Podcasts about Scrum

Jean Coetzee: Breaking Free from the Proxy Trap And Reclaiming the Essence of the Product Owner Role Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Breaking Free from the Proxy Trap And Reclaiming the Essence of the Product Owner Role In this episode, Jean addresses some anti-patterns in the role of a Product Owner, with the most detrimental being when they become mere proxies for business owners or sponsors. He laments the recent disregard for the essence of the PO role, emphasizing that it should not serve as a mere intermediary. When POs are placed in proxy positions, they are set up for failure, relegated to the role of translators rather than empowered owners. Jean advocates for a reevaluation of the PO role to ensure they have the autonomy and authority necessary for success. The Bad Product Owner: Empowering Teams, Lessons from an Exceptional Product Owner In this episode, Jean shares a compelling story of a Product Owner who excelled without formal training in Agile or Product Ownership. This PO approached the role with a fresh perspective, free from preconceived notions. They embodied true ownership of the product, prioritizing vision-setting and supporting the team's end goal. The distinction between ownership and management was evident, as the PO focused on protecting the team from interference while also holding them accountable. Importantly, this Product Owner struck a balance by empowering the team to take ownership of their purpose, ultimately leading to a highly successful and self-sufficient team.   [IMAGE HERE] Are you having trouble helping the team work well with their Product Owner? We've put together a course to help you work on the collaboration team-product owner. You can find it at bit.ly/coachyourpo. 18 modules, 8+ hours of modules with tools and techniques that you can use to help teams and PO's collaborate.   About Jean Coetzee Jean is passionate about humans, and how they work together from a psychology and neuroscience perspective. Jean, credits the early ScrumMaster podcasts for shaping his Agile career. These insightful episodes provided vital guidance during the early days, boosting confidence in serving others effectively. Jean learned to navigate uncertainties and gain confidence in their Scrum Master role, all thanks to this and other podcast contributors. You can link with Jean Coetze on LinkedIn. 

Reach out directly to me for PMP help!  Text me 757-759-5282 or email me directly scott@pmmasterprep.com

Jean Coetzee: Purpose-Driven Success, Discovering A Scrum Master's Unique Path Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Jean explores the profound connection between success and personal purpose for Scrum Masters. He prompts reflection on whether one's sense of accomplishment is derived from their own purpose or external influences. Jean emphasizes that success is subjective and may not align with conventional notions. He offers a tip to disconnect from external influences and reconnect with one's purpose, akin to a metaphorical "fasting." By going into nature and seeking solitude, individuals can discover a deeper sense of purpose, ultimately redefining their own path to success in Scrum Mastery. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Beyond Retrospectives. The Futurespectives, A Forward-Thinking Retrospective Format In this episode, Jean advocates for reevaluating the traditional approach to retrospectives in Agile practices. He challenges the prevailing bias towards established practices and encourages a reimagining of retrospectives. Jean emphasizes the importance of clarifying desired outcomes and suggests exploring alternative formats like futurespectives. He urges teams to focus on deeper understanding rather than rushing to find solutions, and advises considering the holistic needs of the team. Jean's approach prioritizes flexibility and adaptability to ensure that the retrospective format aligns with the team's current priorities and challenges.   [IMAGE HERE] Retrospectives, planning sessions, vision workshops, we are continuously helping teams learn about how to collaborate in practice! In this Actionable Agile Tools book, Jeff Campbell shares some of the tools he's learned over a decade of coaching Agile Teams. The pragmatic coaching book you need, right now! Buy Actionable Agile Tools on Amazon, or directly from the author, and supercharge your facilitation toolbox!    About Jean Coetzee Jean is passionate about humans, and how they work together from a psychology and neuroscience perspective. Jean, credits the early ScrumMaster podcasts for shaping his Agile career. These insightful episodes provided vital guidance during the early days, boosting confidence in serving others effectively. Jean learned to navigate uncertainties and gain confidence in their Scrum Master role, all thanks to this and other podcast contributors. You can link with Jean Coetze on LinkedIn.

Jean Coetzee: Reimagining Leadership, A Crucial Element in Agile Transformations Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Jean delves into the critical role of change in Agile adoption and practice. He emphasizes that "change" better encapsulates Agile's essence, as opposed to its sometimes negative connotations. He explores the challenges faced by Scrum Masters when guiding teams through the change process. Jean advises embracing the discomfort of uncertainty and highlights the importance of finding a change role model within the organization. He stresses that the true challenge lies in the "being" part of change, not just the "doing," and advocates for a reimagined approach to leadership in order to navigate future transformations effectively.   [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone of any change process! You can buy Lean Change Management the book at Amazon. Also available in French, Spanish, German and Portuguese.   About Jean Coetzee Jean is passionate about humans, and how they work together from a psychology and neuroscience perspective. Jean, credits the early ScrumMaster podcasts for shaping his Agile career. These insightful episodes provided vital guidance during the early days, boosting confidence in serving others effectively. Jean learned to navigate uncertainties and gain confidence in their Scrum Master role, all thanks to this and other podcast contributors. You can link with Jean Coetze on LinkedIn. 

Key Points Covered:Scrum's Origin: Angela Johnson sheds light on Scrum's genesis from a Harvard Business Review article in 1986, emphasizing collaborative behaviors within companies that drove success.Essentials of Scrum: Angela explains the fundamental components of Scrum, highlighting the roles of Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the team, emphasizing collaborative empowerment and direction.Scalability: She explores Scrum's adaptability across business sizes, emphasizing its seamless integration for small businesses and potential scalability for larger corporations.Time Boxing & Adaptability: Angela delves into 'time boxing' in Scrum, emphasizing the importance of setting specific time frames (sprints) for pivoting swiftly based on changing circumstances, promoting frequent evaluation and adaptation.Integration into Work Processes: Angela emphasizes that Scrum isn't an added task but a structured framework for work. It replaces unproductive meetings with productive, collaborative sessions using tools like Miro or Trello.Conclusion:Angela Johnson underscores the integration of Scrum as a vital part of a business's work structure, encouraging adaptability, frequent evaluation, and collaborative practices for sustained growth. Find more insights from Angela Johnson on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelajohnsonscrumtrainer/Disclaimer: Show notes offer a condensed overview of the podcast and may not cover all discussed content.2k0hzqpKnRcuMA7goFqi

The Top 4 Tips to Lead Your Team as a ScrumMaster Be a servant leader. Your role is to serve the team, not to boss them around. Focus on helping the team achieve their goals and overcoming any challenges they may face. Be a good communicator. Communication is key to any successful team. Make sure to communicate regularly with your team members and stakeholders. Be clear and concise in your communication, and be open to feedback. Be organized and efficient. As a Scrum Master, you have a lot of responsibilities. It's important to be organized and efficient so that you can stay on top of everything. Use tools and techniques to help you stay organized and manage your time effectively. Be flexible and adaptable. Things don't always go according to plan in Scrum. Be flexible and adaptable so that you can adjust your approach as needed. 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/

Jean Coetzee: From Obsession to Ownership, Avoiding the Deadline Trap in Agile Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Jean recounts a cautionary tale of a team with an unhealthy obsession with meeting deadlines. The team's relentless pursuit led to a sense of loss of control and disconnection from the broader reality, paralleling themes from "The Matrix." Jean emphasizes the importance of reclaiming control over one's time and lives, and urges listeners to reflect on what makes a high-performing team member. He underscores that meeting deadlines should not be the sole purpose of a team, and that true ownership lies in a more holistic approach to achieving success. Featured Book of the Week: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink In this segment, Jean discusses the profound impact of Jocko Willink's book, "Extreme Ownership," on his journey as a Scrum Master. He highlights how the concept of ownership is crucial in Agile practices and applies not only to individuals but to the entire team. The book emphasizes the importance of understanding, camaraderie, and trust within a team, ultimately leading to high performance. Jean stresses that roles don't define ownership; it's a collective responsibility for achieving success in Agile endeavors, making "Extreme Ownership" a valuable resource for both Scrum Masters and product owners.   [IMAGE HERE] Do you wish you had decades of experience? Learn from the Best Scrum Masters In The World, Today! The Tips from the Trenches - Scrum Master edition audiobook includes hours of audio interviews with SM's that have decades of experience: from Mike Cohn to Linda Rising, Christopher Avery, and many more. Super-experienced Scrum Masters share their hard-earned lessons with you. Learn those today, make your teams awesome!     About Jean Coetzee Jean is passionate about humans, and how they work together from a psychology and neuroscience perspective. Jean, credits the early ScrumMaster podcasts for shaping his Agile career. These insightful episodes provided vital guidance during the early days, boosting confidence in serving others effectively. Jean learned to navigate uncertainties and gain confidence in their Scrum Master role, all thanks to this and other podcast contributors. You can link with Jean Coetze on LinkedIn. 

Jean Coetzee: Unpacking Ownership, Accountability, and Responsibility in Scrum Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Jean shares a pivotal moment in his role as a Scrum Master with a newly formed team. With limited experience in Scrum, the team struggled to grasp the concepts of ownership, accountability, and responsibility. Jean recognized the need for experimentation and introduced the idea of pushing a car from point A to B, emphasizing that the task was about getting the car to its destination, not just pushing it. Through this analogy and patient guidance, Jean successfully shifted the team's focus from tasks to delivering true value in their Agile practices.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with will also face these moments! We need inspiring stories to help them, and ourselves! The Bungsu Story, is an inspiring story by Marcus Hammarberg which shows how a Coach can help organizations recover even from the most disastrous situations! Learn how Marcus helped The Bungsu, a hospital in Indonesia, recover from near-bankruptcy, twice! Using Lean and Agile methods to rebuild an organization and a team! An inspiring story you need to know about! Buy the book on Amazon: The Bungsu Story - How Lean and Kanban Saved a Small Hospital in Indonesia. Twice. and Can Help You Reshape Work in Your Company.   About Jean Coetzee Jean is passionate about humans, and how they work together from a psychology and neuroscience perspective. Jean, credits the early ScrumMaster podcasts for shaping his Agile career. These insightful episodes provided vital guidance during the early days, boosting confidence in serving others effectively. Jean learned to navigate uncertainties and gain confidence in their Scrum Master role, all thanks to this and other podcast contributors. You can link with Jean Coetze on LinkedIn. 

Coach AF goes into is takeaways from the Agile Boston Conference – 15th Annual Give Thanks For Scrum with Daniel Mezick, Dr. Jeff Sutherland, Dan Lefebvre, Dave West and many more. This year GTFS Theme: Empiricism in the Modern World The Agile Boston Conference Reviewed : https://www.agileboston.org/gtfs/2023event Let's Talk about agile survey Buy my Guests […] The post Give Thanks For Scrum Takeaways appeared first on Agile Lounge.

Annu Paganus: How to Recognize and Address Product Owner Accountability Issues Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Recognizing and Addressing PO Accountability Issues Annu highlights several Product Owner (PO) anti-patterns, including lack of accountability and detachment from the team's efforts. She shares a warning about POs who take undue credit for the team's work, undermining motivation. Annu advises clarifying the servant leader role, setting clear expectations, and providing subtle suggestions for improvement. She emphasizes modeling the desired behavior and delineating PO responsibilities clearly. By addressing these anti-patterns, teams can foster a more productive and collaborative environment with their Product Owners. The Bad Product Owner: Feedback-Driven Excellence In Product Owners Annu defines a great Product Owner as one who welcomes and acts upon feedback, a fundamental skill. They excel in communicating the product's future, ensuring everyone is informed. Empathy towards the team's varying levels of engagement with the vision is vital. Annu advises making the vision visible to all team members, promoting a shared understanding. Encouraging regular interaction between the PO and the team to examine the product's future together is beneficial. Additionally, a great PO acknowledges the value of receiving ideas and feedback from the team, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts.   [IMAGE HERE] Are you having trouble helping the team work well with their Product Owner? We've put together a course to help you work on the collaboration team-product owner. You can find it at bit.ly/coachyourpo. 18 modules, 8+ hours of modules with tools and techniques that you can use to help teams and PO's collaborate.   About Annu Paganus Annu is a passionate software team Scrum Master who wants to help her team to create an environment where different kind of people can find a smooth way to work together and enjoy their work and private life. Also worked as teacher, software developer, chapter lead and Product Owner. You can link with Annu Paganus on LinkedIn.

If you want to learn the theoretical differences between these terms, you are better off checking it out on the web. Just do a search and you'll find a lot of hits. But, if you want to get a sense of the more practical differences, and how you should apply it in the context of your specific project, then you may want to give this podcast a listen. #projectmanagement Manage your projects on https://snowpal.com. Keep it simple.

This week, Justin Thatil, your host, welcomes Quincy Jordan and Pamela Dukes, Olympic Athlete and Agilist, who engage in a thoughtful conversation regarding how these two areas of expertise intertwine and how the abilities applied to professional sports enhance her role as an Agilist.   In this episode, you will learn about Pamela's journey as a professional athlete, the lessons learned, and the challenges that brought the knowledge that enriched her experience in the Agile arena.   Key Takeaways Pamela shares her most significant lessons as an Olympian and Hall of Fame athlete: “What got you here will keep you here.” You don't need a Herculean effort to go on; you just have to stay consistent. The Team has to support each other. If you are not competing, you are busy cheering for someone else. Quincy, who also went through his athlete years, brings two of the most meaningful teachings he obtained from his coach: All the way through (you don't stop until you are done). Run your race (stay away from comparisons). The Scrum framework mirrors the structure of College Athletics. The Head Coach was the Chief Product Officer, and his assistants were the product officers. The Scrum Master was the Team captain. The plans set for training could be weekly, monthly, or yearly, and once arranged, that was the guideline the athletes follow every day. Everyone knew the plan, but when circumstances changed, the plan was adjusted accordingly. These dynamics work similarly in Scrum; there are planned sprints and releases. At the end of each week, they would do competition drills where performance was tested (which looks like a sprints review) followed by a talk, reflecting on what could be improved (a lot like retrospectives). Get the lead, keep the lead. It is easier to do well and keep doing well than getting into a technical or cultural debt and getting out of it. Empower your Team: The success criteria should be how well you teach others. Practicing skill sharing is critically important. Leaders should walk away from the dangerous “hero complex”; a true leader teaches others how to do what they do. No one is particularly responsible; a Team succeeds and walks through challenges together. Each Team member has to do their part for the entire Team to reach the goal.   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!  

Annu Paganus: Transparency and Collaboration, Critical Aspects Of Scrum Master Success Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Annu reflects on the various facets contributing to a Scrum Master's sense of accomplishment. She emphasizes the importance of increased transparency in team operations, noting that it requires conscious effort. Annu also stresses the need for fostering collaboration in agile teams, as some may naturally gravitate towards independent work. Monitoring and addressing collaboration pain points is key. Additionally, she considers the ability to step back as an indicator of success in enabling the team's self-organization and autonomy. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Efficient Reflections, The Mad/Sad/Glad With A Twist Annu discusses her preferred retrospective format, conducted through an online shared whiteboard tool. The tool enables efficient tracking of action points and ensures visibility. Annu appreciates the flexibility to vary retrospective content. She often incorporates emotion-related questions, exemplified by the Mad/Sad/Glad format. Annu recommends enhancing this format by adding an additional topic, such as the release process, to deepen discussions.   [IMAGE HERE] Retrospectives, planning sessions, vision workshops, we are continuously helping teams learn about how to collaborate in practice! In this Actionable Agile Tools book, Jeff Campbell shares some of the tools he's learned over a decade of coaching Agile Teams. The pragmatic coaching book you need, right now! Buy Actionable Agile Tools on Amazon, or directly from the author, and supercharge your facilitation toolbox!    About Annu Paganus Annu is a passionate software team Scrum Master who wants to help her team to create an environment where different kind of people can find a smooth way to work together and enjoy their work and private life. Also worked as teacher, software developer, chapter lead and Product Owner. You can link with Annu Paganus on LinkedIn.

For questions or requests that you would like us to check on, please drop a message on LinkedIn or join the Mastering Agility Discord community!Participate as an audience memberMastering Agility MuralMastering Agility merchSander DurSander Dur is a Professional Scrum Trainer at Scrum.org, podcast host of Mastering Agility, Professional Scrum Master and Lead Agile Consultant, and trainer at Xebia. Besides this, he's an avid writer for predominantly Serious Scrum on Medium.com. Sander has a major passion for the human side in complex domains. Ensuring a high level of psychological safety, therefore, is a critical part of his work. Organizations in complex domains can only survive when innovating. Innovation can only take place with the right balance between low social friction and high intellectual friction. While most organizations now understand how to apply Agile frameworks, they struggle with the delivery of value. Psychological safety is the next step in this evolution and Sander has a huge drive to help organizations reach that step. Sander is enthusiastic, open-minded, and ambitious. He finds interpersonal relationships and intrinsic motivations very important in team dynamics. Besides his work, Sander loves to spend time with his family, enjoys sports and eating healthy, barbecuing, riding his motorcycle, and traveling.Jim SammonsMy passion is helping people to:Do more of the right work (and less of the wrong work).Create more actual teams than just groups of people who work together.Learning how to improve themselves, their team, and their organization incrementally.Understand that less, not more, is usually part of the answer to some of the hardest questions we all face.See their workplaces, teams, and their sphere of influence as something that is evolving, which requires an evolution of all of its parts to adapt.Throughout my career, I have worked with clients of all sizes, industries, and technologies.  Whether it's leading a transformative strategy at a Fortune 100 or helping a new startup understand its unique value proposition the common focus I bring to each role is “making people better.”Support the showContact us at:Masteringagility.orghttps://xebia.com/academy/nl/trainers/sander-durhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessammons/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/

In this episode we unpack the fifth commitment from the Code of Ethical Conduct for Agile Coaching; Ensuring value in the relationship. We uncover the thinking behind the section, its inclusion in the Code of Ethics and its application in coaching. About the Featured Guests Vinnie Gill puts people and culture first. She enjoys connecting with people and companies to find their purpose, walking alongside them in their organisational growth journey. Her passion is influencing change at the Enterprise level. She is deeply involved in the Agile community, speaks at international conferences and has a special interest in educating and education being the tool that empowers people. Follow Vinnie Gill on LinkedIn  Tom Cagley is a consultant, speaker, podcaster, author, coach, and agile guide who leads organizations and teams to unlock their inherent greatness. He has developed estimation models and has supported organizations developing classic and agile estimates. Tom helps teams and organizations improve cycle time, productivity, quality, morale, and customer satisfaction, and then prove it. Follow Tom Cagley on LinkedIn  Follow @tcagley on Twitter    Reference(s) Code of Ethical Conduct for Agile Coaching https://www.agilealliance.org/resources/initiatives/agile-coaching-ethics/   The Women in Agile community champions inclusion and diversity of thought, regardless of gender, and this podcast is a platform to share new voices and stories with the Agile community and the business world, because we believe that everyone is better off when more, diverse ideas are shared. Podcast Library: www.womeninagile.org/podcast Women in Agile Org Website: www.womeninagile.org  Connect with us on social media! LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/womeninagile/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/womeninagile/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/womeninagileorg    Please take a moment to rate and review the Women in Agile podcast on your favorite podcasting platform. This is the best way to help us amplify the voices and wisdom of the talent women and allies in our community! Be sure to take a screenshot of your rating and review and post it on social media with the hashtag #womeninagile to help spread the word and continue to elevate Women in Agile. About our Hosts Leslie Morse is an agilist at heart. She was leveraging agile practices and appreciating agile principles long before she even knew what they were. Her agile journey officially started in 2010 and she never looked back. Her career has taken many twists and turns. She led a digital marketing start-up in college, was involved with replatforming Lowes.com while they adopted agile practices, provided training and coaching for agile transformation across a wide array of industries, and now serves as a Product Owner for Scrum.org. She is trained in Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC) and has been involved in with Women in Agile since its original inception at Scrum Gathering 2013 in Las Vegas. You can follow Leslie on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliejdotnet).   About our Sponsor Scrum.org is the Home of Scrum, founded in 2009 by Scrum co-creator Ken Schwaber focused on helping people and teams solve complex problems by improving how they work through higher levels of professionalism. Scrum.org provides free online resources, consistent experiential live training, ongoing learning paths, and certification for people with all levels of Scrum knowledge. You can learn more about the organization by visiting www.scrum.org.

#MNCAA Episode 91 Presented by #TheSotapod

Being a Scrum Master Requires Coffee: 5 Ways Coffee Makes Scrum Taste Better From keeping the team on track to navigating difficult conversations with stakeholders, there's always something brewing in the Agile world. That's why, my dear fellow Scrum Masters, I'm here to tell you that being a Scrum Master requires coffee. And not just any coffee, but a rich, aromatic brew that can fuel your brain and your passion for Agile. So grab your mug, and let's dive into five ways coffee makes Scrum taste better. Coffee can give you an energy boost to tackle the daily scrum meetingCoffee is like a shot of adrenaline for your brain. When you're up early for the daily scrum meeting and need to get in the zone, a cup of bold and robust coffee can give you the energy boost you need to start the day on the right foot. Keep a bag of Colombian beans nearby! Coffee can help you stay focused during sprint planningSprint planning is the time when your team sets the stage for the upcoming sprint. With a lot on your mind, it's easy to get distracted. But a cup of smooth, sweet mocha coffee can help you stay focused and centered. The chocolatey notes will bring a little bit of sweetness to a tough planning session. Mocha is a crowd pleaser for sprint planning meetings! Coffee can help you navigate difficult conversations with stakeholdersAs a Scrum Master, you're responsible for keeping everyone aligned and on the same page. Sometimes, that means having tough conversations with stakeholders. But when the going gets tough, the tough drink espresso. The intense flavor and caffeine jolt can help you stay sharp and focused in even the most challenging situations. Coffee can help you power through sprint reviews and retrospectivesSprint reviews and retrospectives are essential for reflecting on the last sprint and preparing for the next one. But they can also be draining. That's when you need a macchiato boost to keep you going. The smooth milk and espresso combination is the perfect fuel for your brain and your taste buds. Coffee can help you celebrate sprint successesFinally, when you and your team have completed a successful sprint, it's time to celebrate. And what better way to do that than with a cup of flavored coffee? Whether it's a Frappuccino or Pumpkin Spice Latte, a special treat can be the perfect way to cap off a job well done! https://medium.com/the-agile-analyst/why-being-a-scrum-master-requires-coffee-5-ways-coffee-makes-scrum-taste-better-7d5c6daea3f5 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/

Annu Paganus: Creating Harmony in Cross-Functional Teams, The Story Of An Agile Transformation Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, we hear the story of a significant agile transformation. The initiative focused on forming cross-functional teams, combining diverse skill sets. While there was initial excitement, the teams soon realized the need for better understanding of each other's roles. Discussions and clarifications were crucial in aligning expectations. Annu emphasizes the importance of agreeing on work processes and communication methods. She highlights an anti-pattern of business stakeholders isolating themselves until they have clear requirements. Annu provides practical tips, including readiness to learn and collaborate, and prioritizing information gathering before diving into tasks.   [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone of any change process! You can buy Lean Change Management the book at Amazon. Also available in French, Spanish, German and Portuguese.   About Annu Paganus Annu is a passionate software team Scrum Master who wants to help her team to create an environment where different kind of people can find a smooth way to work together and enjoy their work and private life. Also worked as teacher, software developer, chapter lead and Product Owner. You can link with Annu Paganus on LinkedIn.

Are Items in the Sprint Backlog ALWAYS Smaller Than Items in the Product Backlog? Maybe... Maybe not... This question from the PSM 1 Exam facilitated by Scrum.Org certainly generated some interesting discussion in one of my Advanced Workshops! We concluded that it is all a matter of applying best techniques to how we prioritize! 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/

In this episode, ⁠Shahin⁠ talks about Kanban Ninja, KLR and New Open Space. The following have been topics of our conversation: Insights from attending Kanban Leadership Retreat in San Diego Customized open space format for efficient topic selection and discussion. "Kanban ninjas" session in KLR23 to teach techniques for using Kanban method without telling people, focusing on efficiency and effectiveness Techniques to smooth burndown chart in scrum fashion, including "look right, look up, look left" rule. Encouraging team members to take ownership of tasks by providing excuses for not completing them. Discussing techniques like "last one to the meeting" and "CFD with arrival and departure rates" to improve team productivity and time management. Encouraging teams to celebrate small victories and identify areas for improvement. Assume positive intent keeps a healthy atmosphere in the team. Introducing a color-coding voting technique to help teams identify areas for improvement in Kanban maturity model. Discusing techniques like "What do you really do well?" to uncover sources of dissatisfaction in a team conversation. Follow us Visit us at ⁠http://www.leanonagile.com⁠ Twitter: ⁠http://twitter.com/Elevate_Change⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ElevateChange

Annu Paganus: Short-Term Thinking, Long-Term Consequences, How Agile Teams Create Their Own Problems Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Annu shares the story of a team that delayed documentation and planning because they expected that the system they were maintaining would eventually be replaced by a new system. However, while she was away on a long leave, the system change did not happen. The team's mindset of impending change led to neglecting long-term considerations, impeding progress. Annu advises teams to scrutinize the narratives they tell themselves about their work and to understand their origins. She stresses the importance of focusing on the present and evolving their work methods based on the current situation. Featured Book of the Week: Keskusteluälykkyys by Helena Åhman Annu shares her passion for personal development and its impact on her professional and personal growth. She recommends the book "Keskusteluälykkyys" by Helena Åhman (link in Finnish) for its valuable lessons on conflict resolution. Annu appreciates how her team's passionate discussions have been productive. She highlights the significance of overcoming conflict as a Scrum Master. Additionally, she praises “Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life”for its insights on fostering a sense of belonging. The book emphasizes the role of routines in reinforcing community bonds, a principle applicable to Agile teams. Annu underlines the importance of creating meaningful rituals within the team dynamic.   [IMAGE HERE] Do you wish you had decades of experience? Learn from the Best Scrum Masters In The World, Today! The Tips from the Trenches - Scrum Master edition audiobook includes hours of audio interviews with SM's that have decades of experience: from Mike Cohn to Linda Rising, Christopher Avery, and many more. Super-experienced Scrum Masters share their hard-earned lessons with you. Learn those today, make your teams awesome!     About Annu Paganus Annu is a passionate software team Scrum Master who wants to help her team to create an environment where different kind of people can find a smooth way to work together and enjoy their work and private life. Also worked as teacher, software developer, chapter lead and Product Owner. You can link with Annu Paganus on LinkedIn.

Annu Paganus: Navigating Complex Collaborations, And Strategies for Handling Difficult PO Dynamics Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Annu recounts a challenging situation where a new Product Owner, previously a manager, struggled to adapt to the role. The team sought more support, leading to organizational discussions on prioritization. Annu, responsible for addressing the issue, found that the conversation turned personal. She advises involving a third party for mediation and emphasizes improving conversational skills. The experience impacted her relationship with the PO, who eventually transitioned to a different role. Annu underscores the importance of self-awareness and offers tips for handling conflicts, including managing cortisol levels and referencing resources like Nonviolent Communication and the book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with will also face these moments! We need inspiring stories to help them, and ourselves! The Bungsu Story, is an inspiring story by Marcus Hammarberg which shows how a Coach can help organizations recover even from the most disastrous situations! Learn how Marcus helped The Bungsu, a hospital in Indonesia, recover from near-bankruptcy, twice! Using Lean and Agile methods to rebuild an organization and a team! An inspiring story you need to know about! Buy the book on Amazon: The Bungsu Story - How Lean and Kanban Saved a Small Hospital in Indonesia. Twice. and Can Help You Reshape Work in Your Company.   About Annu Paganus Annu is a passionate software team Scrum Master who wants to help her team to create an environment where different kind of people can find a smooth way to work together and enjoy their work and private life. Also worked as teacher, software developer, chapter lead and Product Owner. You can link with Annu Paganus on LinkedIn.

ONUS: Rethinking Agile Roles and Structures, With Craig Smith and Michael Huynh   In this episode, we kick things off by revisiting a captivating talk delivered by Michael and Craig at the Agile Online Summit 2023. The duo urged us to reevaluate the roles of the Scrum Master and Product Owner, and even hinted at potential shifts within Agile organizations. This discussion sparked a larger contemplation in my mind, extending beyond the core arguments presented by Michael and Craig. I took to Twitter to ponder the possibility of Agile serving as a foundational change in how we perceive organizational structures and leadership, leading to a potential revolution. What might this mean for you and your organization? Rethinking Agile Roles Before delving into what the future might hold for Agile practitioners, we asked Craig and Michael to provide a concise summary of their main points from the talk. They urged us to go beyond following “agile dogma” Questioning the purpose of Scrum Master and Product Owner roles Refocus on value generation in Agile practices The need for systemic thinking In this episode, we also explore how it's not just Agile roles, but leaders at various levels, that have strayed from the essence of what Agile truly stands for. CTOs and Chief Product Owners find themselves ensnared in a rigid adherence to processes as well, even when those processes go against their stated intent of adopting Agile. Are Agile Roles Overhead? Craig and Michael raise critical questions about Agile roles, challenging their perceived value and longevity within organizations. Is there a risk of losing sight of the original intent behind roles like Scrum Master and Product Owner? Are these positions temporary or do they inadvertently add another layer of complexity? The conversation als touches on the heart of Agile transformation: business agility. How can organizations efficiently deliver value to the market? There's concern that leaders have become disconnected from the actual work done by their teams. The very essence of leadership may be at risk of being diluted or misunderstood. Leadership in Software Organizations: A Glimpse into the Future In this segment, we discuss the Culture, Structure and Process aspects that we need to take into account to keep our organizations truly Agile, no matter what roles we end up having.  Culture: Shaping Behaviors for Success The importance of culture in shaping organizational behavior cannot be overstated. Leaders must adapt to the unique cultures of their organizations, whether they're fast-moving and less structured or operate within a different paradigm. Structure: Redefining Hierarchies In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, do we need traditional hierarchies? Leaders must understand the core of their businesses and ensure they are moving in the right direction, but do they require the conventional structures that have become commonplace? Process: The Evolution Beyond Projects The notion of projects may be antiquated for software businesses. Start-stop methodologies may no longer align with the dynamic nature of the industry. The changes needed pose a significant challenge to the Agile community. Join the Scrum Master Community For those eager to continue the conversation, we invite you to connect with the vibrant Scrum Master community, get your membership here. About Craig Smith and Michael Huynh Craig Smith is a Business Agility Product Lead at SoftEd, and a veteran Agile Practitioner, Coach, and Trainer with 20+ years of experience. He co-hosts "The Agile Revolution" podcast, and is a driving force in the Agile community. Craig excels in Agile training, coaching, and fostering technical excellence, advocating for quality-driven change. You can link with Craig Smith on LinkedIn.    Michael Huynh is a seasoned agile coach and trainer, recognized for guiding organizations in successful agile adoption. With SoftEd, he collaborates with leaders and teams to foster efficient delivery and swift decision-making. Michael's extensive expertise spans Lean, SDLC, XP, SAFe, Scrum, Kanban, and more, enabling him to tailor approaches for each organization's success. As a dedicated contributor to the agile community, he leads and speaks at international conferences. You can link with Michael Huynh on LinkedIn.

Agile is going through a lot of changes right now. The changes aren't so much in what it is and how it works - that seems to be a bit stable at the moment. The changes stem more from how adopters feel about it, their ideas about much agile they need, what they need to achieve it, and what kind of support they want getting there. As the space works through these growing pains, many Agilists respond to discomfort they way they (unfortunately) have since the very beginning, by pointing figures at each other and saying “OM%G! CAN YOU BELIEVE THOSE PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE AGILE?” It is a sad but true thing that baked deep into the culture of the agile community is this idea that the best way to prove that you are good enough, smart enough and doggone it, people like you is by calling out the people who you think are not good enough, smart enough and doggone it… you get the idea. In response to one of these incidents that showed up in his LinkedIn Feed, Andy Jordan posted an article called “Letting Go of Pure Agile” (https://www.projectmanagement.com/articles/893794/letting-go-of--pure--agile), making the case that whether or not you are truly Lean, or doing Scrum “right”, or whatever, doesn't matter because the business cares about results and that is what we should all be focused on. I reached out to Andy to ask for an interview with the hope that we could dig a little deeper into his concerns over the purists, finding the right tools for the job, the current state of agile and project management, and, of course, how AI is impacting us. (It was also just great getting to catch up with him.) Andy, Mark Price-Perry, and I used to do workshops for PMI on Redefining your PMO. If you are curious about that you can learn more here: https://www.projectmanagement.com/videos/294895/pmxpo-2015--why-you-need-to-consider-redefining-the-pmo Andy's Article: Letting Go of Pure Agile: https://www.projectmanagement.com/articles/893794/letting-go-of--pure--agile Contacting Andy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyjordan/ ProjectManagement.com: https://www.projectmanagement.com/profile/andyjordan/ Web: https://www.roffensian.com

Armin Mandara: When Product Owners Multiply, Making Decisions in a Maze of Stakeholders Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Empowering Teams, A Key PO Skill Armin discusses the role of a great Product Owner (PO) in fostering team success. Drawing from an experience with a mixed team of internal and client-side members, he highlights the importance of clear communication and decision-making abilities in a client-driven setup. A standout PO, in his view, comprehends their role and limitations, excelling in making timely decisions and maintaining a pragmatic approach, even in challenging situations. They actively engage in discussions, emphasizing necessary trade-offs while demonstrating a keen awareness of the team's needs. The Bad Product Owner: When POs Multiply, Making Decisions in a Maze of Stakeholders Armin shares his experience in a B2B ecommerce setting, where a multitude of stakeholders complicated the Product Owner (PO) role. The presence of proxy POs, business analysts, and various other figures led to a lack of clear decision-making. Armin underscores the importance of collaboration between the PO and Scrum Master and emphasizes the need for transparency and timely decisions. He advises making issues transparent to stakeholders and offering suggestions for improvement to address this common anti-pattern. Clear ownership and decisive action are essential for effective product ownership.   [IMAGE HERE] Are you having trouble helping the team work well with their Product Owner? We've put together a course to help you work on the collaboration team-product owner. You can find it at bit.ly/coachyourpo. 18 modules, 8+ hours of modules with tools and techniques that you can use to help teams and PO's collaborate.   About Armin Mandara Armin is the Head of Scrum Masters at IBM iX, a leading digital agency. With a career spanning seven years as a Scrum Master, Armin has partnered with numerous teams to successfully deliver top-notch digital products. His passion lies in enabling agile teams to achieve their goals and unleash their true potential. You can link with Armin Mandara on LinkedIn.

Scrum Explained In Less Than 15 Minutes... Ready? GO!! Is it possible? Listen and find out.. LOL 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/⁠

Armin Mandara: Thriving Teams and Joyful Work, Armin's Vision of Scrum Master Success Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Armin reflects on the essence of success for Scrum Masters, emphasizing the delivery of high-performing teams and consistent, valuable software. He emphasizes the importance of joy and camaraderie within the team, highlighting laughter and open communication as key indicators. Armin stresses the value of fun in facilitating difficult conversations. Success, in his view, also hinges on the team's ability to openly discuss problems.  In this episode, wer refer to the episode about a team that got into trouble: “When Harmony Hinders Progress, Learning to Trigger Difficult Conversations”. [LINK] Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Fostering Open Conversations with Simple Retrospective Techniques and Exercises Armin likes to use the framework by Derby and Larsen (introduced in the Agile Retrospectives book). He begins with a warm-up exercise to set the stage and assess the mood of the team. For data gathering on what's going well and what needs improvement he might run the "glad/sad/mad" exercise. Armin values open conversation for generating insights and emphasizes clear instructions for each phase. To conclude, he incorporates a lively check-out exercise, ensuring a fun and engaging close to the retrospective session. This approach enhances team reflection and facilitates meaningful discussions for continuous improvement.   [IMAGE HERE] Retrospectives, planning sessions, vision workshops, we are continuously helping teams learn about how to collaborate in practice! In this Actionable Agile Tools book, Jeff Campbell shares some of the tools he's learned over a decade of coaching Agile Teams. The pragmatic coaching book you need, right now! Buy Actionable Agile Tools on Amazon, or directly from the author, and supercharge your facilitation toolbox!    About Armin Mandara Armin is the Head of Scrum Masters at IBM iX, a leading digital agency. With a career spanning seven years as a Scrum Master, Armin has partnered with numerous teams to successfully deliver top-notch digital products. His passion lies in enabling agile teams to achieve their goals and unleash their true potential. You can link with Armin Mandara on LinkedIn.

Armin Mandara: From Checkboxes to Skills, Crafting a Dynamic Career Path and Fostering Self-Development Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Armin shares a pivotal career path transformation experience, emphasizing a shift from achievement-based lists to skill-focused development. Recognizing flaws in how managers approached the existing career paths, Armin collaborated with HR to redefine them. The focus shifted from rigid checkboxes to individualized skill levels, providing freedom for personal growth. Armin underscores the importance of nurturing ownership of one's development and highlights the value of skill improvement over specific achievements. This initiative aimed to motivate and empower individuals to take charge of their professional growth.   [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone of any change process! You can buy Lean Change Management the book at Amazon. Also available in French, Spanish, German and Portuguese.   About Armin Mandara Armin is the Head of Scrum Masters at IBM iX, a leading digital agency. With a career spanning seven years as a Scrum Master, Armin has partnered with numerous teams to successfully deliver top-notch digital products. His passion lies in enabling agile teams to achieve their goals and unleash their true potential. You can link with Armin Mandara on LinkedIn.

In this conversation, Bhoomika and I dived deep into international agile themes and how to transition green field project teams into agile product teams. We discussed how the Netherlands may just be the best place for your Agile implementation and how to start off new product initiatives in the right direction using her techniques for team formation, MVP launch, getting buy-in from your organization using a servant leadership model.    About the Featured Guest Bhoomika has over 17 years of experience in various roles in the IT industry, including 7 years as an RTE, agile coach and consultant for large, complex, and global projects and programs. She holds certifications in Scrum, Change Management, and SAFe, LeSS and has expertise in multiple agile frameworks, such as Kanban, BDD, Lean, and Spotify.   Follow Bhoomika Diwan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhoomika-diwan-a4321a1a/)   The Women in Agile community champions inclusion and diversity of thought, regardless of gender, and this podcast is a platform to share new voices and stories with the Agile community and the business world, because we believe that everyone is better off when more, diverse ideas are shared.   Podcast Library: www.womeninagile.org/podcast Women in Agile Org Website: www.womeninagile.org    Connect with us on social media! LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/womeninagile/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/womeninagile/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/womeninagileorg    Please take a moment to rate and review the Women in Agile podcast on your favorite podcasting platform. This is the best way to help us amplify the voices and wisdom of the talent women and allies in our community! Be sure to take a screenshot of your rating and review and post it on social media with the hashtag #womeninagile to help spread the word and continue to elevate Women in Agile.   About our Hosts Emily Lint is a budding industry leader in the realm of business agility. Energetic and empathetic she leverages her knowledge of psychology, business, technology, and mindfulness to create a cocktail for success for her clients and peers. Her agile journey officially started in 2018 with a big move from Montana to New Mexico going from traditional ITSM and project management methodologies to becoming an agile to project management translator for a big government research laboratory. From then on she was hooked on this new way of working. The constant innovation, change, and retrospection cured her ever present craving to enable organizations to be better, do better, and provide an environment where her co-workers could thrive.    Since then she has started her own company and in partnership with ICON Agility Services serves, coaches, and trains clients of all industries in agile practices, methodologies, and most importantly, mindset. Please check out her website (www.lintagility.com) to learn more. You can also follow Emily on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilylint/).    About our Sponsor Scrum.org is the Home of Scrum, founded in 2009 by Scrum co-creator Ken Schwaber focused on helping people and teams solve complex problems by improving how they work through higher levels of professionalism. Scrum.org provides free online resources, consistent experiential live training, ongoing learning paths, and certification for people with all levels of Scrum knowledge. You can learn more about the organization by visiting www.scrum.org.  

In this recording of a live session of Ask a Professional Scrum Trainer, PST Steven Deneir based in Belgium answers questions about Scrum, the Scrum Master and the challenges people often encounter with their Scrum Teams and Stakeholders.

Armin Mandara: When Harmony Hinders Progress, Learning to Trigger Difficult Conversations Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Armin shares his experience with one of his initial teams, responsible for QA and user acceptance. The team lacked cross-functionality and faced uneven work distribution. Communication about improvements was scarce, leading to stagnant progress. Some stakeholders provided no feedback, and the team maintained a facade of contentment. Armin observed a reluctance to engage in conflict and recognized the team's collective unawareness of necessary improvements. Even if in one-on-one meetings, individuals were more candid, they did not raise the topics in a wider group. Armin advises addressing issues individually to gauge openness for discussion. The team's absence of external pressure hindered growth, reflecting the challenge of balancing harmony with performance. Featured Book of the Week: "Radical Honesty" by Brad Blanton In this episode, Armin delves into his favorite book, "Radical Honesty" by Brad Blanton. He highlights how the book goes beyond conventional honesty, emphasizing the importance of genuine self-connection. Armin asserts that this radical honesty is a crucial skill for Scrum Masters, enabling them to tap into their emotions effectively. The book prompts a re-evaluation of authenticity, urging individuals to be true to themselves on a deeper level.   [IMAGE HERE] Do you wish you had decades of experience? Learn from the Best Scrum Masters In The World, Today! The Tips from the Trenches - Scrum Master edition audiobook includes hours of audio interviews with SM's that have decades of experience: from Mike Cohn to Linda Rising, Christopher Avery, and many more. Super-experienced Scrum Masters share their hard-earned lessons with you. Learn those today, make your teams awesome!     About Armin Mandara Armin is the Head of Scrum Masters at IBM iX, a leading digital agency. With a career spanning seven years as a Scrum Master, Armin has partnered with numerous teams to successfully deliver top-notch digital products. His passion lies in enabling agile teams to achieve their goals and unleash their true potential. You can link with Armin Mandara on LinkedIn.  

Angela Johnson had over 25+ years of experience working with teams and leaders in project management and software businesses. She joins host Jane Bayler on the latest Smart Connector episode, to discuss Scrum, a popular and proven Agile framework used in software development and project management to deliver high-value outcomes efficiently. The goal of Scrum is to improve productivity, collaboration, and the ability to respond to changing requirements during the evolution of a business development process.  In the episode, Angela stresses the significance of leadership engagement in implementing Scrum, and the cultural shift required for success. Jane and Angela also touch on the difficulties posed by rigid hierarchical structures, as well as the roadblock of ego in Agile teams. Join us for this must-listen episode that will give you invaluable insights into how the Scrum approach can help your business pivot faster and solve complex problems. Jane Bayler is the Smart Connector, a London based passionate serial entrepreneur, brand marketer and business growth exploder, who helps overlooked and undervalued consultants and b2b service providers generate consistent, scaleable revenues through becoming the go-to authority in their sector.  Having spent 20 years in global advertising and brand marketing, where Jane managed campaigns and developed business for market leading brands such as Coca-Cola, Discovery Networks, British Airways and ITV, she then scaled and sold a London brand identity business to US communications group Interpublic, before becoming MD of their brand consultancy, Futurebrand.  Today, Jane runs a strategic positioning and business growth program called Ideal Client Success. This packages and productises her clients' services to make their offers relevant, compelling and irresistible to the people who will value them the most.  Join the program to receive a bespoke blueprint for your growth that is rapid, achievable, and eliminates the overwhelm of chasing shiny objects and diving into tactics that will leave you spinning your wheels without results.  Create a deeply rewarding, profitable business, and leave being overlooked and undervalued to the 'also rans' who wish they were you. The Smart Connector podcast features a range of exciting interviews with experts across multiple sectors, as well as some of Jane's own client case studies and stories.  Packed with insights and tactical as well as strategic tips to make your consulting or service based business succeed, this is your go to resource for sustainable success.  Attract those who ‘lift you higher' and repel the rest. Become a Smart Connector, the architect of your amazing business and life.   We are proud to announce the Smart Connector podcast is brought to you by our sponsor Virtual Non Execs, the world's #1 peer-to-peer board advisor community, which connects thousands of investors, entrepreneurs and investors across the globe. https://virtualnonexecs.com  Want to connect with Jane in person? Book a clarity call here: https://idealclientsuccess.com/zoom30 Visit Jane's website and connect on socials here: https://www.janebayler.com  Check out Jane's Chosen First DONE FOR YOU client attraction system here: https://chosenfirstsystem.com/

Armin Mandara: Breaking Resistance with Dialogue and Collaboration, A New Scrum Master Story Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Armin shares a story from his early days as a Scrum Master, leading a team in developing an ecommerce platform for a major corporation. Despite initial challenges, he sought to introduce project retrospectives for broader learning. However, faced with resistance from project managers, he reflected on the experience and found strength in seeking support and open communication. Armin emphasizes the inevitability of resistance and advocates for transparent, honest conversations in the workplace, acknowledging the power of addressing concerns openly.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with will also face these moments! We need inspiring stories to help them, and ourselves! The Bungsu Story, is an inspiring story by Marcus Hammarberg which shows how a Coach can help organizations recover even from the most disastrous situations! Learn how Marcus helped The Bungsu, a hospital in Indonesia, recover from near-bankruptcy, twice! Using Lean and Agile methods to rebuild an organization and a team! An inspiring story you need to know about! Buy the book on Amazon: The Bungsu Story - How Lean and Kanban Saved a Small Hospital in Indonesia. Twice. and Can Help You Reshape Work in Your Company.   About Armin Mandara Armin is the Head of Scrum Masters at IBM iX, a leading digital agency. With a career spanning seven years as a Scrum Master, Armin has partnered with numerous teams to successfully deliver top-notch digital products. His passion lies in enabling agile teams to achieve their goals and unleash their true potential. You can link with Armin Mandara on LinkedIn.

Aria Omidvar: The Product Owner vs. Project Manager Dilemma, A Difficult Balance Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: People-First Product Ownership Aria describes an exemplary Product Owner known for his unwavering commitment to learning and professional development. This PO's proactive approach included avid reading and active participation in workshops and seminars. He invested heavily in his own growth, and his presence within the team was palpable, emphasizing a people-first mindset. The PO's belief in the team, coupled with his fearlessness in addressing conflicts, set him apart as a remarkable Product Owner.  The Bad Product Owner: PO vs. Project Manager Dilemma, A Difficult Balance Aria delves into a common anti-pattern where a Product Owner takes on project management responsibilities, which can hinder agile software development. He highlights the mismatch between these roles, referencing insights from Marty Cagan. Aria notes the temptation for POs to become intermediaries for upper management. He shares a success story where open communication and willingness to listen enabled a positive shift in the PO's approach. This episode provides valuable guidance on avoiding pitfalls in the Product Owner role.   [IMAGE HERE] Are you having trouble helping the team work well with their Product Owner? We've put together a course to help you work on the collaboration team-product owner. You can find it at bit.ly/coachyourpo. 18 modules, 8+ hours of modules with tools and techniques that you can use to help teams and PO's collaborate.   About Aria Omidvar Aria has 4+ years of experience serving as Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Agile Coach (CSM, A-CSM, CSPO) from single teams to multiple teams and the whole software organization. He's a Software Engineer turned Software Developer turned Peopleware Developer and Agilist. You can link with Aria Omidvar on LinkedIn and connect with Aria Omidvar on Twitter. 

RUGBY: Connacht scrum and contact coach Cullie Tucker with Galway Bay FM's William Davies ahead of their URC trip to Edinburgh

The Power of Agile Backlog Refinement in Scrum Im here to shed light on the importance of backlog refinement, demystify its nuances, and illustrate how it can supercharge your Scrum journey. In Scrum, the product backlog is your compass, pointing the way towards delivering valuable features and activities. Managed by the Product Owner, it constantly adapts to new insights, stakeholder feedback, and shifting priorities. It's a repository for documentation, planning, and estimates. The product backlog can be separated in various categories: Bundled Functionality: These are clusters of related features and activities that enhance the product's functionality. Undeveloped Ideas: Here reside those sparks of creativity that need further exploration and research. Low-Priority Features: Not all features are created equal; some may be of lesser priority but still crucial in the grand scheme. Some of the backlog items can include: New Features: Fresh ideas and functionalities to enhance your product. Ideas Needing Research: Concepts that require more in-depth investigation before implementation. Feature Requests: Inputs from developers, stakeholders, and subject matter experts. Feature Improvements: Enhancements to existing functionalities. Technical Debt: Unfinished or sub-optimal technical work. Design and Architecture Changes: Evolving the structure and design of your product. Known Defects: Bugs and issues of varying severity. Technical Work: Underlying technical tasks to maintain your product. Product refinement is the art of taking backlog items and breaking them down into smaller, manageable pieces that can be tackled during a sprint. The product owner and developers inspect the backlog and decide which items need to be refined for the upcoming sprint and prioritized. They also determine which items will be refined at a later stage for future sprints. It's crucial the Product Owner strike a balance between thorough refinement and avoiding excessive details that could muddle the team's understanding of what needs to be built. Why bother with backlog refinement? Here are some compelling reasons: Improved Sprint Planning: With most questions preemptively answered, sprint planning becomes clearer. Organized and Clear Items: Keep your backlog tidy, relevant, and aligned with the product goal. Transparent Collaboration: Highlight areas where the Scrum team might need external support. Shared Understanding: Consensus between the team and stakeholders on customer needs. Clarity on Costs: Understand the cost of delivering features, benefiting both Product Owners and stakeholders. Rolling Over Items: Backlog items start spilling over into future sprints due to a lack of proper estimation. Technical Debt Escalates: Neglecting refinement can snowball into mounting technical debt. Loss of Focus: The product goal fades into the background, and chaos ensues. Communication Breakdown: A rift forms between the Product Owner and developers, jeopardizing meeting the product goal. Backlog refinement isn't a one-time affair. It's an ongoing process. Here's a breakdown of when and how it's done: Initial Backlog Refinement: Kicks off at the start of the project, setting the stage for a deep dive. Developers get a high-level understanding, and the Product Owner prioritizes items based on business needs, dependencies, risks, and more. Ordering the Backlog: The Product Owner, developers, and stakeholders collaborate to arrange items based on value and priority, ensuring alignment with business goals. Continuous Refinement: Regular refinement sessions ensure that the most critical work items are addressed first, making them sprint-ready. They foster collaboration, enhance understanding, and illuminate the path to meeting customer needs. 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/

Aria Omidvar: The Many Layers to Scrum Master Success Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Aria explores the layers of success for Scrum Masters, highlighting the transformation of team culture. He assesses success through the lens of team self-reliance, self-organization, and ownership of work. Aria's metric for success involves equipping teams with tools and practices that enable them to effectively carry out their responsibilities. This episode offers valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of success in the role of a Scrum Master. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Making Retrospectives Clearly Different From Other Meetings and Work Aria shares his preferred retrospective format, emphasizing the importance of a distinct mindset for this higher-order team work. He advocates for creativity and mindfulness, aiming to set retrospectives apart from regular team activities with a specific format he shares in this episode. Aria offers practical tips such as note-taking, root cause analysis, and solution brainstorming during discussions. He underscores the value of critical thinking, focusing on root causes, and showing the path to solutions. Aria's approach promotes effective retrospectives as a catalyst for meaningful team improvement.   [IMAGE HERE] Retrospectives, planning sessions, vision workshops, we are continuously helping teams learn about how to collaborate in practice! In this Actionable Agile Tools book, Jeff Campbell shares some of the tools he's learned over a decade of coaching Agile Teams. The pragmatic coaching book you need, right now! Buy Actionable Agile Tools on Amazon, or directly from the author, and supercharge your facilitation toolbox!    About Aria Omidvar Aria has 4+ years of experience serving as Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Agile Coach (CSM, A-CSM, CSPO) from single teams to multiple teams and the whole software organization. He's a Software Engineer turned Software Developer turned Peopleware Developer and Agilist. You can link with Aria Omidvar on LinkedIn and connect with Aria Omidvar on Twitter. 

In this episode we unpack the fourth commitment of the Code of Ethical Conduct for Agile Coaching;  Navigating Conflicts of Interest. Join host Leslie Morse as she explores Navigating Conflicts of Interest with Natascha Speets and Femi Odelusi.  About the Featured Guests Natascha Speets is an experienced Agile Team and Enterprise coach. Natascha helps her clients reach maturity in Agile by curating focused Agile coaching programs. In 2020, Natascha started an Agile community project to draft an Ethical Code for Agile Coaches, and It only made sense to join forces with the Agile Alliance and create a Code of Ethics that truly reflects the needs of the coaches and their clients. Femi Odelusi is a Professional Coach accredited by ICF and EMCC. He has excelled in organizational change and enabling innovative, digitally enabled business solutions. He has guided a variety of organizations as they transform in today's world of digitisation. Follow Femi on LinkedIn Follow Natascha on LinkedIn Reference(s) Code of Ethical Conduct for Agile Coaching https://www.agilealliance.org/resources/initiatives/agile-coaching-ethics/ International Coaching Federation: https://coachingfederation.org/ European Mentorship & Coaching Council: https://www.emccglobal.org/ The Women in Agile community champions inclusion and diversity of thought, regardless of gender, and this podcast is a platform to share new voices and stories with the Agile community and the business world, because we believe that everyone is better off when more, diverse ideas are shared. Podcast Library: www.womeninagile.org/podcast Women in Agile Org Website: www.womeninagile.org  Connect with us on social media! LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/womeninagile/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/womeninagile/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/womeninagileorg  Please take a moment to rate and review the Women in Agile podcast on your favorite podcasting platform. This is the best way to help us amplify the voices and wisdom of the talent women and allies in our community! Be sure to take a screenshot of your rating and review and post it on social media with the hashtag #womeninagile to help spread the word and continue to elevate Women in Agile. About our Hosts Leslie Morse is an agilist at heart. She was leveraging agile practices and appreciating agile principles long before she even knew what they were. Her agile journey officially started in 2010 and she never looked back. Her career has taken many twists and turns. She led a digital marketing start-up in college, was involved with replatforming Lowes.com while they adopted agile practices, provided training and coaching for agile transformation across a wide array of industries, and now serves as a Product Owner for Scrum.org. She is trained in Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC) and has been involved in with Women in Agile since its original inception at Scrum Gathering 2013 in Las Vegas. You can follow Leslie on LinkedIn. About our Sponsor Scrum.org is the Home of Scrum, founded in 2009 by Scrum co-creator Ken Schwaber focused on helping people and teams solve complex problems by improving how they work through higher levels of professionalism. Scrum.org provides free online resources, consistent experiential live training, ongoing learning paths, and certification for people with all levels of Scrum knowledge. You can learn more about the organization by visiting www.scrum.org.

The ScrumMaster IS a People Person... In the fast-paced world of Scrum, where project timelines are tight, and deliverables are paramount, one might wonder where the role of a People Person fits in. However, my experiences as a People Person as a scrum master have taught me that fostering strong relationships, understanding my team members, and promoting a positive work environment are not just valuable but essential components of achieving success in a Scrum setting. In this blog, I'll share my journey and insights into how being a People Person has positively impacted People Management, Team Dynamics, and overall team productivity. One of the core requirement of being a People Person is the ability to build genuine friendships and establish meaningful relationships within the team. In a Scrum team setting, where collaboration is key, this skill is invaluable. Here are some of my experiences: When I joined my Scrum team, I made it a point to get to know my colleagues as individuals, not just as team members. I engaged in casual conversations and showed a genuine interest in their well-being. This simple act helped break down barriers and laid the foundation for trust. I understood the importance of creating a work environment where everyone felt they belonged. By making an effort to include everyone in team discussions and decisions, I helped team members feel valued and appreciated. In a Scrum team, there are bound to be challenges and setbacks. However, a People Person can bring positivity and resilience to the table, ensuring that the team remains motivated and productive even during tough times. During particularly challenging sprints or when deadlines loomed, I made it a point to infuse positivity into the team. Simple gestures like celebrating small victories, offering words of encouragement, and maintaining a sense of humor helped boost morale and keep spirits high. As a People Person, I understood the importance of staying resilient in the face of adversity. I encouraged the team to learn from setbacks rather than dwell on them. This forward-thinking approach kept us focused on continuous improvement. Motivating team members and building strong team dynamics are essential for a Scrum team's success. As the Scrum Master, I embraced these responsibilities with enthusiasm. I adopted the role of a servant leader, putting the needs of my team members first. By offering support, guidance, and a listening ear, I empowered my colleagues to excel in their roles. This approach created a sense of trust and respect within the team. A Scrum team's capacity for growth and improvement is essential for sustained success. As a People Person, I was passionate about fostering continuous learning and development. Recognizing the value of diverse perspectives, I celebrated our team's diversity and encouraged open dialogue. This inclusivity not only enriched our problem-solving but also created a more vibrant and dynamic team. 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/

Aria Omidvar: Lessons from a Top-Down Agile Transformation Journey Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Aria recounts his involvement in a top-down, multi-layered agile transformation in a company with five teams. Despite management's drive for change, the transformation faced resistance from the teams on the ground. After six months, it became evident that morale and engagement had plummeted, and the desired outcomes were not met. Aria attempted widespread training, but this approach backfired. He learned the importance of focusing on one major change at a time, prioritizing people, and fine-tuning direction for successful transformations. The episode serves as a valuable guide for navigating complex organizational shifts.   [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone of any change process! You can buy Lean Change Management the book at Amazon. Also available in French, Spanish, German and Portuguese.   About Aria Omidvar Aria has 4+ years of experience serving as Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Agile Coach (CSM, A-CSM, CSPO) from single teams to multiple teams and the whole software organization. He's a Software Engineer turned Software Developer turned Peopleware Developer and Agilist. You can link with Aria Omidvar on LinkedIn and connect with Aria Omidvar on Twitter. 

Aria Omidvar: Friendship or Performance, The Hard Dilemma Scrum Teams Sometimes Face Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Aria shares a common team pitfall: sacrificing trust, transparency, and courage for camaraderie. In this case, a team's cohesion eroded as they prioritized friendliness over addressing performance issues. One underperforming developer strained the team's efforts, despite trying to help that team member. The team's hesitancy to confront the issue led to a painful breakdown. Aria emphasizes proactive communication and recommends 'The Hard Thing about Hard Things' as a resource. He underscores the importance of clear warnings and transparent discussions to salvage a struggling team. Featured Book of the Week: Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams by DeMarco and Lister Aria discusses the profound impact of the book "Peopleware," which predates the modern Agile movement. He notes its timeless relevance, emphasizing its focus not only on software but also on the crucial element of 'peopleware.' Despite lacking current Agile terminology, the book remains remarkably insightful. Aria also references Fred Brooks' "Mythical Man-Month" in his exploration of timeless books that have influenced the Agile movement.   [IMAGE HERE] Do you wish you had decades of experience? Learn from the Best Scrum Masters In The World, Today! The Tips from the Trenches - Scrum Master edition audiobook includes hours of audio interviews with SM's that have decades of experience: from Mike Cohn to Linda Rising, Christopher Avery, and many more. Super-experienced Scrum Masters share their hard-earned lessons with you. Learn those today, make your teams awesome!     About Aria Omidvar Aria has 4+ years of experience serving as Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Agile Coach (CSM, A-CSM, CSPO) from single teams to multiple teams and the whole software organization. He's a Software Engineer turned Software Developer turned Peopleware Developer and Agilist. You can link with Aria Omidvar on LinkedIn and connect with Aria Omidvar on Twitter. 

Aria Omidvar: Rebuilding Trust In Your Scrum Team, After A Big Disappointment Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Aria, a Scrum Master, recounts a challenging situation where his team faced significant changes, including losing key members and transitioning to remote work. He attempted to address the issues through a retrospective but faced resistance in setting up follow-up sessions. This led to a team member deeming the retro "useless," which left Aria feeling disheartened. As a developer and Scrum Master, Aria reflects on the importance of open communication and acknowledges his loss of faith in the team at that time. Ultimately, he grapples with regaining faith in his team, highlighting the complexity of his role in this critical juncture.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with will also face these moments! We need inspiring stories to help them, and ourselves! The Bungsu Story, is an inspiring story by Marcus Hammarberg which shows how a Coach can help organizations recover even from the most disastrous situations! Learn how Marcus helped The Bungsu, a hospital in Indonesia, recover from near-bankruptcy, twice! Using Lean and Agile methods to rebuild an organization and a team! An inspiring story you need to know about! Buy the book on Amazon: The Bungsu Story - How Lean and Kanban Saved a Small Hospital in Indonesia. Twice. and Can Help You Reshape Work in Your Company.   About Aria Omidvar Aria has 4+ years of experience serving as Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Agile Coach (CSM, A-CSM, CSPO) from single teams to multiple teams and the whole software organization. He's a Software Engineer turned Software Developer turned Peopleware Developer and Agilist. You can link with Aria Omidvar on LinkedIn and connect with Aria Omidvar on Twitter.