SPaMCAST 431- Andrew Neitlich, Leadership is Core a Requirement

The Software Process and Measurement Cast 431 features our interview with  Andrew Neitlich on leadership.  We discussed whether leadership can be learned and if tech leadership is different than other kinds of leadership.  Leadership is a core requirement for making all teams, Agile or not, effective! Andrew’s bio: Andrew Neitlich is the founder and director of the Center for Executive Coaching (), a leader in training and certifying executive and leadership coaches. He also leads his own executive coaching practice, with an emphasis on working technical leaders that sometimes get frustrated with engaging their teams and having more impact when they communicate. Andrew is the author of Coach!, Elegant Leadership, and Guerrilla Marketing for a Bulletproof Career. He received his MBA from Harvard Business School, and lives in Sarasota, Florida. Re-Read Saturday News This week we tackle Chapter 4 in Carol Dweck’s : The New Psychology of Success (buy your copy and read along).  In Chapter 4, Dweck hits a home run by reflecting on how mindsets translate into action in the sports arena (thus the sports allusions).  Sports stories are one the most used metaphors in a business environment.  I bet that you can’t you to go to two meetings in any corporate environment without hearing a project likened to the exploits of sports teams or athletes. This an easy metaphor theme because most everyone has been exposed to some form of sports or at least a story about sports before they take a job. In Chapter 4, Dr. Dweck, scores (I can't help myself) by using the exploits of athletes and sports teams to further illustrate the differences and impact mindsets deliver. Every week we discuss a chapter then consider the implications of what we have “read” from the point of view of someone pursuing an organizational transformation and also how to use the material when coaching teams.   Remember to buy a copy of Carol Dweck’s and read along! Visit the to participate in this and previous re-reads. Feedback on SPaMCAST 428 with Mark Bojeun.  Dan  Stafford wrote to Mark and said, “ Great talk Mark, insightful as ever.  Open and honest communication is such an important tenet.”   () Do you have thoughts and comments you would like to share?  Email us at Next SPaMCAST In the Software Process and Measurement Cast, we will feature an essay on the impact of leadership types on adopting and sustaining Agile.  Leadership style has a direct impact on an organization’s ability to adopt and sustain Agile.  Some leadership styles are more supportive and others evoke more of a  response that is epitomized by locking feral cats and dogs in a room (nobody wins). We will also have columns from Jeremy Berriault, who brings his QA Corner to the cast.  Visit Jeremy's new blog at  Next, we will have a column from The Software Sensei, Kim Pries. Reach out to Kim on . Last, but not least, Jon M Quigley brings his column, the Alpha and Omega of Product Development, to the cast.  One of the places you can find Jon is at . Shameless Ad for my book! co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: “This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, for you or your team.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book nglish and Chinese.