In episode 19 of the Leading Complexity Podcast, hosts Tomas Björkholm and Michael Göthe engage in an insightful conversation with Mary Poppendieck, co-author of four influential books on Lean software development. Mary shares her wisdom on how leaders can navigate complexity, describing it as a “silent killer” that clogs the flow of business like cholesterol.

The discussion delves into identifying and eliminating “bad complexity,” which customers won’t pay for, while leveraging “good complexity” to create differentiation. Mary highlights practical strategies for managing excessive demand, including focusing on customer outcomes, creating a steady flow of work, and avoiding multitasking by doing one thing at a time.

#19 - Interview with Mary Poppendieck