Podcast appearances and mentions of will angela

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]

Send us a textThe power struggle at Falcon Crest reaches new heights when Richard's wine venture is literally poured down the drain by mysterious saboteurs. Convinced either Chase or Angela is responsible, Richard confronts them with wild accusations that culminate in a hilariously shocking moment – Richard swings at Chase, who deftly ducks, sending Angela crashing to the ground with an accidental punch to the face. This physical altercation becomes the catalyst for an unexpected alliance as the three vineyard partners finally piece together that Jean-Louis De Bercy is actually Johan Reedman's son and the mastermind behind the cartel targeting their business. Meanwhile, the romantic entanglements throughout Tuscany Valley grow increasingly complex. Terry's desperate attempt to win the "Manimal's" affection by shoveling horse manure in designer clothing reveals the depths of her misguided devotion. Cole and Melissa learn their son Joseph is being teased at preschool because they aren't married, accelerating their wedding plans and creating an unexpected moment when Lance surprisingly supports their annulment rather than obstructing it. In another corner of the valley, Lorraine discovers she's pregnant with Lance's baby, setting the stage for inevitable conflict with her stepfather Richard.>The episode takes a darker turn when Emma unwittingly reveals crucial information about hidden tunnels under Falcon Crest to De Bercy, who already has Julia captive in his basement. As the families finally recognize the Nazi's son has been monitoring Angela's private conversations through an eagle statue in her study, the stakes escalate dramatically. The hour closes with Angela facing a gun-wielding kidnapper at her door with the shocking revelation that Julia is alive – proving once again that in wine country, family secrets and hidden treasures lead to danger at every turn. Will Angela's unflinching bravery save her daughter, or is she walking into a trap from which not even the formidable matriarch can escape?

Anuj Ojha: Helping PO's Move Beyond User Story Templates to True Customer Understanding 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: The Vision Setter Who Empowers Teams In this segment, Anuj describes an exemplary Product Owner who mastered the art of inclusive product development. This PO excelled at bringing everyone together to discuss the product and potential solutions, while maintaining a clear focus on the vision and problem space. Rather than dictating solutions, they created an environment where team members could freely explore solutions while the PO remained available for questions and guidance. Their success came from building strong relationships with stakeholders and customers, and effectively using the Eisenhower matrix to prioritize work. The Bad Product Owner: The Requirements Translator Anuj discusses common anti-patterns he's observed in Product Owners, particularly those who may have previously been project managers. A crucial issue arises when POs create user stories without first understanding the customer and their journey with the product. Some POs become mere translators, rigidly adhering to story templates instead of truly understanding customer needs. The key to improvement lies in helping POs learn to engage directly with customers, focus on problem exploration rather than immediate solutions, and collaborate with the whole team in solution discussions. Self-reflection Question: How can you help your Product Owner move from being a requirements translator to becoming a true value maximizer? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Anuj Ojha: Building Agile Team Maturity Through Honest Feedback 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. A successful Scrum Master should work towards making themselves unnecessary, but Anuj warns against common anti-patterns in this journey. He emphasizes the danger of viewing Scrum as a universal solution or behaving like a "cult master" who rigidly follows rules instead of listening to team needs. He advises against manipulating conversations or using others' authority to validate decisions. Instead, he promotes viewing Scrum as a continuous PDCA cycle and maintaining an open mind about different approaches. Self-reflection Question: How comfortable is your team with giving and receiving direct, constructive feedback to each other? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Team Shared Self-Evaluation This retrospective format focuses on building interpersonal relationships through structured feedback. Using a Google Form, team members answer two key questions about each colleague: what they appreciate about working with them and one change that could make them an even better team member. The format includes a sharing session where team members can process the feedback and discuss it openly. This approach encourages personal accountability by having participants first communicate what they themselves want to change before asking others to change. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Anuj Ojha: Beyond the Iron Triangle, A Path to True Agility 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. Anuj shares his journey of understanding the complexities behind Scrum implementation, particularly when faced with fixed time and scope demands. He emphasizes the importance of learning to communicate effectively with different stakeholders in their own language. Through experience, he discovered that the traditional iron triangle (fixed time, scope, and resources) is a fiction in agile environments. His key insight is that while you can fix two sides of the triangle, attempting to fix all three undermines agility. He suggests building cases for critical needs like technical debt and ensuring all voices are heard when determining what's possible. Self-reflection Question: How do you handle situations where stakeholders demand certainty in all three aspects of the iron triangle? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Anuj Ojha: Transforming Agile Team Meetings, Less Time, More Value Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. When Anuj started working with a team that believed asynchronous communication could replace their Daily Scrum, it sparked a journey of meaningful transformation. The team was frustrated with meeting overload and took bold steps to evaluate and modify their meeting structure. They questioned the value of Sprint Reviews and Retrospectives, ultimately creating a more focused approach to meetings. A significant breakthrough came when they removed managers from the Daily Scrum, leading to more effective communication and increased quality time for actual work. The team's success came from creating a backlog of improvements and integrating these directly into their sprint work. Self-reflection Question: How might your team benefit from critically evaluating your current meeting structure and making bold changes? Featured Book of the Week: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni was a game-changer for Anuj, offering a model for understanding team dynamics. The author's five-level model proved especially valuable during challenging periods, providing insights applicable to teams across all domains. The book's framework helped Anuj better understand and address the fundamental dysfunctions that teams commonly face. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Anuj Ojha: From Process Police to People Partner, Self-Accountability and Self-Awareness for 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. In this insightful episode, Anuj shares a powerful story of personal growth as a Scrum Master. Initially caught up in the mechanics of Scrum, he found himself trying to control situations and please everyone while rigidly adhering to the Scrum Guide.  Through a three-step journey of self-awareness, feedback-seeking, and actualization, Anuj discovered that his true challenge lay in understanding himself and his purpose. He learned to shift his focus from velocity and burndown charts to delivering value, and from being process-oriented to being people-oriented. This transformation led him to become more of a listener than a talker, embracing conflict as a natural part of growth. Self-reflection Question: How might your current focus on processes or metrics be affecting your ability to connect with and serve your team members? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Season Hughes: From Defensive to Collaborative 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. The Great Product Owner: Building Team and Customer Connection A great Product Owner demonstrates deep care for both the product and the team members, understanding their challenges and experiences. Season highlights how exceptional POs actively advocate for customer involvement in sprint reviews and consistently conduct customer interviews, creating a strong bridge between the development team and end-users. The Bad Product Owner: The Defensive Questioner Season describes a challenging situation where a Product Owner would respond to team proposals with defensive "why" questions, creating an atmosphere where developers felt they needed to justify their suggestions. This approach led to team defensiveness and reduced collaboration, highlighting the importance of asking questions in a way that promotes understanding rather than creates tension. Self-reflection Question: How do you ensure your communication style encourages collaboration rather than defensiveness? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Season Hughes: How To Be A Data-Driven Scrum Master Or Agile Coach 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. Season approaches Scrum Master success by regularly referring back to the Scrum Guide and measuring progress against its principles. She emphasizes the importance of collecting data and measuring key indicators like self-management, which she tests by occasionally stepping back from daily Scrum meetings to observe team autonomy. Season also stresses the value of one-on-one conversations to understand individual goals and assess team event effectiveness. Self-reflection Question: How do you measure the effectiveness of your role as a Scrum Master beyond just following ceremonies? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Lean Coffee Season recommends the Lean Coffee format for retrospectives as it puts control directly in the hands of participants who decide the discussion topics. This approach naturally increases engagement and ownership of the retrospective process. She emphasizes the importance of including warm-up activities to set the right mood and ensuring everyone speaks early in the session, while also following up on previous retrospective actions. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Season Hughes: Understanding the "Why" Behind Agile Transformation 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. Drawing from her consulting experience, Season shares valuable insights about leading successful Agile transformations. Rather than simply implementing Scrum, she emphasizes the importance of understanding organizational motivations by asking crucial questions like "Why do you want this change?" and "What does success look like?"  She outlines a comprehensive approach that begins with foundational training using the Scrum Guide, followed by Liftoff workshops to establish team foundations, working agreements, and regular check-ins to support continuous improvement. In this segment, we refer to the Liftoff book, by Diana Larsen and Ainsley Niles. Self-reflection Question: What steps are you taking to understand and align with your organization's transformation goals? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Season Hughes: Transforming Workgroups into High-Performing Teams 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. Season shares insights about a common anti-pattern she's observed across organizations: calling a group of people a team doesn't automatically make them one. She discusses how many supposed teams are actually workgroups - collections of independent contributors rewarded for individual rather than collective achievements. Season provides specific criteria to distinguish between workgroups and real teams, emphasizing the importance of shared goals and collaborative success metrics. In this segment, we also refer to the One-Team, One-Goal (OTOG) article by Vasco. Featured Book of the Week: The Scrum Guide Season emphasizes the fundamental importance of The Scrum Guide as essential reading for Scrum Masters. She stresses that since Scrum Masters are accountable for coaching Scrum, they should regularly revisit the guide and stay current with updates. She specifically highlights how many Scrum Masters might miss crucial elements like "product goals," demonstrating why continuous engagement with this foundational document is vital for effective Scrum coaching. Self-reflection Question: How often do you revisit and reflect on the fundamental principles in the Scrum Guide? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Season Hughes: How A Product Cancellation Tests a New Scrum Master's Growth 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. As a new Scrum Master, Season faced a challenging situation when her team learned their product would be canceled. Initially, she made the mistake of telling team members they could skip daily standups if they had higher priorities, leading to unexpected low attendance. During the retrospective, she transformed this challenge into a learning opportunity by helping team members reflect on their personal growth and lessons learned. This experience taught her the importance of maintaining team ceremonies while providing individual support during difficult transitions. In this segment, we talk about ORSC, a systems inspired team and relationship coach training. Self-reflection Question: How would you maintain team engagement and motivation when facing a product cancellation? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Substack Week: AI in Product Management, Enhancing Product Development Through Artificial Intelligence with Toni Dos Santos In this Substack Week episode, we explore how artificial intelligence is transforming product management with Toni Dos Santos, co-author of The Product Courier newsletter. From automating routine tasks to enhancing strategic decision-making, Toni shares practical insights on leveraging AI to build better products faster and more efficiently. From Music to Banking to AI Product Management "I wanted to work in that area to find ways to put innovation to service to the consumers, and making it as invisible as possible." Toni's journey into AI and product management began in an unexpected place - the music industry. After working as a music producer, his interest in innovation led him to banking, where he discovered the untapped potential of data analytics. His experience working with machine learning and deep learning in banking laid the foundation for his current work with generative AI in product management. The launch of ChatGPT in 2022 sparked his deep dive into applying AI to product management challenges. Revolutionizing User Story Creation with AI "User stories are a big pain for many product managers, particularly junior ones... The idea is that you provide the AI with a PRD or description of the product, and it's going to write user stories based on best practices." Toni explains how AI can transform the process of writing user stories by automating the initial drafting while preserving the essential collaborative aspects. He emphasizes that while AI can handle the mechanics of writing, the real value comes from using it as a springboard for deeper discussions with the team. The technology can suggest edge cases, highlight potential gaps, and provide a structured foundation for further refinement. AI as a Tool for Understanding User Needs "Use all the transcripts, the feedback from user interviews that I have, feed it to AI and retrieve from it the key pain points, the major patterns that it identifies." Rather than replacing human insight, AI serves as a powerful tool for analyzing user feedback and identifying patterns. Toni shares practical examples of using AI to: Process and analyze app store reviews at scale Identify clusters of users with similar pain points Extract key themes from user interviews Validate qualitative findings with quantitative data Strategic Role of AI in Leadership "For product leaders, they should be the ones thinking how AI will affect their work because to define a strategy, to define a roadmap, AI can summarize tons of data, tons of information that you cannot do yourself." Toni challenges the notion that AI primarily impacts lower-level tasks. He argues that AI's ability to process vast amounts of information makes it particularly valuable for leadership roles. Leaders can use AI to: Prepare more effective meetings with relevant agendas Create alignment across different departments Practice important presentations and interviews Generate and evaluate strategic options Best Practices for Getting Started with AI "The best resource is to go into it... get ChatGPT, Gemini, whatever, and just dive into it and try and get learning and start practicing right away." For product managers looking to incorporate AI into their workflow, Toni emphasizes the importance of hands-on experience. He recommends: Starting with practical experimentation rather than just theoretical learning Understanding AI's limitations (20% error rate) and always double-checking outputs Treating AI interactions as conversations rather than one-off prompts Focusing on areas where AI can augment rather than replace human judgment Resources For Further Study BOOK: Bret King, Bank 3.0: Why Banking Is No Longer Somewhere You Go But Something You Do Toni's Product Courier Newsletter The AI focused episode with Marshall Goldsmith AI Course by IBM: Armin Ries, free AI course by IBM [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Substack Week: The Shared Ownership Challenge, Understanding Clear Accountability in Engineering Teams With Rafa Páez Welcome to our Substack Week, where we interview thought leaders who publish newsletters on Substack to help you find inspiring voices that drive our community forward. In this episode, we explore the concept of shared ownership and its pitfalls with Rafa Páez, an experienced engineering leader with insights on creating clear accountability in teams. The Pitfalls of Shared Ownership In engineering teams, shared ownership often manifests as ambiguity in responsibility and accountability. Rafa shares a personal experience where assigning two engineers to lead an initiative resulted in nothing getting done, as each assumed the other would take action. This phenomenon highlights how shared ownership without clear accountability can lead to missed deadlines, poor quality deliverables, and team conflicts. "It might not be my fault because I thought the other person was available, I thought the other person had more time to actually work on that initiative." Understanding the Bystander Effect The bystander effect, a psychological phenomenon first identified by social psychologists, explains why people are less likely to take action when others are present. In a team setting, this manifests as members assuming someone else will take responsibility, leading to collective inaction. This effect can significantly impact team productivity and project outcomes. "Because there are more people there, someone thinks that someone else will take care of that thing, whether it's a project, initiative, or any other action." The DRI Framework: Creating Clear Ownership The Directly Responsible Individual (DRI) concept, popularized by Gitlab and Apple, addresses the accountability gap by ensuring one person is clearly responsible for each significant initiative. This framework emerged after a failed project launch where no clear ownership led to quality issues. The DRI approach creates clear lines of responsibility while maintaining collaborative team dynamics. "You can have multiple DRIs for different aspects, but at the end, it needs to be one responsible for the overall project." Implementing DRI Successfully For leaders implementing the DRI framework, several key considerations are crucial for success. DRIs should be assigned thoughtfully based on skills and experience, with senior team members often better suited for these roles. The framework must be supported by a culture that empowers DRIs to make decisions while maintaining team collaboration. "DRIs need to be empowered to make decisions. If they are not empowered to make decisions, this role is not going to work because they're going to feel frustrated." Avoiding Common Anti-patterns When implementing the DRI framework, leaders should be aware of potential anti-patterns that can emerge. These include DRIs becoming bottlenecks, erosion of team collaboration, and overuse of the framework for minor tasks. Success requires finding the right balance and ensuring the framework enhances rather than hinders team dynamics. "Another issue or anti-pattern is the erosion of collaboration - some people might get the wrong concept about DRIs and say 'I don't need to collaborate anymore.'" Building a Culture of Accountability Creating a successful culture of accountability requires clear communication about the DRI role and its implications. Leaders must ensure DRIs are supported while maintaining team collaboration and avoiding the framework becoming overly bureaucratic. The focus should be on enabling effective decision-making and clear ownership while preserving team dynamics. "Consider the skills when assigning DRIs, support people in this role, and remember that DRI is an organizational agnostic framework that adapts to the organizations we are within." Resources For Further Study The Gitlab handbook article about the DRI concept The book: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink The Engineering Leader newsletter by Rafa Páez   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Substack Week: Engineering Strategy, Bridging Technical Excellence with Business Success With Aleix Morgadas In this Substack Week episode, we explore the critical intersection of engineering strategy and business success with Aleix Morgadas, an engineering strategy consultant focusing on sociotechnical aspects of high-stake business challenges. Aleix shares insights from his experience helping organizations align their technical capabilities with business objectives, while offering practical approaches to developing and implementing effective engineering strategies. The Genesis of Engineering Strategy Personal experience sparked Aleix's journey into engineering strategy when he joined a large company and found himself grappling with strategic decision-making in engineering. He identified a crucial gap: while strategy was well-established in product and business domains, engineering organizations often lacked strategic frameworks for participating in key decisions. This realization led him to start writing about his struggles and insights, helping others navigate similar challenges through his newsletter. "I found that engineering was missing a way to be part of the decision making process, and we needed to be clear on the problems and challenges that engineering organizations face." Breaking Down the Four-Step Process Drawing inspiration from Richard Rumelt's work on strategy, Aleix presents a comprehensive framework for developing engineering strategy. The process emphasizes the importance of understanding organizational context and identifying shared challenges before taking action. "Solve the shared pains - that's why we need to uncover those pains in the first place." The framework consists of four key steps: Context Understanding: Begin by defining your business context, as strategy must align with your specific environment and circumstances Problem Identification: Focus on understanding current organizational pains and creating alignment around which problems to solve Direction Setting: Break down larger goals into manageable increments while ensuring actions don't compete with each other Strategy Execution: Create space for teams to work on strategic initiatives while maintaining autonomy The Power of Bottom-Up Strategy Aleix challenges the traditional top-down approach to strategy development, advocating for a more inclusive process that brings together perspectives from all levels of the organization. This approach recognizes that teams and top-level management often have different visions that need to be reconciled for effective strategy implementation. "Strategy does not need to be designed top-down. Teams and top-level management have different visions, and we need to be able to bring those together." Implementation and Execution Success in engineering strategy requires more than just planning - it demands thoughtful execution and ongoing adaptation. Aleix emphasizes the importance of learning through action and starting with minimal effort initiatives to gain momentum. "By doing you learn, and doing is critical for strategy. Start with the least effort action you have in mind." Recommended Resources For Further Study The book: Good Strategy/Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt The blog post: North Star Framework Template & Activity Library The Jobs to be done Framework TEMPLATE: The engineering strategy template by Aleix VIDEO: Aleix's Engineering Strategy Journey Talk [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Substack Week: Bridging the Gap Between Agile Teams and Leadership With Josh Anderson In this Substack Week episode, we explore the critical challenges and opportunities in the relationship between Agile teams and organizational leadership. Josh Anderson shares insights from his extensive experience in technology leadership and discusses how both sides can work together more effectively. Understanding the Business-Team Divide "We are part of the business, but many teams separate it out say, 'Oh, that's over there, that's not us.' No, that is us." One of the most common challenges in organizations is the perceived divide between "the business" and development teams. Josh emphasizes that this separation is an anti-pattern that needs to be addressed. Teams must understand how they create value for customers and how their work connects to the organization's broader mission. The key is asking fundamental questions like "Why do we exist?" and focusing on delivering real value to customers rather than just building features or fixing bugs. The Art of Communication with Leaders "You have to reach across the aisle... speak in language that they understand, and of course the other side of the aisle has to understand that you may not understand all of the financial acumen or other things that they're throwing out." Effective communication requires both sides to make an effort to understand each other. Josh highlights the importance of: Using common language that everyone understands Being willing to ask for clarification when needed Explaining technical terms and concepts clearly Focusing on business value rather than process details Understanding that it takes approximately seven repetitions for new concepts to be fully absorbed Learning from Anti-Mentors "That experimental database of things I need to try is getting actively shrunk. So I'm starting to just cross off things. Okay, don't do that, don't do that, don't do that." Josh introduces the concept of "anti-mentors" - learning valuable leadership lessons from challenging experiences with ineffective leaders. This approach helps: Build a clear understanding of what not to do Narrow down the field of potential leadership approaches Create a stronger foundation for experimentation with new methods Transform negative experiences into positive learning opportunities The Leadership Laboratory "Constantly experiment with things. But be super inclusive about those experiments that you're going to run and say, 'Hey, this is who we want to be.'" Josh emphasizes treating leadership development like product development, using experimentation and feedback loops to improve continuously. Key aspects include: Setting clear expectations about experiments and intended outcomes Including team members in the process of change Giving changes enough time to show results Being open to adjusting based on feedback Creating a safe environment for trying new approaches Recommended Resources For Further Study The book: Turn the Ship Around by David Marquet Josn's The Leadership Lighthouse Newsletter on Substack The Meta-Cast Podcast with Josh and Bob Galen And take a look at KAZI.IO - Josh's consulting business [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Substack Week: Why Product Management is Broken and How to Fix It With Anton Zaides In this SPECIAL Substack Week episode, we dive deep into the current state of product management with Anton Zaides, a seasoned software engineer and leader. Anton shares his perspectives on why product management is fundamentally broken and offers practical solutions for organizations looking to improve their product development processes. The Journey to Engineering Leadership "I started to search for content from other engineering managers and focused on practical insights." Anton's journey spans 15 years in software engineering, from game development to DevOps and scaling startups. His transition to leadership revealed a gap in practical leadership content, which inspired him to start sharing his own experiences. Drawing from his four years as an engineering leader in a startup, Anton noticed patterns in product management that needed addressing, leading to his viral article on the topic. The Broken State of Product Management "My team was working on a feature, that got canceled the day after it was released." Product management faces several critical challenges in today's technology landscape. Anton identifies key issues including the development of unused features, increasing software complexity, and misaligned incentives that discourage innovation. Through his conversations with industry professionals, he discovered these problems were widespread, with teams frequently building features that get canceled or go unused. Despite following Agile methodologies, many organizations fail to properly evaluate feature impact, leading to wasted resources and frustrated teams. Product Managers vs. Program Managers "The PM spent only 5% of his time on talking to customers." One of the core issues Anton identifies is the transformation of product managers into glorified program managers. In many organizations, product managers spend most of their time managing JIRA tickets and dependencies rather than engaging with customers and driving innovation. The pressure to deliver on predetermined roadmaps, often dictated by executive teams, leaves little room for challenging assumptions or testing ideas with minimal scope. This shift away from customer interaction and strategic thinking has reduced the product manager's role to primarily managing internal processes. Fostering Better Product Management "PM's should be like a founder for the product business." To improve product management, Anton advocates for several key changes: Offloading program management responsibilities to the team Trusting product managers to make strategic decisions Requiring specific industry knowledge and experience Encouraging face-to-face customer interactions Moving product managers closer to commercial roles Involving engineers in customer conversations Organizational Structure and Communication "The more links you have in the communication chain, the worse the information gets communicated." Anton proposes a shift towards a more functional organizational structure where Product and Engineering work together more closely. He emphasizes the importance of direct communication between technical teams and customers, warning against over-reliance on data alone. The solution involves bringing everyone closer to the business side and creating stronger networks between organizations and engineers. Practical Implementation Tips "Get engineers to visit customers." Key recommendations for improving product management include: Involving engineers in customer and sales conversations Giving engineers visibility through release messaging and communications Establishing strong collaboration between engineering leaders and product managers Ensuring product managers have deep domain expertise Creating opportunities for direct customer interaction Treating product managers as business owners rather than project managers Recommended Resources for Further Study Anton's Article that we review in this interview: “Product Management is broken, a change is coming”  John Cutle's article on Product Manager's Responsibilities  Anton's Article on how to work effectively with your Product Managers A book recommendation: Empowered by Marty Cagan An episode of Lenny's podcast with Brian Chesky [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Mateusz Komander: From Business Analyst to Product Champion, The Impact Of Vision In The PO Role Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: The Empowered Business Analyst Mateusz shares an inspiring example of a Business Analyst who embodied the ideal Product Owner traits despite not having the official title. This proxy PO took genuine ownership of the platform, demonstrated strong decision-making abilities by saying "no" to stakeholders when necessary, and actively supported the team's ideas. Their success came from maintaining a clear vision for the product while remaining open to experimentation. The Bad Product Owner: The Vision-less Decision Maker The most significant anti-pattern Mateusz observed was a Product Owner lacking a clear vision for their product. This absence of vision made decision-making challenging and complicated the PO's ability to gain support for their ideas. The team struggled with last-minute requirements and a short-term roadmap that didn't provide adequate guidance. To address this, Mateusz suggests using simple visualization tools, focusing on product goals, and maintaining a clean backlog aligned with a 6-month roadmap. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Mateusz Komander: Understanding Team Expectations - The Key to Scrum Master Success Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. For Mateusz, success as a Scrum Master starts with understanding team expectations. He emphasizes the importance of regularly asking teams "What do you expect from me as your Scrum Master?" The responses not only reveal the team's previous experiences with Scrum Masters but also indicate their maturity level and understanding of the role. By asking this question periodically, Mateusz can track the team's evolution and adapt his approach accordingly. Self-reflection Question: When was the last time you explicitly asked your team about their expectations of you as a Scrum Master, and how did their answers influence your approach? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Adapt to Your Team's Needs Mateusz learned through experience that consistently changing retrospective formats can create chaos for teams. He recommends finding a format that works well for your specific team and sticking with it. For some teams, this might be Lean Coffee, while others might benefit from simpler models like "What works well/not so well/needs improvement." The key is to experiment initially, gather feedback after each retrospective, and then settle on what works best for your team. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Mateusz Komander: Scaling with Purpose, Managing Agile Team Growth While Avoiding Conway's Law Pitfalls 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. Mateusz shares a compelling story about scaling an application development team that started small but grew rapidly. The team implemented a Flight Levels system, breaking into smaller groups of four people maximum to maintain focus and efficiency.  While this approach initially showed promising results, it eventually led to unexpected challenges as teams began forming silos around architectural layers, exemplifying Conway's Law in action. This experience highlighted the importance of carefully managing team identities and considering platform team approaches when scaling. Self-reflection Question: How can you maintain cross-functional collaboration when scaling teams while preventing natural tendencies toward technical silos? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Mateusz Komander: When Process Becomes a Prison, Breaking Free from Over-Rigid Agile Team Practices 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 with an airline scheduling tool development team, Mateusz encountered a situation where rigid processes became a self-imposed prison. Instead of adapting to challenges, the team's response to missed deadlines was to add more process layers, particularly around testing.  The daily standups became status reports rather than collaboration opportunities, with team members focused on appearing busy rather than supporting each other. Through careful intervention, Mateusz helped transform their daily meetings to focus on future collaborations and mutual support needs. Self-reflection Question: How can you identify if your team's processes are serving as protective measures or becoming barriers to effective collaboration? Featured Book of the Week: Managing for Happiness by Jurgen Appelo Mateusz recommends "Managing for Happiness" by Jurgen Appelo as an essential read for Scrum Masters. This book stands out for its practical combination of tools and real-life examples, helping create better environments for teams' daily work. Its inspirational approach makes it particularly valuable for Scrum Masters looking to introduce new practices and ideas to their teams. In this segment, we also refer to Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman.  [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Mateusz Komander: The True Purpose of Scrum, Enabling Individuals And Interactions 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 insightful episode, Mateusz shares a valuable learning experience from his early days as a Scrum Master in a biotech company. With a small team of five people, he initially believed he could improve upon existing practices by modifying the Scrum framework. However, by skipping crucial ceremonies like daily standups, planning sessions, and retrospectives, hidden team conflicts emerged.  This experience led Mateusz to a crucial realization: Scrum isn't merely about process management, but rather about facilitating meaningful connections and interactions between team members while enabling empirical management. Self-reflection Question: How might your current understanding of Scrum's purpose be limiting your effectiveness as a Scrum Master? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Chrissy Fleming: The Pressure Conduit, aka The Tornado Product Owner 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: Customer Advocate and Team Partner A great Product Owner brings customer insights directly to the team and shares access to customers, fostering deeper understanding of user needs. They maintain transparency about their knowledge limits and involve the team in both problem and solution spaces, ensuring comprehensive understanding before diving into solutions. The Bad Product Owner: The Pressure Conduit, aka The Tornado This anti-pattern emerges when Product Owners simply transmit leadership's volatility to the team, becoming mere messengers of pressure rather than true product leaders. They fall into "tornado mode," acting as order takers without questioning the "why" behind requests or protecting the team's ability to deliver value each sprint. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Chrissy Fleming: The Role of Trust and Fun in High-Performing Agile Teams 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 Chrissy, success as a Scrum Master means fostering high-performing teams that solve valuable problems. She emphasizes that while this sounds simple, it requires building trust, establishing accountability, and maintaining a commitment to continuous improvement. A key indicator of success is when teams naturally have fun together, reflecting their comfort and psychological safety. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Simple and Team-Led Chrissy advocates for simple retrospective formats that encourage team participation, particularly those led by team members rather than the Scrum Master. She recommends using tools like Easy Retro and MURAL for remote sessions, emphasizing the importance of individual reflection time before group discussion and creating a safe space by acknowledging personal mistakes. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Chrissy Fleming: From Tasks to Outcomes, An Agile Cultural Transformation Story 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. Chrissy shares her experience transforming a sales-led organization from task orientation to outcome focus. By partnering with the head of tech and implementing OKRs, they created meaningful conversations about team goals and progress. Through initiatives like Demo Days and the creation of team "houses," they successfully shifted the organizational culture while ensuring teams felt ownership of their future. Self-reflection Question: How can you create meaningful opportunities for your teams to shape their own identity and future? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Chrissy Fleming: The Impact of Unaddressed Conflict on Agile Team Health 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. Chrissy shares a compelling story about a newly formed team working on retention that struggled with toxic behavior. The presence of a hostile team member created an environment where healthy conflict became impossible, leading to either unhealthy confrontations or complete avoidance. Despite attempts to address the situation, the lack of trust prevented team members from addressing the destructive behavior, ultimately resulting in the team's dissolution. Self-reflection Question: How do you currently handle toxic behavior in your team, and what steps could you take to build the psychological safety needed for addressing conflicts openly? Featured Book of the Week: How Toddlers Thrive by Tove Klein How Toddlers Thrive by Tove Klein explores brain function and human behavior, drawing surprising parallels between toddler development and adult interactions. Chrissy recommends it for its valuable insights into emotional intelligence and human nature, reminding us that in Agile environments, we're fundamentally dealing with human beings and their emotions. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Chrissy Fleming: The Hidden Cost of Combined Scrum Master and Product Owner Roles 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, Chrissy shares a critical learning moment from her career when she attempted to juggle both Product Owner and Scrum Master roles simultaneously. This dual role led to a situation where the team began "sandbagging" their estimates due to underlying conflicts with leadership. The situation culminated when a team member completed a supposedly two-month project in just two days, destroying team credibility and ultimately leading to the team's dismissal. Self-reflection Question: How do you ensure you maintain your authentic voice as a Scrum Master while balancing multiple stakeholder needs? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Antti Horelli: Balancing Product Owner Responsibilities with Team Empowerment 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: Sharing Responsibility with the Team The great Product Owner excels by being present and actively sharing knowledge with the team. While the PO role can be overwhelming due to its responsibility to abstract complexity from the team, the best POs find ways to share responsibilities appropriately. They understand that their role goes beyond making decisions and includes enabling the team to participate in the product discovery process. The Bad Product Owner: The Absent Decision Maker In this anti-pattern, the Product Owner was only available for planning and sprint reviews due to other commitments. This limited availability severely impacted the team's ability to make progress, especially given the complex nature of software development where requirements are discovered rather than pre-defined. The absence of business knowledge during development led to delays and misunderstandings, highlighting how critical continuous PO involvement is for team success. For tips on how to help PO's be more present, check out our Sprint PO Checklist which includes tips on how to lead that conversation and a clear set of questions to go through together with your PO.  Self-reflection Question: How can you help ensure more presence and better collaboration between the Product Owner and the development team? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Antti Horelli: Achieving Productive Serenity - Sign of Scrum Master Success Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Antti describes success for Scrum Masters through the concept of "productive serenity" - a state where teams maintain high productivity while remaining calm and focused. This is characterized by frequent small discussions, excited but not stressed team members, and the ability to address challenges with serious calmness. The team operates with the mindset of "be quick, but don't hurry," demonstrating maturity in problem-solving and collaboration. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Timeline Retrospective The Timeline Retrospective format is particularly effective for longer deliveries or projects, serving as an excellent reflection tool. Antti emphasizes keeping participants active and encouraging them to share "fuzzy" observations that could be early signals for better decision-making. The format helps teams identify patterns and insights that might otherwise go unnoticed. Self-reflection Question: How can you help your team achieve a state of productive serenity? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Antti Horelli: Balancing Delivery Pressure with Agile Transformation 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. Antti shares his experience leading an agile transformation across three siloed organizations: development, QA/testing, and support. The transformation involved establishing cross-functional teams and implementing visual management through a comprehensive planning wall. Despite initial progress with joint planning days and rolling wave planning, the pressure to deliver led to reverting to traditional project management approaches. This story highlights the challenge of maintaining agile principles while under delivery pressure and the importance of focusing on reliable delivery rather than agile for agile's sake. Self-reflection Question: How do you balance the need for immediate results with long-term agile transformation goals? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Antti Horelli: The Challenge of Breaking Silos, And Building Collaborative Agile Teams Remotely 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. Antti shares a story about a team of solo workers who struggled to collaborate effectively. Despite having technical expertise, the team faced challenges in delivering value due to conflicting views on "good tech work" and communication issues. The remote working environment further complicated their interactions, ultimately leading to the team's dissolution. This experience emphasizes the importance of focusing on team cohesion and establishing clear ways of working, especially in distributed teams. Featured Book of the Week: "Lean, Resolving the efficiency paradox" Antti recommends "This is Lean: Resolving the Efficiency Paradox” by Modig et al., an approachable book for its clear explanation of flow efficiency versus resource efficiency in Scrum and Kanban. The book helped him understand the counterintuitive benefits of optimizing for one-piece flow and completing single value-delivering items, offering valuable insights for process improvement. Self-reflection Question: How can you help your team transition from individual work patterns to effective collaboration? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Antti Horelli: The Three-Day Sprint Planning Nightmare - Learning from Agile Failure 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, Antti shares a critical learning moment from his early Scrum Master days when a sprint planning session extended to three days due to poor preparation. The team discovered that backlog items were much larger and different than expected, while unexpected background decisions further complicated the planning. This experience highlighted the vital importance of proper refinement work and maintaining clear communication channels about decisions affecting the team. Self-reflection Question: How do you ensure your team has sufficient context about upcoming decisions while avoiding information overload? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ville Reijonen: Overcoming the Part-Time Product Owner Trap The Bad Product Owner: The Part-Time PO Disaster Ville describes a scenario where a company assigned a part-time Product Owner (PO) to manage software development. The PO's inconsistent availability led to poor communication and a lack of feedback loops. Ville explains how this anti-pattern can derail a project and shares tips, such as scheduling regular meetings to ensure that the PO remains actively involved in supporting the team. A strong PO presence is crucial for maintaining alignment and driving product success, and Ville discusses some possible mitigating actions we can take to make sure that even part-time PO's are available for the team. Reflection Question: How can you support a Product Owner who struggles with availability to ensure your team gets the guidance they need? The Great Product Owner: The Master Communicator In contrast, Ville shares an example of an exceptional PO who excelled at communication and collaboration. This PO consistently collected and shared feedback, held regular one-on-one meetings, and fostered a culture of transparency and understanding. Ville emphasizes that a great PO proactively builds relationships and maintains a consistent cadence of interactions to stay informed and guide the team effectively. Self-reflection Question: How can you support your PO so that they learn to communicate and engage with the team better?  [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ville Reijonen: How To Use Agile Retrospectives To Help Teams Focus On Continuous Growth For Ville, true success as a Scrum Master is achieved when the team and the PO can independently manage their development process. He shares how he tracks team progress, conducts one-on-ones to provide tailored support, and uses subtle nudges to guide the team toward autonomy. Ville emphasizes the importance of understanding where individuals are in their learning journey and helping them achieve their goals by continuously assessing and adjusting support strategies. Self-reflection Question: What steps can you take to help your team become more self-sufficient? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Spider Web Games Ville highlights the use of spider web graphs (aka radar graphs) as a way for teams to reflect on their progress in different areas. This format creates a visual representation of strengths and areas for improvement. Ville explains how role-playing and simulation games can foster team cohesion and help teams identify behaviors that can be applied to their daily work. By engaging in playful yet insightful activities, teams can foster collaboration and enhance retrospectives. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ville Reijonen: Why Organizational And Scrum Patterns Are Essential for Leading Change 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. Ville shares how patterns provide a structured approach to implementing change in organizations. During informal chats with colleagues before the pandemic, Ville would share useful patterns to build common understanding. He explains how patterns create a shared language that helps teams internalize concepts like Scrum roles and processes. Ville recommends ScrumBook.org as a resource for sharing patterns and insights with colleagues. By using patterns, Scrum Masters can foster more effective change processes and create a cohesive vision for their teams. Self-reflection Question: How do you use patterns to enhance your team's approach to change? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ville Reijonen: Overcoming Code Ownership Silos in Agile Teams Ville describes a team that had divided code ownership, where members were reluctant to share or modify each other's work. This fostered fear, mistrust, and a defensive approach to development. Ville explains how this pattern of component segregation led to silos and distrust. He outlines actionable steps for rebuilding trust, such as adopting robust testing practices, implementing an internal open-source model, and encouraging ensemble programming. By fostering a culture of shared ownership, teams can collaborate more effectively and develop higher-quality software. Self-reflection Question: How can testing and collaboration frameworks help build trust within your team? Featured Book of the Week: “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” by Peter Drucker Ville recommends Peter Drucker's Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a timeless classic that provides a comprehensive understanding of the purpose of business—creating and retaining customers. Ville shares how this book, which he encountered during a case-study-based innovation course, shaped his approach to thinking about innovation in the big picture. He emphasizes how important it is for Scrum Masters to view their work through a broader lens to support product and customer success. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ville Reijonen: Building Trust Between Teams and Product Owners During A Challenging Rewrite Project 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, Ville shares a story from a full system rewrite project where conflicts between the Product Owner (PO) and the team created significant challenges. The lack of collaboration led to a stressful big-bang release with numerous post-launch issues. Ville explains how misaligned team dynamics can derail progress and highlights the importance of involving beta users and advocating for customer-centric testing. He also shares practical tips, such as engaging antagonistic testers to uncover potential flaws early and fostering PO-team collaboration to build trust and resilience. Self-reflection Question: How can you foster a culture of collaboration between the PO and the team to avoid conflicts during critical projects? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ellen Grove: The Messenger Anti-Pattern, When Product Owners Lack Authority 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: Building Shared Understanding, The Collaborative Product Owner Pattern Ellen describes an exemplary Product Owner (PO) who actively engaged with customers, often bringing the team along to meet users. This practice fostered a shared understanding of customer needs and amplified creativity within the team. A great PO promotes collaboration and ensures that the team is aligned with the product vision, enabling innovative solutions and meaningful outcomes. The Bad Product Owner: The Messenger Anti-Pattern, When Product Owners Lack Authority A poor PO, Ellen explains, is one who lacks decision-making authority. In one case, a PO served merely as a messenger for the CEO, repeatedly deferring to higher-ups for answers. This lack of empowerment hindered team progress and frustrated the development process. Ellen underscores that Scrum Masters play a crucial role in supporting POs to ensure they can fulfill their responsibilities effectively. Self-reflection Question: How can you support Product Owners to strengthen their ability to make informed decisions? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ellen Grove: The Power of "Why", Modeling Coaching Behavior for 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. Ellen defines success for Scrum Masters as the team developing a stronger sense of agency and self-sufficiency. When teams begin asking better questions and demonstrate ownership of their processes, it indicates growth and maturity. Scrum Masters must model this behavior by being thoughtful, curious, and consistently asking "why" to encourage a coaching mindset. This approach enables teams to think critically and solve problems collaboratively. Self-reflection Question: How can you model the behavior you want to see in your team during retrospectives and beyond? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Retromat Ellen recommends using Retromat, a versatile online tool that provides a variety of retrospective formats to match the specific needs of your team. Ellen values mixing up retrospective formats to keep sessions engaging and contextually relevant. She stresses the importance of paying attention to all steps of a retrospective process, ensuring teams reflect, ideate, and act effectively. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ellen Grove: The Dual Work of Agile, Managing Projects and Change Simultaneously 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. Ellen shares her insights on managing organizational change effectively. She explains how Scrum and Lean Change Management offer tools to make the "change work" visible alongside project work. By putting infrastructure in place to support this dual focus, stakeholders and teams can gain transparency and clarity. Ellen emphasizes that lasting change requires collaboration and visibility, not isolation. Self-reflection Question: How can you make the "change work" more visible in your organization? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ellen Grove: Why Feedback Loops Are Essential for 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. Ellen shares a story about coaching a team in a public sector enterprise working on a website project. Despite their commitment to Agile, the team's disconnect from user feedback led them to build features that missed critical functionality. This stealthy anti-pattern—assuming "what should be done and why" without user input—resulted in wasted effort and budget. Ellen emphasizes the importance of direct feedback loops with real users, even for internal products. Self-reflection Question: How can you ensure your team receives continuous feedback from real users to avoid building the wrong product? Featured Book of the Week: Humble Inquiry by Edgar Schein Ellen highlights "Humble Inquiry," a transformative book that stresses the importance of relationships over tasks in solving problems. The book encourages leaders to build trust and respect through better questioning techniques. It challenges readers to rethink their interactions and adopt a stance of curiosity, fostering collaboration and understanding. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Ellen Grove: Managing Change in Complex Organizational Cultures 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. Ellen reflects on her early experiences as a Scrum Master, facing challenges in an environment that resisted the introduction of Scrum. She shares valuable lessons about handling external resistance, managing personal expectations, and avoiding emotional burnout when navigating organizational change. Ellen emphasizes the importance of focusing on what can be influenced and detaching from outcomes beyond one's control. Self-reflection Question: How do you maintain focus and resilience when dealing with resistance to Scrum in your organization? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Robert Finan: Throwing Features Over the Fence, The Disconnected PO 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: Fostering Quick Feedback Loops With Story Mapping Robert describes a great Product Owner as someone who immerses themselves in the team, fostering collaboration and ensuring quick market feedback.  By using tools like Story Mapping, these POs help teams focus on value while staying engaged and open to learning. The Bad Product Owner: Throwing Features Over the Fence, The Disconnected PO Bad Product Owners remain distant, throwing requirements “over the fence” without participating in the team's efforts. This disconnect often leads to misalignment and poor outcomes.  For Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches, Robert suggests investigating the root cause of this distance and addressing it collaboratively. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Robert Finan: Promoting Agile Team Growth Through Experiments And Small Focused Changes 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. Robert defines Scrum Master success as driving impactful team improvements through small, focused changes.  By maintaining a backlog of improvement ideas and encouraging teams to experiment, Robert highlights the importance of measurable progress in both behavior and collaboration. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Sailboat Retrospective Robert recommends the Sailboat format, especially when working with new teams. By exploring current realities, future goals, and risks, this format provides rich insights and fosters alignment. The focus on improvement ensures actionable outcomes that resonate with team members. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Robert Finan: Flexible Change Processes, How To Adopt Agile With An Agile Approach 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. Robert discusses how top-down, project managed Agile transformations often fail to account for the complexity of change. By focusing on flexibility, inspect/adapt cycles, and bringing comfort to the change process, Scrum Masters can guide organizations away from one-size-fits-all solutions and toward the sustainable improvement that is the hallmark of Agile. Self-reflection Question: How can you bring comfort to the change process in your organization? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Robert Finan: Why Agile Teams Need the Right Support, And How We Can Help Them 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. Robert shares a story about what happens when teams lack management support and the right environment to succeed. He emphasizes the importance of 1-on-1 conversations, addressing individual resistance, and focusing on what can be changed. Slowly building the right environment for our teams - Robert explains how - is how we help them succeed! Featured Book of the Week: Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny et al. Robert recommends Crucial Conversations, which offers practical tools for handling high-stakes conversations in both personal and professional contexts. As facilitators, Scrum Masters can use this book to address situations where team members feel threatened, fostering better communication and collaboration. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Robert Finan: The Challenges of Trying Too Hard in 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. Robert shares his experience of burning out after just four months in a challenging Agile transformation. He reflects on the mistake of trying to push his vision without meeting the organization where it was. By facing embedded structures and resistance, Robert learned the value of pragmatism, experimentation, and nudging change instead of forcing it. Self-reflection Question: Have you ever faced resistance when introducing change? How can you adjust your approach to meet people where they are? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

The Grand Arcanist Expo is proving far more difficult to navigate than our band of heroes expected. Will Hecatae get thei answers? Will Bilwop figure out how Happy fits into this? Will Angela find the love that eluded her? And will Duncan.... survive? The Empress approaches…Starring:Jasper William Cartwright as Duncan Dullahan (he/him)Dhampir Tabaxi Pugelist - Hand Of DreadCandace the Magnificent as Hecatae 'Heck' Hopewell (they/she)Shadar Kai Elf Shadow Sorcerer Jonathan Charles as Officer Bilwop Wunkle (he/him)Forest Gnome Swarmkeeper RangerOlivia 'Liv' Kennedy as Angela Crawford (she/her)Human armorer artificerJeremy Cobb as your not-so-neighbourhood Dungeon MasterFeaturing special guest Sea Thomas as LitanySponsored by Heroforge Minis - visit www.heroforge.com and give the gift of a customised miniature this holiday season! Build your mini your way, or grab a gift card for someone special - like your DM! (Jeremy may or may not have written this part of the ad)Series art by Kyle Crompton and Val BabayantsPost-production by Daniel RamosProduced by 12 Sided StudiosAND EVEN MORE BIG NEWS3 Black Halflings has partnered with Roll and Play Press to bring you...City of the Black Rose: A Dark Metropolis Campaign SettingThat's right! Our very first official campaign setting module, set in non-other than Mavros! And it's launching soon on Kickstarter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Head on over to the pre-launch page now to be the first to be notified when it launches early in 2025.Follow the halflings! Jasper William Cartwright: @JW_Cartwright, Jeremy Cobb: @JeremyCobb1 Liv Kennedy: @doesdarkmagicFind all of our links here: https://linktr.ee/tbhalflings You can now buy merchandise here! as featured on Critical RoleConnect with us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @3blackhalflings, on our Discord, or emailSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Karthiga Seturaj: The Isolated Product Owner, Lacking Collaboration and Engagement 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: Dealing With Uncertainty and Growing Team Trust Karthiga shares the characteristics of an exemplary Product Owner, emphasizing their ability to navigate ambiguity and support their teams during challenging moments. Great Product Owners demonstrate strong leadership, foster team relationships, and celebrate successes, contributing to a positive and collaborative environment. The Bad Product Owner: The Isolated PO, Lacking Collaboration and Engagement Karthiga discusses anti-patterns in Product Ownership, including the absence of strong relationships with developers and testers. A “bad” PO often fails to collaborate effectively within the “three amigos” framework or acts solely as a task scribe. These behaviors hinder refinement and the overall development process, emphasizing the need for active, communicative Product Owners. Self-reflection Question: How does your Product Owner foster collaboration with developers and testers? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Karthiga Seturaj: Building Habits for Continuous Improvement With The Help Of Agile Retrospectives 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. Karthiga's success definition is similar to what we've heard before:  helping teams achieve independence and self-sufficiency. To illustrate that point, she describes an experience where a team's decision to run retrospectives independently was both surprising and fulfilling, marking a key moment of maturity. This shift allowed her to focus on more strategic initiatives and support the team's continued growth. Self-reflection Question: Does your team take proactive steps to improve their work processes without prompting? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: DAKI (Drop, Add, Keep, Iterate) Karthiga highlights the DAKI retrospective format as a simple yet effective way to foster team reflection. By encouraging teams to categorize feedback into what to drop, add, keep, and iterate, this approach helps Scrum Masters facilitate actionable discussions. She suggests using tools like a retro postbox on a shared whiteboard to make capturing daily ideas a habit. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]