Podcasts about Agile

In this episode, we dive deep with educational consultant and innovator Dr. Kate Anderson Foley, who challenges conventional wisdom about student support systems and offers a fresh perspective on educational leadership. Dr. Anderson Foley's  shares revolutionary ideas about restructuring intervention frameworks and explains why some traditional approaches may be limiting student potential.Episode Highlights:✅ The Double Helix Model - Dr. Anderson Foley introduces her groundbreaking concept comparing educational support systems to DNA's double helix structure, demonstrating how interwoven approaches create stronger outcomes than linear interventions, and why we shouldn't label students according to tiers. ✅ Restructuring RtI Tiers - We explore Dr. Anderson Foley's compelling case for removing the traditional tiered structure of Response to Intervention, discussing how these artificial divisions can create barriers to providing students with appropriate support at critical moments.✅ Cross-Pollination of Services - Dr. Anderson Foley flips conventional thinking by arguing that what's often labeled as "duplication of services" actually represents valuable cross-pollination of educational approaches, creating richer learning environments and multiple pathways for student growth.✅ High-Quality vs. Traditional Tutoring - We distinguish between standard tutoring and "high-quality tutoring," examining the specific elements that transform supplemental instruction into transformative educational experiences.✅ Agile vs. Waterfall Leadership - Dr. Anderson Foley contrasts traditional "waterfall" leadership models with agile approaches, explaining how educational leaders can create more responsive, adaptive systems by implementing initiatives in shorter releases and using data to make adjustments sooner, rather than later. Our conversation challenges listeners to reconsider fundamental assumptions about educational interventions and offers practical strategies for transforming support systems to better serve all students. Dr. Anderson Foley's innovative perspectives provide valuable insights for educators, administrators, and policy makers seeking to create more effective and equitable educational environments.Dr. Anderson Foley is Founder & CEO of the Education Policy & Practice Group, an international keynote speaker, and Harvard Medical School Institute of Coaching Fellow. A transformational leader, she has guided school districts and states toward equitable services for all learners, with a focus on breaking barriers for marginalized children.Beginning as a special education teacher pioneering inclusive practices, Dr. Kate advanced to administration where she advocated for reform at local, state, and federal levels. As a senior educational leader for Illinois, she helped create preventative systems addressing opportunity gaps for all learners regardless of background or circumstance, and contributed to equity-based school funding reform.Dr. Kate partners with organizations worldwide, providing expertise in improvement processes, professional learning communities, and asset-based education policies. She teaches Special Education Law to aspiring educational leaders and authors books including "Ida Finds Her Voice," "Fearless Coaching," and "Radically Excellent School Improvement," which offers a blueprint for comprehensive school improvement that ensures every student thrives.

We're talking about either the terrifying or totally mundane new world of "vibe coding" - using AI to generate code without deep technical expertise. Joining Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel for this podcast, we're happy to welcome back to the podcast Lenar Mukhamadiev, CEO of iDelsoft (https://idelsoft.com)!Listen as we discuss how this trend is changing product development, software engineering careers, and business innovation. Stick around while we argue over resistance, how vibe coding enables faster market testing and many more points, including:Accelerating time-to-market for new ideasEvolving role of professional developersUnderstanding business problems is more valuable than codingEmergence of "product engineers," or notA future where everyone is a software creator#AIinTech #ProductDevelopment #FutureOfWork= = = = = = = = = = = =YouTubeSubscribe on YouTubeAppleSpotify= = = = = = = = = = = =Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

In this episode of the Disrupt Education Podcast, Peter Hostrawser and Alli Dahl dive into a bold conversation with Simon and Jeff, the minds behind the Learning Educational Agile Framework (LEAF). From Jeff's dramatic exit from a traditional master's program to Simon's deep roots as a teacher and head of school, this episode explores how Agile thinking can revolutionize education. Alli brings real-time insight from guest teaching across schools, spotlighting how leadership and mindset—not just tech—drive real change. The group unpacks the difference between factory-model education and knowledge work, showing how sticky notes and team-based learning can outperform expensive systems. It's a passionate, practical look at disrupting education from the inside out with human-centered, student-focused design. Whether you're an educator, leader, or lifelong learner, this episode will challenge your assumptions and leave you inspired to lead differently. Subscribe and join the movement to rethink what school can be.Learn more at www.L-EAFLab.orgCheck out⁠⁠ www.disrupteducationpodcast.com⁠⁠ for more!Connect with Alli and PeterPeter HostrawserLI: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterhostrawser/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/peterhostrawser/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FB: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/disrupteducation1/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠x.com/PeterHostrawser⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.peterhostrawser.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alli DahlLinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/allidahl/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/theallidahl/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/theallidahl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

BONUS: Tom Gilb on Building True Engineering Culture and Delivering Value Through Evolutionary Methods In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into the world of true engineering discipline with Tom Gilb, a pioneer who was writing about Agile principles before Agile was even named. We explore his latest book "Success - Super Secrets & Strategies for Efficient Value Delivery in Projects and Programs, and Plans" and uncover the fundamental flaws in how organizations approach project delivery and stakeholder management. The Genesis of Success-Focused Engineering "People were failing at project deliveries - even when using Agile. I saw there was very little about setting clear goals and reaching them, it had nothing to do with being successful." Tom's motivation for writing his latest book stems from a critical observation: despite the widespread adoption of Agile methodologies, project failure rates remain unacceptably high. The core issue isn't methodology but rather the fundamental lack of clarity around what success actually means. Tom emphasizes that true success is about achieving the improvements you want at a price you can afford, yet most organizations fail to define this clearly from the outset. In this segment, we refer to the book How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg who published statistics on the poor performance of projects in general. Beyond OKRs: The Power of Quantified Multi-Dimensional Objectives "First you need to have a definition of what it means to succeed. And that needs to be multi-dimensional. And you need to clarify what they are." While many organizations believe they're already quantifying objectives through frameworks like OKRs, Tom reveals significant weaknesses in these approaches. True value isn't just profit—it encompasses multiple dimensions including security, usability, and other stakeholder-specific benefits. The key insight is learning to quantify what needs to be achieved across all critical dimensions, as you simply cannot design for high-quality attributes like security without first quantifying and designing for them explicitly. In this segment, we talk about Tom's paper on OKR's titled "OKR Objectives and Key Results: what's wrong and how to fix it". The Missing Engineering Discipline "Why is the failure rate of our projects so high?" Tom identifies a paradoxical problem: engineering organizations often lack true engineering discipline. This fundamental gap explains why project success rates remain low despite technological advances. Real engineering requires systematic approaches to design, stakeholder analysis, and incremental value delivery—disciplines that are often overlooked in favor of rushed implementations. Stakeholder Analysis: Beyond User Stories "Stakeholders have a requirement - even if we don't know it. They might be people, but also law, contract, policies, etc. They all have requirements for us." Traditional user-centered methods like user stories can lead to failure when critical stakeholders are overlooked. Tom advocates for comprehensive stakeholder analysis as the foundation of engineering discipline. Stakeholders aren't just people—they include laws, contracts, policies, and other constraints that have requirements for your system. The practical tip here is to use AI tools to help identify and list these stakeholders, then quantify their specific requirements using structured approaches like Planguage. The Gilb Cycle: True Incremental Value Delivery "Get things done every week, next week, until it's all done. We need to decompose any possible design into enough increments so that each increment delivers some value." What distinguishes Tom's evolutionary approach from popular Agile frameworks is the focus on choosing the most efficient design and then systematically improving existing systems through measured increments. Each increment must deliver tangible value, and the decomposition process should be aided by AI tools to ensure optimal value delivery. This isn't just about iteration—it's about strategic improvement with measurable outcomes. Building Engineering Culture: A Two-Leader Approach "There are two leaders: the tech leaders and the management leaders. For management leaders: demand a value stream of results starting next week. To the tech leaders: learn the engineering process." Creating a true engineering culture requires coordinated effort from both management and technical leadership. Management leaders should demand immediate value streams with weekly results, while technical leaders must master fundamental engineering processes including stakeholder analysis and requirement quantification. This dual approach ensures both accountability and capability development within the organization. Further Resources During this episode we refer to several of Tom's books and papers. You can see this list below Software Metrics by Tom Gilb Principles of software engineering management - Also available in PDF Evo book   About Tom Gilb Tom Gilb, born in the US, lived in London, and then moved to Norway in 1958. An independent teacher, consultant, and writer, he has worked in software engineering, corporate top management, and large-scale systems engineering. As the saying goes, Tom was writing about Agile, before Agile was named. In 1976, Tom introduced the term "evolutionary" in his book Software Metrics, advocating for development in small, measurable steps. Today, we talk about Evo, the name that Tom used to describe his approach. You can link with Tom Gilb on LinkedIn.

BONUS: Solution-Focused Coaching: The Game-Changing Method Every Scrum Master Needs With Ralph Miarka and Veronika Jugwirth In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into solution-focused coaching with Ralph and Veronika, co-authors of "Solution Focused Coaching For Agile Teams." This conversation explores how to shift from problem-solving to solution-building, helping Agile teams thrive through a forward-looking approach that empowers teams to find their own path to success. Understanding Solution-Focused Coaching "Solution focus, focuses on the goal itself. We are not talking about 'how', but first start with 'what we want to achieve'." Solution-focused coaching represents a fundamental shift from traditional problem-solving approaches. Rather than diving into root cause analysis and retrospectives focused on what went wrong, this methodology centers on the future and desired outcomes. It operates as a communication system that recognizes the complexity of modern work environments where simple cause-effect relationships don't always apply. In engineering, root causes make sense when dealing with predictable systems, but in complex organizational dynamics, solution-focused coaching acknowledges that we often can't identify clear root causes and instead focuses on creating a "preferred future." In this segment we refer to Solution-focused brief therapy and the Cynefin model.  The Power of Not-Knowing "Instead of suggesting solutions, we should start by asking questions. The “Not-knowing position” is about accepting this." The "not-knowing position" challenges coaches and leaders to resist the urge to immediately diagnose problems and offer solutions. When someone shares their story, they're not sharing the version we think we know. This approach transforms coaching conversations by starting with questions like "What difference would it make for you to solve this problem?" This shift toward asking questions about a positive future can even help identify advocates among those who initially resist change, creating unexpected allies in transformation efforts. Everyone as an Expert "When we help teams change by themselves, they change much faster." The principle that "everyone is an expert in their situation" fundamentally changes how coaches approach team dynamics, especially during periods of pressure or conflict. Instead of imposing external solutions, this approach involves asking teams what they already like about their current practices. For example, when observing daily standups with their natural diversity of approaches, focusing on what teams appreciate about their existing practices creates a foundation for sustainable change. Teams that discover their own path to improvement implement changes more rapidly and with greater commitment than those following prescribed solutions. The Miracle Question Technique "What would be a very small first sign that tells you that there was a small miracle during the night?" The Miracle Question emerges from real coaching conversations where clients express that "only a miracle can help." Rather than dismissing this statement, solution-focused coaches embrace the client's language to create powerful exploration opportunities. The technique involves asking teams to imagine their situation after a small miracle has occurred overnight, then identifying the first small signs they would notice. This approach helps teams explore possibilities and envision concrete steps toward their preferred future, making abstract goals tangible and achievable. Unlearning the Fix-It Mentality "Don't work by yourself in the problems of others, let them work." For Agile practitioners trained to identify and fix problems, solution-focused coaching requires a significant mindset shift. Instead of jumping into problem-solving mode, coaches must learn to hold space for solutions to emerge naturally from the team. This involves trusting that team members are experts in their own situations and developing strong questioning skills. Coaches and Scrum Masters need to clarify their own goals and resist the urge to solve problems for others, instead creating conditions where teams can work through challenges themselves. Practical Questions for Immediate Implementation "What do we want to achieve? What is our goal, and why?" Teams can immediately begin incorporating solution-focused approaches by bringing specific questions into their regular ceremonies. Key questions include exploring what the team wants to achieve and understanding the underlying purpose behind their goals. Additionally, asking "What works already?" helps teams build on existing strengths rather than focusing solely on problems. Confidence-building questions like "How confident are we?" and "What would make you more confident?" create opportunities for teams to identify specific actions that would increase their likelihood of success. About Ralph and Veronika Ralph Miarka is an Agile coach, trainer, and co-author of the book that is our topic for today's episode: Solution Focused Coaching For Agile Teams. Ralph helps teams thrive through solution-focused coaching. With a background in engineering and leadership, he bridges structure and empathy to spark real change. You can link with Ralph Miarka on LinkedIn. Veronika Jungwrith is a coach, consultant, and facilitator, Veronika blends solution-focused coaching with leadership development. Her work empowers individuals and teams to navigate complexity with clarity, meaning, and lasting impact. You can link with Veronika Jungwrith on LinkedIn.

David Robicheaux Founder at Blackmuse LLC (Love Sex Dreams Episode) Sponsor Salalabs - North America Salalabs specializes in delivering IoT, AI, and Machine Learning to streamline operations and drive innovation. Save up to 70 percent on development costs and 32 percent on time with Salalabs.  For more info, email contact@salalabs.com or reach out to Jason Cavness Go to www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com for the podcast on your favorite platforms  David's Bio With an extensive career encompassing VR development, project management, and system administration, my mission is to harness cutting-edge technologies to revolutionize the educational and training sectors. In my role at Abettertrack LLC as an Instructor/VR Developer, I've coupled my instructive skills with VR technology to provide transformative learning experiences in areas like behavioral therapy and self-advocacy. As a Contract System Administrator at Kingdom Technology Services, I took on multiple responsibilities including inventory management, Salesforce system development, tech integration, and client communication, often collaborating directly with the company's top executives.  At Sitebiz, as the VP of Project Management, I maintained a keen focus on efficiency and communication, leading various projects, developing detailed plans, and fostering a transparent and collaborative environment in an Agile setup. Now at BlackMuse LLC, I'm pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the realm of VR and metaverse development, driven by my dedication to lifelong learning, adaptability, and the merger of technology and education. My goal is to shape the future of digital innovation, reshaping how we learn and evolve.  We talk about the following and other items Pitch Competition for Tacoma School District Students  Unique Pitch Ideas and Success Stories The Value of School and Networking Jason asks about the process for students to participate in the pitch competition Importance of Curiosity Over Skill Future Predictions and Technological Advancements Historical and Cultural Insights Challenges and Opportunities in Education The Role of AI in Education and Development The Impact of Politics and Technology on Society Indigenous People and Legal Documents American Culture and Resilience Regional Differences and Cultural Identity Economic and Environmental Challenges Personal Stories and Life Experiences Technology and Social Media Political and Social Issues Cultural Differences and Global Perspectives Personal Growth and Self-Reflection Art and Performance Discussion on Concert Experiences and Performances Cultural Icons and Their Impact Taylor Swift's Business Acumen and Public Perception Jason shares a personal story about attending a networking event and misunderstanding the acronym "ILA. Discussion on Physical and Mental Capabilities Ethical Dilemmas in Medical Practice Suicide Pills and Insurance Coverage Personal Experiences and Drug Prevention Drinking Preferences and Childhood Memories Celebrity Lifestyles and Family Dynamics Celebrity Relationships and Public Perception Technological Advancements and AI The Role of AI in Education and Job Markets Philosophical and Spiritual Reflections Jesus' Early Life and Connections to Other Religions The Future of Religion and Technology The Impact of Technology on Humanity The Role of AI in Modern Society The Ethics of AI and Human Control The Future of Education and AI The Impact of AI on Employment and Skills The Role of AI in Healthcare and Research The Future of AI and Human Control The Role of AI in Society and Ethical Considerations David's Social Media David's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blackmusellc/ Blackmuse website: https://www.blackmuse.net/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094131262907  Lock In Early Pricing with CavnessHR As a subscriber to the Jason Cavness Experience, you can lock in early, discounted pricing before our official launch. Pricing Tiers: 1 to 10 employees: Freemium plan available, or upgrade for just $59/month 11 to 19 employees: $99/month 20 to 34 employees: $199/month 35 to 49 employees: $299/month Sign up now to lock in your rate and simplify your HR before we go public! Schedule time to talk about your HR challenges:  Book a Meeting with CavnessHR

At KubeCon EU 2025 in London, Nirmal and I discussed the important (and not-so-important) things you might have missed. There's also a video version of this show on YouTube.Creators & Guests Cristi Cotovan - Editor Beth Fisher - Producer Bret Fisher - Host Nirmal Mehta - Host (00:00) - DDT Audio Podcast Edited (00:04) - Intro (01:24) - KubeCon 2025 EU Overview (03:24) - Platform Engineering and AI Trends (07:03) - AI and Machine Learning in Kubernetes (15:38) - Project Pavilions at KubeCon (17:05) - FinOps and Cost Optimization (20:39) - HAProxy and AI Gateways (24:00) - Proxy Intelligence and Network Layer Optimization (26:52) - Developer Experience and Organizational Challenges (29:23) - Platform Engineering and Cognitive Load (35:54) - End of Life for CNCF Projects You can also support my free material by subscribing to my YouTube channel and my weekly newsletter at bret.news!Grab the best coupons for my Docker and Kubernetes courses.Join my cloud native DevOps community on Discord.Grab some merch at Bret's Loot BoxHomepage bretfisher.com

What if the most powerful tool for driving agile transformation isn't a framework or a ceremony—but a dashboard? Today's guest believes data may be the most underused lever for agility in large organizations. Gabrielle Wieczorek is a Scrum Master and Certified Agile Coach and a speaker at the upcoming Online Scrum Masters Summit, where she brings over 14 years of experience blending agile frameworks with data science, analytics, and stakeholder trust-building. About Gabrielle WieczorekGabrielle Wieczorek is an adaptive transformation leader with over 14 years of experience helping teams and organizations unlock the true potential of business and personal agility, especially in times of uncertainty. An enthusiastic Scrum Master, Certified Agile Coach (A-CSM, SSM), Product Owner (CSPO), and technical Senior Systems/Data Analyst, Gabrielle excels in leading teams through change and complexity, focusing on continuous improvement and delivering tangible results. Known for delivering engaging talks that make innovative agile concepts obtainable, Gabrielle has a knack for turning abstract ideas into real-world impact. Whether facilitating dynamic workshops or sharing insights in a lightning talk, Gabrielle empowers others to elevate their Agile practices and drive meaningful change in today's fast-paced, ever-evolving environments where efficiency and innovation are essential to success. RESOURCES Speaker, Online Scrum Masters Summit: https://onlinescrummastersummit.com/ https://onlinescrummastersummit.com/ This show is brought to you by the Online Scrum Masters Summit, taking place virtually on June 17-19, with more information at: www.onlinescrummasterssummit.com Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Boston, August 11-14, 2025. Register now: https://bit.ly/etailboston and use code PARTNER20 for 20% off for retailers and brandsOnline Scrum Master Summit is happening June 17-19. This 3-day virtual event is open for registration. Visit www.osms25.com and get a 25% discount off Premium All-Access Passes with the code osms25agilebrandDon't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Deniz Ari: Why Great Product Owners Listen—Communication Lessons from Product Ownership Extremes The Great Product Owner: The Power of Clear Communication Deniz describes a truly exemplary Product Owner who excelled through outstanding communication skills. This PO was an exceptional listener who maintained openness throughout all interactions. They ensured the team thoroughly understood requirements and priorities, always clearly articulating the rationale behind decisions. With a well-defined product vision and transparent prioritization process, this PO successfully bridged the gap between the development team and clients. Deniz emphasizes how this clear communication style naturally fostered team motivation, as everyone understood not just what they were building, but why it mattered. The Bad Product Owner: The Tyrant PO Deniz shares a challenging experience with a problematic Product Owner during what initially appeared to be a straightforward public sector migration project with adequate budget and timeline. Despite these favorable conditions, the situation deteriorated when the PO began pushing the team to work overtime, overstepping boundaries by questioning architectural decisions, and inappropriately assuming Scrum Master responsibilities. Described as a "tyrant" or "despot," this PO exhibited extremely poor communication skills and preferred dictating rather than collaborating. When Deniz attempted to address these issues, the situation became so toxic that it affected Deniz's health, ultimately leading to their decision to leave the project. The PO subsequently claimed no Scrum Master was needed. Deniz reflects that sometimes the best option is to recognize when a situation cannot be changed and to move on. Self-reflection Question: What boundaries would you establish with a dominant Product Owner, and at what point would you decide that the situation cannot be improved? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Deniz Ari: Stakeholder Management Rhythms for Successful Scrum Masters 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. For Deniz, successful Scrum Masters create environments with positive team dynamics, easy communication, and a focus on continuous improvement that leads to valuable deliverables. The key indicators include whether team members can speak freely, whether there's trust between team members, and if the team feels like "a safe place to fail." Deniz recommends admitting your own mistakes in front of the team to model vulnerability, continuously observing team interactions, and noticing whether teams openly discuss obstacles. For stakeholder management, Deniz suggests establishing regular catch-up calls with leaders to keep team messages in the conversation and setting up routine discussions with stakeholders to maintain alignment. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Worst Retro Deniz shares a playful yet effective retrospective format called "The Worst Retro," conducted using a MURAL board. The session begins with an energy/mood check to establish the team's current state. Then it moves into three key sections: what team members remember from the sprint, how they could make the next sprint worse, and finally deciding what actions to take next. Deniz explains that the power of this approach lies in using humor to discuss serious problems—by asking how to make things worse, team members can indirectly highlight what's already not working. This format creates an informal, relaxed environment where people feel comfortable addressing challenging topics that might otherwise remain unspoken. Self-reflection Question: How might introducing an element of humor or "reverse thinking" help your team discuss problems they've been avoiding in traditional retrospective formats? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In this episode of the ‘AI in Business' podcast, Scott Bradley, VP of AI and Innovation at Novartis, returns to discuss how AI is reshaping decision-making at the earliest stages of drug development—and what that means for the future of pharma investment strategy. Host Matthew DeMello and Scott explore how the pharmaceutical industry is transitioning from intuition-led portfolio choices to data-driven precision. They discuss the growing influence of AI in identifying viable drug candidates, designing complex proteins, and even solving long-standing manufacturing challenges. Scott also highlights the impact of AI on shifting portfolio dynamics—enabling pharma companies to target smaller, more specific patient populations and scale up development across a wider range of therapies. With AI now central to everything from molecule discovery to commercialization, the conversation offers a window into how life sciences organizations must adapt both structurally and strategically to stay competitive. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Intelligencia AI. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

Deniz Ari: Why Your Process Changes Are Failing—The Stakeholder Alignment Problem 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. Deniz explores the challenges of implementing change in organizations, emphasizing that change is always a long and difficult process requiring patience and trust. Drawing on the Change Curve concept, Deniz shares a personal experience trying to improve project visibility by cleaning up backlogs in JIRA for 10 in-flight projects. Despite good intentions, Deniz found themselves as the only person using the tool, with team members and Product Owners using different systems that better suited their specific needs—POs wanting only high-level items while the development team needed to split items into smaller tasks. Through this experience, Deniz learned the crucial importance of having all stakeholders (Product Owners, development teams, and managers) aligned on using the same tool, and understanding the unique perspectives of each group before implementing process changes. In this episode, we refer to the Change Curve.  Self-reflection Question: What changes have you attempted to implement that failed because you didn't fully understand the different needs and perspectives of all stakeholders involved? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Which is the MOST Effective Agile Meeting? I remember working at a startup where every day began with meetings. Planning on Monday, follow-ups on Tuesday, status on Wednesday, dependencies on Thursday, and retros on Friday.The team spent more time justifying their work than doing it.That's when I learned something I've never forgotten as a CTO: an unnecessary meeting is a silent tax on time and energy.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/

How do you lead change when you’re not the boss? Casey Sinnema shares what it takes to build trust, influence outcomes, and make Monday feel a little less dreadful. Overview What happens when you give a self-proclaimed utility player the freedom to poke holes in broken systems and lead cross-functional change without official authority? In this episode, Scott chats with Casey Sinema about navigating ambiguity, building trust without a title, and leading impactful change through curiosity, clarity, and a deep understanding of what people actually need. References and resources mentioned in the show: Casey Sinnema Wolf Pack by Abby Wombach The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins Micromanagement Log Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Join the Agile Mentors Community Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Scott Dunn is a Certified Enterprise Coach and Scrum Trainer with over 20 years of experience coaching and training companies like NASA, EMC/Dell Technologies, Yahoo!, Technicolor, and eBay to transition to an agile approach using Scrum. Casey Sinnema is a self-described utility player who’s built a career by asking great questions, poking holes in broken systems, and leading meaningful change across teams—without ever needing the official title to do it. With a background in accounting and a talent for cross-functional problem solving, she brings curiosity, empathy, and real-world savvy to every challenge she tackles. Auto-generated Transcript: Scott Dunn (00:01) Well, welcome everyone to another episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast. I am your takeover, not your normal host, of Brian Miller, who's done a smash up job over a hundred plus episodes if you haven't checked those out. But part of the podcast takeover was not only a fresh voice, but also perspective and a lot of what I typically focus on for the people who know me. On leadership and culture and leading change. And I thought of no one better that I'd rather talk to about some of this. Casey Sinnema and I'll give you a little bit of introduction about who she is, what she does. Maybe also I think it'd be fascinating Casey on how you yourself in the role that you have. I think it's kind of a cool role, at least on paper. You can flesh that out a little bit more but I'll hand off to you. Tell us a little about yourself. Casey (00:46) Yeah, hey, thanks for having me. Yeah, so I currently am most often referred to as a utility player. And I'm still trying to figure out my elevator speech for how I talk about what I do because my role, my title is manager, which doesn't say much, right? And I actually don't do a function, but the easiest way to talk about it is I'm a project manager of sorts. I'm involved in a wide variety of projects from a varying level of involvement, from leading the project to leading the change to being a key stakeholder to just being the voice to leaders or executives or that type of thing. So yeah, I am a little bit of everything. And I got here on accident. I have... Scott Dunn (01:32) I was... Casey (01:34) You know, way back in the day when I was, you know, doing the like, what am I going to do for the rest of my life? I'm like, I just want a marketable skill. So I have a business degree and I went into accounting and I quickly became the troubleshooter. So I would go into a company, troubleshoot, fix the process, fix something broken, and then find myself in another company doing the same thing. And, so throughout my career, I've just sort of built this unique set of skills that allow me to poke holes in processes. and help companies fix them and then kind of find the next thing. So that's just kind of how I wound up here. I've been at my current company for almost a decade, which is going to be a record for me. And, but I'm still doing the same thing. I'm moving around the company and finding new places to, you know, rock the boat a little bit. Scott Dunn (02:20) Cool. Very cool. Yeah. It does sound like you have a number of things on your place to where that makes kind of expand on that a little bit and where you comfortably share those stories as we go through some of this because there's a lot, there's a lot more underneath based on what Casey shared before. And I love it that you found yourself like a happy accident and I guess have enough challenges and learning and growth there as long as they move you around that you're, you know, you need to be working on that are meaningful. things to be working on. Casey (02:51) Yeah, absolutely. That's the biggest thing, right? Is to like find work that you find valuable and that has an impact on the people around you, which is, know, squarely aligned with my values. Scott Dunn (03:01) Well, you touched on one thing that I know a number of other people could relate to and I could too as well as the kind of troubleshoots process can just easily see that things aren't working at a larger view. Some of that. maybe add on a little bit. What is it like about your role? For those who are kind of thinking they're in quasi space, they can hear you talk about that role and like, hey, that sounds like me too. What are the points of that different projects, different things you're involved with that that's what really lights you up? Casey (03:27) Yeah, I, it's so interesting because a lot of us find that the things that we're good at are the things that, you know, give us energy and that motivate us, right? I happen to be uniquely skilled at poking holes in things, including in my own life. So it works in my personal life as well. I could just sort of see things from different perspectives and find the gaps. And so it just sort of on accident. I think what's interesting is Scott Dunn (03:43) You Hmm. Casey (03:53) throughout my career and throughout my life, the biggest challenge has been to hone that skill for good, right? To lead with kindness and to manage my expectations along with the expectations of the world around me and troubleshoot the things or poke holes in things that need holes poked in instead of like everything. You know what mean? Scott Dunn (04:15) I love that. Two things that I want to, I guess, add on a little bit more there. One, you mentioned something and the other thing is I think you might just put out there like, same thing from different perspectives. I imagine for the people, we've all been around folks who just they only think their way. And you're just kind of reflecting on that. But Keith, it sounds like you can go into a meeting and you can hear three different state views and you can genuinely understand from their perspective why that's important to them or why that's a problem to them, right? If I'm hearing you. Casey (04:42) Yeah, absolutely. That's really key in all of the different types of projects that I've played a part in, right? Like hearing things from different people's perspectives and really understanding what they're looking to get, what they need and what's in it for them and being able to connect those things across stakeholders. Scott Dunn (04:59) Yeah, that's powerful. Yeah, but looking for commonality, alignment, et cetera. I do think there's a specialness, and we've talked about it a bit, like in the facilitation class, that looking for those folks having common and generating alignment is a unique gift that we just don't see a lot in corporate people kind of lobby for what they want. And actually, it's, it would be an afterthought to think about other people's perspectives and yet who draws different areas of the company together who are to get some new about the door or whatever like that. So you're kind of touching on that, which I think is really powerful. Is there anything that you see as like a go-to mindset that you bring in those situations or go to like tools that you're kind of using, whether that's things you're doing in writing down or in mural or even just how where your head is at when you walk into some of those meetings where you feel they have different perspectives and on the same page, you're supposed to walk out of that session on the same page. Casey (05:51) Yeah, the first one is to sort of leave my ego at the door, right? What I think is the right thing can't come in the door with me, right? Like I, of course I'm influencing, right? Where I feel like it matters. But it's not, I'm probably not the decision maker and the people that are not on the same page, when they need to get aligned, they need to be able to get there on their own. So what I think is the right way, I got to leave it at the door. So that's my number one thing. Scott Dunn (05:57) heheheheh. Casey (06:18) And then the next thing I do is just really stay curious, ask lots of questions, actively listen, model that active listening behavior so that everybody else is also actively listening. That's a big thing. And really just sort of helping people find a common language, I think, is really important. So I do a lot of restating what I'm hearing so that other people can maybe hear it from a different set of words and connect it. Scott Dunn (06:29) Hahaha Casey (06:42) more readily to the way that they're thinking about the topic. Scott Dunn (06:45) Yeah, you say these as if they're like, I mean those are short little pithy statements, but boy, powerful. I think it reflects an attitude beginning with what he said as the ego is like, we might know a whole lot, we gotta leave that at the door. Just at work, awesome. Here and you say something, I'm making notes like this would be good in life too, right? In personal life and relationships, stay curious, active. Don't assume that the way you see it is reality, right? So, I think that's super. The other thing you mentioned though was about Go ahead. Casey (07:17) I will say I'm better at it at my job than in my personal life because, Scott Dunn (07:23) Of course, I think, yeah, for everyone listening, they're like, me too. Why can't I do this? I can tell some stories. So the other one, though, you should just poke holes as if like, it's this little thing we're doing. But there might be something inside. I think I might be able to relate that is driving perhaps towards this isn't running as well as it could, or this isn't running. I think we know that, or this could be better. Something inside you that that you feel is churning, that you're seeing holes no matter what that is, if it's a small process, large process, a team, multiple teams. Tell me a little bit more about what does that mean to you when you say poke holes in things? What's running through your mind? Casey (08:01) Yeah, it's complex, right? Because sometimes it's really easy. This is broken. you know, right? Or there's a bottleneck, something that's really like you can, it's data driven, you can see in the data where something is not working well, that those are the easy ones, right? And you can just start asking sort of the five whys or the finding the root cause of what's happening there. Scott Dunn (08:06) Those are the easy ones, yes. Casey (08:26) But in the case where there's friction or there appears to be barriers or there's just this. any kind of challenge or even when there's not a challenge, quite frankly, I have this unique ability to like listen across people and across like data and technology. That's a weird thing to say is listen across technology, but I sort of just find where things are misconnected or disconnected and start to ask questions there. And so I can find something that maybe isn't working as well as it should without anybody else noticing which. Scott Dunn (08:35) Yeah. Casey (08:59) I've learned I need to be careful with. Scott Dunn (09:01) That's great. So at least the next question was any hard lessons, anything so you could do a redo on that one that you could pass on so someone else doesn't have to learn the hard way from Casey's experience. Casey (09:11) Ha yeah. Everything I learned, I learned the hard way. So if you feel like that's what you're doing, you're not alone. Yeah, the thing that I have learned probably the most often, and I will learn it several more times in my career, I'm sure, is when I think I have found something, go make sure it's true before you start to really socialize it. So like, I'm going to go ask the question of the expert. Scott Dunn (09:20) Ha Whoa. Casey (09:42) before I bring it up because maybe I'm not seeing it from all of the right angles or maybe I don't understand exactly what it's doing or quite frankly maybe I'm missing some context. And so really talking and building relationships with people who are experts on the topic or in the field is really kind of where I start. Scott Dunn (10:00) was great, great period. the number of times we miss out on relationships, especially in that one, really key. Casey (10:00) And. Yeah. Scott Dunn (10:08) I think I'd add to that though. sometimes I'll phrase it as rather wait to be sure than lose capital because if I go out saying things that aren't true. So sometimes we'll jump in on the outing side and they'll be like, why haven't you gotten yet? And I'll be clear, like, I'd rather wait and be sure than hurry and be wrong. And then we got to that mess before we get back to the work we're supposed to be doing. And sometimes it's a while to pick that up, depending on who got affected by We'll put out there sometimes innocuously, we thought, well, here's the numbers results. And someone's like, that's actually not correct. But now everyone knows we have now we have a PR problem, something like that. So I'm not alone in that. I've been there. That's a tough one. But also on the coin, though, what would you point to as wins if you look back like that's talking about? That's why this is important. That's what you feel good about. Casey (10:54) Yes, absolutely. Yeah, I think from a win perspective, the, a really good example, I'm going to go way back in the day. I had a, a chance to work, in a motorcycle dealership and we had huge, was, you know, weird economic times, right? And so there's weird financial things happening in this, you know, motorcycle dealership company and, and, everybody's just trying to stay afloat and You find the like the friction between either the mechanic shop and the, the sales shop. And when you find those and you can solve those problems and make the experience smooth for the, for the client, right. For the customer and make that like walk in the door experience consistent and smooth. This in this case was just people, right? It wasn't even technology. wasn't really a process. It was just people. And the biggest wins are when like. the people start to notice. And then what happens is everybody's life gets better and everybody has more fun doing whatever it is that they're doing. And it just changes the vibe. Scott Dunn (12:08) I love that. I love that. I do believe very much like the work that we could be doing here. People enjoy their work more people enjoy coming to work. doesn't have to be a place that people don't want to be in or watching the class. I love you touching on that's great. Casey (12:21) Yeah, there's a balance there, right? Like, because they call it work for a reason. It's a job. We don't love everything that we do all of the time. But, you know, are we doing the things that we can do to make life good for ourselves and for others? Scott Dunn (12:33) Yes, so nice segue because what I feel like I've learned later in my career, we'll just phrase it that way, that the importance of self-care, taking care of ourselves so that we have the energy and attitude to keep doing work that we're doing, especially if you're a leading changer, in some ways you're a change artist trying to bring that about, change agent, it can be taxing. So are there things along the way that are either You just know a good way that you take care of yourself could be learning, could be space, could be the road you carry, or that you actually do to protect yourself and that work-life balance emotionally, mentally. you aren't kind of aware of, what does it look like to do good self-care and help make sure you're taking care of yourself to deliver good value in the workplace. Share what that means to you and maybe some of the things that you do. Casey (13:21) Yeah, it's so important, right? Like I am also not in the early stages of my career and still learning how to take care of myself and protect myself and, you know, build good boundaries, right? I, yes, yes. So I have good personal routines, right? Like I do yoga, I meditate. I'm a big fan of podcasts and. Scott Dunn (13:31) Hahaha Right. Boundaries is a good word, yes. Casey (13:46) I'm a learner, so I'm always learning. Maybe there's a boundary there too, like how much can you self-improve before it becomes, I don't know, toxic? But when it comes to boundaries, really it's, I start with the relationships, right? Like at work, making sure that my expectations are clear and that of my leadership chain is clear no matter what job I'm in. Scott Dunn (13:47) Hmm. you Casey (14:11) and setting boundaries that are clearly expressed so that I can protect myself and my personal life and that balance, and I can deliver the way that I'm expected to deliver. And that just makes life easier for me. Scott Dunn (14:23) Super, super, super, super. I'm thinking there's a lot of people. I it's a ways back. We cover accommodative and assertive, you know, as far as power styles and the cowl. And what's been fascinating for all these years, most people are all on the accommodative side. When I hear you say something like, hey, the expectations clear or use the word bad, that sounds like someone who has a balance of, no, I'm there for people, but I don't overextend myself to where I no good. Casey (14:23) Thank Scott Dunn (14:50) I burned something like that. So I think that's really great for everyone to hear. It hurt to define the relationship with make sure your expectations are clear for me. And then sometimes, you know, there's someone else that could take that on or might play this role, etc. But sometimes we're so helpful that we overload ourselves and actually don't do good job. We do, you know, average job on a lot of things instead of a job on a few and they could have found maybe someone else. think that's awesome. You said podcasts, there other ways, is that your way of learning? there other things that you, as far as what, for the learning side? Casey (15:26) Yeah, so books are my go-to. I'm somebody who does a lot of highlighting and note taking and flagging in books, because I'm always going back to them. And I love to learn things that are sort of outside of my lane, if you will. It's kind of how I got involved in Agile. I have a business degree in finance, and Agile doesn't really play into that until it does, right? And so I started to like, I'm curious about that, or I'm curious about Six Sigma or those types of things. And so I just sort of go find them and take the nuggets that apply directly to me and put the other ones on the shelf for like when it does apply to me, if you know what I mean. Um, so I just, I'm a learner, so I'm always looking to, to, to learn new things. I'll be frank, podcasts for me, I'm not learning things. I'm entertaining myself. Scott Dunn (16:20) I try, I try to really be focused to get, I like listening, but yeah, the actually applying is not as much. I'm definitely same about I'm a higher. Someone said the difference in studying is the pin. So I'm always like, unless I'm marking it up, am I really digging into this book or, or Kendall? So I'm to hear I'm not alone on that one. So I want to shift a little bit because some of what we've done is leading change. think the conversation we had were around. Casey (16:38) Absolutely. Scott Dunn (16:45) So moving around from just you to the broader culture, how would you describe what a great culture like or feels like? Maybe some of us haven't even been in a great company so they don't know. They can't picture, imagine what that could be like. And you've been to a number of places with different roles. What's good culture, great culture look like in your opinion? Casey (17:06) Yeah, I think that it's gotta be a cliche out there. I'm pretty sure I've seen it on a meme, but good culture is defined by how you feel on Sunday night, right? Like if you're not dreading going into work on Monday, right? Like you probably are in a culture that's a good fit for you because I think culture doesn't have a one size fits all perspective. Like big companies, small companies, different types of work, different groups of people. sort of lend themselves to different kinds of culture. I've been in companies where the culture is great for me and everybody else is miserable. And companies where the culture is great for everybody else and I'm just not a good fit. So I think that in general, good culture is... I talk about it in this like self-awareness perspective. If the culture itself is a little bit self-aware, then it is what they say it is. So if you say your culture is one thing and everybody agrees, including the culture, including the behaviors of what's expected in the environment, if all of those things are aligned, the culture is probably good, even if there are people who aren't good fits for it. I don't know if that answers your question. That's my perspective. Scott Dunn (18:03) Hehehehe That's great. Oh, it's it's better. That one's a good wrap up now. Like that really to me, it's a bit of a mic drop because it's so good. It's simple. But you're right. How you feel on Sunday night? A ton about what's happening with you and the job you have and what's happening around you. Absolutely. And that different like sometimes it is just a fit because a lot of people can be excited about it, but you're bothered by it or might rub you wrong. And I know we've gone through the values in the class as well. I've been at companies where we're absolutely about get stuff done and that's fine. But it's kind of a burnout. I love the very collaborative, but sometimes I'm like, man, I want to get stuff done. I'm getting frustrated that we're like, we really connect and talk a lot. I don't see stuff happening. So you're right. Obviously, you know, some people are sensitive to that. And that last piece about like the behavior. it should be considered. And I do sometimes see like leadership will say something or there'll be things on the walls. But you look around like, yeah, I don't actually think anyone's actually behaving that way. It's like an aspirational vibe about what they want to be, but they're not really doing it. So I think all those lenses are giving are right. And they're simple. Someone can look around and just see what you're saying. And then you make their own calculations of that. Some of the good. Some of that's a bit too. Casey (19:26) Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Scott Dunn (19:32) In the sense like either either change it for the better or You know what I mean? Like I don't want to be the person that's been there seven like this place is terrible What are you doing? What why have you been here 17 years hating it? I don't Casey (19:32) you Yeah, it's really important that we're honest with ourselves as much as our companies are honest with us, right? Like, what do I need from my job? What do I need from my career? And am I at a place that can support that? Scott Dunn (19:45) Good. Yes. Yeah, and and i'll serious in this case. I think there is some point where people I hear them And i'll just straight up. I don't think leadership has any intention to changing in the way you're describing Right. So in the end like so what would you like to do? And it's not even like it's a bad thing really. It's just like that's like It's a bit when you said that part some people are so passionate they forget like Yeah, and you're wrong like you could be wanting this coming to change in a way. It's not who they are or what they're about or you're Found by 80 people who are actually quite good with the way things The fact that you're so passionate doesn't mean you're right. It might just mean this is not a good fit. So don't stay here trying to change everything, which probably wouldn't work anyways if that's, you know, they're comfortable with what are. It's almost like in self-preservation, just say, I just need to exercise my agency and there's not a good guy. What's that song? There Ain't No Good Guy, There Ain't No Bad Guy. It's me and you and we just disagree. You move on to another and they'll be happier somewhere else is what I would think. So I think that's a good perspective. People can get past space about, you know, and agile and all that and then rail against something that's an immovable in some organizations. Casey (21:08) Yeah, being aware of the things that you can control, the things that you can't control, is really the crux of your own sanity, if you will. Scott Dunn (21:16) Yeah, it's a good way of saying it, Yeah, and you can control a lot of that. You can influence it. can influence it. Let me follow up on that because clearly, in my opinion, seems like you've that about bringing about change when you don't necessarily have authority. You can't dictate to some of these folks. What do you think is a key aspect of being successful around influence or people who... I get asked this all the time, how do we influence, how do we manage up, et cetera. What would you prefer as your thoughts on that about influencing others? Casey (21:50) Yeah, I actually listened to a podcast recently about leading without influence. one of the key comments, I guess I am also learning through podcasts, I guess. But one of the comments in the podcast was there are people who lead with a hammer, people who lead with influence. And I kind of love that because I haven't been a people leader in more than a decade. Scott Dunn (21:55) There you go. So they are some good. Casey (22:13) which means I don't have any authority, right? I lead all of my influence. All of my leadership is through influence. And the way that I approach that is I start with. It's a, it's a gooey word, but empathy, understanding the people that I'm talking to and working with and understanding what they need and what their challenges are, and then meeting them where they are. Right. The easiest way to gain influence with. Most people, is to build trust and to build trust, need to build relationships. And so I would say 90 % of my influence comes first from relationships. And probably the other 10 % comes from my ability to stand up and say, I was wrong when I did something wrong or when my perspective was incorrect and when I behaved outside my values, like just owning it up when I'm like, Scott Dunn (22:59) Wow. Casey (23:04) Yeah, I was having a bad day. I apologize. There's a lot of trust that comes from that kind of vulnerability. Scott Dunn (23:11) Yeah, which is not easy to do not easy to do But I've been in meetings where I like I know it like I don't play this year But I like things so in some ways people look at influence about how we phrase things or how we present but you're just saying like look happy build a real relationship Have some humility if you're willing to say we're wrong. So people know you'll also that when you're wrong or made of your core element of strength or something like that. think that's a real nice, everyone, if you think about that, that's not out of any of us to say, you know what, I'm going to try to be more honest and authentic and have some empathy and try to listen. Casey (23:45) Absolutely. It also helps to be able to connect the dots across different people and what they need and the strategy of whatever project you're working on so that you can connect the change to something that is it like what's in it for me, right? So what's in it for the people that you're talking to and being able to connect those things. So it's not just relationships and empathy, right? That's the soft stuff. It's that ability to really critically think about what it is you're driving change for. Scott Dunn (24:08) Mm-hmm. Casey (24:12) and connecting it to how each of these different stakeholders can benefit. Scott Dunn (24:18) Yeah, the part about connecting the dots and this is one thing if I'm ever in a meeting and I feel like I'm not getting it I actually will pause into my head. I'm thinking What is this person's concerns? And if I can't if I can't clear that I'd probably need to ask more questions but for any of us in those meetings just kind of go around through those stakeholders the people sitting around the desk or on the zoom and quick like in a sentence or two what what would be important to them? What are they? What's the win or what's the pain? But if you don't feel like you can articulate, then the good thing is you have to see that asking questions around that is never a problem because they're actually share because you're basically asking them about yourself. Tell me what's important to you. And they would like to share that. And it doesn't hurt to double check that. So I love what you're saying about connected dots. It won't be necessary that they're saying what you're listening and watching. I also watch what they react to. So something might jump out that would be outside of their say their role. but it's about people and there's an aspect that they really do care about how their people feel, not just the, this process is important in terms of our strategy and the technology we're using, but it might come out like, well, all their people would be really excited to put their hands on that new technology too. But they're not gonna say that because that sounds like that's a weak reason to be for a project, but you know it's important to them because they lead those people or that person. So I like what you're saying, connect the dots, think about those perspectives, because the empathy is gonna help them to connect in the dots, right? more is emotional than the logic of that stuff. So think that's great. Really, really great. On this, I believe you're remote, correct? Partially? Okay. ⁓ fully. Okay. Let's talk about that small. It hasn't come up in the last five years, but let's talk remote. So from your experience, it's always a big topic to me. I do care about this. I think we deal with a lot, every company, because some people at least that are remote, or certainly partial remote, Casey (25:45) I am. Fully. Scott Dunn (26:05) What's your thoughts on what to be worried about and what to make that successful? you're seeing more and more almost like these two sides of the aisle, maybe some aspect of demanding people come back. And yet you have a whole generation who can't buy a house. So I'm figuring out where's the balance of remote work. So yeah, your thoughts on remote work, how to make it successful scene. Casey (26:27) Yeah, I mean, I have two different ways I could approach this, right? I have the personal thing that what works for me part, right? But as somebody who is often having these conversations with people who are in various buckets of people who are, know, partially remote, fully remote, fully in the office, that kind of a thing, I find that what I think is less relevant every single day. I for sure feel I have a lot of privilege. Scott Dunn (26:33) Mm-hmm. Casey (26:50) being fully remote. Like that's really cool because it's good for me. I'm at a spot in my career where it makes sense. I'm good at building relationships in lots of different kinds of ways, including through, you know, zoom meetings and that type of thing. But I don't think that there's a right answer. I think that the each company and each team and each group of people need to find what works best for them. and make that happen. I see real benefit to being together, especially when you're early in your career or when you're doing something that you need a whiteboard. I mean, I'm pretty good at Mural. I'm pretty good at using the whiteboard in the Zoom meeting, but there's no replacement for standing at a whiteboard with a bunch of stickies and flowing out process. So I just don't... Scott Dunn (27:33) That's so true. You're so right. Casey (27:40) I don't know that there's a right answer. And I think that different size companies have different complexity of making that decision. And it sort of goes back to that comment we were making before. Like, if it isn't a good fit for you, find something that is. You know, I don't know. That's my thought. That's my thought. Scott Dunn (28:00) Yeah, true. Makes sense. For the folks that are managing or leading these remote work, are things that they do to make that go better in their context. Casey (28:12) Absolutely. are ways to, especially if you have hybrid, it even gets more complex, right? All virtual is the easiest way of virtual, right? Because then everybody's always virtual and you're always on Zoom and you're always on Slack and whatever. That's for sure the easiest way to manage teams that are virtual. When you have that hybrid space, you've got that opportunity to be in a conference room or in a huddle group or in the cafeteria. and on Zoom meetings, and it gets kind of funky, right? Because sometimes you can't hear, or you have those water cooler conversations. The key really is to have what I found is a good working agreement, right? Like, what types of communication are we going to have? How are we going to do that? What happens when we had a really great conversation in the break room? How do we communicate that to the rest of the team who wasn't there? And really just sort of build team trust through a good quality executed working agreement. And sometimes that takes a little bit more effort from the leader or even from every individual, right? But that's part of that culture, right? Scott Dunn (29:16) Right. I think the folks you make me think that's personally in a meeting and it's good that I try to get the groups together in these different locations as they're talking. I can't tell. I talking. I don't know these. I don't know them all that well. So I can't I can't tell by voice yet. If these are different groups are working with each other. The thing is, look, that person's kind of off camera or either they're on camera. They're so far back. Is that is their mouth moving? Is there a delay? I can't tell. So that sets the connection. I'm surprised for me as a more of a relator, how much it becomes a problem like nothing beats in person. So at least get that regularly. get in person. There was another client that saying that very same thing. Like they love it when we all get back together. And so they kind of have their cadence of pulling the whole group better. Could be like you're off site, could be all hands could be, but I think those opportunities to keep connection. I do like remote. I do think you have a good point about depending on the maturity of the career. Some people just know like I know I got to take care of these biopsy that they've noticed other XYZ. So they do too. So if they're new in their career, they may not even catch that I should be probably working. what is this at home on the zoom and in their PJs or something like that. I think it's a good point. Look at those and also the work. The fact that you would take that to the team and say, what do you all think is very empowering. You have an open conversation around what they all think and definitely there's a assumptions that people are making about what it should be, et cetera, but they those explicit and they kind of carry that around with them a little. Right. So that's a yeah, really nice nugget on that. That's everyone for sure. So last thing I'm to add a little bit on the back on leading change. So in this case, it could be remote, could be these other projects that we'll try to adapt. I think you'd say this earlier about there's no company that's not going through this crazy time of change right now. When it comes to change, have you seen something that's helpful, especially if it's a more significant change, you gave some good fundamentals around influence and trust and relationship, empathy, et cetera. Are there other aspects on how that change is rolled out or a process change or the groups that are leading the change that you've seen be like more systemically just successful aside that people might change, but the way we handle change is done this way. That you think there's a tip or two out there that would help out. They're trying to kick off, you know, a new way of working. We're trying to refresh remote policies or how they work, Because a lot of people in the middle of change. Have you seen overarching themes about how this lead that you found have been more successful? Casey (31:57) Yeah, think, gosh, it's the hardest thing, right? Like figuring out a way to roll out change across teams is the most challenging thing that I've ever done. And I've been doing it for a long time. And I'm always learning new ways and new ways not to do things and all that jazz, right? I have this little nugget that I got from a mentor. Scott Dunn (32:11) Hahaha, yeah. Casey (32:24) 20 years ago almost, and he's a motorcycle rider. And when you ride a motorcycle, the thing that you do to go on a corner is to turn your head, right? Turn your head to get to where you're going. And the non-motorcycle sort of connection to that is the what's my plan. And so really understanding what the plan is so that you can very clearly articulate what it is you're doing at each phase of the change. If you're prepping people for change, what's the plan? If you're starting to design a project, what's the plan? And just get really clear with where you're going, what the expectations are, what each individual person's role is, and be explicit about it because we're all dealing with a lot of things coming at us all the time. And if you're leading with kindness and you're saying, okay, your part of this is to simply accept the change. That's not condescending, that's empowering. That tells that person that like, this decision has been made, I gotta get myself there, and this person's here to help me get there. And so just being really clear about it, that's the biggest thing for me that I've seen that is successful. It's hard to do though, because that's a lot of people and a lot of Scott Dunn (33:36) Yeah. Well, yes, that's why it makes it so surprising. Number of times a company has to bring in outside help to get the change because it's not a capability or muscle they really have about how to change ourselves. Right. We execute against what we build or do here really well for help. But but that idea of getting outside the box and thinking different how we can improve, like you said, poke holes and so that's why I like it that there's someone When a company sees someone with your skill set and the way that you're wired and leverages it to say like, we kind of informally have this person like really helping things about because it's commonly not a muscle that they really have. Sometimes they have the awareness they don't, but sometimes they don't the long, really large change initiatives that take a long time and either never really get off the ground or never really where they should have gone or before they kind of just either die on the vine or we just call it, you know, just call it good. They don't draw in. It gets a group above everyone trying to lay change on top of folks instead of incorporate everyone into change and then go through it together. Learning together with someone like you that can connect the dots, connect with people, can bring that about. And think in a way it's really powerful and effective. Yeah, I was going to tease you. don't know if you have anything on that. But you mentioned books, you mentioned podcasts. Do have any favorites that you just would throw out? Classic go to book, current read, current podcast. Casey (35:01) My favorite all time book is a book called Wolf Pack by Abby Wambach. She's a soccer player, she's fantastic, and it's a book about leadership. It's like 70 pages long. It has a set of like four rules. And yeah, it's written from a like, you know, girl power, woman empowerment, leadership empowerment kind of thing, but it's universally adaptable to life, to it doesn't matter what your gender might be. what your job might be, Wolfpack. I can't recommend it enough. And then most recently, I read the let them theory and it's life changing. It's not a new topic, right? It's not a new concept. Of course you should control the things that you should stress about the things that you can control and let the things you can't control go, right? There's lots of different places that that comes up, but Mel Robbins just did a great job, like putting it into stories that you could like directly apply it to your life, or at least for me anyway. And I find myself quoting that book to myself pretty regularly. Yeah. Scott Dunn (36:03) That's a good sign. That's a really good sign. I find myself too. That's I literally will go through something. I start to realize like you've mentioned this book or this thing like three times now in the last few weeks. Like, OK, that's obviously significant. You didn't miss a time. you make another really good point. I really say like at the meta level in some ways, when it impacts you personally and you connect to it personally, it's going to be helpful and relevant in the work you do because you're going to be sharing the expression of who you are. And I say that because some people will go like, here's this top leadership book this year. I'm to read this well-known. And sometimes I'll struggle to just like really pick the book. Even if it is good content, I don't connect to it. I'm not sharing with others. It's not part. It doesn't become a home and gets spread. So I love what you're saying. Casey (36:48) completely agree with that. read, I spent a lot of time last year reading a book called Mind Your Mindset. I don't know if you've read that one. But in theory, it's great. But it's so business focused that like I didn't personally relate to it. And so I had to go find some other book that was less business structured to, to like, bolster that topic. All the words were the same. It's just the storyline really, really changes it for me. So telling stories, right, is the most important thing of how we connect. to the world. Scott Dunn (37:20) Yes, yes, yes. And I believe in that. That's how we're just wired. brains are wired. Story really sticks. And you're making me think like, yeah, those books I recommend the most are more not have a lot of stories, even if it's less directly tied to the work I do. Maybe it's not even technology. It's not even maybe it's not even around business, but it's got stories they do and stick and connect. I love that. So I'll check that out. I have not read Will Peck. I think I've seen it, but now that I know it, pages I'm also enticed to on that. I can get through it. Casey (37:52) It's one hour of your time max. Scott Dunn (37:53) us. If I can't do that over breakfast, then what's going on? Awesome. I appreciate that. This has been great. I think there's a lot of nuggets for folks that are listening. I wouldn't be surprised, by the way, that this could get chopped up into part one, part two. I think we like them. But this is great because I think it's a great part one, part two, given how we kind of split the conversations. And I love the personal aspect on that as well. So thank Thank Casey for the time. It's been wonderful. think I really look forward to people's feedback on this and a lot of takeaways, a lot of that can be, they can try out some of these things very next week in terms of how they show up and who they are and what they're about. There's just a whole lot of good pieces of this that I think are readily possible for so many people. So I really, really appreciate that too as well. I'm on automatic sites. love them. The Builder Backs, they can do something right away with that. And you gave them a lot of Thank you for that. Thank you for your time. I know you have a lot on your plate. for us, but you appreciate it. Hope to see you soon. Thanks Casey. Casey (38:54) Yeah, thanks for having me. Thank you. Scott Dunn (38:57) Woo!

Do you want to hear a story about stifling growth and creativity through the lens of one developer's personal story?You're in luck! Join Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel as they watch and react to Theo's YouTube video: "Being a good engineer kinda sucks," April 28, 2025.It's a tale about the tension between excelling at your craft versus navigating organizational politics and dysfunction. That's right, today, we're talking about themes of career development, team dynamics, and leadership, so feel free to stick around for our thoughts on these and:The sustainability trap of overworking to meet unrealistic expectationsHow organizational politics can punish innovation and excellenceThe importance of product sense vs. documentation-driven developmentFinding and nurturing relationships with like-minded professionals#Leadership #ProductManagement #CareerDevelopment #TechCareersLINKS= = = = = = = = = = = =YouTubeAppleSpotifyREFERENCES= = = = = = = = = = = =Check Out Theo's Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VuM1GCadt4...and his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@t3dotgg...and his website: https://t3.gg/MUSIC= = = = = = = = = = = =Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Tobias Mayer—author, coach, and longtime voice in the Agile world—to explore the journey from his early discovery of XP (Extreme Programming) in 1997 all the way to today's debate around the death of Scrum. Tobias shares his personal transformation from developer to Scrum Master, his resistance to early XP, and how he learned great practices from developers he managed. We unpack his reflections on Agile's semantic drift, the role of Scrum Masters as change agents vs. bean counters, and what happens when teams do Agile without even knowing the Agile Manifesto.

Deniz Ari: Security Team Breakdown—The Devastating Impact of Poor Product Ownership 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. Deniz shares the story of a security project with a team of eight experienced, senior engineers working on mission-critical systems. Despite initial motivation and clear architectural solutions, the team soon exhibited signs of negative behavior including complaints and criticism. The root cause traced back to frequent Product Owner changes—several within less than a year—and poor client management. Instead of shielding the team, the PO directly transferred stress from clients to the team, demanded overtime, and created unnecessary tension by bringing unfiltered conflicts to the team and requesting excessive details. Deniz emphasizes the importance of avoiding unnecessary tensions, being more political when necessary to protect the team, and being mindful of tone in written communications. Self-reflection Question: In what ways might you be failing to set proper boundaries in your role, and how could establishing clearer limits improve both your effectiveness and your team's performance? Featured Book of the Week: Boundaries by Henrik Cloud Deniz recommends "Boundaries" by Henrik Cloud, a book about human relationships and personal limitations. The book addresses crucial questions: Does your life feel out of control? Do you keep saying yes to everyone? Are you taking responsibility for others' feelings and problems? Have you forgotten your own limitations? Deniz explains how this book helped them learn to say "no" while still considering others' realities and feelings, and understanding why we often struggle with setting boundaries. Deniz highlights that being a Scrum Master involves much more than just processes and methods—it requires healthy personal boundaries. [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, Daniel dives into the world of agile marketing, exploring how a new methodology is helping marketers launch strategic, high-impact campaigns at pace, without compromising on quality. Joined by Peter Abraham (former Econsultancy leader and founder of Crank), alongside Katherine Torrance and Claire Pankhurst, the creators of Supercharged Marketing Sprints, Daniel unpacks a new approach to growth marketing that blends the speed of agile with the strategic rigour marketing has been missing. The team explain how their 5-day sprint framework works in practice - coaching marketing teams to develop and launch live, multichannel campaigns in just a week. Unlike traditional brainstorming workshops that leave great ideas gathering dust, this sprint ends with a live campaign in market, backed by real data and customer insight. Together, they explore how this approach helps businesses: Build high-performing campaigns under intense time constraints Cut through campaign chaos and internal delays Deliver strategic focus without sacrificing speed Align stakeholders quickly around a shared goal Create minimum viable campaigns (MVCs) that actually launch More than just a framework, this is a practical, tested process grounded in real-world experience. Peter shares his initial scepticism, and eventual surprise, at seeing these sprints succeed where other methods stall. Catherine and Claire outline how their structure gives marketing teams space for deep thinking and rapid deployment. They also share how AI tools (like headline generation and campaign planning assistants) are used to speed up the creative process, while still relying on human judgement and strategic thinking. This episode is packed with lessons for marketers frustrated by slow timelines, campaign bottlenecks, and chaotic execution cycles. Daniel and his guests lay out how to shift away from “tactics-first” thinking and instead build campaigns rooted in buyer insight, stakeholder alignment, and clear, testable outcomes. Key Takeaways: Why agile principles need evolution for modern marketing How 5-day sprints help teams go from messy ideas to market-ready campaigns The crucial role of stakeholder alignment and constrained planning How AI can complement (not replace) creative strategy How to build minimum viable campaigns with maximum impact Why fast isn't enough—campaigns must be focused and aligned Whether you're a CMO looking for a faster way to deliver results, or a team lead trying to cut through the clutter, this episode offers an inspiring look at what marketing agility really looks like in action.

In a recent episode of the Building Better Developers podcast, Rob Broadhead and Michael Meloche explore the value of a business tune-up—a mid-year check-in designed to help business owners realign with their goals, improve operations, and reduce waste. Whether your business is thriving or simply coasting, regular evaluations can uncover blind spots, highlight new opportunities, and help you operate more effectively. What Is a Business Tune-Up? Rob Broadhead describes a business tune-up as a strategic assessment of your company's core elements—from technology and marketing to compliance and overall alignment with your mission. It's not just about checking sales metrics. It's about asking: Are we still aligned with our mission? Is our customer experience consistent and strong? Are we positioned for sustainable growth? This type of review should happen at least once or twice a year and can often be completed in 30 minutes or less. Business Tune-Up Step 1: Review Your Website and Messaging Your website is often a potential customer's first interaction with your business. Rob recommends reviewing: Site functionality and uptime Messaging and value proposition Blog content freshness Design consistency and branding Walk through your website as if you were a first-time visitor. Does it clearly explain what you do? Are there outdated blog posts or confusing navigation paths? Business Tune-Up Step 2: Audit Subscriptions and Expenses Michael Meloche shares how he routinely reviews business expenses to identify unnecessary costs and expired tools. He recommends: Reviewing all active services and tools Identifying subscriptions no longer in use Evaluating recurring expenses for ROI Many businesses waste hundreds or even thousands per year on forgotten tools. This step alone can have an immediate financial impact. Business Tune-Up Step 3: Adjust for Growth and Scale If your business is growing, your infrastructure should grow with it. Michael emphasizes reviewing internal workflows and team bandwidth to determine if: It's time to hire additional help or virtual assistants Agile practices and documentation need improvement Your current tools can be consolidated or upgraded Rob notes that as businesses grow, systems that worked early on can quickly become limiting. Simplifying and integrating tools may offer greater efficiency and ROI. Business Tune-Up Step 4: Check for Compliance and Security Staying compliant is essential, especially in regulated industries like healthcare, finance, and technology. Your compliance check should include: Reviewing certifications and licenses Verifying software updates and security patches Staying informed on new industry regulations Neglecting updates or certifications can lead to legal issues or vulnerabilities. Keeping up with best practices ensures stability and avoids disruptions. Business Tune-Up Step 5: Refresh Marketing and Outreach Marketing is often neglected during busy periods, but it shouldn't be. Key areas to review: Campaign performance (email, PPC, content) Social media presence and engagement Follow-up processes for leads Marketing funnels and conversion paths Michael reminds listeners that maintaining an active presence—even in slower seasons—can generate new leads and keep your brand top of mind. Episode Challenge: Complete a 30-Minute Business Tune-Up Rob concludes the episode with a simple but impactful challenge: Take 15 to 30 minutes this week to perform a business tune-up. Review your website, marketing, expenses, workflows, and compliance. Even small improvements can generate new opportunities, cut costs, or increase performance. Stay Connected We want to hear from you. Whether you've completed a business tune-up or have questions about how to start, reach out: Email: info@develpreneur.com X (formerly Twitter): @develpreneur YouTube: Developer Podcast Channel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/develpreneur/ Final Thoughts A business tune-up doesn't require massive changes, but it can drive significant results. Taking a step back helps ensure that your tools, team, and tactics support your long-term vision. Use this moment to clean up, recalibrate, and prepare for the next growth phase. Additional Resources Reflect on How To Become More Effective, Then Tune And Adjust A Solid Restart – Stop, Plan, Reset, Go Habit Review for Developers: Boost Productivity and Build Better Workflows Building Better Businesses – With Bonus Content

If an organization's executives and managers don't understand the new way of working associated with an Agile transformation, how can they lead effectively? In this episode, Sukie Kang with Connected Movement shares his tips for coaches to help leaders become fully engaged. Like what you hear? Connect with Sukie on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

In this Agile in Action Podcast episode, Professor Adam Boddison, CEO of the Association for Project Management (APM), discusses the evolving role of project professionals in a rapidly changing world. He emphasizes the critical importance of project professionals in delivering societal and organizational change, advocating for their broader recognition beyond technical roles to strategic leadership positions. The conversation touches on the need to redefine success in project management, the challenges posed by global talent shortages, the inclusion of agile methodologies under the project professional umbrella, and the value of stakeholder engagement, continuous learning, and benefit realization. Boddison also makes a case for integrating project management as a core component of leadership training and suggests that roles like Chief Operating Officer may need to evolve into Chief Project or Transformation Officers to better align with today's change-driven business landscape. What You Will Learn: The strategic role of project professionals: Why project professionals are more than just process experts—they are essential to executing organizational strategy and managing change effectively across sectors. The need to redefine project success: How modern project management requires focus on benefits realization and adaptability, rather than strict adherence to initial plans. Bridging the project profession and the C-suite: Why project management deserves a seat at the executive table and how roles like COO may need to evolve to reflect a greater emphasis on transformation. Building project capability and maturity: The importance of upskilling both intentional and “accidental” project professionals and using lessons learned to inform future projects. Relevant URLs: Association for Project Management (APM): https://www.apm.org.uk Agile in Action Podcast: https://agileinaction.com Adam Boddison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamboddison

After nearly three decades in corporate leadership, Ebony Williams found herself at a crossroads. She was successful on the outside, yet internally she felt unfulfilled and misaligned. In this episode, Ebony shares her faith-led journey to leave the perceived safety of her corporate career and launch Alignée Shift, a transformational coaching practice grounded in helping others align with their God-given purpose and identity.With wisdom rooted in Scripture and her life experiences, Ebony unpacks the spiritual signs of misalignment, the tension between comfort and calling, and the sacred process of discernment. She introduces her powerful A.L.I.G.N. framework: Assess, Liberate, Integrate, Guard, and Navigate. It is a powerful roadmap for those ready to courageously move from burnout to breakthrough and from comfort to calling.Whether you're feeling stuck, seeking clarity, or simply curious about what it means to live a life truly aligned with God's purpose, this conversation will encourage and equip you to take your next step with confidence and faith.More about Ebony:Ebony Williams is a leadership coach, speaker, and founder of Alignée Shift—a coaching brand dedicated to helping high-achieving women realign their lives and redefine success on their own terms. With over 25 years of experience in corporate leadership at AT&T, Ebony has built a legacy of empowering professionals through coaching, talent development, and diversity-centered leadership. As Associate Director of AT&T's Early Career Technology Development Program, she coached and mentored hundreds of emerging technologists, launched inclusive talent pipelines, and improved retention by creating culture-shifting evaluation and growth frameworks. Her national leadership in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion training impacted thousands of employees and inspired organizational change from the inside out. Now, through Alignée Shift, Ebony guides ambitious women in bridging the gap between external success and inner fulfillment. Her ALIGN Method™ offers a transformative framework for realignment—helping women reclaim their purpose, voice, and vision in both work and life. Ebony serves as Chapter Leader for the Women Empowering Women organization in North St. Louis County. She also serves on several committees dedicated to scholarships and mentoring youth. Ebony holds an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, a Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University and multiple certifications in leadership and Agile methodologies. Whether she's coaching one-on-one, speaking on stage, or leading a workshop, Ebony's mission is clear: to empower women to lead with clarity, confidence, and inner alignment.Support the showTransforming the workplace one Bible study at a time - DONATE today! CONNECT WITH US:B-B-T.org | News | LinkedIn Biblical Business Training (“BBT”) equips busy, working people to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and empowers them in small-group Bible study settings to apply Biblical principles to their every day lives - especially in the workplace. BBT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization which exists to help people develop their Christian “Faith for Work – Leadership for Life!”

Deniz Ari: How Intense Delivery Pressure Destroyed Team Trust, Culture, and Brought Burnout 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. Working in the public sector, Deniz faced a challenging situation during a particularly busy winter period when the client wanted to combine multiple major initiatives simultaneously: migration, new features, and security improvements. This led to an oversized team of 25 engineers, which ultimately caused significant problems. The pressure to continuously deliver became overwhelming, breaking team trust and leaving members feeling abandoned. Several team members left, the team culture disintegrated, and cases of burnout emerged. After this difficult experience, Deniz conducted a comprehensive retrospective to process what happened and provide feedback to management about the dangers of excessive pressure in Scrum environments. Self-reflection Question: How might you recognize the early warning signs of team burnout before it reaches a critical point, and what boundaries would you establish to protect your team? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Nobody admires a rule worshiper. True fulfillment comes from courageously breaking conventions, creating original ideas, and enduring criticism to make something uniquely valuable. Following trends might feel safe, but real success requires risk and authenticity. Time to step away from conformity and build something that genuinely matters. Let's talk about breaking rules and embracing originality.

In this sharp and thoughtful episode, Josh Anderson and Bob Galen debate the future of middle management. While movements like Corporate Rebels are calling to eliminate the layer entirely, Bob and Josh argue for something more nuanced: a transformation, not an execution. They explore what great middle managers actually look like, the leadership gaps that plague many orgs, and why flat structures aren't a silver bullet.You'll walk away with a modern blueprint for impactful middle leadership—one built on collaboration, development, and resilience—not control, micromanagement, or outdated org charts.What's the Future of Middle Management?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!

Are YOU Looking to Take the PMP Exam? Sign up: http://tinyurl.com/elitepmpStruggling to conquer the process domain for your PMP exam? You're not alone. With 50% of the exam content focused here, it's a challenge every aspiring Project Management Professional must face. This video is your ultimate guide to mastering the process domain, bridging the gap between PMBOK 6, PMBOK 7, Agile, Hybrid methodologies, and everything in between.We break down the complexities of the process domain into clear, actionable steps, helping you understand the core definitions of project, program, and portfolio management, navigate the 49 processes, and decode essential frameworks like the five process groups and 10 knowledge areas. Whether it's tackling integration, risk, or stakeholder management, we've got you covered. Plus, we shed light on Agile principles, the Scrum guide, and the Agile Practice Guide to prepare you for hybrid questions.This isn't just about memorizing terms—it's about adopting a strategic mindset for success. Learn how to connect the dots, close knowledge gaps, and approach your exam with confidence. As Tiffanie, the PMP Boss Lady, puts it, "The right framework changes everything!" Let this transformative journey inspire you to take control of your PMP preparation.Ready to take the next step? Subscribe now and join thousands of professionals leveraging Praizion's expert resources to turn their PMP dreams into reality. Together, we'll simplify the complex, empower your confidence, and equip you for success. Hit the like button, share this video with fellow PMP aspirants, and remember, you're one step closer to PMP success!#projectmanagementtools #projectmanagementsoftware #projectmanagement #smartgoals #pmbokCHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro to the Process Domain01:52 - Core Definitions in Project Management03:35 - Phases and Phase Gates Explained04:47 - PMI Principles and Domains Overview05:36 - PMP Exam Content Outline Breakdown05:42 - PMBOK Guide 6th Edition Highlights08:35 - Agile Practice Guide Insights09:32 - Challenges in the Process Domain10:20 - Exam Preparation Essentials13:26 - Exam Success Strategies14:39 - Understanding the Process Domain22:57 - The Executing Silo Explained26:31 - Monitoring and Controlling Silo Overview31:10 - Overview of Final Processes41:38 - Traditional vs Agile Methodologies41:50 - BreakAre YOU Looking to Take the CAPM Exam? Sign up: http://tinyurl.com/elitecapm

New to ServiceNow and can't get passed the recruiter layer?  Seasoned ServiceNow veteran looking to freelance?In this episode we talk to elite ServiceNow talent finder, networker, and master of threading the needle between customer need and resource preference.  Stephanie Fairbanks has been in the ServiceNow game since the beginning and has a massive ready-to-rock network.Discover her inside scoop!ABOUT USCory and Robert are vendor agnostic freelance ServiceNow architects.Cory is the founder of TekVoyant.Robert is just some guy.Sponsor Us!

Are Product Counsels in the best position to anticipate and solve privacy and AI compliance problems before we release new products to the public at large - all of it while avoiding costly delays in fast-moving projects? Linsey Krolik is Assistant Clinical Professor at Santa Clara University School of Law, where she runs the Privacy Law Certificate and teaches Privacy Law. She is Director of the Entrepreneurs' Law Clinic, where students work with real startups on transactional law projects, and Director of the TechEdge JD, a skills based certificate program for students interested in working in technology law. She also teaches a class called Law and Technology of Silicon Valley, with students playing the role of product or privacy counsel for a day.  Prior to joining academia, Linsey held senior in-house roles as a product, privacy, and commercial lawyer at global companies including PayPal, ARM, and Palm. Also, she continues to consult on privacy and AI governance in her solo law practice. References: Linsey Krolik on LinkedIn Santa Clara University School of Law TechEdge JD Entrepreneurs' Law Clinic Privacy Law Certificate Navigating AI and Data Ethics: The Essential Role of Product Lawyers and the Product Counsel Framework (Linsey Krolik, Adrienne Go, Olga Mack) Gam Dias: Agents Unleashed, understanding the Agentic AI stack (Masters of Privacy)

Summary In this episode, Andy talks with Dr. Joe Sutherland, co-author of the new book Analytics the Right Way: A Business Leader's Guide to Putting Data to Productive Use. Joe is a leader in AI policy and practice, serving as the founding director of the Emory Center for AI Learning and lead principal investigator for the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium. Andy and Joe explore what it really takes to make better decisions in a world drowning in data and exploding with AI hype. They discuss the myths of data collection, how randomized controlled trials and causal inference impact decision quality, and Joe's “two magic questions” that help project managers stay focused on outcomes. They also dive into recent AI breakthroughs like DeepSeek, and why executives may be paralyzed when it comes to implementing AI strategy. If you're looking for insights on how to use data and AI more effectively to support leadership and project decision-making, this episode is for you! Sound Bites “What are we trying to achieve? And how would we know if we achieved it?” “Sometimes we're measuring success by handing out coupons to people who already had the product in their cart.” “AI doesn't replace decision-making—it demands better decisions from us.” “Causality is important for really big decisions because you want to know with a level of certainty that if I make this choice, this outcome is going to happen.” “Too often, we make decisions based on bad causal inference and wonder why the outcomes don't match our expectations.” “The ladder of evidence helps you decide how much certainty you need before making a decision—and how much it'll cost to climb higher.” “The truth is, we're not ready for human-out-of-the-loop AI—we're barely asking the right questions yet.” “Leadership isn't about replacing people with AI. It's about using AI to make your people more productive and happier.” “We're starting to see some evidence that when you use large language models in education, test scores go up in excess of 60%.” “This may be the first time the kids feel more behind than the parents when it comes to a new technology.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Start of Interview 02:09 What Are Some Myths About Data? 03:49 What Is the Potential Outcomes Framework? 08:50 What Are Counterfactuals? 13:00 How Do You Personally Evaluate Causality? 18:22 What Are the Two Magic Questions for Projects? 20:45 What's Getting Traction From the Book? 24:26 What Can We Learn From DeepSeek's Disruption? 27:30 Human In or Out of the AI Loop? 30:41 How Joe Uses AI Personally and Professionally 33:33 What Is the Future of Agentic AI? 35:37 Will AI Replace Jobs? 37:18 How Can Parents Prepare Kids for the AI Future? 41:19 End of Interview 41:46 Andy Comments After the Interview 45:07 Outtakes Learn More You can learn more about Joe and his book at AnalyticsTRW.com. For more learning on this topic, check out: Episode 381 with Jim Loehr about how to make wiser decisions. Episode 372 with Annie Duke on knowing when to quit. Episode 437 with Nada Sanders about future-prepping your career in the age of AI. Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! Talent Triangle: Power Skills Topics: Leadership, Decision Making, Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Project Management, Strategic Thinking, Causal Inference, Agile, AI Ethics, AI in Education, Machine Learning, Career Development, Future of Work The following music was used for this episode: Music: Ignotus by Agnese Valmaggia License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Synthiemania by Frank Schroeter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

BONUS: Marcelo Calbucci reveals Amazon's secret innovation framework that transforms product development! 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. In this BONUS episode, we explore "The PRFAQ Framework" (visit also the website) with author Marcelo Calbucci. He shares how Amazon's innovative approach to product development can be adapted by founders, product managers, and teams across industries. Learn how this powerful methodology creates alignment, clarifies vision, and ensures customer-centricity in product development. The Origins of PRFAQ "I learned the PR FAQ method at Amazon and realized this is a great tool that would be valuable for founders and product leaders." Marcelo Calbucci shares how his experience at Amazon introduced him to the PRFAQ framework—a structured approach to product ideation and development. He explains how this methodology transformed his thinking about innovation and why he felt compelled to share it with a wider audience through his book. The framework addresses a critical gap he observed in how teams approach product development, often lacking the clarity and customer focus needed for success. Understanding the PRFAQ Framework "PR FAQ stands for press release and frequently asked questions—it's a method to talk about and define a vision for the product." The PRFAQ framework is a six-page document with a highly prescriptive structure. Marcelo breaks down the components: Page 1: A press release announcing the product Page 2+: Customer FAQ addressing potential questions Page 3+: Internal FAQ covering implementation details This document serves as the foundation for product development, helping teams align on vision and strategy before diving into execution. Marcelo emphasizes that the framework forces teams to articulate the "why" behind their work, not just the "what" and "how." The Alignment Challenge "Challenge: pick a few people from your organization, ask each one 'why are we doing this?' Chances are you will get a different answer from different people." One of the most significant challenges in product development is the lack of alignment across teams. Marcelo highlights how common it is for team members to have different understandings of product goals and strategy. Without a shared vision, teams risk building features that don't solve the right problems or address customer needs effectively. The PRFAQ framework creates alignment by documenting and socializing product vision in a consistent format that encourages discussion and feedback. Practical Implementation Tips "Use the PRFAQ as a textual document, instead of a PowerPoint presentation—the discipline of writing helps clarify thinking." Marcelo offers several practical tips for implementing the PRFAQ approach effectively: Write things out in paragraphs rather than bullet points Consider writing the FAQs before the press release Use the document as a tool for discussion, not as a polished deliverable Conduct review sessions with peers, team members, and stakeholders Focus on substance over style—the goal is to discover feedback He emphasizes that the act of writing forces clearer thinking and exposes gaps in logic or understanding that might otherwise remain hidden. The Amazon Way "At Amazon, every product starts with a PRFAQ. It starts with someone having an idea. The first thing they do is to write the PRFAQ." Marcelo provides insight into how Amazon implements this framework across the organization. Every product initiative begins with a PRFAQ document that articulates the vision and strategy. Teams spend time discussing and refining this document before moving into execution. This methodical approach allows Amazon to get early feedback on ideas, helping to identify potential issues before significant resources are invested. The framework has been a cornerstone of Amazon's ability to innovate consistently across diverse product areas. Customer-Centricity in Practice "Here's one lesson about product leadership: understand the problems better than even the customer understands them." The customer-centric nature of the PRFAQ framework is one of its greatest strengths. By forcing teams to anticipate customer questions and articulate benefits from their perspective, the framework ensures products are built to solve real problems. Marcelo explains that sometimes the "customer" might be internal, but the principle remains the same—deeply understanding the problems before proposing solutions. This approach has proven particularly effective at Amazon, where customer obsession is a core value. Learning from the Book Development Process "In interviewing teams using the method, I discovered that the problem was convincing the whole team about the PRFAQ method." Interestingly, Marcelo applied the PRFAQ framework to the development of his own book. Through this meta-application, he discovered that the biggest challenge wasn't explaining the method itself but convincing entire teams to adopt it. This insight shaped the book's approach—making product strategy discussions less academic and more practical. He focused on providing concrete examples and templates that teams could immediately apply to their work. Resources for Deeper Learning "Read examples first, pay attention to how you write the phrases in the document." For listeners wanting to explore the PRFAQ framework further, Marcelo recommends starting with examples to understand the tone and structure. His book website offers resources and templates to help teams implement the framework. He emphasizes that seeing the framework in action is often more valuable than theoretical discussions, which is why he includes numerous examples in his book and supplementary materials. About Marcelo Calbucci Marcelo Calbucci is a founder, product and engineering leader, and innovation expert passionate about solving customers' biggest challenges through software. With over two decades of experience, he has launched dozens of products across industries and mentored nearly a thousand founders and professionals, shaping the future of product development and innovation. Marcelo Calbucci is the author of "The PRFAQ Framework: Adapting Amazon's Innovation Framework to Work for You," which describes Amazon's PRFAQ method—a strategic approach designed to refine and present new product ideas by focusing on customer-centric narratives. You can link with Marcelo Calbucci on LinkedIn and connect with Marcelo Calbucci on Substack.

Simina Fodor: Why the 'Why' Matters—Product Owner Communication Lessons 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: Transparency and Customer Focus This exemplary Product Owner shaped Simina's entire view of product management and even inspired her to consider a future transition to that role. Despite not having a traditional product background (coming instead from support), this PO demonstrated exceptional openness to both giving and receiving feedback. They consistently explained the logic behind decisions, sharing the "why" that motivated their priorities. What truly set them apart was bringing customer perspectives and use cases directly to the team, helping developers understand the features through the lens of personas and user scenarios. The PO's transparency extended to their own professional journey, openly sharing how they grew into the role, which created an atmosphere of continuous learning and development. The Bad Product Owner: The Ghost Commander This experienced Product Owner approached the role with a command-and-control mindset carried over from previous Project Management experience, believing that backlog grooming was "beneath them." Essentially a ghost to the team, they avoided retrospectives while issuing constantly shifting priorities with little explanation or logic. The PO would issue commands and demand immediate responses without considering consequences, creating a toxic environment that threatened to destroy team morale. Simina recommends coaching such Product Owners on agile mindset principles and seeking leadership support when necessary to prevent team deterioration. Self-reflection Question: How can you effectively bridge the gap between command-and-control Product Owners and teams seeking more transparency and collaboration? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Send us a textGuest: Shane Rodabaugh, System VP of IT & Infrastructure, Baptist Health KY & IN Host: Vik PatelIn this episode, Vik welcomes Shane Rodabaugh to discuss infrastructure modernization, cloud strategy, AI readiness, and leadership in a rapidly evolving healthcare environment.They begin with a look at Baptist Health's current infrastructure—a hybrid model with Epic EHR hosted on-premise and new efforts like Cogito Cloud moving to Microsoft Fabric. This transition lays the foundation for advanced analytics and future AI capabilities.Vik and Shane explore the challenges of defining a “cloud strategy” in a world that evolves faster than any 3-year plan. Shane emphasizes the importance of flexibility and prioritization, especially when resources are limited but the demand for innovation is high. Vik introduces Tido CortexAI, an AI-ready data cloud, noting that CMIOs are often at the forefront of these initiatives. Shane mentions Baptist's CMIO, Dr. Brett Oliver, and how he's helping drive AI strategy from a clinical lens.As the conversation deepens, Vik asks about collaboration with clinical leadership. Shane explains that the dialogue is open and energetic—but sometimes he has to “hold the horses back.” Even with compelling ROI and excitement from clinicians, resource capacity often becomes the limiting factor. Still, the team focuses on staying agile, learning from fast failures, and pivoting quickly when needed.They shift to discussing AI governance and risk. Shane underscores the importance of understanding the algorithms and data behind models before deploying AI solutions in clinical settings.On the topic of build vs. buy, Shane shares insights from recent leadership discussions. While he's not opposed to building, he notes that Baptist isn't a development shop and scaling internal dev teams is a major investment. They view partners—like Epic—as their development engine for core platforms. Vik adds that a hybrid model often works best: internal teams guiding strategy while partners focus on execution. This balance helps mitigate key personnel risk and increases long-term sustainability.The conversation rounds out with leadership and collaboration. Shane shares how closely he works with the CIO and PMO, including weekly meetings focused on project prioritization and transparent communication—something he says is a strength at Baptist.They close the episode by talking about work-life balance. Shane shares a recent family vacation experience and how it's important to model healthy balance from the top. Lastly, he offers a grounding reminder: no matter how complex the tech or fast the pace—it's all for the patient.Support the showListen to all This Week in Health Tech episodesVik Patel - LinkedInTido Inc. - WebsiteTido Inc. - LinkedIn

Simina Fodor: The Courage to Question—Signs of a Healthy Agile Team 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. For Simina, Scrum Master success goes far beyond facilitation skills – it's about what happens when you're not in the room. True success means creating a self-sustaining team that maintains healthy practices even in your absence. Simina looks for indicators like: Do team members feel safe raising concerns regularly? Can they push back with the Product Owner and offer suggestions? Do they proactively ask for the "why" behind requests instead of blindly following directions? She emphasizes that successful teams raise dependencies early in the sprint, have the courage to plan work with other teams, and handle integrations independently. The ultimate test of Scrum Master effectiveness is whether the team continues to thrive even when you step away for a few days. Self-reflection Question: What specific behaviors would indicate that your team has reached a level of self-sustainability that would allow you to step back? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Start/Stop/Continue Simina advocates for the simplicity of the Start/Stop/Continue retrospective format. After experimenting with numerous complex approaches, she found that sometimes the most straightforward formats yield the best results. This classic structure cuts through noise and focuses teams on what truly matters: what new practices they should begin, what isn't working and should stop, and what's effective and should continue. Simina appreciates how this format's simplicity makes it accessible and easy to follow, allowing teams to concentrate on meaningful conversation rather than getting lost in complicated retrospective mechanics. [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In this "Value Delivered" episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Dave West speaks with Andre Bohn of ambarics and Professional Scrum Trainer Alex Hardt about how combining Professional Scrum and Kanban helped ambarics streamline ERP software support. Learn how greater transparency, limiting work in progress, and visualizing work item age enabled the team to better manage unplanned work, reduce escalations, and increase customer satisfaction.

Simina Fodor: Building Bridges—How Cross-Department Champions Drive Agile Adoption 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. Simina shares her experience leading an enterprise Agile transformation from her position in Project Management. Rather than pushing for immediate, wholesale change, she started small - seeking out interested colleagues, sharing case studies from other companies, and gradually building internal support. This patient approach took years before the organization officially embraced Agile and Scrum, but created a strong foundation of champions across departments. When business needs finally demanded faster releases and better responsiveness to change, Simina had already established a community of practice ready to support the transition. She began with a single pilot team implementing just daily standups, which then expanded into a full Agile program that ultimately facilitated her transition from Project Manager to Scrum Master. Self-reflection Question: How might building informal networks and starting with small changes create a more sustainable foundation for organizational transformation than top-down mandates? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

What does it look like to lead a 300-person software org inside a 1,000-person company—and still stay focused on people first? Brendan Wovchko shares what he's learned about leadership, agility, and building a culture that actually works. Overview Brendan Wovchko, CTO at Ramsey Solutions, joins Scott Dunn to talk about what it really takes to lead Agile teams inside a large, fast-moving organization. From developing leadership habits to navigating team dynamics and staying grounded in purpose, this conversation is full of thoughtful takeaways for anyone working at the intersection of people, process, and product. References and resources mentioned in the show: Brendan Wovchko Ramsey Solutions #80: From Struggling to Success: Reviving Agile Teams with Mike Cohn #143: What Still Makes Teams Work (and Win) with Jim York What Is a High-Performing Agile Team? by Mike Cohn Four Quick Ways to Gain or Assess Team Consensus by Mike Cohn Elements of Agile Assessment Join the Agile Mentors Community Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Scott Dunn is a Certified Enterprise Coach and Scrum Trainer with over 20 years of experience coaching and training companies like NASA, EMC/Dell Technologies, Yahoo!, Technicolor, and eBay to transition to an agile approach using Scrum. Brendan Wovchko is the CTO of Ramsey Solutions and a lifelong student of what it takes to build great software, lead great people, and scale both with purpose. With roots in engineering and startups, he brings decades of hands-on experience in product, leadership, and agile culture—plus a knack for turning big ideas into results that matter.

Simina Fodor: How Leadership Communication Can Destroy Team Morale 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. Simina recounts working with a diverse, remote team on a high-visibility project to retire legacy systems under strict deadlines. The team made sacrifices, working overtime and through vacations to meet the challenging timeline. When Simina recommended team bonuses to recognize their extraordinary efforts, leadership not only rejected the request but publicly announced that overtime was simply "expected" as part of the job. This single communication destroyed the team's trust, leading to disengagement, dropped velocity, missed deadlines, and team members skipping Scrum events. Simina highlights how quickly team dynamics can collapse when leadership dismisses extra effort and fails to acknowledge team contributions. Self-reflection Question: How might you advocate for proper recognition of your team's extraordinary efforts when leadership views such work as simply expected? Featured Book of the Week: The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo Simina recommends "The Making of a Manager" by Julie Zhuo, a book she initially dismissed because she wasn't in a management role. However, upon reading it, she discovered numerous parallels between effective management and Scrum Mastery. The book's message that managers don't need to know all the answers resonated deeply with her, reinforcing the importance of understanding humans first before implementing processes. Despite not being an Agile-specific book, Simina found its people-focused approach incredibly valuable for her Scrum Master practice. [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

What's the best way to help Business Owners do their jobs better to empower an Agile transformation? In this episode, Kurt Jäger with KEGON explains why part of it involves speaking their language. Like what you hear? Connect with Kurt on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Simina Fodor: From Corporate to Startup—Navigating the Scrum Implementation Gap 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. In this episode, Simina shares a critical failure story from her transition from corporate settings to a startup environment. Believing she had all the necessary tools and experience, she attempted to scale up Scrum practices too quickly with developers who weren't familiar with the framework. Instead of starting with fundamentals and understanding where team members were in their Agile journey, she made assumptions based on her corporate experience. Simina emphasizes the importance of a proper discovery phase for Scrum Masters when joining new teams, especially in dynamic startup environments where roles are still evolving and significant change is occurring. Self-reflection Question: How might your previous experiences be creating blind spots when you join a new team or organization? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In this candid episode, Josh Anderson and Bob Galen take listeners behind the curtain to reveal the quiet habits and personal practices that make them better leaders — but rarely get talked about. From journaling, reflection, and patient observation to enabling failure, nontraditional learning, and building side projects for sanity, they share the invisible work that strengthens their leadership muscle. These personal rituals may seem small, but they compound over time to create clarity, energy, and growth. This is a rare invitation into the inner workings of two seasoned leaders — a reminder that what you do in private often shapes who you are in public. 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!

In this episode of Agile&Me, host Richard Leaver chats with Marla Ranieri, VP of Clinical Excellence at Prompt Therapy Solutions, about AI's transformative role in physical therapy. Marla shares her journey from physical therapist to innovator, exploring how AI technologies improve clinical practices. They discuss how AI tackles challenges like clinician burnout and reimbursement complexities while addressing concerns about data accuracy and compliance. Tune in to discover how AI is shaping the future of healthcare, enhancing patient care, and offering practical tools for integrating AI into physical therapy practices.To learn more about us, visit our website at https://www.allianceptp.com/

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sponsor Salalabs - North America We specialize in complex tech implementations, including: AI & Machine Learning IoT & Smart Device Integration Custom Software Development Scalable Cloud Solutions System Architecture & Optimization What You Can Expect Transparent pricing and timelines Agile, responsive collaboration A team that understands your needs and delivers at scale For more info, email contact@salalabs.com or reach out to Jason Cavness  Go to www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com for the podcast on your favorite platforms Subscribe to the YouTube channel  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGsw6kzZE40sSUZgoStVaJw?sub_confirmation=1 Andrie's Bio Yanjun (Andrie) Lin is a veteran, technologist, and community builder, known for her ability to reinvent herself and thrive across vastly different environments. Currently based in Seattle, she is the VP of Program Management at Panda Mobile, where she leads the development of community-focused MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) that provide culturally relevant, niche wireless services to underserved markets especially Chinese immigrant communities and university ecosystems. Andrie's life journey is a testament to adaptability, resilience, and the power of starting over. Originally from China, she left everything familiar behind to pursue her education in the U.S. Despite early struggles, she graduated with summa cum laude, won the second place in business plan competition against the entire school, and completed two internships, proving her ability to overcome new challenges quickly. Driven by a desire for citizenship and a new path, she made the bold decision to leave behind her finance background to join the U.S. Army a field she had no prior experience in. Starting from zero, she trained herself to achieve the highest physical fitness award during basic training and excelled in logistics roles, earning several leadership and performance awards throughout her 7.5 years of service and 1 trip of deployment. She further expanded her skills through financial engineering education, security training, and leadership roles. Upon retiring from the military, Andrie once again pivoted, entering the tech world. In just six months, she transitioned from military logistics to completing a successful software engineering internship, mastering new technologies, languages, and delivering impactful projects. In addition to her corporate roles, she is the Founder of the OffChain Global Seattle Chapter, a hub that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, developers, and technologists in emerging tech fields like Web3, AI, AR/VR, and IoT, fostering vibrant, cross-functional communities. We talk about the following and other items Andrie's Journey to Inner Peace Andrie's Military Background Cultural Shocks and Adaptation Andrie's Military Experience Transition to Tech FinTech Leadership Community Building Challenges and Opportunities in Tech Personal Growth Future Predictions Advice for Military Personnel Off Chain Global Seattle Chapter Tea Ceremony Event Personal Network Seattle Tech Startup Scene Funding Challenges Community Technology AI and Machine Learning AI's Impact and Ethical Considerations Personal Experiences with AI and Technology Networking and Personal Development Challenges  Opportunities in Tech  Balancing Work  Personal Life Mentorship Personal Growth  Advice for Young Professionals  Andrie's Social Media Andrie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanjun-linked/ Panda Mobile: https://pandamobile.com/ Andrie's Advice I would say something that helped myself the most is just to stay in peace of mind and focus on the present. Because you can't change the past, and in the past, you have made the best decision for yourself at that moment. It's not fair to judge yourself with the experience and the knowledge that you have now to judge the past of you not making the right decision. But it's not fair, because in the past you, at that moment, with the level of knowledge and experience, made the best decision. So there's no way for you to think the past and regret, and also there's you can plan for the future. But not to get too worried on whether I make a decision now. Would that lead to a different route that I would regret that I didn't take option B, because it's sort of irrelevant too, because you never know what it's going to lead to.  Lock In Early Pricing with CavnessHR As a subscriber to the Jason Cavness Experience, you can lock in early, discounted pricing before our official launch. Pricing Tiers: 1 to 10 employees: Freemium plan available, or upgrade for just $59/month 11 to 19 employees: $99/month  20 to 34 employees: $199/month 35 to 49 employees: $299/month Sign up now to lock in your rate and simplify your HR before we go public! Schedule time to talk about your HR challenges: Book a Meeting with CavnessHR

CTO Series: Jussi Mononen on the Human Side of Software Development and Technical Leadership In this CTO Series episode, we explore the intersection of technology and people with Jussi Mononen, CTO of CarbonLink. Drawing from his extensive experience as an Agile practitioner and technical leader, Jussi shares valuable insights on effective software development, technical strategy alignment, and the critical human elements that drive successful technology implementations. The Transformative Power of Agile "It's all about people." Jussi's journey as a technology leader was fundamentally shaped when he discovered Agile methodologies. Coming from a background of waterfall-like approaches to software development, the introduction of Agile principles opened up a broader perspective that transformed his view of the profession. What began as technical work creating billing software evolved into a deeper understanding of the collaboration challenges in problem-solving. This shift helped Jussi develop a more humanistic and holistic approach to software development, recognizing that the human dynamics are often more complex than the technical challenges themselves. Every line of code eventually becomes a liability, as software is maintained over decades Software is only truly "done" when you remove the plug and it no longer exists Direct communication with customers is essential for understanding the real problems that need solving Balancing Technical Strategy with Business Needs "Be careful what you choose in terms of technology as you need to maintain it forever—hopefully." Creating a technical strategy that aligns with business objectives while remaining adaptable requires careful consideration of both immediate and long-term factors. Jussi emphasizes the importance of considering maintainability over a decade-long horizon while organizing technology stacks that don't limit organizational agility. When selecting technologies, consider whether you can find people already familiar with your tech stack Evaluate whether your technology choices allow you to fulfill the responsibilities your customers pay you to handle Be prepared to abandon technologies that aren't working, despite the sunk cost Structure your technical organization to maximize speed and adaptability Fostering Collaboration Between Tech and Business "It's not about 'who wins,' it's about making good decisions." Effective collaboration between technical and business units is built on foundations of respect and trust. As a self-described optimist about humanity, Jussi approaches cross-functional work by giving respect to colleagues and trusting them to make sound decisions within their domains of expertise. Listen carefully to people and make a genuine effort to understand their perspectives Focus on making well-considered decisions rather than striving for theoretical "best" decisions Remember that people develop software, not processes or tools—maximize each team member's potential Create environments where differing viewpoints are valued as inputs to better decision-making Strategic Roadmapping and Adaptability "We constantly seek information about what might be changing." Maintaining a clear vision of the future while remaining adaptable is a critical balancing act for technology leaders. Jussi's approach involves maintaining a rolling two-quarter roadmap that provides directional clarity while incorporating new information and signals from various sources. Review and revise roadmaps weekly to incorporate new information Use tools like Trello to maintain lists of priorities and possibilities Actively seek diverse signals about changing requirements and technologies Use the roadmap to communicate investment priorities to stakeholders like the board Overcoming Complex Technical Challenges "Someone needs to give enough love to the items in the backlog." The most significant challenge in Jussi's career came during a 4.5-year project reimplementing critical university systems that had been in use for over 20 years. This complex undertaking highlighted the importance of people skills alongside technical capabilities when managing diverse stakeholders with conflicting needs. Be prepared to handle conflicting needs and requirements from different stakeholders Establish a shared direction before attempting to solve detailed technical challenges Recognize that many critical challenges in large projects are about people, not technology Give proper attention to backlog items to ensure they receive the consideration they deserve Leadership Philosophy and Learning "Choose the context more accurately. Involve yourself with people you look up to." Rather than pointing to a single book that influenced his approach to technical leadership, Jussi emphasizes the importance of context and learning from those around you. His leadership philosophy centers on carefully selecting environments with admirable people and absorbing knowledge through direct experience and observation. Understand the specific context you're operating in before applying generic principles Surround yourself with people whose approach and values you respect Learn continuously from the practical experiences of peers and colleagues About Jussi Mononen Jussi is a problem solver, programmer and business-to-technology translator. People side of software systems development, as he often says: "it's all about people".He has both tech and people street cred, being a long time Agile practitioner, and now the CTO of a promising scale-up in Helsinki: CarbonLink. You can link with Jussi Mononen on LinkedIn.

Mark Albrecht joins me to talk about his time on the Trump 2024 Transition Team, the thinking behind some of the policy decisions we're starting to see in the space and national security spheres, and more.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Joonas, The Astrogators at SEE, Will and Lars from Agile, Theo and Violet, Frank, Russell, Kris, Bob, Lee, Pat, Ryan, Fred, Matt, Heiko, Pat from KC, Joakim (Jo-Kim), Donald, Josh from Impulse, Stealth Julian, Jan, Steve, Better Every Day Studios, Warren, David, Joel, Natasha Tsakos (pronounced Tszakos), Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), and four anonymous—and hundreds of supporters.TopicsMark Albrecht (@MarkAlbrecht68) / XFalling Back To Earth: A First Hand Account Of The Great Space Race And The End Of The Cold War: Albrecht, Mark: 9780615447094: Amazon.com: BooksMark Albrecht on X: “Today concludes my service for the 47 transition team (4th time) We have charted a bold, aggressive, and urgent agenda for civil and national security space based on the direction and guidance of President Trump. It will be a golden era of US Space exploration, innovation…”Second Trump administration begins with confusion on acting NASA leadership - SpaceNewsWhite House budget proposal would phase out SLS and Orion, scale back ISS operations - SpaceNewsNASA budget proposal draws strong criticism - SpaceNewsSpace Force chief makes case for increased funding before House panel - SpaceNewsThe 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 NASAWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works

BONUS: From Waterfall to Flow—Rethinking Mental Models in Software Delivery With Henrik Mårtensson In this BONUS episode, we explore the origins and persistence of waterfall methodology in software development with management consultant Henrik Mårtensson. Based on an article where he details the history of Waterfall, Henrik explains the historical context of waterfall, challenges the mental models that keep it alive in modern organizations, and offers insights into how systems thinking can transform our approach to software delivery. This conversation is essential for anyone looking to understand why outdated methodologies persist and how to move toward more effective approaches to software development. The True Origins of Waterfall "Waterfall came from the SAGE project, the first large software project in history, where they came up with a methodology based on an economic analysis." Henrik takes us on a fascinating historical journey to uncover the true origins of waterfall methodology. Contrary to popular belief, the waterfall approach wasn't invented by Winston Royce but emerged from the SAGE project in the 1950s. Bennington published the original paper outlining this approach, while it was Bell and Tayer who later named it "waterfall" when referencing Royce's work. Henrik explains how gated process models eventually led to the formalized waterfall methodology and points out that an entire generation of methods existed between waterfall and modern Agile approaches that are often overlooked in the conversation. In this segment we refer to:  The paper titled “Production of Large Computer Programs” by Herbert D. Benington (direct PDF link) Updated and re-published in 1983 in Annals of the History of Computing ( Volume: 5, Issue: 4, Oct.-Dec. 1983) Winston Royce's paper from 1970 that erroneously is given the source of the waterfall term. Direct PDF Link. Bell and Thayer's paper “Software Requirements: Are They Really A Problem?”, that finally “baptized” the waterfall process. Direct PDF link.   Mental Models That Keep Us Stuck "Fredrik Taylor's model of work missed the concept of a system, leading us to equate busyness with productivity." The persistence of waterfall thinking stems from outdated mental models about work and productivity. Henrik highlights how Frederick Taylor's scientific management principles continue to influence software development despite missing the crucial concept of systems thinking. This leads organizations to equate busyness with productivity, as illustrated by Henrik's anecdote about 50 projects assigned to just 70 people. We explore how project management practices often enforce waterfall thinking, and why organizations tend to follow what others do rather than questioning established practices. Henrik emphasizes several critical concepts that are often overlooked: Systems thinking Deming's principles Understanding variation and statistics Psychology of work Epistemology (how we know what we know) In this segment, we refer to:  Frederik Taylor's book “The Principles of Scientific Management” The video explaining why Project Management leads to Coordination Chaos James C. Scott's book, “Seeing Like a State” Queueing theory Little's Law The Estimation Trap "The system architecture was overcomplicated, and the organizational structure followed it, creating a three-minute door unlock that required major architectural changes." Henrik shares a compelling story about a seemingly simple feature—unlocking a door—that was estimated to take three minutes but actually required significant architectural changes due to Conway's Law. This illustrates how organizational structures often mirror system architecture, creating unnecessary complexity that impacts delivery timelines. The anecdote serves as a powerful reminder of how estimation in software development is frequently disconnected from reality when we don't account for systemic constraints and architectural dependencies. In this segment, we refer to Conway's Law, the observation that explicitly called out how system architecture is so often linked to organizational structures. Moving Beyond Waterfall "Understanding queueing theory and Little's Law gives us the tools to rethink flow in software delivery." To move beyond waterfall thinking, Henrik recommends several resources and concepts that can help transform our approach to software development. By understanding queueing theory and Little's Law, teams can better manage workflow and improve delivery predictability. Henrik's article on coordination chaos highlights the importance of addressing organizational complexity, while James C. Scott's book "Seeing Like a State" provides insights into how central planning often fails in complex environments. About Henrik Mårtensson Henrik Mårtensson is a management consultant specializing in strategy, organizational development, and process improvement. He blends Theory of Constraints, Lean, Agile, and Six Sigma to solve complex challenges. A published author and licensed ScrumMaster, Henrik brings sharp systems thinking—and a love of storytelling—to help teams grow and thrive. You can link with Henrik Mårtensson on LinkedIn and connect with Henrik Mårtensson on Twitter.

We take a tour of Marotta Controls in Montville, New Jersey, to see how they work, how they develop, produce, and test products at rate, and we learn about the most feared topic in space—valves!This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Joonas, Josh from Impulse, Heiko, Donald, Stealth Julian, Warren, Kris, Frank, Steve, Bob, Better Every Day Studios, The Astrogators at SEE, Joakim (Jo-Kim), Fred, Matt, Pat from KC, Natasha Tsakos (pronounced Tszakos), Joel, Theo and Violet, Russell, Jan, Pat, Ryan, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), David, Will and Lars from Agile, Lee, and four anonymous—and hundreds of supporters.TopicsControls Engineering | Control System Company | MarottaSpace Controls | Spacecraft Control Systems | MarottaMarotta's post with photos of my tourBrian's photo of a thruster firingThe 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 NASAWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works