09
2014
Commit to the Trick
BMX stunt riders, just like any other eXtreme Sport, takes a lot of practice to get right. When learning a trick, a lot of practice is required. Most of that time, of course, is spent failing, sometimes in spectacular ways. Before a...
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08
2014
Charting an Agile Transformation
This is an adaptation of a model that I came across recently on http://LeadingAgile.com. My model is slightly different from theirs, but it serves a similar purpose – to chart the Agile Transformation of an organization. The Dimensions BUDGET &...
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01
2014
Empowerment Quadrant Tool
Last week at our regular Lean & Agile discussion group, I was introduced to a quadrant tool, used to gage how in control team members are feeling. There are some similarities between this, and the Cynefin leadership framework, but it...
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05
2014
Feelings, Facts, Intentions
When we judge ourselves, our tendency is to judge ourselves based on our intentions, but to judge others on their actions and results. Feelings, Facts, Intentions is a simple conversation framework for approaching feedback and conflict situations. The framework moves...
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24
2014
Lean Startup – How to Not Lose Your Hair
I recently changed the language setting on my Facebook account to “Pirate”. That might be why I like the Startup Metrics for Pirates – “AARRR!” by Dave McClure. Its a real thing, evidently, and it stands for Acquisition, Activation, Retention,...
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14
2014
3 Easy Ways to Accept Individual Responsibility
In “Teamwork is an Individual Skill” Christopher Avery suggests that collective leverage and power does not come from distributing and delegating accountabilities, but from collectively demonstrating responsibility for the entire result, with each member doing their best to make their...
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08
2014
4 Ways to Hold Your Agile Teams Accountable
Agile teams have the sacred goal of delivering value. So perhaps Agile teams be made accountable for the value that they create? This seems reasonable. However, there are problems with this. For one thing, it is very open-ended. How is...
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31
2014
The Two Principles (and Ten Practices) Behind the Agile Manifesto
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been working on a succinct definition of ‘agility’ – what it means for an organization to be ‘agile’. It seems apparent to me now that this has little to do with what...
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25
2014
Why ‘Starting with Why’ Matters to the PMO
I’ve just finished reading “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek. As promised it is both fundamental and meaningful. Fundamental in that it’s main conclusion is very similar to “Built to Last” by Jim Collings, that while a company can...
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22
2014
Eric Ries is Right that 5 Why’s is Difficult
On my continued journey through Eric Ries’ book “The Lean Startup”, I am now at chapter 11, ‘Adapt’. In this chapter, Ries posits that not only should be product be adaptable, but so should the organization as a whole. To...
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