Agile and Project Management - DrunkenPM Radio

In this podcast, PebblePost’s VP of Marketing, Celeste Giampetro, talked with Dave about the importance of defining a good mission statement, why Marketing needs more generalists than specialists now, how to develop cross-functional teams, and leading with vulnerability. During the conversation, they also spent time discussing different leadership techniques that will help you get the most out of your team. SHOW NOTES 00:08 Podcast TLDR 01:44 Podcast Begins 02:11 Some background on Pebble Post and Celeste’s role there 03:31 Is having a mission statement or vision statement important? 04:03 What problem is Pebble Post solving and how are they solving it? 09:43 Why marketers need to focus on being more generalized than specialized. 11:49 When are you done being a startup? 12:58 How we ended up with so much specialization in the first place 13:48 How do you determine if your generalist actually has the focused skills you need. 15:09 How to find people who want to grow and then to mentor them 16:03 Leading with vulnerability and transparency 18:10 What value does a manager get from leading with vulnerability 19:42 An example of how leading with vulnerability and transparency backfired 20:31 The benefits of giving up the control and power; and how it can have a very positive impact on the organization 22:00 Making sure everyone knows the Mission and Vision Statement 22:18 Introducing cross-functionality into your team 24:08 Do Gen X and Millennials approach collaboration and cross-functionality differently? 25:18 What is the key to motivating people? “Can you extract from them their best work?” 27:07 The importance of learning about the people on your team before you start trying to direct their behavior. 28:07 On Managing people - “It’s al about relationship building” 28:55 Agile at PebblePost 30:32 Getting in touch with Celeste CONTACTING CELESTE Twitter https://twitter.com/stinapessa LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/celestegiampetro/ Pebble Post http://pebblepost.com CELESTE’S ARTICLE Step Aside, Specialist: Return Of The Marketing Generalist https://blog.pebblepost.com/dont-call-it-a-comeback-the-very-high-value-of-being-a-marketing-generalist

Laura Powers is has a LOT going on. She’s got a new role as Co-CEO of RADTAC US, she got classes coming up AND she has sessions set for Agile 2017 and the Scrum Gathering in Dublin. In this podcast I had the chance to catch up with Laura, hear about all she has going on, and we got to dig into the sessions she’ll be presenting at Agile 2017 and the Scrum Gathering in Dublin. SHOW NOTES 00:10 Interview Begins 01:03 Laura explains her new gig at Radtac US 02:15 Laura’s experience London following the recent attacks 02:56 Laura and Kim Brainard are giving some Training From the Back of the Room classes 05:03 Laura’s participation in the Women in Agile Event at Agile 2017 07:24 Laura’s talks at Agile 2017 07:48 What about The Power of Play? 14:12 The Difference between Culture and Climate 18:02 Laura’s upcoming session at the Scrum Gathering in Dublin and Say Yes to No! 19:50 Improv, the “Yes, and” culture and the Power of No 25:25 Saying YES! to more things than you can possibly do and how to fix that 27:58 Laura’s advice for newcomers attending Agile 2017 31:34 Getting in touch with Laura CONTACTING LAURA Radtac https://www.radtac.co.uk/about-us/page/3/ Twitter https://twitter.com/laurapowers Links from the Podcast - Radtac http://Radtac.com - Training from the BACK of the Room (Upcoming Class) w/ Kim Brainard Thursday, August 3, Orlando, FL https://www.eventbrite.com/e/training-from-the-back-of-the-room-tbr-1-day-graphic-facilitation-tickets-31829812827 LAURA’s PODCASTS Agile Games http://agilegamespodcast.com NLP Your Agile - Link will be updated soon Upcoming Events: Women in Agile at Agile 2017 Date:Sunday, August 6, 2017 Time: 1-5 PM Location: Orlando, FL - Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel (Agile2017) https://www.agilealliance.org/women-in-agile-2017/ Laura’s Sessions at Agile 2017 The Power of Play - Coaching Teams to Play at Work Wednesday, August 9, 10:45 AM http://sched.co/ATXu It’s Not Just About Culture: Co-creating an Awesome Agile Climate in an Imperfect World Thursday, August 10, 10:45 AM http://sched.co/ATWv Laura’s Session at Scrum Gathering Dublin Say "Yes" to "No": The Power of the "No" in Agile Tuesday, October 31, 11:00 AM https://www.scrumalliance.org/sgdub

If you are involved with Agile, the biggest event of the year is the conference hosted each summer by the Agile Alliance. Agile 2017 (https://www.agilealliance.org/agile2017/) kicks off on Sunday, August 6, 2017 and that means 2,500 Agilists will be descending on Orlando ready to pick up new techniques, share what they’ve learned and catch up with thought leaders and practitioners in the Agile space. The conference is MASSIVE and it would not be possible without the Purple Shirt People who volunteer at the conference. In exchange for getting to attend the conference, the folks in the purple shirts are the ones who can help you navigate the week. Whether you are a first timer wondering where to go, or a seasoned veteran giving a talk, we all depend on the generosity of the folks who give their time to help make the conference happen. In this podcast, Becky Hartman and Sarah Klarich share some details about volunteering at the conference, how it works, what you get in exchange for giving your time and how you can get more involved. If you are new to the conference, Becky and Sarah also share some tips on how to make it through the week and what to not miss. SHOW NOTES 00:10 Podcast Begins 00:47 Background on Sarah and Becky 01:33 Getting involved with volunteering at the Agile Conference 02:58 How many people will be expected at Agile 2017 03:30 How many people are part of the Volunteer Team at Agile 2017 03:52 The time commitment and getting to see sessions at Agile 2017 05:13 The type of work the Purple Shirts are expected to do a the Agile Conference 06:19 The benefits of volunteering at the Agile Conference 10:18 Advice from Becky and Sarah on how to get the most out your week in Orlando 13:15 Tips for volunteers who are extroverts (like Becky) 14:05 Watch the Grandma comments! 14:18 Advice for introverts (like Sarah) 15:05 Get ready for Agile Therapy and some other new events at Agile 2017! 16:36 Dealing with FOMO at Agile 2017 (You can’t see it all - take care of yourself!) 17:40 Finding your conference wingperson 19:44 Sarah and Becky’s must see events at Agile 2017 21:36 How to get on the Agile 2017 Volunteer Wait List (or submit your name for next year)

In each of my CSM and CSPO classes someone asks “Should I still get PMP?” In this podcast I got the chance to check in with Jesse Fewell on the value of certification. Jesse and I have been friends since 2008 when we both started working on trying to find ways to get PMI to pay attention to Agile. We both come from a traditional background, have been heavily involved with PMI and now make a living teaching Scrum certification classes. Jesse and I debate the answer to the PMP certification question and along the way, discuss our differing views on the value of PMI-ACP, CSM and CSPO certifications. These are things we don’t always see eye to eye on, so regardless of your viewpoint, there is sure to be something in here to help you see things from a different perspective. We also have a brief conversation about what do to about PMO’s in Agile organizations. Note: You may hear some odd background noise. This time it isn't me slurping coffee … #blamethefidgittoys Show Notes 00:08 Podcast Starts 00:34 An update on Jesse’s recent and upcoming Agile PMO sessions, VirtuallyAgile.com and his Certified Agile Leadership Training classes 07:53 Does PMP Certification still matter? And if you are working in Agile, do you still need it? 09:57 If you are a traditional PM, are you in danger of becoming unemployable if you do not have agile? 11:50 Can a traditional PM avoid the trap of thinking they “get” Agile before they actually do? 14:26 Jesse’s involvement with PMI-ACP, it’s evolution and current relevance 16:20 What can you expect of someone who has PMP or PMI-ACP Certification? 18:10 PMI and Agile Alliance collaboration and what we can expect to see from it 20:10 PMI is working with the Agile Alliance… “It’s like the X-Men and the Justice League tried to plan something together” 21:10 “Everyone has the same mission - improve outcomes and people doing their job well” 21:43 It’s not a “standard”, it’s a “guide” 22:07 How much Agile will be in the new (6th) edition of the PMBOK? 23:00 For the skeptics… there is good on both sides of PMI and the Agile Alliance working together 24:30 Understanding the distinction between the work done by PMI and the Agile Alliance (stabilize and align vs. disrupt) 26:42 Will there be a new Agile certification coming from PMI? 29:26 If you know a PMP trying to decide between taking a CSM or a PMI-ACP course and they need advice on what to take 32:42 Dave and Jesse debate whether getting PMP is still valuable for a CSM or CSPO 36:17 “Most Agile people are punching above their weight…” 39:18 What do we do about the PMO if our organization is adopting Agile? 44:22 Want more Jesse? Here is how to get it…. 45:02 Interview Ends Links Referenced in the Podcast The Hybrid PMO (part of Seminars World) http://bit.ly/2tbOvM5 Solving the PMO Paradox (at Agile 2017) http://bit.ly/2sJ8wJj Certifications and Agile Organizations Mentioned in the Podcast PMP Certification http://bit.ly/29NtawC PMI-ACP Certification https://www.pmi.org/certifications/types/agile-acp CSM Certification http://bit.ly/ZtotC1 CSPO Certification http://bit.ly/1HeXnC5 Certified Agile Leadership Certification https://www.scrumalliance.org/agile-leadership Agile Alliance: https://www.agilealliance.org Scrum Alliance: https://www.scrumalliance.org PMI: https://www.pmi.org/ IC Agile: https://icagile.com Contacting Jesse Website: http://www.jessefewell.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessefewell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessefewell/ Contacting Dave Website: https://drunkenpm.net Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrsungo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrsungo/

In each of my CSM and CSPO classes someone asks “Should I still get PMP?” In this podcast I got the chance to check in with Jesse Fewell on the value of certification. Jesse and I have been friends since 2008 when we both started working on trying to find ways to get PMI to pay attention to Agile. We both come from a traditional background, have been heavily involved with PMI and now make a living teaching Scrum certification classes. Jesse and I debate the answer to the PMP certification question and along the way, discuss our differing views on the value of PMI-ACP, CSM and CSPO certifications. These are things we don’t always see eye to eye on, so regardless of your viewpoint, there is sure to be something in here to help you see things from a different perspective. We also have a brief conversation about what do to about PMO’s in Agile organizations. Note: You may hear some odd background noise. This time it isn't me slurping coffee … #blamethefidgittoys Show Notes 00:08 Podcast Starts 00:34 An update on Jesse’s recent and upcoming Agile PMO sessions, VirtuallyAgile.com and his Certified Agile Leadership Training classes 07:53 Does PMP Certification still matter? And if you are working in Agile, do you still need it? 09:57 If you are a traditional PM, are you in danger of becoming unemployable if you do not have agile? 11:50 Can a traditional PM avoid the trap of thinking they “get” Agile before they actually do? 14:26 Jesse’s involvement with PMI-ACP, it’s evolution and current relevance 16:20 What can you expect of someone who has PMP or PMI-ACP Certification? 18:10 PMI and Agile Alliance collaboration and what we can expect to see from it 20:10 PMI is working with the Agile Alliance… “It’s like the X-Men and the Justice League tried to plan something together” 21:10 “Everyone has the same mission - improve outcomes and people doing their job well” 21:43 It’s not a “standard”, it’s a “guide” 22:07 How much Agile will be in the new (6th) edition of the PMBOK? 23:00 For the skeptics… there is good on both sides of PMI and the Agile Alliance working together 24:30 Understanding the distinction between the work done by PMI and the Agile Alliance (stabilize and align vs. disrupt) 26:42 Will there be a new Agile certification coming from PMI? 29:26 If you know a PMP trying to decide between taking a CSM or a PMI-ACP course and they need advice on what to take 32:42 Dave and Jesse debate whether getting PMP is still valuable for a CSM or CSPO 36:17 “Most Agile people are punching above their weight…” 39:18 What do we do about the PMO if our organization is adopting Agile? 44:22 Want more Jesse? Here is how to get it…. 45:02 Interview Ends Links references in the podcast: The Hybrid PMO (part of Seminars World) http://bit.ly/2tbOvM5 Solving the PMO Paradox (at Agile 2017) http://bit.ly/2sJ8wJj Certifications and Agile Organizations Mentioned in the Podcast PMP Certification http://bit.ly/29NtawC PMI-ACP Certification https://www.pmi.org/certifications/types/agile-acp CSM Certification http://bit.ly/ZtotC1 CSPO Certification http://bit.ly/1HeXnC5 Certified Agile Leadership Certification https://www.scrumalliance.org/agile-leadership Agile Alliance: https://www.agilealliance.org Scrum Alliance: https://www.scrumalliance.org PMI: https://www.pmi.org/ IC Agile: https://icagile.com Contacting Jesse: Website: http://www.jessefewell.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessefewell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessefewell/ Contacting Dave Website: https://drunkenpm.net Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrsungo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrsungo/

Parikshit Basrur works in Sydney, Australia as a Management Consultant who focuses on leadership, strategy and execution. He comes from a strong traditional project management background but for the past few years he has been working in a senior leadership role within an organization that has been undergoing a transformation to Agile. This work, and Parikshit’s unique way of looking at managing work has led him to develop an Agile Transformation Playbook. In this interview, we discuss his approach to working with and transitioning to agile, the importance of focusing on culture, his take on the agile vs. traditional debate and his upcoming sessions at the Hindsight Forum where he will be giving a presentation on how to establish agile practices in a well-established business. Show Notes 00:12 Interview begins 00:33 Background on Parikshit 01:52 Parikshit’s transition from waterfall to Agile 05:00 The difference between being Agile and doing Agile 07:15 Finding the right tools and delivering work 08:12 Speaking with Stakeholders Executives about Enterprise Transformation 12:03 Responding to the “WE HAVE TO SHIP NOW!” attitude and understanding WHY Agile? 17:15 Helping stakeholders appreciate how hard transformation can be 19:10 The McDonald’s Drive Thru version of Agile 22:30 Agile needs to be like air 23:35 Change your culture first… help them stay away from the candy on the table 27:40 Creating the desire for change 29:50 How the Agile Transformation Playbook differs from other transformation approaches 32:35 Where to find the Agile Transformation Playbook, seeing Parikshit’s upcoming presentations 33:15 Where to reach Parikshit 33:39 Interview Ends To learn more about the Agile Transformation Playbook Slideshare: http://bit.ly/2s0TKvy Medium: http://bit.ly/2rlv3YD YouTube: https://youtu.be/js96mF3X_fw Parikshit’s upcoming sessions at the Hindsight Forum HindSight Forum http://www.hindsightforum.com/events/ Melbourne - June 21, 2017 Sydney - June 22, 2017 Contacting Parikshit LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/2rg8z06 Twitter: https://twitter.com/parikshitbasrur

During the 2017 Heart of Agile Conference in Pittsburgh, Savannah Rayat gave a presentation called “Enhancing your life with Personal Agility”. During the session she explained how she has applied some basic Agile practices from Scrum and Kanban to refine and focus her approach to life, deciding what is most important to her, and managing teams. Savannah has also applied Agile in other non-IT areas. During the interview, we talk about some of the Scrum practices she has applied in working with her team of Realtors. Show Notes 00:10 - Interview Begins 00:52 - Background on Savannah 01:42 - How Day-Trading fits in with being a Realtor/IT Professional 02:15 - How Savannah defines Personal Agility 04:44 - Savannah’s approach to Personal Kanban and her issue with deadlines 05:31 - The important of setting and maintaining WIP Limits 07:06 - Reducing your WIP to 3-4 10:00 - Preventing the backlash of cutting stuff our of your life 12:15 - Having affection for your interests 12:42 - Deciding what you can live without 14:29 - Long term and short term road mapping 15:48 - Savannah’s Day to Day practice of Agile 18:50 - The need for slack 21:35 - The benefits of self-reflection and coping with the guilt of doing unplanned stuff 23:16 - Making the time for Personal Kanban 24:19 - Accountability Partners 25:33 - How to get started with using Personal Agility 27:44 - How Savannah uses Scrum to support collaboration on her Real Estate team 32:38 - Getting in touch with Savannah 34:39 - Interview Ends Contacting Savannah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannah-rayat-8942b8120/ on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SavannahRayat Savannah’s Realty site: http://rayatrealtygroup.com Savannah’s Heart of Agile 2017 http://heartofagile.com/Session/enhancing-your-life-with-personal-agility/

Jessie Shternshus is the founder of The Improv Effect and the author of “CTRL SHIFT: 50 Games for 50 ****ing Days Like Today”. In her work, Jessie often incorporates improv techniques to help people tap into the things they need to become better communicators, team members and leaders. She also coaches organizations through Agile transition and cultural change. After recently completing my first improv class, and not feeling very confident that I “got it”, I had lots of questions. Jessie was kind enough to spend some time talking with me about my experience, the benefits improv can provide, what “yes, and…” really means, why it is important and the elements needed to create a safe space where people can thrive and be creative. SHOW NOTES 00:00 Podcast Intro 01:58 Interview Start 02:22 What Jessie has been up to lately 03:42 Jessie’s work coaching people to help them amp up their presentation skills 04:45 The Creative Courage Summit 05:58 Jessie’s Book “CTRL SHIFT: 50 Games for 50 ****ing Days Like Today” 06:17 Intro to the Improv Discussion 07:00 Dave’s fears about the safety provided by the improv framework 07:46 “I’m happy to tell you your being dumb” 08:22 How can you have an environment that is supportive AND critical 08:41 Dave missed some important pieces 09:08 Learning from what makes you uncomfortable 10:04 It’s important to find the class that is right for you 11:50 How you establish a safe improv space 13:36 Safety comes from setting expectations, modeling behavior and getting to know people 16:12 Finding a way to use improv to build camaraderie with remote teams 18:20 Do you always have to “Yes, and…” 18:50 How “Yes, and” works, and the benefits it can bring 21:22 What skills improv can offer to individuals and teams working in an office setting 22:50 Advice from Jessie on how to pick the right class for you 25:19 Part of being creative involves tapping into your childlike self, but you have to feel safe going there 26:18 What if you can’t let go of everything and reach that childlike state? 28:20 Being mindful of the things you are resisting 30:02 Getting in touch with Jessie CONTACTING JESSIE http://www.improveffect.com https://www.facebook.com/improveffect/ https://twitter.com/TheImprovEffect LINKS: Jessie’s Book: “CTRL SHIFT: 50 Games for 50 ****ing Days Like Today” http://amzn.to/2rhOxPk The Creative Courage Summit: http://CreativeCourageSummit.live My Video Podcast interview with Jessie at the 2015 Agile Conference: https://vimeo.com/135568636

There are lots of podcasts about Agile out there and each of them has something valuable to offer to the community. But a few weeks ago, a new kind of Agile podcast launched. John Le Drew is the creator of “The Agile Path”, a long form NPR style podcast… (think Serial for Agile). In this interview, John shares the story of how he ended up working on the podcast, what it was like creating it, some of his current projects as well as details about the process he follows in creating the podcasts and his favorite gear. If you are interested in podcasting, block out some time for this one, there is a lot of valuable stuff in here. SHOW NOTES 00:01 Podcast Intro 00:52 Interview begins 01:19 John’s journey from whizkid geek hooligan to developer to Agile coach/podcaster 10:29 What inspired John to create The Agile Path and the sources that influenced his approach 11:45 Creating the soundscape for listeners 14:15 Finding the right music and getting permission to use it in a very bold way 17:53 The benefits of overcoming the fear of approaching people on your bookshelf 19:57 We should all strive to bring out our inner Woody 20:25 John’s editing process and the work he’s doing on future episodes 22:05 How John is integrating improv in his upcoming workshops and why that is relevant to the topic of safety 25:51 Dave asks John a question about how safety works in improv classes and how “Yes and…” is about accepting what comes to you without judgement and building on it 29:40 Imagine it like a sieve… find the gold 31:09 Paying attention and what that really means 34:28 Scripting it all out, then editing 39:18 Work on the next episode and the schedule John is aiming for 40:29 John’s favorite recording equipment 45:05 Wrapping Up LINKS FROM THE PODCAST The Agile Path http://agilepath.fm Twitter: https://twitter.com/agilepathfm John’s upcoming speaking events and workshops: http://wisenoodle.me/speaking

Scrum Alliance Interim CEO Lisa Hershman shared some time at the 2017 Scrum Gathering in San Diego to talk about the top initiatives being worked on at the Scrum Alliance, including their partnership with Large Scale Scrum, changes to the certification programs and more.