Mastering Agility

SummaryIn this episode, David shares his experience of writing his book 'Untrapping Product Teams' and discusses the challenges and traps that product teams often face. He talks about the importance of resilience and a growth mindset for product managers. David emphasizes the need for a balance between discovery and delivery, stating that discovery is not an excuse to not deliver anything. He also highlights the value of evidence-based decision making and the importance of focusing on building the present and the future simultaneously. In this conversation, David shares his thoughts on writing more books and explores the challenges of being a product manager. He discusses the importance of creating a space where product teams can thrive and the need for unconventional product management. David also emphasizes the value of experimentation and creating an environment where product owners can experiment. He highlights the significance of building relationships with stakeholders and the importance of aligning with them rather than managing them. The key takeaway is that no matter where you are, you can drive change and take action for a better tomorrow.TakeawaysResilience and a growth mindset are crucial traits for product managers.Discovery is not an excuse to not deliver anything; it should be balanced with delivery.Product teams should focus on learning faster than it takes to deliver.Building the present and the future simultaneously is essential for success.Evidence-based decision making is key to effective product management. Writing more books and creating additional content based on the bookCreating a space where product teams can thriveThe importance of experimentation and creating an environment for product owners to experimentBuilding relationships with stakeholders and aligning with themTaking action and driving change for a better tomorrowCheck out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this conversation, the Sander Dur and Jose Casal discuss finding happiness in everyday life and the importance of incremental achievements. They also explore the role of leaders as organizational gardeners and the need to create environments for people to thrive. The definition of business agility is examined, along with the future of Agile and business agility. Jose shares insights on the evolution of work and hierarchy, the need for better incentives, and the surprises of change and transformation. Sander and Jose discuss the future of large organizations and the concept of a federation of micro businesses. The conversation concludes with a focus on dynamic team formation and the importance of cleaning up legacy products and services.Check out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryIn this conversation, Anthony shares his insights on happiness and its impact on individuals and teams. He discusses the challenges he faced in his life and how he overcame them to find happiness. Anthony emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, empathy, and a positive mindset in fostering happiness. He also introduces the concept of the happiness blueprint, which includes elements like inspiration, mindset, power, alliance, care, and transformation. Anthony highlights the need for organizations to prioritize happiness in the workforce and shares the success story of a high-performing team. He concludes by offering advice on improving daily scrum or stand-up meetings.TakeawaysSelf-reflection and self-awareness are key to finding and maintaining happiness.Empathy and kindness towards oneself and others contribute to happiness.The happiness blueprint includes inspiration, mindset, power, alliance, care, and transformation.Happiness positively impacts individuals, teams, and organizations, leading to higher engagement and performance.Chapters00:00Introduction and Tough Crowd01:23Discovering the Importance of Happiness03:28The Impact of Challenging Experiences on Happiness04:56Overcoming Challenges and Making a Change06:22The Impact of Challenging Experiences on Family07:49Feeling Lucky and Grateful09:13The Influence of Upbringing on Happiness10:09The Meaning of Happiness10:58Inspiration from Others11:55The Happiness Blueprint13:24The Dangers of Toxic Positivity14:22Dealing with Bad Days15:21Resources for Practicing Happiness21:56Accepting and Embracing Yourself23:25Dealing with Turmoil and Anger25:56Developing Emotional Intelligence27:04Empathy vs Sympathy28:17The Importance of Self-Change29:42The Search for Dopamine Hits30:26The Impact of Happiness on the Workforce34:18The Resistance to Happiness in Organizations37:41Success Story of a High-Performing Team40:36Improving Daily Scrum or Stand-Up42:04Question for the Next GuestCheck out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryIn this conversation, Jim, Sander, and their guest Yuval discuss various topics including SAFE, lean portfolio management, and OKRs. They explore the misconceptions and polarizing nature of SAFE, the difference between a traditional PMO and a lean portfolio, and the challenges of managing different ways of working within a global organization. They also delve into the concept of OKRs, the importance of setting realistic goals, and the potential pitfalls of tying incentives to OKRs. The conversation concludes with a discussion on metrics and the value of thinking in bets.TakeawaysSAFe is often misunderstood and polarizing, but it has valuable ideas and good information on its website.Lean portfolio management focuses on managing different types of work within an organization's portfolio and measuring different things for different investments.OKRs should be specific and motivating, but too many goals can be confusing and demotivating.Tying incentives to OKRs can lead to unintended consequences and the wrong behavior.Metrics such as lead time, cycle time, and customer satisfaction are important for measuring progress and making data-driven decisions.Thinking in bets and adopting a VC mindset can help make better decisions and navigate uncertainty in business.Check out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryIn this conversation, Sander Dur and Agavni Jessaijan discuss her diverse creative skills and her journey to self-employment. They explore the importance of communication and the belief that everything is possible. Agavni shares her experiences as an entrepreneur and the challenges she faced during the pandemic. They also discuss her participation in a special forces TV show and the lessons she learned from it. The conversation highlights the importance of autonomy, mastery, and purpose in motivation and the need for trust and teamwork. Agavni reflects on her experience on the TV show 'Kamp van Koningsbrugge' and how it taught her the importance of speaking her truth and staying true to her core. She discusses her physical and mental challenges during the show and how they helped her overcome her insecurities. Agavni emphasizes the need for compassionate communication and the integration of the head, heart, and gut brains in personal leadership. She also talks about her upcoming book, 'No Matter What,' which shares her personal journey and offers insights and wise questions for personal growth and development.TakeawaysDiverse skills and experiences can lead to personal and professional growth.Effective communication is essential for success, both personally and within organizations.Believing that everything is possible can lead to innovation and problem-solving.Entrepreneurship requires risk-taking and the ability to adapt to challenges.Motivation is driven by autonomy, mastery, and purpose.Trust and teamwork are crucial for achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. Speaking your truth and staying true to your core is essential in personal leadership.Physical and mental challenges can help you overcome insecurities and develop resilience.Compassionate communication and integrating the head, heart, and gut brains are key in personal leadership.Asking wise questions can lead to personal growth and development.Check out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryIn this conversation, Fred reflects on his experience speaking at Scan Agile and shares his biggest lesson learned. He also discusses the Agile Coaching Growth Wheel and the need for unifying standards in the agile coaching profession. The conversation explores the difference between agile coaches and scrum masters and the importance of theory and practical experience. Fred emphasizes the value of diversity in agile teams and shares insights on articulating the value of agile coaches. Check out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryDenise discusses the concept of product operations and its role in helping product managers make faster and better quality decisions. Product operations involves providing PMs with the necessary inputs and support to set strategy, prioritize, create roadmaps, and collaborate effectively with stakeholders. It differs from traditional agile approaches by focusing on the system around teams rather than just the teams themselves. Denise also highlights the importance of defining the product and understanding the problem to be solved. She emphasizes the need for buy-in from leadership and the importance of clear communication and stakeholder management in implementing product operations. In this part of the conversation, Denise discusses the challenges of stakeholder discussions and balancing strategic decisions with short-term opportunities. She also talks about the relationship between strategy and incentives in a product organization. The conversation then shifts to the topic of Denise's book on product operations and why she decided to write it. She emphasizes the importance of understanding what product operations is and how it can be implemented in different areas of a company. The chapter ends with a discussion on scaling challenges and the role of go-to-market alignment and data in product operations. In this conversation, Yuval and Jim discuss various topics related to agile portfolio management and OKRs. They explore the challenges and benefits of implementing agile practices in traditional project management offices (PMOs) and the importance of aligning goals and strategies at different levels of the organization. They also delve into the use of OKRs as a tool for setting and measuring goals, emphasizing the need for outcome-oriented goals and collaboration in their development. Throughout the conversation, they highlight the importance of continuous improvement and adaptability in managing portfolios and achieving organizational success.TakeawaysProduct operations helps PMs make faster and better quality decisions by providing the necessary inputs and support.Product operations focuses on the system around teams, rather than just the teams themselves, setting it apart from traditional agile approaches.Defining the product and understanding the problem to be solved are crucial for effective product operations.Buy-in from leadership is essential for implementing product operations.Clear communication and stakeholder management are key to successful product operations. Balancing stakeholder discussions and strategic decisions can be challenging, especially when short-term opportunities arise.The relationship between strategy and incentives in a product organization is complex and can lead to conflicting goals.Product operations is a key function in a company and understanding its role and potential is crucial.Implementing product operations requires considering areas of deficit and opportunity within the organization.Denise's book on product operations provides actionable tips and real-life experiences to help companies navigate these challenges. Agile practices can be challenging to implement in traditional PMOs, but they offer benefits such as increased alignment and adaptability.OKRs are a useful tool for setting and measuring goals, but they should be outcome-oriented and developed collaboratively with the people doing the work.Continuous improvement and adaptability are key to managing portfolios effectively and achieving organizational success.Experimentation and learning are crucial for driving innovation and differentiation in portfolio management.Check out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryThe conversation explores the overuse of the phrase 'it depends' and the importance of providing context and honesty in responses. The speakers discuss the value of understanding the starting point and the direction one is moving in. They also emphasize the need to optimize for value rather than efficiency and consider the broader impacts and trade-offs of decisions. The role of fun in retrospectives is highlighted, as well as the importance of finding a sustainable pace and taking care of administrative tasks. The conversation concludes with the question of the biggest learning for the year.TakeawaysAvoid overusing the phrase 'it depends' and provide context and honesty in responses.Understand the starting point and the direction one is moving in.Optimize for value rather than efficiency and consider the broader impacts and trade-offs of decisions.Incorporate fun into retrospectives to keep participants engaged and improve the quality of actions.Find a sustainable pace and take care of administrative tasks to avoid burnout.Continuously learn and adapt to improve and grow.Check out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryEvelien Hölsken, founder of the Free A GIrl Foundation, discusses her work to end sexual exploitation of children. She shares her journey from a commercial background to the nonprofit sector and explains how she was inspired to start her own foundation. Evelien discusses the challenges of fundraising and the need for transparency in the nonprofit sector. She also highlights the importance of education and prevention in combating child exploitation. Evelien shares heartbreaking stories of children trapped in the sex trade and the impact her foundation has had in rescuing and rehabilitating survivors. She emphasizes the need for continued efforts to bring justice to perpetrators and support survivors.Want to donate or contribute? Check out the website:https://www.freeagirl.us/Keywordssexual exploitation, children, nonprofit sector, fundraising, transparency, education, prevention, rescue, rehabilitation, justiceTakeawaysThe Free A Girl Foundation works to end thesexual exploitation of children and has rescued almost 8,000 children so far.The foundation focuses on both rescue and rehabilitation, as well as prevention and raising awareness.There are challenges in fundraising, but transparency and personal connections with donors can help.The justice system needs improvement to ensure perpetrators are convicted and survivors feel safe to report cases.Education and prevention are crucial in combating child exploitation, and the foundation runs programs to empower survivors and educate communities.The foundation aims to continue its work until there is no more sexual exploitation of children.TitlesEmpowering Survivors: Education and AwarenessChallenges and Triumphs: Fundraising for a NonprofitCheck out our sponsor:www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.comwww.wiserbees.comwww.masteringagility.orgSound Bites"The direct impact, the outputs, the results are the rescue of almost 8,000 children.""There's lots of impunity. So perpetrators are arrested, they are hardly convicted.""We educate survivors to become lawyers themselves, or judges, or prosecutors or other kind of professions that have to do with human rights."Chapters00:00Introduction and Background08:04Rescue and Impact21:32Empowering Survivors25:26Fundraising and Awareness33:37Call to ActionHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryIn this conversation, Joe Krebs joins us at the ScanAgile24 conference in Helsinki. He discusses the concept of Agile Kata and its role in continuous improvement. He shares his passion for this topic and how it originated from his experience with agile transformations. Joe emphasizes the importance of challenging existing processes and habits to drive meaningful change. He also highlights the need for a continuous improvement mindset and the challenges organizations face in embracing it. Joe shares success stories of organizations applying Kata and the potential benefits it brings. He concludes by discussing the importance of building the Agile Kata community and the slow progress in doing so.TakeawaysAgile Kata is a pattern for continuous improvement that can enhance the world of Agile.Agile transformations should not be treated as projects with an end date but as ongoing journeys of improvement.Kata introduces scientific thinking and challenges existing habits and processes.The biggest challenge in embracing continuous learning and improvement is breaking through existing habits and routines.Chapters00:00Introduction and Background02:24The Importance of Continuous Improvement04:17The Misconception of Agile Transformation05:14Evolution of the Talk on Agile Kata06:12The Challenge of Embracing Continuous Learning07:40Challenges in Challenging Existing Processes09:07The Time Investment for Creating New Habits10:08Using Kata to Improve Business Situations11:36Success Stories of Applying Kata13:31Applying Kata in Lean Manufacturing Environments14:55The Challenge of Having a Continuous Improvement Mindset15:23The Danger of Zombie Scrum20:35Challenging the Sprint-Based Approach24:21Applying Kata in Simple Product Spaces25:20The Slow Progress of Building the Agile Kata Community27:35Question for the Next GuestHosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.