Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

Ari-Pekka Skarp is an Agile Coach, Psychotherapist, and Organizational Psychologist with over 20 years of experience. He discusses the shift from traditional authoritative leadership to a more collaborative, therapeutic approach, emphasizing empathy and emotional intelligence. Ari-Pekka highlights how Agile frameworks have transformed hierarchies into more shared, team-oriented structures. He also explores the importance of mental health in leadership and creating people-centric environments to enhance personal growth and organizational effectiveness.

Chrissy Fleming, an Associate Principal in Business Agility with Turnberry Solutions, coaches businesses on product management. She discusses the critical difference between effective and ineffective product ownership. A great Product Owner advocates for customer needs and fosters team collaboration. In contrast, the 'Tornado Product Owner' merely transmits pressure from leadership, hindering the team's ability to deliver value. The conversation emphasizes the need for clear communication and understanding the 'why' behind stakeholder demands.

Chrissy Fleming, an Associate Principal in Business Agility at Turnberry Solutions, dives into the essentials of building high-performing Agile teams. She discusses the vital roles of trust and fun, asserting that when teams enjoy working together, psychological safety flourishes. Fleming emphasizes simple and engaging retrospective formats, advocating for team-led discussions to promote collaboration. Additionally, she highlights how playful competition can enhance accountability and decision-making, boosting overall team dynamics.

Chrissy Fleming, an Associate Principal in Business Agility with Turnberry Solutions, shares her journey of transforming a sales-oriented team into an outcome-focused powerhouse. She highlights the importance of partnering with tech leaders and utilizing OKRs to spark meaningful conversations about goals. With initiatives like Demo Days and team 'houses,' Chrissy discusses how to cultivate ownership and pride within teams. She also emphasizes the role of a supportive culture in enhancing collaboration and motivation, creating a vibrant workplace.

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] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Chrissy Fleming  Chrissy came to Scrum-Mastering via Product Management and a deep love of seeing teams work together. She spent 15 years in the New York tech scene and is currently an Associate Principal in Business Agility with Turnberry Solutions. She also has her own company where she coaches and helps businesses and technologists with their development. You can link with Chrissy Fleming on LinkedIn.

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] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Chrissy Fleming  Chrissy came to Scrum-Mastering via Product Management and a deep love of seeing teams work together. She spent 15 years in the New York tech scene and is currently an Associate Principal in Business Agility with Turnberry Solutions. She also has her own company where she coaches and helps businesses and technologists with their development. You can link with Chrissy Fleming on LinkedIn.

Antti Horelli, an experienced Agile Coach from Finland, discusses the crucial balance between Product Owner responsibilities and team empowerment. He highlights the importance of continuous PO involvement to avoid the pitfalls of absentee decision-making. Antti explains how great Product Owners share knowledge actively, fostering collaboration during product discovery. He also addresses Agile fatigue caused by rigid frameworks and emphasizes real-life experiences as solutions to rejuvenate Agile practices.

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] 🔥In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching!🔥 Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people. 🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue. Buy Now on Amazon [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Antti Horelli  Antti is an experienced Agile Coach from Finland, dedicated to empowering teams. With a systems-oriented, empathetic approach, he fosters collaboration and effective communication. With decades in IT, Antti transitioned from technical roles to methodology, where he passionately helps people and teams reach their full potential. You can link with Antti Horelli on LinkedIn. 

Antti Horelli, an experienced Agile Coach from Finland, shares insights on leading an agile transformation across siloed organizations. He discusses the challenge of balancing delivery pressure with maintaining agile principles, often leading back to traditional project management. Antti highlights the importance of establishing cross-functional teams and visual management while addressing the pitfalls of Agile fatigue and employee burnout. His experiences underscore the need for patience and adaptability in the journey towards genuine Agile implementation.

Antti Horelli, an Agile Coach from Finland, discusses the critical challenge of breaking down silos in remote teams. He shares a compelling story about a tech team that, despite being skilled, faced disintegration due to poor communication and conflicting views on what constitutes effective work. Antti emphasizes the importance of team cohesion and establishing clear communication strategies. He also highlights insights on flow efficiency versus resource efficiency from the book 'This is Lean,' underlining the value of optimizing processes for better collaboration.