the process better. For her, it starts with the people—when people change and understand the value, that's when real changes happen in the company. It's about helping people feel good and be guided well, because when they're working well, that's when transformation becomes possible. As Sara reminds us, Scrum isn't just a process to follow—it's a way of working that teams must embrace, understand, and make their own.   Self-reflection Question: Are your teams coming to you asking for reflection time outside scheduled events, and what does that tell you about how deeply they've internalized continuous improvement? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Unstructured Retrospective After facilitating many structured retrospectives, Sara started experimenting with an unstructured format that brought new energy to team reflection. Instead of using predefined frameworks, she brings white paper, sticky notes, and sharpies of different colors. She opens with a simple question: "Guys, what impacted you mostly during the last week? How do you feel today?" Sometimes she starts with data and metrics; other times, she begins with how the team is feeling.  The key is creating open space for conversation rather than forcing it into a predetermined structure. What Sara discovered is remarkable: "They are more engaged, more open, and more present in the conversation, maybe because it was something new." Instead of the same structured format every time, the unstructured approach breaks the routine and creates space for true reflections that bring out something deeper and more meaningful. It allows people to express what's genuinely going on for them, not just what fits into a predefined template.  Sara doesn't abandon structured formats entirely—she alternates between structured and unstructured to keep retrospectives fresh and engaging. She also recommends, if you work hybrid, trying to schedule unstructured retrospectives for days when the team is in the office together. The physical presence combined with the open format creates an environment where teams can be more vulnerable, more creative, and more honest about what's really happening. The unstructured retrospective isn't about chaos—it's about trusting the team to surface what matters most to them, with the Scrum Master providing light facilitation and space for authentic reflection.   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Hello San Francisco - we're arrived for Microsoft Ignite 2025! The #CloudRealities podcast team has landed this week in San Francisco, we're bringing you the best updates right from the heart of the event. Join us to connect AI at scale, cloud modernization, and secure innovation—empowering organizations to become AI-first. Plus, we'll keep you updated on all the latest news and juicy gossip.  Dave, Esmee and Rob, continue their discussion with John Link, Partner Product Manager at Microsoft, exploring Frontier organizations and how AI and quantum are reshaping R&D, all within the context of Microsoft Discovery. TLDR00:58 – Introduction to John Link (and some fun food spellings)03:55 – Keynote highlights and Expo floor insights06:42 – Deep dive conversation with John25:00 – Favorite IT-themed movie, thoughts on brain implants, and the simulation theory GuestJohn Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmlink/ HostsDave Chapman:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Esmee van de Giessen:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/Rob Kernahan:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/ ProductionMarcel van der Burg:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapman:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/ SoundBen Corbett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Corbett:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/ 'Cloud Realities' is an original podcast from Capgemini

Hello San Francisco - we're arrived for Microsoft Ignite 2025! The #CloudRealities podcast team has landed this week in San Francisco, we're bringing you the best updates right from the heart of the event. Join us to connect AI at scale, cloud modernization, and secure innovation—empowering organizations to become AI-first. Plus, we'll keep you updated on all the latest news and juicy gossip. Dave and Esmee continue their conversation with Rob Lefferts, CVP Threat Protection about the key security announcements and explore how we leverage agents to protect, defend, and respond at AI speed.  TLDR00:50 – Introduction to Rob Lefferts01:40 – Keynote highlights and insights from the Expo floor03:19 – In-depth conversation with Rob on why security is critical in the era of AI22:53 – Favorite IT-themed movie linked to the Asimov's principles and the Louvre password  GuestRob Lefferts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-lefferts/ HostsDave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Esmee van de Giessen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/Rob Kernahan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/ ProductionMarcel van der Burg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/ SoundBen Corbett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Corbett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/ 'Cloud Realities' is an original podcast from Capgemini

In this Scrum.org Community Podcast episode, host Dave West speaks with Nathaniel Davis, CEO of Barrel One Collective, and PST Yuval Yeret about applying Agile principles beyond software — into the heart of business operations.Nathaniel shares his journey from working in a large brewing company to leading Barrel One Collective, a brewing group where he's working to make Agile the foundation for innovation and entrepreneurialism. Together, they explore how Agile thinking can balance experimentation and consistency, drive outcome-oriented leadership, and shape company culture as a product.Tune in to hear how organizations can expand their definition of “product” — from beverages to behaviors — and how agility helps leaders continuously learn, adapt, and deliver value.

In dieser Folge spricht der Autor & Ingenieur Christian Schwedler Klartext über Mut, Wandel und warum deutsche Unternehmen oft an ihren eigenen Regeln scheitern. Er erzählt, wie ihn Punkrock, Weltreisen und ein Einstieg ohne Plan in Australien geprägt haben und warum genau diese Brüche seine größte Stärke wurden. Wir gehen tief rein in "Beidhändigkeit", Innovationskultur und die Sackgassen von Agile-Washing. Christian zeigt, wie Teams echten Freiraum schaffen und warum naive Fragen mehr bewegen als jede KPI. Eine Folge für alle, die weniger verwalten und mehr vorwärtskommen wollen.Mehr zu Christian findest du hier: https://christianschwedler.com/Mehr über Ingenieurshelden findest du hier:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ingenieurshelden.de/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/dr-thomas-loebel⁠⁠

In dieser Folge der CAISzeit spricht Host Dr. Matthias Begenat mit Samuel T. Simon über Agilität in der Wissenschaft. Gemeinsam diskutieren sie, wie Forschung mit Hilfe agiler Methoden organisiert werden kann, ohne dass Tiefe und wissenschaftliche Gründlichkeit verloren gehen. Außerdem werfen sie einen Blick auf experimentelle Formate und Tools, die gleichzeitig Prozesse strukturieren und Freiräume für interdisziplinäre Forschung schaffen können. Agilität in der Wissenschaft – ist das möglich? Samuel T. Simon argumentiert, dass agile Methoden nicht nur Buzzwords sind, sondern Vorteile für Forschungsprozesse bringen können. Ob bei CERN, NASA oder in der Nachhaltigkeitsforschung: Agile Ansätze können dabei helfen, Prozesse zu optimieren, Teams effizienter zusammenarbeiten zu lassen und Freiräume für die eigentliche Forschung zu schaffen. Dabei geht es vor allem um transparente Kommunikation, klare Strukturen und effiziente Prozesse: Scrum, Kanban und andere Tools machen Projektfortschritte und Zuständigkeiten sichtbar, schaffen Übersicht und ermöglichen eine gemeinsame Sprache. So kann Forschung trotz Agilität weiterhin sorgfältig und wissenschaftlich bleiben. Gleichzeitig erfordert agiles Arbeiten Kompetenzen wie Unsicherheitstoleranz, eine positive Fehlerkultur und transparente Kommunikation sowie eine verantwortliche Prozessbegleitung durch eine:n Facilitator. Empfehlungen zum Thema: Agile Infrastruktur am CERN zur kompletten Umstrukturierung des Ressourcen- und Konfigurationsmanagements ihrer Computing-Center: https://cds.cern.ch/record/1622187 NASA's Agile Community of Practice: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20240011407/downloads/NASA%20Agile%20TIM%20-%20IAC%202024%20Presentation.pdf Paper "Agile by Accident" (Biely, 2024): https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-023-00823-3 Crumbles Framework von Iikka Meriläinen & Julia Autio, University of Oulu: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391395584_Crumbles_A_Framework_and_Ontology_for_Modular_Inter-and_Transdisciplinary_Dissemination ScrumAdemia, entwickelt von sieben Doktorand*innen am GIGA, ist eine speziell auf die Herausforderungen der Promotionsphase zugeschnittene Adaption des Scrum-Frameworks: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/ps-political-science-and-politics/article/introducing-scrumademia-an-agile-guide-for-doctoral-research/6275B823DB54B3FB56011C8A7B182528 "Zwischen den Welten – Ein Wegweiser für transdisziplinäre Forschung" von Josephine B. Schmitt und Samuel T. Simon: https://www.cais-research.de/forschung/inkubator/forschungsinkubator-wegweiser/ Open Educational Resource-Kurs "Agile Forschung" der Uni Duisburg-Essen (noch nicht veröffentlicht) Blogbeitrag zu "Agil Arbeiten in der Wissenschaft"

Sara Di Gregorio: Facilitating Deeper Retrospectives—When to Step In and When to Step Back Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "When they start connecting and having an interesting discussion, I go to the corner, and I'm only trying to listen." - Sara Di Gregorio   Sara faces a challenge that many Scrum Masters encounter: teams that want to discuss too many topics during retrospectives without going deep on any of them. The team had plenty to talk about, but conversations stayed surface-level, never reaching the insights that drive real improvement. Sara recognized that the aim of the retrospective isn't to talk about everything—it's to go deeper on topics the team genuinely cares about.  So she started coaching teams to select just three main topics they wanted to discuss, helping them understand why prioritization matters and making explicit which topics are most important. But her real skill emerged in how she facilitated the discussions. When she saw communication starting to flow and team members becoming deeply connected to the topic, she moved to the corner and listened. She didn't abandon the team—she remained present, ready to help shy or quiet members speak up, watching the clock to respect timeboxes.  But she understood that when teams connect authentically, the Scrum Master's job is to create space, not fill it. Sara learned to ask better questions too. Instead of repeatedly asking "Why? Why? Why?"—which can feel accusatory—she reformulated: "How did you approach it? What happens?" When teams started blaming other teams, she redirected: "What can we influence? What can we do from our side?" She used visual tools like white paper, sharpies, and sticky notes to help teams visualize their discussion steps and create structured moments for questions.  Sometimes, when teams discussed complex technical topics beyond her understanding, she empowered them: "You are the main expert of this topic. Please, when someone sees that we're going out of topic or getting too detailed, raise your hand and help me bring the communication back to what we've chosen to talk about."  This balance—knowing when to step in with structure and when to step back and listen—is what transforms retrospectives from checkbox events into genuine opportunities for team growth.   Self-reflection Question: In your facilitation, are you creating space for deep team connection, or are you inadvertently filling the space that teams need to discover insights for themselves?   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

10 Mistakes Enterprises Make When Scaling Agile — and How to Avoid ThemWhen I walk into a Fortune 500 boardroom and hear, “We've adopted Agile,” I brace myself. Usually, what follows is a whirlwind of rebranded status meetings, overwhelmed middle managers, and teams confused about whether they're sprinting or slowly marching in circles.Enterprise Agile transformations are rarely short on ambition. But too often, the reality is a mismatched combination of frameworks, tool obsession, and unclear intent. Over the past decade, I've led Agile rollouts in healthcare, finance, and tech. These are the ten recurring mistakes I see — paired with practical remedies rooted in experience.How to connect with AgileDad:- [website] ⁠https://www.agiledad.com/⁠- [instagram] ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/⁠- [facebook] ⁠https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/⁠- [Linkedin] ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

Episode SummaryIn this inspiring and deeply human episode, Kathy and Linda sit down with Amanda Mavropoulis, a global project and portfolio management leader in technology including 15 years in the electric utility space, and one extraordinary career pivot.Amanda shares her unconventional STEM journey—from early days taking apart alarm clocks, to working in IT as a student worker, to a long career in utilities, and ultimately into her “unicorn job” at a major tech company. Along the way, she opens up about her unexpected breast cancer diagnosis, navigating treatment after leaving a longtime job, and the clarity and boldness it brought to her next steps.This conversation is filled with humor, wisdom, honesty, and plenty of laughs as Amanda, Kathy, and Linda reflect on career longevity, teamwork, life detours, and why sometimes you just have to “science the hell out of it.”Topics We CoverA full-circle reconnection: How Linda and Amanda met during a massive utility system conversion—and why team culture matters.Life in a global tech environment: Agile management, nonstop meetings, time zones, boundaries, and protecting heads-down time.Finding balance: Hybrid work, maintaining work–life separation, setting expectations, and empowering teams.Career pivoting after 15 years in utilities: What it's like to be “new again” in a fast-paced tech company.Breast cancer survival and perspective shifts: How Amanda approached treatment, resilience, and redefining what she wanted out of life.Unicorn jobs: Applying for stretch roles, building confidence, and not letting fear stop you.STEM pathways that aren't linear: Environmental science beginnings, early IT work, accidental opportunities, and embracing unexpected journeys.Hiring challenges today: Entry-level roles requiring experience, the impact of layoffs, and navigating the job market as a new grad.Diversity of thought & representation in tech: Why it matters and what Amanda sees in her new workplace.About Amanda MavropoulisAmanda is a technical project and portfolio management leader with a BS in Environmental Studies from Texas A&M, an MS from Walden University, and three decades in the IT and utility sectors. She's known for her leadership, empathy, ability to build strong teams, and her passion for mentoring women entering STEM fields. She's also a breast cancer survivor whose resilience fueled her leap into a dream role in global technology.Connect with the PodcastWe'd love to hear from you!Have a question, comment, or want to submit your own “Ask the Not-Expert” question?Email: ordinarilyextraordinarypod@gmail.comWebsite & Voicemail: ordinarilyextraordinary.comMusic by Kay Paulus Follow Kay on Instagram @kaypaulus8Support the showSupport the show

Hello San Francisco - we're arrived for Microsoft Ignite 2025! The #CloudRealities podcast team has landed this week in San Francisco, we're bringing you the best updates right from the heart of the event. Join us to connect AI at scale, cloud modernization, and secure innovation—empowering organizations to become AI-first. Plus, we'll keep you updated on all the latest news and juicy gossip. Dave, Esmee, and Rob continue their conversation with Jonathan Hunt, CVP of Business Solutions at Microsoft, diving into the differences between AI-driven business solutions and traditional business applications, and exploring how customers can learn where—and how—to get started with AI.  TLDR00:35 – Introduction and conversation with Jonathan Hunt, plus updates from the event floor22:15 – Favorite IT-themed movie starring Arnold SchwarzeneggerGuestJonathan Hunt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-hunt1/HostsDave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Esmee van de Giessen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/Rob Kernahan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/ ProductionMarcel van der Burg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/ SoundBen Corbett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Corbett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/ 'Cloud Realities' is an original podcast from Capgemini

Hello San Francisco - we're arrived for Microsoft Ignite 2025!The #CloudRealities podcast team has landed this week in San Francisco, we're bringing you the best updates right from the heart of the event. Join us to connect AI at scale, cloud modernization, and secure innovation—empowering organizations to become AI-first. Plus, we'll keep you updated on all the latest news and juicy gossip. Dave, Esmee and Rob kick off with Rob Cromwell, CVP of Engineering and explore the exciting evolution of Copilot and share insights on what's coming next. TLDR 00:50 – Back in San Francisco 02:45 – Highlights from the first keynote 11:08 – Intro and chat with Rob Cromwell 30:40 – Tackling tech and authentication challenges 32:28 – Favorite IT-related film and a glimpse into the near future GuestRob Cromwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robcromwell/HostsDave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Esmee van de Giessen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/Rob Kernahan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/ProductionMarcel van der Burg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/SoundBen Corbett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Corbett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/'Cloud Realities' is an original podcast from Capgemini

Sara Di Gregorio: Rebuilding Agile Team Connection in the Remote Work Era Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "The book helped me to shift from reacting to connecting, which completely changed the quality of conversation." - Sara Di Gregorio   When COVID forced Sara's team into full remote work, she noticed something troubling—the team was losing real connection. Replicating in-office meetings online simply didn't work. People attended meetings but weren't truly present. The spontaneous coffee machine conversations that built relationships and surfaced important information had vanished.  So Sara started experimenting. She introduced 5-minute chit-chat sessions at the start of every meeting: "Guys, how are you today? What happened yesterday?" She created "coffee all together" moments—10-minute virtual breaks where the team could drink coffee or have aperitivos together, sometimes three times per week. She established weekly feedback sessions every Friday morning—30 minutes to recap the week and understand what could improve.  These weren't just social niceties; they were deliberate efforts to recreate the human connections that remote work had stripped away. Sara recognized that mechanized interactions—"here are the things I need you to do, let's talk next steps"—kill team dynamics. Teams need moments where they relate to each other as people, not just as functions.  The experiments worked because they created space for genuine connection, allowing the team to maintain the trust and collaboration that makes effective teamwork possible, even when working remotely.   In this episode, we refer to Non-Violent Communication concepts and practices.   Self-reflection Question: How are you creating moments for your remote or hybrid team to connect as people, not just as colleagues executing tasks? Featured Book of the Week: Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg Sara credits Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg (translated in Italian as "Words are Windows, or They are Walls") as having a deep impact on her career. The book explores how to listen without judging, how to ask the right questions, and how to observe people to understand their real needs. But above all, it teaches how to communicate in a way that builds connection rather than creating barriers.  For Sara, the book was remarkably practical—she didn't just read it, she experimented with the techniques afterward. She explains: "I think that without this mindset, it's easy to fall into reactive communication, trying to defend, justify, or give quick answers. But that often blocks real understanding." The book helped her shift from reacting to connecting, which completely changed the quality of her conversations.  As a Scrum Master working with people every day—facilitating meetings, mediating conflicts, supporting teams—the way we communicate determines whether we open dialogue or close it. Sara found that taking time to reflect instead of giving quick answers transformed her ability to help teams discover dependencies, improve dialogue, and address communication issues. For anyone in the Scrum Master role, this book provides essential skills for building the kind of connection that makes true collaboration possible. In this segment, we also refer to the NVC episodes we have on the podcast. Check those out to learn more about Nonviolent Communication   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Whether you're looking for hope, practical advocacy tips, or updates on current legislation, you'll find inspiration in how collective action—powered by real stories—can fuel progress. Stay tuned for an uplifting, honest, and actionable conversation that's helping shape the future of women's health. This episode with Liz Powell, hosted by Lisa Malia covers timely topics like the FDA's recent announcement about hormone therapy, the vital work of the Breast Cancer Early Detection Coalition, and accessible ways anyone can join the movement for better health outcomes. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Women's Health Advocacy Network 05:28 Holistic Women's Health Advocacy 08:21 "Empowerment Through Advocacy Stories" 09:49 Hormone Therapy Misunderstood in WHI 15:43 Staying Hopeful Amid Overwhelm 17:09 "Easy Steps to Advocacy" 19:56 "Change Starts Within Us" 23:26 "2024: Women's Health Revolution" 28:49 Supplemental Breast Cancer Screening 30:30 "Fighting for Double Mastectomy" 36:19 Advocacy Secures Funding Success 39:52 "Open, Agile, Impactful Leadership" 41:26 "Grateful to Be Involved"   LEARN MORE:  The Clear Pathways Program: https://www.breastdensitysummit.org/ The Breast Density Summit: https://www.breastdensitysummit.org/webinar-registration MAKE A DONATION: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=NJMF86A8Y9RJQ Follow LISA MALIA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamalianorman/   WOMEN'S HEALTH ADVOCATES: https://womenshealthadvocates.org/ BREAST CANCER EARLY DETECTION COALITION: https://womenshealthadvocates.org/bcedc/ G2G CONSULTING: https://www.g2gconsulting.com Follow LIZ POWELL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-powell-507b135/   Liz is Founder of G2G Consulting, which creates and implements government to growth (G2G) strategies for clients—securing $550 million since 2007. We advance health and high-tech innovation for businesses and nonprofits by accessing non-dilutive funding, shaping policies and regulations, and building relationships with key decision-makers. Liz founded the Women's Health Advocates, which is in all 50 states and has organized the first-ever Women's Health Capitol Hill Day on May 21, 2025, the Breast Cancer Early Detection Coalition Hill Day on July 16, 2025, Congressional Briefings and online forums, advocacy letter-writing campaigns, the drafting of legislative language, and grassroots mobilization events across the country. Previously, she served as Legislative Director in Congress where she staffed the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, Armed Services Committee and Small Business Committee and served as a Policy Analyst for UK Parliament's Health Committee as well as congressional and presidential political campaign staff. She has received the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award and Women of Achievement Award and earned her MPH from Harvard, JD from George Washington, and BA from Colgate.

When high-stakes motions are due, most firms face bottlenecks, inconsistent quality, and last-minute chaos. In this episode, Hellmuth & Johnson attorneys Brendan Kenny and Neven Selimovic share how they've rebuilt their legal writing process using Kanban visibility, Agile principles, and smart AI support to deliver consistent, high-quality work. Their internal system worked so well that they now offer it as a legal writing subscription, helping other firms adopt a more predictable, scalable approach. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: agileattorney.com/96 Take your law practice from overwhelmed to optimized with Greenline LegalFollow along on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnegrantFollow Brendan on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendanmkennyFollow Neven on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/neven-selimović-b53717b4Mentioned in this episode:Take Your Law Practice from Overwhelmed to Optimized GreenLine helps you see the progress of every matter, shows what each person should focus on, spots delays, helps you decide where to use your team members, and even predicts when you can deliver results to your clients. Learn more or sign up for the beta here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegalLearn more about GreenLine Legal hereLIVE WORKSHOP: Better Client Relationships, Fewer InterruptionsThis 90-minute interactive workshop will teach you proven strategies for creating more peaceful, productive client relationships... for the rest of your legal career! When? Friday, December 12 – Live via Zoom Only 12 Seats Available Reserve your spot here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/ccwSign Up For the Dec 12 Workshop Here

What happens when you combine daily mini-retrospectives, Test-Driven Development in absurdly small steps, and Chess Clock Mobbing? You get a radically different iteration on collaboration, continuous improvement, and extreme programming—and that's exactly what we explore in this episode of the Mob Mentality Show with guests Kevin Vicencio and Alex Bird. Kevin and Alex are on a team who didn't just mob the canonical way—they experimented with variations and discovered something that seems faster, tighter, and even more collaborative in many ways. From refining how teams use retrospectives to guide daily improvements, to pioneering a new high-intensity form of teaming called “Chess Clock Mobbing,” their approach is relentless in its pursuit of learning and team flow. In this conversation, we dig into: - How daily retros and real-time feedback can evolve your team culture fast - Why working in smaller TDD steps can paradoxically lead to faster results - The mechanics and mindset behind Chess Clock Mobbing  - “Evil TDD Ping Pong” as a way to level up test design and shared understanding - Building a culture of trust, safety, and continuous experimentation - Techniques for maintaining momentum, engagement, and learning in remote-first dev teams - The power of absurdly small experiments and the compounding effect of micro-improvements Whether you're an Agile coach, XP practitioner, software engineer, or just curious about pushing the boundaries of collaborative development, this episode delivers deep insights, real practices, and actionable takeaways you can try with your team tomorrow.

Welcome to a new series of Our Agile Tales, Navigating World Crises: The Agile-Law-AI Alliance in Action!In this series of episodes, we are joined by Ondřej Dvořák, CEO of AgiLawyer and COPS Solutions, and someone proving that agility isn't limited to software teams or startups. With over 15 years at the crossroads of IT, law and finance, Ondřej has been bringing Agile principles into fields few consider “Agile-friendly.”In this first episode, Ondřej explains how Agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban can transform even the most traditional industries, including legal services. He details his initiatives, such as the non-profit Linking Help, which utilized Agile frameworks to aid Ukrainian refugees. Ondřej shares how he sparked Agile adoption in the legal sector by addressing common barriers and educating legal professionals on these methods. Additionally, he discusses the practical challenges and solutions implemented in real-world environments, emphasizing the adaptability and resilience that Agile offers, even in chaotic situations such as war. The discussion highlights the importance of Agile education for students and how it can prepare them for dynamic work environments.00:00 Introduction to Agile Tales00:17 Meet Ondřej Dvořák03:14 Applying Agile to the Legal Industry07:18 Challenges and Objections in Legal Agile Transformation14:09 Agile Education for Law Students16:42 Linking Help: Agile in Humanitarian Aid20:44 Building and Scaling Linking Help29:07 Conclusion About Ondrej DvorakOndřej is the co-founder of Linking Help, a nonprofit that mobilized legal aid for Ukrainian refugees using Scrum and Kanban to coordinate real-time support. It's a powerful story of how agility can make a real difference in humanitarian crises—far beyond the domain of business. Andre's work shows how Agile thinking can help even the most traditional sectors become more humane, responsive, and resilient. You can follow Ondřej on LinkedIn at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ondrej-dvorak-agile/Visit us at https://www.ouragiletales.com/about

Sara Di Gregorio: When Teams Lose Trust—How Scrum Masters Rebuild It One Small Change at a Time Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "I continue to approach this situation with openness, positivity, and trust, because I truly believe that even the smallest changes can make a difference over time." - Sara Di Gregorio   Sara faced one of the most challenging situations a Scrum Master can encounter—a team member who had lost all trust in change, creating a negative atmosphere that weighed heavily on the entire team. She remembers the heaviness on her shoulders, feeling personally responsible for the team's wellbeing. The negativity was palpable during every meeting, and it threatened to undermine the team's progress.  But Sara refused to give up. She started experimenting with different approaches: one-to-one conversations to understand what was happening, bringing intentional energy to meetings, and trying new facilitation techniques in retrospectives. She added personal check-ins, asking "How are you today?" at the start of stand-ups, consciously bringing positive energy even on days when she didn't feel it herself.  She discovered that listening—truly listening, not just hearing—means understanding how people feel, not just what they're saying. Sara learned that the energy you bring to interactions matters deeply. Starting the day with genuine interest, asking about the team's wellbeing, and even making small comments about the weather could create tiny shifts—a small smile that signaled something had changed.  Her approach was rooted in persistence and belief: she continued approaching the situation with openness, positivity, and trust, knowing that even the smallest changes can make a difference over time. For Sara, reestablishing a good environment wasn't about quick fixes—it was about showing up every day with the right energy and never giving up on her team.   Self-reflection Question: What energy are you bringing to your interactions with the team today, and how might that be shaping the team's atmosphere?   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Velocity = The Most Abused Agile Metric EverWelcome to the dark side of velocity — the number that started as a planning aid and ended up as a weaponized performance metric, often wielded by people who've never touched a user story in their lives.In this episode, we'll break down:What velocity is supposed to doHow it gets misunderstood and misusedWhy chasing it kills team healthAnd how to bring it back from the deadLet's sprint into it. (Pun 100% intended.)How to connect with AgileDad:- [website] ⁠https://www.agiledad.com/⁠- [instagram] ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/⁠- [facebook] ⁠https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/⁠- [Linkedin] ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

Unser heutiger Gast ist eine erfahrene Organisationsberaterin, ausgebildete Systemikerin – und eine, die nicht nur über neue Arbeitswelten spricht, sondern sie aktiv mitgestaltet. Nach Stationen in der klassischen Unternehmensberatung und im Projektmanagement wechselte sie zu Hello Agile, wo sie heute als Beraterin, Coach und Trainerin Führungskräfte dabei unterstützt, Strategiearbeit und Zielorientierung neu zu denken. Ihre Spezialität: die Einführung und Weiterentwicklung von OKR – Objectives & Key Results – als Führungs- und Lernsystem. Ich selbst kenne sie aus unserem New Work Master Skills Executive Programm – und seitdem verfolge ich mit großem Respekt, wie konsequent und klar sie Organisationen durch komplexe Veränderungsprozesse begleitet. Und wie selbstverständlich sie dabei Haltung, Methodik und Menschlichkeit verbindet. Seit über acht Jahren beschäftigen wir uns in diesem Podcast mit der Frage, wie Arbeit den Menschen stärkt, statt ihn zu schwächen. In mehr als 500 Gesprächen mit über 600 Persönlichkeiten haben wir darüber gesprochen, was sich verändert hat – und was sich weiter verändern muss. Heute fragen wir: Wie gelingt es Führungskräften, Strategiearbeit nicht nur zu denken, sondern in konkrete, motivierende Ziele zu übersetzen? Was braucht es, damit OKR mehr ist als ein Buzzword und echte Wirkung in Teams entfaltet? Und welche Rolle spielen Haltung, Stärkenorientierung und technologische Unterstützung wie KI bei der praktischen Umsetzung? Fest steht: Für die Lösung unserer aktuellen Herausforderungen brauchen wir neue Impulse. Deshalb suchen wir weiter nach Methoden, Vorbildern, Tools und Ideen, die uns dem Kern von New Work näherbringen. Und wir fragen weiterhin: Können wirklich alle Menschen das finden und leben, was sie im Innersten wirklich, wirklich wollen? Ihr seid bei On the Way to New Work – heute in einer Kollaborationsfolge mit unboxing new work, live aufgenommen bei den OKR Open mit Hannah Nagel. [Hier](https://linktr.ee/onthewaytonewwork) findet ihr alle Links zum Podcast und unseren aktuellen Werbepartnern

Celebrate Episode 100 of The Meta-Cast's Leadership Focus as Bob Galen and Josh Anderson share 8 critical areas where leaders need to do MORE. Learn why hiring can't be outsourced to AI, how to be aggressively patient with change, why speaking truth to power matters, and the importance of growing the next generation. Plus: advocating for women in leadership, thinking about your legacy, and building team cohesion through language. Practical leadership advice from two thought leaders with decades of experience. Stay Connected and Informed with Our NewslettersJosh Anderson's "Leadership Lighthouse"Dive deeper into the world of Agile leadership and management with Josh Anderson's "Leadership Lighthouse." This bi-weekly newsletter offers insights, tips, and personal stories to help you navigate the complexities of leadership in today's fast-paced tech environment. Whether you're a new manager or a seasoned leader, you'll find valuable guidance and practical advice to enhance your leadership skills. Subscribe to "Leadership Lighthouse" for the latest articles and exclusive content right to your inbox.Subscribe hereBob Galen's "Agile Moose"Bob Galen's "Agile Moose" is a must-read for anyone interested in Agile practices, team dynamics, and personal growth within the tech industry. The newsletter features in-depth analysis, case studies, and actionable tips to help you excel in your Agile journey. Bob brings his extensive experience and thoughtful perspectives directly to you, covering everything from foundational Agile concepts to advanced techniques. Join a community of Agile enthusiasts and practitioners by subscribing to "Agile Moose."Subscribe hereDo More Than Listen:We publish video versions of every episode and post them on our YouTube page.Help Us Spread The Word: Love our content? Help us out by sharing on social media, rating our podcast/episodes on iTunes, or by giving to our Patreon campaign. Every time you give, in any way, you empower our mission of helping as many agilists as possible. Thanks for sharing!

Silvana, Eric and Tegan watch Stargate SG-1 Season 6 Episode 10 "Cure."  The hosts start out discussing which bands SG-1 characters would love, unfortunately this is not a crossover episode with the band The Cure. We are back in classic SG-1 style with the costumes, the post-industrial backdrop, archeology, and great character moments.  The emotional moments hit hard and the ethical dilemma was interesting and handled well. Silvana gives a lesson on why Agile isn't done in medicine, Tegan rants about drug trials, and Eric gives a history lesson on Bath in England. No explosions in this episode! Episode Ratings: Comedic Effect - 5/7 chevrons Emotional Impact - 7/7 chevrons Enjoyability - 7/7 chevrons Culture/history/lore - 7/7 chevrons Novelty - 7/7 chevrons Technical Quality  - 7/7 chevrons Plot - 7/7 chevrons Relevant to the overall story? Yes, don't skip! Join the discussion on our socials.

BONUS: Flawless Execution — Translating Fighter Pilot Precision to Business Results In this powerful conversation, former fighter pilot Christian "Boo" Boucousis reveals how military precision translates into agile business leadership. We explore the FLEX model (Plan-Brief-Execute-Debrief), the critical difference between control-based and awareness-based leadership, and why most organizations fail to truly embrace iterative thinking. From Cockpit to Boardroom: An Unexpected Journey "I learned over time that it doesn't matter what you do if you're always curious, and you're always intentional, and you're always asking questions." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   Christian's path from fighter pilot to leadership consultant wasn't planned—it was driven by necessity and curiosity. After 11 years as a fighter pilot (7 in Australia, 4 in the UK), an autoimmune condition ended his flying career at age 30. Rather than accepting a comfy job flying politicians around, he chose entrepreneurship. He moved to Afghanistan with a friend and built a reconstruction company that grew to a quarter billion dollars in four years. The secret? The debrief skills he learned as a fighter pilot. By constantly asking "What are you trying to achieve? How's it going? Why is there a gap?" he approached business with an agile mindset before he even knew what agile was. This curiosity-driven, question-focused approach became the foundation for everything that followed. The FLEX Model: Plan-Brief-Execute-Debrief "Agile and scrum were co-created by John Sutherland, who was a fighter pilot, and its origins sit in the OODA loop and iteration. Which is why it's a circle." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   The FLEX model isn't new—fighter pilots have used this Plan-Brief-Execute-Debrief cycle for 60 years. It's the ultimate simple agile model, designed to help teams accelerate toward goals using the same accelerated learning curve the Air Force uses to train fighter pilots. The key insight: everything in this model is iterative, not linear. Every mission has a start, middle, and end, and every stage involves constant adaptation. Afterburner (the company Christian now leads as CEO) has worked with nearly 3,800 companies and 2.8 million people over 30 years, teaching this model. What's fascinating is that the DNA of agile is baked into fighter pilot thinking—John Sutherland, co-creator of Scrum, wrote the foreword for Christian's book "The Afterburner Advantage" because they share the same roots in the OODA loop and iterative thinking. Why Iterative Thinking Doesn't Come Naturally "Iterative thinking is not a natural human model. Most of the time we learn from mistakes. We don't learn as a habit." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   Here's the hard truth: agile as a way of working is very different from the way human beings naturally think. Business leadership models still hark back to Frederick Winslow Taylor's 1911 book on scientific management—industrial era leadership designed for building buildings, not creating software. Time is always linear (foundation, then structure, then finishing), and this shapes how we think about planning. Humans also tend to organize like villages with chiefs, warriors, and gatherers—hierarchical and political. Fighter pilots created a parallel system where politics exist outside missions, but during execution, personality clashes can't interfere. The challenge for business isn't the method—it's getting human minds to embrace iteration as a habit, not just a process they follow when forced. Planning: Building Collective Consciousness, Not Task Lists "Planning isn't all about sequencing actions—that's not planning. That's the byproduct of planning, which is collectively agreeing what good looks like at the end." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   Most people plan in their head or in front of a spreadsheet by themselves. That's not planning—that's collecting thoughts. Real planning means bringing everyone on the team together to build collective consciousness about what's possible. The plan is always "the best idea based on what we know now." Once airborne, everything changes because the enemy doesn't cooperate with your plan. Planning is about the destination, not the work to get there. Think about airline pilots: they don't tell you about traffic delays on their commute or maintenance issues. They say "Welcome aboard, our destination is Amsterdam, there's weather on the way, we'll land 5 minutes early." That's a brief—just the effect on you based on all their work. Most business meetings waste 55 minutes on backstory and 5 minutes deciding to have another meeting. Fighter pilots focus entirely on: What are we trying to achieve? What might get in the way? Let's go. Briefing: The 25-Minute Focus Window "You need 25 minutes of focus before your brain really focuses on the task. You program your brain for the mission at hand." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   The brief is the moment between planning and execution when the plan is as accurate as it'll ever get. It's called "brief" for a reason—it's really short. The team checks that everyone understands the plan in today's context, accounting for last-minute changes (broken equipment, weather, personnel changes). Then comes the critical part: creating the mission bubble. From the brief until mission end, there are no distractions, no notifications. If someone tries to interrupt a fighter pilot walking to the jet, the response is clear: "I'm in my mission bubble. No distractions." This isn't optional—research shows it takes 25 minutes of uninterrupted focus before your brain truly locks onto a task. Yet most business leaders expect constant availability, with notifications pinging every few minutes. If you need everyone to have notifications on to run your business, you're doing a really bad job at planning. Execution: Awareness-Based Leadership vs. Control-Based Leadership "The reason we have so many meetings is because the leader is trying to control the situation and own all the awareness. It's not humanly possible to do that." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   During execution, fighter pilots fly the plan until it doesn't work anymore—then they adapt. A mission commander might lead 70 airplanes, but can't possibly track all 69 others. Instead, they create "gates"—checkpoints where everyone confirms they're in the right place within 10 seconds. They plan for chaos, creating awareness points where the team is generally on track or not. The key shift: from control-based leadership (the leader tries to control everything) to awareness-based leadership (the leader facilitates and listens for divergences). This includes "subordinated leadership"—any of the four pilots in a formation can take the lead if they have better awareness. If a wingman calls out a threat the leader doesn't see, the immediate response is "Press! You take the lead." This works because they planned for it and have criteria. Business teams profess to want this kind of agile collaboration, but struggle because they haven't invested in the planning and shared understanding that makes fluid leadership transitions possible. Abort Criteria: Knowing When to Stop "We have this concept called abort criteria. If certain criteria are hit, we abort the mission. I think that's a massive opportunity for business." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   There are degrees of things going wrong: a little bit, a medium amount, and everything going wrong. When everything's going wrong, fighter pilots stop and turn around—they don't keep pressing a bad situation. This "abort criteria" concept is massively underutilized in business. Too often, teams press bad situations, transparency disappears, people stop talking, and everyone goes into survival mode (protect myself, blame others). This never happens with fighter pilots. If something goes wrong, they take accountability and make the best decision. The most potent team size is four people: a leader, deputy leader, and two wingmen. This small team size with clear roles and shared abort criteria creates psychological safety to call out problems and adapt quickly. The Retrospective Mindset: Not Just a Ritual "A retrospective isn't a ritual. It's actually a way of thinking. It's a cognitive model. If you approached everything as a retrospective—what are we trying to achieve? How's it going? Why is it not going where we want? What's the one action to get back on track?" — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   The debrief—the retrospective—is the most important part of fighter pilot culture translated into agile. It's not just a meeting you have at the end of a sprint. It's a mindset you apply to everything: projects, relationships, personal development. Christian introduces "Flawless Leadership" built on three M's: Method (agile practices), Mindset (growth mindset developed through acting iteratively), and Moments (understanding when to show up as a people leader vs. an impact leader). The biggest mistake in technology: teams do retrospectives internally but don't include the business. They get a brief from the business, build for two months, come back, and the business says "What is this? This isn't what I expected." If they'd had the business in every scrum, every iteration, trust would build naturally. Everyone involved in the mission must be part of the planning, briefing, executing, and debriefing. Leading in the Moment: Three Layers of Leadership "Your job as a scrum master, as a leader—it doesn't matter if you're leading a division of people—is to be aware. And you're only going to be aware by listening." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   Christian breaks leadership into three layers: People Leadership (political, emotional, dealing with personalities and overwhelm), Impact Leadership (the agile layer, results-driven, scientific), and Leading Now (the reactive, amygdala-driven panic response when things go wrong). The mistake: mixing these layers. Don't try to be a people leader during execution—that's not the time. But if you're really good at impact leadership (planning, breaking epics into stories, getting work done), you become high trust and high credibility. People leadership becomes easier because success eliminates excuses. During execution, watch for individual traits and blind spots. Use one-on-ones with a retrospective mindset: "What does good look like for you? How do we get to where you're not frustrated?" When leaders aren't present—checking phones and watches during meetings—they lose people. Your job as a leader is to turn your ears on, facilitate (not direct), and listen for divergences others don't see. The Technology-Business Disconnect "Every time you're having a scrum, every time you're coming together to talk about the product, just have the business there with you. It's easy." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   One of the biggest packages of work Afterburner does: technology teams ask them to help build trust with the business. The solution is shockingly simple—include the business in every scrum, every planning session, every retrospective. Agile is a tech-driven approach, creating a disconnect. Technology brings overwhelming information about how hard they're working and problems they've solved, but business doesn't care about the past. They care about the future: what are you delivering and when? During the Gulf War, the military scaled this fighter pilot model to large-scale planning. Fighter pilots work with marines, special forces, navy, CIA agents—everyone is part of the plan. If one person is missing from planning, execution falls apart. If someone on the ground doesn't know how an F-18 works, the jet is just expensive decoration. Planning is about learning what everyone else does and how to support them best—not announcing what you'll do and how you'll do it. High-Definition Destinations: Beyond Goals "Planning is all about the destination, not the work to get there. Think about when you hop on an airplane—the pilot doesn't tell you the whole backstory. They say 'Welcome aboard, our destination is Amsterdam, there's weather on the way, we'll land 5 minutes early.' All you want is the effect on you." — Christian "Boo" Boucousis   Christian uses the term "High-Definition Destinations" rather than goals. The difference is clarity and vividness. When you board a plane, you don't get the pilot's commute story or maintenance details—you get the destination, obstacles, and estimated arrival. That's communication focused on effect, not process. Most business communication does the opposite: overwhelming context, backstory, and detail, with the destination buried somewhere in the middle. The brief should always be: Here's where we're going. Here's what might get in the way. Let's go. This communication style—focused on outcomes and effects rather than processes and problems—transforms how teams align and execute. It eliminates the noise and centers everyone on what actually matters: the destination.   About Christian "Boo" Boucousis   Christian "Boo" Boucousis is a former fighter pilot who now helps leaders navigate today's fast-moving world. As CEO of Afterburner and author of The Afterburner Advantage, he shares practical, people-centered tools for turning chaos into clarity, building trust, and delivering results without burning out.   You can link with Christian "Boo" Boucousis on LinkedIn, visit Afterburner.com, check out his personal site at CallMeBoo.com, or interact with his AI tool at AIBoo.com.  

Alidad Hamidi: When Product Owners Facilitate Vision Instead of Owning It Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Co-Creating Vision Through Discovery "The best product owner I worked with was not a product owner, but a project manager. And she didn't realize that she's acting as a product owner." - Alidad Hamidi   The irony wasn't lost on Alidad. The best Product Owner he ever worked with didn't have "Product Owner" in her title—she was a project manager who didn't even realize she was acting in that capacity. The team was working on a strategic project worth millions, but confusion reigned about what value they were creating. Alidad planned an inception workshop to create alignment among stakeholders, marketing, operations, advisors, and the team.   Twenty minutes into the session, Alidad asked a simple question: "How do we know the customer has this problem, and they're gonna pay for it?" Silence. No one knew. To her immense credit, the project manager didn't retreat or deflect. Instead, she jumped in: "What do we need to do?" Alidad suggested assumptions mapping, and two days later, the entire team and stakeholders gathered for the workshop. What happened next was magic. "She didn't become a proxy," Alidad emphasizes. She didn't say, "I'll go find out and come back to you." Instead, she brought everyone together—team, stakeholders, and customers—into the same room.   The results were dramatic. The team was about to invest millions integrating with an external vendor. Through the assumption mapping workshop, they uncovered huge risks and realized customers didn't actually want that solution. "We need to pivot," she declared. Instead of the expensive integration, they developed educational modules and scripts for customer support and advisors. The team sat with advisors, listening to actual customer calls, creating solutions based on real needs rather than assumptions. The insight transformed not just the project but the project manager herself. She took these discovery practices across the entire organization, teaching everyone how to conduct proper discovery and fundamentally shifting the product development paradigm. One person, willing to facilitate rather than dictate, made this impact. "Product owner can facilitate creation of that [vision]," Alidad explains. "It's not just product owner or a team. It's the broader stakeholder and customer community that need to co-create that."   Self-reflection Question: Are you facilitating the creation of vision with your stakeholders and customers, or are you becoming a proxy between the team and the real sources of insight? The Bad Product Owner: Creating Barriers Instead of Connections "He did the opposite, just creating barriers between the team and the environment." - Alidad Hamidi   The Product Owner was new to the organization, technically skilled, and genuinely well-intentioned. The team was developing solutions for clinicians—complex healthcare work requiring deep domain understanding. Being new, the PO naturally leaned into his strength: technical expertise. He spent enormous amounts of time with the team, drilling into details, specifying exactly how everything should look, and giving the team ready-made solutions instead of problems to solve.   Alidad kept telling him: "Mate, you need to spend more time with our stakeholder, you need to understand their perspective." But the PO didn't engage with users or stakeholders. He stayed comfortable in his technical wheelhouse, designing solutions in isolation. The results were predictable and painful. Halfway through work, the PO would realize, "Oh, we really don't need that." Or worse, the team would complete something and deliver it to crickets—no one used it because no one wanted it. "Great person, but it created a really bad dynamic," Alidad reflects. What should have been the PO's job—understanding the environment, stakeholder needs, and market trends—never happened. Instead of putting people in front of the environment to learn and adapt, he created barriers between the team and reality.   Years later, Alidad's perspective has matured. He initially resented this PO but came to realize: "He was just being human, and he didn't have the right support and the environment for him." Sometimes people learn only after making mistakes. The coaching opportunity isn't to shame or blame but to focus on reflection from failures and supporting learning. Alidad encouraged forums with stakeholders where the PO and team could interact directly, seeing each other's work and constraints. The goal isn't perfection—it's creating conditions where Product Owners can connect teams to customers rather than standing between them.   Self-reflection Question: What barriers might you be unintentionally creating between your team and the customers or stakeholders they need to serve, and what would it take to remove yourself from the middle?   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Is “Systems Thinking is dead” the new “Agile is dead”? In this episode, we do a summary episode on what became a 4 episode series stemming from a disparaging article about systems thinking by Ed Braden. We react to the article, get Ed's response and then - using a little help from Google Ai - offer successful examples of implementing systems in large government projects. Links: - Bradon's article: worksinprogress.co/issue/magical-systems-thinking/ - Bradon's self-responses on X: x.com/EdBradon/status/1966470317288616342 - Ed's reply on Twitter: x.com/EdBradon/status/1971266284990976361 - Gall's Law: www.driverlesscrocodile.com/processes-w…-galls-law/ Shape Up episodes: Ryan Singer on Basecamp and Shape Up, Part I https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/ryan-singer-on-basecamp-and-shape-up-part-i Ryan Singer on Basecamp and Shape Up, Part II https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/ryan-singer-on-basecamp-and-shape-up-part-ii Ryan Singer on Basecamp and Shape Up, Part II https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/ryan-singer-on-basecamp-and-shape-up-part-iii Full episodes on this topic: Someone is wrong on the internet about systems thinking! https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/someone-is-wrong-on-the-internet-about-systems-thinking Systems Thinking rant redux, Part I https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/systems-thinking-rant-redux-part-i Systems Thinking rant redux, Part II https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/systems-thinking-rant-redux-part-ii Systems Thinking rant redux, Part III https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/systems-thinking-rant-redux-part-iii -------------------------------------------------- You'll find free videos and practice material, plus our book Agile Conversations, at agileconversations.com And we'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show: email us at info@agileconversations.com -------------------------------------------------- About Your Hosts Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick joined forces at TIM Group in 2013, where they studied and practised the art of management through difficult conversations. Over a decade later, they remain united in their passion for growing profitable organisations through better communication. Squirrel is an advisor, author, keynote speaker, coach, and consultant, and he's helped over 300 companies of all sizes make huge, profitable improvements in their culture, skills, and processes. You can find out more about his work here: douglassquirrel.com/index.html Jeffrey is Vice President of Engineering at ION Analytics, Organiser at CITCON, the Continuous Integration and Testing Conference, and is an accomplished author and speaker. You can connect with him here: www.linkedin.com/in/jfredrick/

On this episode of Agile&Me, host Richard Leaver is joined by Nick Patel, Executive Director of the Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation (APTQI), to discuss the evolving landscape of advocacy in physical therapy. Nick shares insights from his eight years of leadership at APTQI, the challenges faced by the industry, and the strides made toward creating a stronger, unified voice for the profession.To learn more about us, visit our website at https://www.allianceptp.com/

Build better ServiceNow apps by understanding the full anatomy of successful ones.  Today we cover process, build, and legacy anatomy to help your builds earn more success.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:- ServiceNow Build Week- Document your solution or CJ eats your lunch - Outcomes, Outcomes, Outcomes, Outcomes - CatalystsABOUT USCory and Robert are vendor agnostic freelance ServiceNow architects.Cory is the founder of TekVoyant.Robert is just some guy.Sponsor Us!

Alidad Hamidi: Maximizing Human Potential as the Measure of Success Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "Does my work lead into maximizing human potential? Maximizing the ability of the human to use their potential and freedom." - Alidal Hamidi   Alidad calls himself a "recovering agility coach," and for good reason. For years, he struggled to define success in his work. As an enterprise coach, he plants seeds but never sees the trees grow. By the time transformation takes root, he's moved on to the next challenge. This distance from outcomes forced him to develop a more philosophical definition of success—one rooted not in deliverables or velocity charts, but in human potential and freedom.   His measure of success centers on three interconnected questions. First, are customers happy with what the teams create? Notice he says "create," not "deliver"—a deliberate choice. "I really hate the term product delivery, because delivery means you have a feature factory," he explains. Creating value requires genuine interaction between people who solve problems and people who have problems, with zero distance between them. Second, what's the team's wellbeing? Do they have psychological safety, trust, and space for innovation? And third, is the team growing—and by "team," Alidad means the entire organization, not just the squad level.   There's a fourth element he acknowledges: business sustainability. A bank could make customers ecstatic by giving away free money, but that's not viable long-term. The art lies in balance. "There's always a balance, sometimes one grows more than the other, and that's okay," Alidad notes. "As long as you have the awareness of why, and is that the right thing at the right time." This definition of success requires patience with the messy reality of organizations and faith that when humans have the freedom to use their full potential, both people and businesses thrive.   Self-reflection Question: If you measured your success solely by whether you're maximizing human potential and freedom in your organization, what would you start doing differently tomorrow? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Six Intrinsic Motivators Alidad's favorite retrospective format comes from Open Systems Theory—the Six Intrinsic Motivators. This approach uses the OODA Loop philosophy: understanding reality and reflecting on actions. "Let's see what actually happened in reality, rather than our perception," Alidad explains.   The format assesses six elements. Three are personal and can have too much or too little (rated -10 to +10): autonomy in decision making, continuous learning and feedback, and variety in work. Three are team environment factors that you can't have too much of (rated 0 to 10): mutual support and respect, meaningfulness (both socially useful work and seeing the whole product), and desirable futures (seeing development opportunities ahead).   The process is elegantly simple. Bring the team together and ask each person to assess themselves on each criterion. When individuals share their numbers, fascinating conversations emerge. One person's 8 on autonomy might surprise a teammate who rated themselves a 3. These differences spark natural dialogue, and teams begin to balance and adjust organically. "If these six elements don't exist in the team, you can never have productive human teams," Alidad states. He recommends running this at least every six months, or every three months for teams experiencing significant change. The beauty? No intervention from outside is needed—the team naturally self-organizes around what they discover together.   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In this Building Better Foundations episode, hosts Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche continue their conversation with Greg Lind, founder of Buildly and OpenBuild. They explore how automating quality in software development changes the way teams build and test software. Greg explains that AI and automation can improve collaboration and prevent errors before they happen. As a result, teams can deliver code faster, maintain consistency, and build stronger foundations for long-term success. Greg's experience across startups and open-source projects has shown him one simple truth: quality can't be bolted on at the end—it must be built into the process from the start. "QA often gets left until the end. But it has to start from the developer." — Greg Lind About the Guest — Greg Lind Gregory Lind is an American software developer, author, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in open-source innovation, software efficiency, and team transparency. He's the founder of Buildly in Brooklyn and co-founder of Humanitec in Berlin, helping organizations modernize systems through collaboration and automation. A frequent speaker at Open Gov and Open Source conferences, Greg advocates for open, scalable solutions and smarter software processes. His upcoming book, "Radical Therapy for Software Teams" (Apress, 2024), explores how transparency and AI can transform how teams build software. Automating Quality Starts with Developers Greg explains that every developer should think like a QA engineer. Testing isn't something done after code is written—it's something built into how code is written. He stresses that developers should write unit tests early and often, focusing on verifying object-level functionality rather than simply checking UI forms or user flows. QA should then expand from there, building additional layers of testing as complexity grows. "I learned that I need to think like a QA person from the very beginning." — Greg Lind By shifting QA upstream, teams reduce rework, accelerate release cycles, and improve code confidence. Automating Quality in Software Development Across the Pipeline At Buildly, Greg and his team integrate testing automation into every stage of the development pipeline. Tools like Robot Framework and Selenium handle both front-end and API-level testing, while Git pre-commit hooks ensure tests are written before code even reaches the repository. "You have to make sure those tests have already been written. If there isn't a test, it pulls it back and says, 'make sure that you have your test in before you check it in.'" — Greg Lind This system ensures that developers can't skip testing—and that QA has visibility into every build. It's a workflow that blends accountability with automation, reinforcing a culture where quality is everyone's job. AI's Role in Continuous Improvement Greg sees AI as a critical ally in maintaining software quality at scale. Rather than replacing QA engineers, AI helps automate the tedious parts of the process—like generating basic test cases, reviewing commits, or spotting missing standards in pull requests. "I don't mean to put that out there as a replacement for QA in any way. Developers need to be in the process, and QA are developers as well." — Greg Lind AI's ability to analyze large volumes of commit history and testing data helps teams identify trends, recurring issues, and areas for improvement. This frees human testers to focus on strategic validation, exploratory testing, and creative problem-solving. Transparency, Collaboration, and Learning Another major theme Greg highlights is transparency. Buildly's AI-driven summaries and automated reports make quality metrics visible to everyone on the team—developers, product managers, and QA alike. "It's not about who wrote the bad test—it's a learning process. Every pull request is an opportunity to make the code better." — Greg Lind This openness removes blame from the process and instead encourages collaboration and improvement. Code reviews become opportunities to mentor, learn, and evolve—not just check boxes. Evolving Agile for the AI Era As Rob and Michael point out, Agile principles still apply—but the implementation must evolve. Traditional sprint structures don't always fit AI-accelerated environments. Greg agrees, noting that the key is flexibility: adapt the process, automate what you can, and always look for ways to improve. "You don't have to be a slave to what you think the process is. Agile literally tells you—adjust it as your team and your project evolve." — Rob Broadhead Automation and AI are simply the latest tools in that evolution—helping teams move faster, collaborate better, and keep quality at the core of every release. Final Thoughts on Automating Quality in Software Development Greg Lind's insights in this episode reinforce a powerful truth: automating quality isn't about replacing people—it's about empowering them. When developers, QA, and AI systems work together, software development becomes a continuous cycle of improvement, learning, and trust. As teams embrace automation and transparency, they don't just ship faster—they build stronger, smarter, and more sustainable software foundations. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Boost Your Developer Efficiency: Automation Tips for Developers Automating Your Processes Automating Solutions – Solve First, Then Perfect Building Better Foundations Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content

Digital intelligence is reshaping how organizations work, and success depends on integrating multiple domains, using real-time analytics, and ensuring strong cyber protections as data grows and risks increase  This week, Dave, Esmee, and Rob talk with Chris Carter, Director - Key Accounts and Australia at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, to explore the fast-moving world of digital intelligence, data, and analytics and dive into the complexities of the work, how rapidly the landscape is evolving, and the major challenges organizations face today.  TLDR:00:41 Introduction of Chris Carter03:00 Rob is confused by the idea of renting out brain capacity for compute power07:13 Chris discusses the fusion of data, AI, and human judgment in complex environments34:30 Are we giving enough attention to human cognitive capacity?42:34 Rugby tickets with the family  GuestChris Carter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriscarter3/ HostsDave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/Rob Kernahan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kernahan/Esmee van de Giessen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esmeevandegiessen/ ProductionMarcel van der Burg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-vd-burg/Dave Chapman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chapmandr/ SoundBen Corbett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-corbett-3b6a11135/Louis Corbett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-corbett-087250264/ 'Cloud Realities' is an original podcast from Capgemini 

In this episode, Dave West sits down with Darrell Fernandes, executive advisor at Scrum.org to explore the The AI Teammate Framework: A Four-Step Framework for Product Teams, featured in a new whitepaper. They discuss how to treat AI like a true teammate—onboarding it with context, guiding interactions through user stories, and establishing governance to manage performance.Darrell emphasizes the importance of structured AI adoption, comparing it to onboarding human team members, and highlights how a disciplined approach can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and even protect jobs. From writing AI job descriptions to building prompt libraries and governance strategies, this episode offers actionable insights for teams navigating the evolving AI landscape.Listen now to learn how to bring AI onboard as a true teammate.For more, there is a live webcast coming up next week that will also be available as a recording. Learn more. Topics covered:Introduction to the AI Teammate FrameworkWhy a framework?The need for a structured, holistic approach to AI in teamsAI as a Team MemberTreating AI like a teammate rather than a toolThe importance of onboarding and providing contextComparing AI onboarding to human onboardingThe Four Steps of the FrameworkIdentify AI's Role – defining the problem and writing an AI “job description”Onboard with Context Management – giving AI access to product, customer, and process contextInteract Using User Stories – structuring collaboration through clear, outcome-based interactionsGovernance and Performance Management – ensuring accountability, compliance, and efficiencyChallenges of Working with AIContext management and maintaining prompt librariesBalancing AI experimentation with structureCost, scalability, and efficiency concernsLessons from the Early Days of Cloud ComputingParallels between the AI adoption curve and cloud evolutionThe shift from unregulated enthusiasm to disciplined governanceFuture of AI in Product TeamsThe importance of a disciplined, thoughtful approachHow structured AI collaboration can enhance — not replace — human workActionable Next Steps for TeamsRead the white paperAssess current onboarding and management practicesApply the four-step framework to integrate AI effectively

Alidad Hamidi: The Tax Agile Teams Pay for Organizational Standards Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "If you set targets for people, they will achieve the target, even if that means destroying the system around them." - W. Edwards Deming (quoted by Alidad)   The tension is familiar to every Scrum Master working in large organizations: leadership demands standard operating models, flow time metrics below specific numbers, and reporting structures that fit neat boxes. Meanwhile, teams struggle under the weight of context-insensitive measurements that ignore the nuanced reality of their work. Alidad faces this challenge daily—creating balance between organizational demands and what teams actually need to transform and thrive.   His approach starts with a simple but powerful question to leaders: "What is it that you want to achieve with these metrics?" Going beyond corporate-speak to have real conversations reveals that most leaders want outcomes, not just numbers. Alidad then involves teams in defining strategies to achieve those outcomes, framing metrics as "the tax we pay" or "the license to play." When teams understand the intent and participate in the strategy, something surprising happens—most metrics naturally improve because teams are delivering genuine value, customers are happy, and team dynamics are healthy.   But context sensitivity remains critical. Alidad uses a vivid analogy: "If you apply lean metrics to Pixar Studio, you're gonna kill Pixar Studio. If you apply approaches of Pixar Studio to production line, they will go bankrupt in less than a month." Toyota's production line and Pixar's creative studio both need different approaches based on their context, team evolution, organizational maturity, and market environment. He advocates aligning teams to value delivery with end-to-end metrics rather than individual team measurements, recognizing that organizations operate in ecosystem models beyond simple product paradigms.   Perhaps most important is patience. "Try to not drink coffee for a week," Alidad challenges. "Even for a single person, one practice, it's very hard to change your behavior. Imagine for organization of hundreds of thousands of people." Organizations move through learning cycles at their own rhythm. Our job isn't to force change at the speed we prefer—it's to take responsibility for our freedom and find ways to move the system, accepting that systems have their own speed.   Self-reflection Question: Which metrics are you applying to your teams without considering their specific context, and what conversation do you need to have with leadership about the outcomes those metrics are meant to achieve?   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Is your team moving in sync—or spinning in circles? - Mike CohnEver feel like your agile team should be working smoothly—but something's just a bit off? Handoffs feel clunky. Meetings drag. Even small changes spark big debates.It's not that your team isn't skilled—it's that you're not quite in sync.Rowers have a word for the alignment you're seeking: swing.What is swing?In crew rowing, swing is that near-magical moment when every rower moves in perfect unison—each stroke in sync, each effort amplified. And I do mean perfect unison. This means each rower: puts an oar into the water at the exact same timepulls for the same time and distance at the same speedlifts the oar out of the water at the same timeslides forward at the same paceTeam members hand off work frequently, without fanfare, and in small chunks.Team members can finish each other's… (Did you try to finish my sentence for me?) work. They can jump in and pick up tasks if someone is out sick or on vacation.Meetings are short, focused and valuable.Goals are ambitious, but usually met. When the team falls short, everyone (including leaders) understands that goals are not guarantees.A try-it-and-see mindset permeates the team. They're willing to experiment with new practices (such as user stories vs. job stories or story points vs. time) or frameworks (Scrum, SAFe, Kanban).The team is confident in their ability to succeed. As they deliver more and more value, and achieve outcome after outcome, the team feels almost unstoppable. Team members have fun. I sometimes decry that work is called work. I sincerely want work to be fun. I'm not naive: I know that won't always be the case. But when a team is working together well, it is fun.Swing is rare. When I rowed, our boat might have gone an entire race without once truly achieving swing. (And yes, it was usually my fault. Thanks for asking.)But when it happens, it's effortless. The boat flies.Agile teams can experience the same kind of swing. When everything starts to flowWhen teams are aligned and in sync you'll know it: ​​​​​None of this happens by accidentAchieving all of this isn't easy.Like rowers chasing swing, agile teams have to practice, reflect, and adjust—over and over again—in their quest to go from good to great.But take it from me, when it clicks, it's magic.How to connect with AgileDad:- [website] ⁠https://www.agiledad.com/⁠- [instagram] ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/⁠- [facebook] ⁠https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/⁠- [Linkedin] ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

AI is already changing how we work—and how we work together. In this episode, Dr. Michael Housman joins Brian Milner to explore how AI is reshaping team collaboration, decision-making, and the very structure of Agile teams.

Simone D'Amico of Stanford and EraDrive, DJ Bush of NVIDIA, and Al Tadros of Redwire join me to talk about autonomy in space, to get into the specific details of what they're working on and how it comes together, and what it may do for the industry in the next few years.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 32 executive producers—Joonas, Russell, Donald, Stealth Julian, Pat, Fred, David, Lee, Frank, Josh from Impulse, Steve, Joel, Joakim, Matt, Natasha Tsakos, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), Kris, Theo and Violet, Heiko, Will and Lars from Agile, Jan, Warren, The Astrogators at SEE, Ryan, Better Every Day Studios, and four anonymous—and hundreds of supporters.TopicsEpisode T+315: Autonomy in Space (with Simone D'Amico, DJ Bush, and Al Tadros) - YouTubeSimone D'Amico | LinkedInCenter for AEroSpace Autonomy Research (CAESAR)Stanford spinoff EraDrive claims $1 million NASA contract - SpaceNewsDJ Bush | LinkedInHow Starcloud Is Bringing Data Centers to Outer Space | NVIDIA BlogAl Tadros | LinkedInRedwire Space | Heritage + InnovationNASA Starling - Autonomous Tip and Cue in OrbitNASA Starling - Distributed Optical NavigationNASA Starling - Autonomous Space Domain AwarenessVISORS - Precise Formation-FlyingAutonomous Spacecraft 3D Model ReconstructionThe ShowLike the show? Support the show on Patreon or Substack!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by JAXAWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works

Alidad Hamidi: When a Billion-Dollar Team Becomes Invisible Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "Most of the times, it's not teams that are self-destructive or anything... Simple analogy is when a flower is not blooming, you don't fix the flower, you fix the soil." - Alidad Hamidi   The team sat on the sidelines, maintaining a large portfolio of systems while the organization buzzed with excitement about replatforming initiatives. Nobody seemed to care about them. Morale was low. Whenever technical challenges arose, everyone pointed to the same person for help. Alidad tried the standard playbook—team-building activities, bonding exercises—but the impact was minimal. Something deeper was broken, and it wasn't the team.   Then Alidad shifted his lens to systems thinking. Instead of fixing the flower, he examined the soil. Using the Viable Systems Model, he started with System 5—identity. Who were they? What value did they create? He worked with stakeholders to map the revenue impact of the systems this "forgotten" team maintained. The number shocked everyone: one billion dollars. These weren't legacy systems gathering dust—they were revenue-generating engines critical to the business. Alidad asked the team to run training series for each other, teaching colleagues about the ten different systems they managed. They created self-assessments of skill sets, making visible what had been invisible for too long. When Alidad made their value explicit to the organization, everything shifted. The team's perspective transformed. Later, when asked what made the difference, their answer was unanimous: "You made us visible. That's it." People have agency to change their environment, but sometimes they need someone to help the system see what it's been missing. Ninety percent of the time, when teams struggle, it's not the team that needs fixing—it's the soil they're planted in.   Self-reflection Question: What teams in your organization are maintaining critical systems but remain invisible to leadership, and what would happen if you made their value explicit? Featured Book of the Week: More Time to Think by Nancy Kline Alidad describes Nancy Kline's More Time to Think as transformative for his facilitation practice. While many Scrum Masters focus on filling space and driving conversations forward, this book teaches the opposite—how to create space and listen deeply. "It teaches you to create a space, not to fill it," Alidad explains. The book explores how to design containers—meetings, workshops, retrospectives—that allow deeper thinking to emerge naturally among team members.   For Alidad, the book answered a fundamental question: "How do you help people to find the solution among themselves?" It transformed his approach from facilitation to liberation, helping teams slow down so they can think more clearly. He first encountered the audiobook and was so impacted that he explored both "Time to Think" and this follow-up. While both are valuable, "More Time to Think" resonated more deeply with his coaching philosophy. The book pairs beautifully with systems thinking, helping Scrum Masters understand that creating the right conditions for thinking is often more powerful than providing the right answers. In this segment, we also refer to the book Confronting our freedom, by Peter Block et al.    [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In part one of this Building Better Foundations interview, hosts Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche talk with Greg Lind, founder of Buildly and OpenBuild, about bridging the gap in software development through AI, automation, and collaboration. Greg shares how modern teams can overcome silos, strengthen communication, and build transparency into their workflows — creating stronger, more adaptive foundations for success in today's fast-paced, AI-driven world. "We wanted to bring developers and product managers into one tool—so they could build together rather than as two separate teams." — Greg Lind About the Guest — Greg Lind Gregory Lind is an American software developer, author, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in open-source innovation, software efficiency, and team transparency. He's the founder of Buildly in Brooklyn and co-founder of Humanitec in Berlin, helping organizations modernize systems through collaboration and automation. A frequent speaker at Open Gov and Open Source conferences, Greg advocates for open, scalable solutions and smarter software processes. His upcoming book, "Radical Therapy for Software Teams" (Apress, 2024), explores how transparency and AI can transform how teams build software. Bridging the Gap Between Teams and Tools Greg's journey toward bridging the gap started years ago while working with Humanitech in Berlin, where he saw firsthand how poorly connected processes caused frustration and inefficiency. Traditional Agile frameworks, while once revolutionary, began to buckle under the pressure of multi-repo, multi-cloud, and AI-driven development. "Agile started to break under the pressure—especially when we introduced AI-driven tools and CI/CD pipelines. The cycles just weren't fast enough." — Greg Lind To solve this, Buildly introduced a Rapid AI Development (RAD) process — a modern evolution of Agile that supports faster, release-based cycles rather than rigid sprints. It's an approach designed to keep pace with today's distributed teams and complex workflows. Bridging the Gap Through Automated Communication At the heart of Buildly's philosophy is a belief that communication shouldn't slow developers down — it should empower them. By integrating tools like Trello and GitHub, Buildly connects product and sprint backlogs into one transparent view. Developers' commits, issues, and updates automatically feed into team dashboards, reducing the need for endless meetings and manual updates. "You shouldn't have to explain what you did yesterday. Your commits already tell that story." — Greg Lind This approach allows teams to focus on outcomes rather than overhead — building trust, visibility, and true alignment across departments. It's automation as a bridge, not a barrier. Using AI to Bridge the Gap Between People and Process While Greg embraces AI's potential, he warns against depending on it too heavily. AI is great at identifying tasks and patterns, but humans still bring creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking to the table. "AI can tell you what's urgent, but it can't understand what's important." — Greg Lind In Greg's view, AI should be a co-pilot — helping teams filter information, automate repetitive work, and focus on higher-value decisions. By balancing automation with human insight, teams can bridge the gap between efficiency and innovation. Empowering Developers to Bridge the Gap Themselves Greg encourages developers not to wait for leadership to fix broken processes — but to take initiative. Automate your own workflows, visualize your backlog, and demonstrate how better systems can look in practice. "Even if you have to automate your own backlog—do it. Show your team what better looks like." — Greg Lind This proactive mindset transforms teams from reactive to adaptive, ensuring that everyone contributes to bridging the gap between communication, accountability, and delivery. Bridging the Gap Toward the Future of Development Greg Lind's insights remind us that bridging the gap in software development isn't about adopting the latest framework — it's about reconnecting people, process, and purpose. When teams share context, communicate openly, and use AI responsibly, they build stronger foundations for innovation. As this episode shows, the future of software isn't about faster code — it's about better collaboration. And bridging the gap is where that future begins. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Useful WordPress SEO Plugins Product Catalog: A Deeper Dive Into Customizing WordPress Plugins Manage WordPress Plugins Building Better Foundations Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content

Alidad Hamidi: When Silence Becomes Your Most Powerful Coaching Tool Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "I purposefully designed a moment of silence. Staying in the anxiety of being silenced. Do not interrupt the team. Put the question there, let them come up with a solution. It is very hard. But very effective." - Alidad Hamidi   Alidad walked into what seemed like a straightforward iteration manager role—what some use, instead of Scrum Master. The organization was moving servers to the cloud, a transformation with massive implications. When leadership briefed him on the team's situation, they painted a clear picture of challenges ahead. Yet when Alidad asked the team directly about the transformation's impact, the response was uniform: "Nothing."   But Alidad knew better. After networking with other teams, he discovered the truth—this team maintained software generating over half a billion dollars in revenue, and the transformation would fundamentally change their work. When he asked again, silence filled the room. Not the comfortable silence of reflection, but the heavy silence of fear and mistrust. Most facilitators would have filled that void with words, reassurance, or suggestions. Alidad did something different—he waited. And waited. For what felt like an eternity, probably a full minute, he stood in that uncomfortable silence, about to leave the room.   Then something shifted. One team member picked up a pen. Then another joined in. Suddenly, the floodgates opened. Debates erupted, ideas flew, and the entire board filled with impacts and concerns. What made the difference? Before that pivotal moment, Alidad had invested in building relationships—taking the team to lunch, standing up for them when managers blamed them for support failures, showing through his actions that he genuinely cared. The team saw that he wasn't there to tell them how to do their jobs. They started to trust that this silence wasn't manipulation—it was genuine space for their voices. This moment taught Alidad a profound lesson about Open Systems Theory and Socio-Technical systems—sometimes the most powerful intervention is creating space and having the courage to hold it.   Self-reflection Question: When was the last time you designed a moment of silence for your team, and what held you back from making it longer?   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

ชมวิดีโอ EP นี้ใน YouTube เพื่อประสบการณ์การรับชมที่ดีที่สุด https://youtu.be/LYjZ_JqjUtg . คุยอังกฤษกับเลขาธิการ ก.พ. เรื่องการศึกษาต่อต่างประเทศและข้าราชการยุคใหม่ที่ใช้ AI, Work from Anywhere, แถม Agile! . คำนี้ดี Featuring เอพิโสดนี้พูดคุยกับ ‘ดร. ปิยวัฒน์ ศิวรักษ์ (พี่ต้น)' เลขาธิการ ก.พ. คนปัจจุบัน . ทำความรู้จัก ‘สำนักงาน ก.พ.' ในฐานะ HR กลางของภาครัฐ ที่หลายคนรู้จักในบทบาทผู้จัดสอบ ‘ภาค ก.' แต่แท้จริงแล้วมีบทบาทอีกมาก ในการดูแลและพัฒนาบุคลากรภาครัฐให้กับประเทศไทย .

ชมวิดีโอ EP นี้ใน YouTube เพื่อประสบการณ์การรับชมที่ดีที่สุด https://youtu.be/LYjZ_JqjUtg . คุยอังกฤษกับเลขาธิการ ก.พ. เรื่องการศึกษาต่อต่างประเทศและข้าราชการยุคใหม่ที่ใช้ AI, Work from Anywhere, แถม Agile! . คำนี้ดี Featuring เอพิโสดนี้พูดคุยกับ ‘ดร. ปิยวัฒน์ ศิวรักษ์ (พี่ต้น)' เลขาธิการ ก.พ. คนปัจจุบัน . ทำความรู้จัก ‘สำนักงาน ก.พ.' ในฐานะ HR กลางของภาครัฐ ที่หลายคนรู้จักในบทบาทผู้จัดสอบ ‘ภาค ก.' แต่แท้จริงแล้วมีบทบาทอีกมาก ในการดูแลและพัฒนาบุคลากรภาครัฐให้กับประเทศไทย .

This week, Josh and Bob tackle the hidden beliefs that hold leaders back — inspired by a recent Harvard Business Review article. From perfectionism and ego to the inability to say “no,” they unpack the mental traps that quietly sabotage leadership growth.Through stories, humor, and brutal honesty, they dig into what it really means to lead without making it about you. Whether it's learning that not everyone's wired like you, realizing you're the ceiling for your team, or finally getting comfortable saying “no,” this episode is a mirror for every leader who's brave enough to look.It's part confession, part coaching session — and all real talk about what it takes to lead in today's world.Bob's Book Recommendation: Death March: The Complete Software Developer's Guide to Surviving "Mission Impossible" ProjectsJosh's Book Recommendation - The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, Anniversary EditionThe Hidden Beliefs That Hold Leaders Back - The HBR article that inspired this episodeStay Connected and Informed with Our NewslettersJosh Anderson's "Leadership Lighthouse"Dive deeper into the world of Agile leadership and management with Josh Anderson's "Leadership Lighthouse." This bi-weekly newsletter offers insights, tips, and personal stories to help you navigate the complexities of leadership in today's fast-paced tech environment. Whether you're a new manager or a seasoned leader, you'll find valuable guidance and practical advice to enhance your leadership skills. Subscribe to "Leadership Lighthouse" for the latest articles and exclusive content right to your inbox.Subscribe hereBob Galen's "Agile Moose"Bob Galen's "Agile Moose" is a must-read for anyone interested in Agile practices, team dynamics, and personal growth within the tech industry. The newsletter features in-depth analysis, case studies, and actionable tips to help you excel in your Agile journey. Bob brings his extensive experience and thoughtful perspectives directly to you, covering everything from foundational Agile concepts to advanced techniques. Join a community of Agile enthusiasts and practitioners by subscribing to "Agile Moose."Subscribe hereDo More Than Listen:We publish video versions of every episode and post them on our YouTube page.Help Us Spread The Word: Love our content? Help us out by sharing on social media, rating our podcast/episodes on iTunes, or by giving to our Patreon campaign. Every time you give, in any way, you empower our mission of helping as many agilists as possible. Thanks for sharing!

Modern data analytic methods and tools—including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) classifiers—are revolutionizing prediction capabilities and automation through their capacity to analyze and classify data. To produce such results, these methods depend on correlations. However, an overreliance on correlations can lead to prediction bias and reduced confidence in AI outputs.  Drift in data and concept, evolving edge cases, and emerging phenomena can undermine the correlations that AI classifiers rely on. As the U.S. government increases its use of AI classifiers and predictors, these issues multiply (or use increase again). Subsequently, users may grow to distrust results. To address inaccurate erroneous correlations and predictions, we need new methods for ongoing testing and evaluation of AI and ML accuracy. In this podcast from the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute (SEI), Nicholas Testa, a senior data scientist in the SEI's Software Solutions Division (SSD), and Crisanne Nolan, and Agile transformation engineer, also in SSD, sit down with Linda Parker Gates, Principal Investigator for this research and initiative lead for Software Acquisition Pathways at the SEI, to discuss the AI Robustness (AIR) tool, which allows users to gauge AI and ML classifier performance with data-based confidence. 

Ben Day is a seasoned software consultant and fractional CTO. With over two decades of experience, he brings a blend of hands-on coding expertise, strategic clarity, and people-focused coaching to help companies — from startups to Fortune 500s — deliver high-quality software faster and with less friction.   As the founder of Benjamin Day Consulting, Inc., Ben offers training, coaching, and architectural guidance rooted in Agile, Scrum, Azure DevOps, and GitHub best practices. He's a Microsoft MVP, a certified Professional Scrum Trainer for over 15 years, and a sought-after speaker who favors storytelling over slide decks.   Topics of Discussion: [2:30] The overlap between music and coding, with Ben explaining the empathy required in both fields. [4:22] Jeffrey mentions the Sunday Sounds app, which allows users to create custom instruments using AI prompts. [6:45] The process of creating Slide Speaker and how Slide Speaker takes screenshots of each moment in a PowerPoint presentation and generates MP4 files. [13:01] Technical details of SlideSpeaker. [16:18] Event-based scaling. [17:10] How SlideSpeaker can be used for internal training presentations and compliance-approved content. [26:06] The opportunity for even more voice models and the ability to create your own custom voice, accent, and tone. [28:11] Ben talks about creating videos that help absolute beginners grasp C#. [32:45] What's next for Ben and Slidespeaker?   Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Benjamin Day Consulting Benjamin Day LinkedIn Benjamin Day YouTube SlidespeakerAI     Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Karim Harbott: From Requirements Documents to Customer Obsession—Redefining the PO Role Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Strategic, Customer-Obsessed, and Vision-Driven   "The PO role in the team is strategic. These POs focus on the customer, outcomes, and strategy. They're customer-obsessed and focus on the purpose and the why of the product." - Karim Harbott   Karim believes the industry fundamentally misunderstands what a Product Owner should be. The great Product Owners he's seen are strategic thinkers who are obsessed with the customer. They don't just manage a backlog—they paint a vision for the product and help the entire team become customer-obsessed alongside them.  These POs focus relentlessly on outcomes rather than outputs, asking "why are we building this?" before diving into "what should we build?" They understand the purpose of the product and communicate it compellingly.  Karim references Amazon's "working backwards" approach, where Product Owners start with the customer experience they want to create and work backwards to figure out what needs to be built. Great POs also embrace the framework of Desirability (what customers want), Viability (what makes business sense), Feasibility (what's technically possible), and Usability (what's easy to use). While the PO owns desirability and viability, they collaborate closely with designers on usability and technical teams on feasibility.  This is critical: software is a team sport, and great POs recognize that multiple roles share responsibility for delivery. Like David Marquet teaches, they empower the team to own decisions rather than dictating every detail. The result? Teams that understand the "why" and can innovate toward it autonomously.   Self-reflection Question: Does your Product Owner paint a compelling vision that inspires the team, or do they primarily manage a list of tasks? The Bad Product Owner: The User Story Writer "The user story writer PO thinks it's their job to write full, long requirements documents, put it in JIRA, and assign it to the team. This is far away from what the PO role should be." - Karim Harbott   The anti-pattern Karim sees most often is the "User Story Writer" Product Owner. These POs believe their job is to write detailed requirements documents, load them into JIRA, and assign them to the team. It's essentially waterfall disguised as Agile—treating user stories like mini-specifications rather than conversation starters. This approach completely misses the collaborative nature of product development.  Instead of engaging the team in understanding customer needs and co-creating solutions, these POs hand down fully-formed requirements and expect the team to execute without question. The problem is that this removes the team's ownership and creativity. When POs act as the sole source of product knowledge, they become bottlenecks.  The team can't make smart tradeoffs or innovate because they don't understand the underlying customer problems or business context. Using the Desirability-Viability-Feasibility-Usability framework, bad POs try to own all four dimensions themselves instead of recognizing that designers, developers, and other roles bring essential perspectives. The result is disengaged teams, slow delivery, and products that miss the mark because they were built to specifications rather than shaped by collaborative discovery. Software is a team sport—but the User Story Writer PO forgets to put the team on the field.   Self-reflection Question: Is your Product Owner engaging the team in collaborative discovery, or just handing down requirements to be implemented?   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Karim Harbott: Don't Scale Dysfunction—Fix the Team First Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "How do you define the success of a football manager? Football managers are successful when the team is successful. For Scrum Masters it is also like that. Is the team better than it was before?" - Karim Harbott   Karim uses a powerful analogy to define success for Scrum Masters: think of yourself as a football manager. A football manager isn't successful because they personally score goals—they're successful when the team wins. The same principle applies to Scrum Masters. Success isn't measured by how many problems you solve or how busy you are. It's measured by whether the team is better than they were before.  Are they more self-organizing? More effective? More aligned with organizational outcomes?  This requires a mindset shift. Unlike sprinters competing individually, Scrum Masters succeed by enabling others to be better.  Karim recommends involving the team when defining success—what does "better" mean to them? He also emphasizes linking the work of the team to organizational objectives. When teams understand how their efforts contribute to broader goals, they become more engaged and purposeful. But there's a critical warning: don't scale dysfunction! If a team isn't healthy, improving it is far more important than expanding your coaching to more teams.  A successful Scrum Master creates teams that don't need constant intervention—teams that can manage themselves, make decisions, and deliver value consistently. Just like a great football manager builds a team that plays brilliantly even when the manager isn't on the field.   Self-reflection Question: Is your team more capable and self-sufficient than they were six months ago, or have they become more dependent on you? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Systems Modeling with Causal Loop Diagrams "It shows how many aspects of the system there are and how things are interconnected. This helps us see something that we would not come up with in normal conversations." - Karim Harbott   Karim recommends using systems modeling—specifically causal loop diagrams—as a retrospective format. This approach helps teams visualize the complex interconnections between different aspects of their work. Instead of just listing what went wrong or right, causal loop diagrams reveal how various elements influence each other, often uncovering hidden feedback loops and unintended consequences.  The power of this format is that it surfaces insights the team wouldn't discover through normal conversation. Teams can then think of their retrospective actions as experiments—ways to interact with the system to test hypotheses about what will improve outcomes. This shifts retrospectives from complaint sessions to scientific inquiry, making them far more actionable and engaging. If your team is struggling with recurring issues or can't seem to break out of patterns, systems modeling might reveal the deeper dynamics at play.   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Karim Harbott: You Can't Make a Flower Grow Faster—The Oblique Approach to Shaping Culture Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "How can I make a flower grow faster? Culture is a product of the behaviors of people in the system." - Karim Harbott   For Karim, one of the biggest challenges—and enablers—in his current work is creating a supporting culture. After years of learning what doesn't work, he's come to understand that culture isn't something you can force or mandate. Like trying to make a flower grow faster by pulling on it, direct approaches to culture change often backfire.  Instead, Karim uses what he calls the "oblique approach"—changing culture indirectly by adjusting the five levers: leadership behaviors, organizational structure, incentives, metrics, and systems. Leadership behaviors are particularly crucial.  When leaders step back and encourage ownership rather than micromanaging, teams transform. Incentives have a huge impact on how teams work—align them poorly, and you'll get exactly the wrong behaviors.  Karim references Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal, which demonstrates how changing organizational structure and leadership philosophy can unlock extraordinary performance. He also uses the Competing Values Framework to help leaders understand different cultural orientations and their tradeoffs. But the most important lesson? There are always unexpected consequences. Culture change requires patience, experimentation, and a willingness to observe how the system responds. You can't force a flower to grow, but you can create the conditions where it thrives.   Self-reflection Question: Are you trying to change your organization's culture directly, or are you adjusting the conditions that shape behavior?   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]