Avsnitt
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Mateusz Komander: When Process Becomes a Prison, Breaking Free from Over-Rigid Agile Team Practices
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.
Working with an airline scheduling tool development team, Mateusz encountered a situation where rigid processes became a self-imposed prison. Instead of adapting to challenges, the team's response to missed deadlines was to add more process layers, particularly around testing.
The daily standups became status reports rather than collaboration opportunities, with team members focused on appearing busy rather than supporting each other. Through careful intervention, Mateusz helped transform their daily meetings to focus on future collaborations and mutual support needs.
Self-reflection Question: How can you identify if your team's processes are serving as protective measures or becoming barriers to effective collaboration?
Featured Book of the Week: Managing for Happiness by Jurgen AppeloMateusz recommends "Managing for Happiness" by Jurgen Appelo as an essential read for Scrum Masters. This book stands out for its practical combination of tools and real-life examples, helping create better environments for teams' daily work. Its inspirational approach makes it particularly valuable for Scrum Masters looking to introduce new practices and ideas to their teams.
In this segment, we also refer to Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman.
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.
Buy Now on Amazon
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
About Mateusz Komander
Mateusz, is a Scrum Master at Heineken, and brings expertise from biotech and airline industries, excelling in Agile delivery and transformations. Skilled in Management 3.0, he fosters self-managed, innovative teams. Mateusz just launched a podcast on organizational transformation, Mateusz highlights how understanding team dynamics beyond the Scrum framework enhances collaboration and effectiveness.
You can link with Mateusz Komander on LinkedIn.
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Mateusz Komander: The True Purpose of Scrum, Enabling Individuals And Interactions
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 insightful episode, Mateusz shares a valuable learning experience from his early days as a Scrum Master in a biotech company. With a small team of five people, he initially believed he could improve upon existing practices by modifying the Scrum framework. However, by skipping crucial ceremonies like daily standups, planning sessions, and retrospectives, hidden team conflicts emerged.
This experience led Mateusz to a crucial realization: Scrum isn't merely about process management, but rather about facilitating meaningful connections and interactions between team members while enabling empirical management.
Self-reflection Question: How might your current understanding of Scrum's purpose be limiting your effectiveness as a Scrum Master?
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.
Buy Now on Amazon
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
About Mateusz Komander
Mateusz, is a Scrum Master at Heineken, and brings expertise from biotech and airline industries, excelling in Agile delivery and transformations. Skilled in Management 3.0, he fosters self-managed, innovative teams. Mateusz just launched a podcast on organizational transformation, Mateusz highlights how understanding team dynamics beyond the Scrum framework enhances collaboration and effectiveness.
You can link with Mateusz Komander on LinkedIn.
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BONUS: Beyond Process, How Psychology is Reshaping Modern Leadership with Ari-Pekka Skarp
In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into the evolving landscape of Agile leadership with Ari-Pekka Skarp, an experienced Agile Coach, Psychotherapist, and Organizational Psychologist. Drawing from his unique blend of expertise, Ari-Pekka shares his lessons learned on how leadership has transformed over the past decades and what the future holds for Agile organizations.
The Evolution of Agile and Social Complexity"We replaced authority with collaboration, this was revolutionary."
The journey of Agile adoption over the past 16 years has been marked by two significant developments: technological advancement and increasing social complexity. Ari-Pekka reflects on how Scrum introduced a revolutionary "shared" aspect of collaborative work, fundamentally changing how hierarchies are established in modern organizations. This shift represents a departure from traditional command-and-control structures towards more collaborative approaches.
The Therapeutic Turn in Leadership"Nowadays we are almost talking about the leaders as some sort of therapist."
One of the most significant shifts in organizational dynamics has been the "therapeutic turn" in leadership. Where leaders were once expected to be commanders, today's leaders must embody the qualities of a therapist - demonstrating empathy, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of their team members' well-being. This transformation reflects broader societal changes, with mental health awareness becoming increasingly central to workplace dynamics.
The Rise of Humanistic Leadership"We need a more humanistic leadership, but what does that look like in practice?"
As organizations become more networked and complex, the need for humanistic leadership approaches becomes evident. Ari-Pekka shares his experience as an organizational psychologist, highlighting how traditional role definitions often fall short in addressing modern workplace challenges. The integration of tools from family therapy and other psychological disciplines is becoming crucial for effective leadership.
The Future of Organizations"In order to compete you have to have a very well functioning organization!"
Looking ahead, Ari-Pekka emphasizes the importance of viewing organizations through a psychological lens. He argues that organizational mental health culture and the psychological aspects of work are becoming critical competitive advantages. This perspective extends beyond processes and tools to encompass the holistic growth and well-being of people within organizations.
A New Paradigm for Work"The biggest change was from a mechanistic world-view to a more humanistic world-view."
As Agile evolves beyond its origins as a protest movement, Ari-Pekka explores how organizations are increasingly forming around purposes rather than just profits. He advocates for generative planning processes that foster creativity and human flourishing, suggesting a shift toward viewing work and organizations as social processes rather than mechanical systems.
Leading Through Conversations"Why don't we look at work, organizations as social processes?"
The conversation concludes with a powerful metaphor of leaders as gardeners, nurturing growth and development through meaningful conversations. This approach represents a fundamental shift in how we think about leadership and organizational development, emphasizing the importance of creating environments where people can thrive.
In this segment, we refer to the work of Esko Kilpi, a thought leader and business philosopher who helped introduce complexity to the Agile community.
About Ari-Pekka Skarp
Ari-Pekka is a highly experienced Agile Coach, Psychotherapist, and Organizational Psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with organizations. As an author of several books on topics such as Complexity, the mind, and Mindfulness, Ari-Pekka blends deep psychological insight with practical expertise to help leaders and teams navigate the evolving landscape of work.
You can link with Ari-Pekka on LinkedIn and connect with Ari-Pekka on Twitter.
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Chrissy Fleming: The Pressure Conduit, aka The Tornado Product Owner
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.
The Great Product Owner: Customer Advocate and Team PartnerA great Product Owner brings customer insights directly to the team and shares access to customers, fostering deeper understanding of user needs. They maintain transparency about their knowledge limits and involve the team in both problem and solution spaces, ensuring comprehensive understanding before diving into solutions.
The Bad Product Owner: The Pressure Conduit, aka The TornadoThis anti-pattern emerges when Product Owners simply transmit leadership's volatility to the team, becoming mere messengers of pressure rather than true product leaders. They fall into "tornado mode," acting as order takers without questioning the "why" behind requests or protecting the team's ability to deliver value each sprint.
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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Chrissy Fleming: The Role of Trust and Fun in High-Performing Agile Teams
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.
For Chrissy, success as a Scrum Master means fostering high-performing teams that solve valuable problems. She emphasizes that while this sounds simple, it requires building trust, establishing accountability, and maintaining a commitment to continuous improvement. A key indicator of success is when teams naturally have fun together, reflecting their comfort and psychological safety.
Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Simple and Team-LedChrissy advocates for simple retrospective formats that encourage team participation, particularly those led by team members rather than the Scrum Master. She recommends using tools like Easy Retro and MURAL for remote sessions, emphasizing the importance of individual reflection time before group discussion and creating a safe space by acknowledging personal mistakes.
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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Chrissy Fleming: From Tasks to Outcomes, An Agile Cultural Transformation Story
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 her experience transforming a sales-led organization from task orientation to outcome focus. By partnering with the head of tech and implementing OKRs, they created meaningful conversations about team goals and progress. Through initiatives like Demo Days and the creation of team "houses," they successfully shifted the organizational culture while ensuring teams felt ownership of their future.
Self-reflection Question: How can you create meaningful opportunities for your teams to shape their own identity and future?
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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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 KleinHow 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]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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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]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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Antti Horelli: Balancing Product Owner Responsibilities with Team Empowerment
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.
The Great Product Owner: Sharing Responsibility with the TeamThe great Product Owner excels by being present and actively sharing knowledge with the team. While the PO role can be overwhelming due to its responsibility to abstract complexity from the team, the best POs find ways to share responsibilities appropriately. They understand that their role goes beyond making decisions and includes enabling the team to participate in the product discovery process.
The Bad Product Owner: The Absent Decision MakerIn this anti-pattern, the Product Owner was only available for planning and sprint reviews due to other commitments. This limited availability severely impacted the team's ability to make progress, especially given the complex nature of software development where requirements are discovered rather than pre-defined. The absence of business knowledge during development led to delays and misunderstandings, highlighting how critical continuous PO involvement is for team success.
For tips on how to help POâs be more present, check out our Sprint PO Checklist which includes tips on how to lead that conversation and a clear set of questions to go through together with your PO.
Self-reflection Question: How can you help ensure more presence and better collaboration between the Product Owner and the development team?
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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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 RetrospectiveThe 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]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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Antti Horelli: Balancing Delivery Pressure with Agile Transformation
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 shares his experience leading an agile transformation across three siloed organizations: development, QA/testing, and support. The transformation involved establishing cross-functional teams and implementing visual management through a comprehensive planning wall. Despite initial progress with joint planning days and rolling wave planning, the pressure to deliver led to reverting to traditional project management approaches. This story highlights the challenge of maintaining agile principles while under delivery pressure and the importance of focusing on reliable delivery rather than agile for agile's sake.
Self-reflection Question: How do you balance the need for immediate results with long-term agile transformation goals?
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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Antti Horelli: The Challenge of Breaking Silos, And Building Collaborative Agile Teams Remotely
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 shares a story about a team of solo workers who struggled to collaborate effectively. Despite having technical expertise, the team faced challenges in delivering value due to conflicting views on "good tech work" and communication issues. The remote working environment further complicated their interactions, ultimately leading to the team's dissolution. This experience emphasizes the importance of focusing on team cohesion and establishing clear ways of working, especially in distributed teams.
Featured Book of the Week: "Lean, Resolving the efficiency paradox"Antti recommends "This is Lean: Resolving the Efficiency Paradoxâ by Modig et al., an approachable book for its clear explanation of flow efficiency versus resource efficiency in Scrum and Kanban. The book helped him understand the counterintuitive benefits of optimizing for one-piece flow and completing single value-delivering items, offering valuable insights for process improvement.
Self-reflection Question: How can you help your team transition from individual work patterns to effective collaboration?
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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Antti Horelli: The Three-Day Sprint Planning Nightmare - Learning from Agile Failure
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, Antti shares a critical learning moment from his early Scrum Master days when a sprint planning session extended to three days due to poor preparation. The team discovered that backlog items were much larger and different than expected, while unexpected background decisions further complicated the planning. This experience highlighted the vital importance of proper refinement work and maintaining clear communication channels about decisions affecting the team.
Self-reflection Question: How do you ensure your team has sufficient context about upcoming decisions while avoiding information overload?
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe 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.
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BONUS: Gojko Adzic on Optimizing Products for Long-Tail Users (Agile Online Summit 2024 Replay)
In this BONUS episode, we revisit Gojko Adzicâs insightful interview at the Agile Online Summit 2024. Gojko, an award-winning author and software expert, unpacks the principles behind his latest book, Lizard Optimization, offering a fresh perspective on improving product usability by addressing the needs of long-tail users. From learning from unexpected user behaviors to refining products with a systematic approach, this episode is filled with practical tips for product teams and Agile practitioners.
What is Lizard Optimization?Drawing from his experiences as a product developer, Gojko introduces the idea of Lizard Optimization. He discusses how observing unexpected user behaviors led him to refine his SaaS tools like Narakeet and MindMup. By focusing on usability challenges and unusual patterns, he has turned serendipity into actionable insights.
âUsers arenât stupidâtheyâre just finding creative ways to get value from your product. Listen to them.â
Gojko explains the inspiration behind the metaphor of the âLizardman constant,â a concept from a Scott Alexander blog post. He describes how this principle applies to product optimization: understanding and addressing the 4% of surprising, unexplainable behaviors can uncover opportunities for innovation.
âThe job isnât to judge usersâitâs to explore why theyâre doing what theyâre doing and how we can help them succeed.â
The High-Level Process of Lizard OptimizationGojko outlines the systematic process described in his book to leverage unexpected user behavior:
Observe Misuse: Identify how users deviate from expected patterns.
Extract Insights: Focus on one unexpected behavior as a signal.
Remove Obstacles: Help users achieve their goals more easily.
Monitor Impacts: Detect and adjust for unintended consequences.
âStart monitoring for the predictable but unexpectedâthose hidden gems can unlock your next big feature.â
Practical Advice for Product TeamsFor teams ready to apply these concepts, Gojko emphasizes the importance of expanding observability tools to include product metrics and not just technical ones. He shares how tracking unpredictable user actions can inspire impactful changes.
âAbout a third of what we do delivers valueâfocus on finding where unexpected value lies.â
Recommended Resources
To dive deeper into these ideas, Gojko recommends:
Trustworthy Online Controlled Experiments by Ron Kohavi
Evidence Guided by Tim Herbig
LizardOptimization.org
âExperimentation and evidence-based decision-making are the keys to building better products.â
Closing Thoughts: âLook for the UnexpectedâGojkoâs parting advice for Agile practitioners is simple yet powerful: Look for the unexpected. By embracing surprises in user behavior, teams can transform minor inconveniences into major opportunities for growth.
âThe unexpected is where innovation begins.â
About Gojko Adzic
Gojko Adzic is an award-winning author, speaker, and product creator. His books, including Lizard Optimization, Impact Mapping, and Specification by Example, have become essential reads for Agile practitioners and product teams worldwide. Gojko is a 2019 AWS Serverless Hero, the winner of the 2016 European Software Testing Outstanding Achievement Award, and the 2011 Most Influential Agile Testing Professional Award. He has also co-founded several successful SaaS tools, including Narakeet, MindMup, and Votito.
You can link with Gojko Adzic on LinkedIn.
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Ville Reijonen: Overcoming the Part-Time Product Owner Trap The Bad Product Owner: The Part-Time PO Disaster
Ville describes a scenario where a company assigned a part-time Product Owner (PO) to manage software development. The POâs inconsistent availability led to poor communication and a lack of feedback loops. Ville explains how this anti-pattern can derail a project and shares tips, such as scheduling regular meetings to ensure that the PO remains actively involved in supporting the team. A strong PO presence is crucial for maintaining alignment and driving product success, and Ville discusses some possible mitigating actions we can take to make sure that even part-time POâs are available for the team.
Reflection Question:
How can you support a Product Owner who struggles with availability to ensure your team gets the guidance they need?
The Great Product Owner: The Master CommunicatorIn contrast, Ville shares an example of an exceptional PO who excelled at communication and collaboration. This PO consistently collected and shared feedback, held regular one-on-one meetings, and fostered a culture of transparency and understanding. Ville emphasizes that a great PO proactively builds relationships and maintains a consistent cadence of interactions to stay informed and guide the team effectively.
Self-reflection Question:
How can you support your PO so that they learn to communicate and engage with the team better?
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.
Buy Now on Amazon
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
About Ville Reijonen
Ville is a seasoned Agilist and pattern enthusiast. He has co-authored two booksâone on distributed machine control system patterns and another on Scrum patterns. Ville is passionate about discovering patterns in various contexts and currently works as a freelance coach, empowering individuals and teams by fostering focus and understanding.
You can link with Ville Reijonen on LinkedIn.
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Ville Reijonen: How To Use Agile Retrospectives To Help Teams Focus On Continuous Growth
For Ville, true success as a Scrum Master is achieved when the team and the PO can independently manage their development process. He shares how he tracks team progress, conducts one-on-ones to provide tailored support, and uses subtle nudges to guide the team toward autonomy. Ville emphasizes the importance of understanding where individuals are in their learning journey and helping them achieve their goals by continuously assessing and adjusting support strategies.
Self-reflection Question:
What steps can you take to help your team become more self-sufficient?
Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Spider Web GamesVille highlights the use of spider web graphs (aka radar graphs) as a way for teams to reflect on their progress in different areas. This format creates a visual representation of strengths and areas for improvement. Ville explains how role-playing and simulation games can foster team cohesion and help teams identify behaviors that can be applied to their daily work. By engaging in playful yet insightful activities, teams can foster collaboration and enhance retrospectives.
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.
Buy Now on Amazon
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
About Ville Reijonen
Ville is a seasoned Agilist and pattern enthusiast. He has co-authored two booksâone on distributed machine control system patterns and another on Scrum patterns. Ville is passionate about discovering patterns in various contexts and currently works as a freelance coach, empowering individuals and teams by fostering focus and understanding.
You can link with Ville Reijonen on LinkedIn.
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Ville Reijonen: Why Organizational And Scrum Patterns Are Essential for Leading Change
Read the full Show Notes and search through the worldâs largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.
Ville shares how patterns provide a structured approach to implementing change in organizations. During informal chats with colleagues before the pandemic, Ville would share useful patterns to build common understanding. He explains how patterns create a shared language that helps teams internalize concepts like Scrum roles and processes. Ville recommends ScrumBook.org as a resource for sharing patterns and insights with colleagues. By using patterns, Scrum Masters can foster more effective change processes and create a cohesive vision for their teams.
Self-reflection Question:
How do you use patterns to enhance your teamâs approach to change?
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.
Buy Now on Amazon
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
About Ville Reijonen
Ville is a seasoned Agilist and pattern enthusiast. He has co-authored two booksâone on distributed machine control system patterns and another on Scrum patterns. Ville is passionate about discovering patterns in various contexts and currently works as a freelance coach, empowering individuals and teams by fostering focus and understanding.
You can link with Ville Reijonen on LinkedIn.
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Ville Reijonen: Overcoming Code Ownership Silos in Agile Teams
Ville describes a team that had divided code ownership, where members were reluctant to share or modify each otherâs work. This fostered fear, mistrust, and a defensive approach to development. Ville explains how this pattern of component segregation led to silos and distrust. He outlines actionable steps for rebuilding trust, such as adopting robust testing practices, implementing an internal open-source model, and encouraging ensemble programming. By fostering a culture of shared ownership, teams can collaborate more effectively and develop higher-quality software.
Self-reflection Question:
How can testing and collaboration frameworks help build trust within your team?
Featured Book of the Week: âInnovation and Entrepreneurshipâ by Peter DruckerVille recommends Peter Druckerâs Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a timeless classic that provides a comprehensive understanding of the purpose of businessâcreating and retaining customers. Ville shares how this book, which he encountered during a case-study-based innovation course, shaped his approach to thinking about innovation in the big picture. He emphasizes how important it is for Scrum Masters to view their work through a broader lens to support product and customer success.
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.
Buy Now on Amazon
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
About Ville Reijonen
Ville is a seasoned Agilist and pattern enthusiast. He has co-authored two booksâone on distributed machine control system patterns and another on Scrum patterns. Ville is passionate about discovering patterns in various contexts and currently works as a freelance coach, empowering individuals and teams by fostering focus and understanding.
You can link with Ville Reijonen on LinkedIn.
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Ville Reijonen: Building Trust Between Teams and Product Owners During A Challenging Rewrite Project
Read the full Show Notes and search through the worldâs largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.
In this episode, Ville shares a story from a full system rewrite project where conflicts between the Product Owner (PO) and the team created significant challenges. The lack of collaboration led to a stressful big-bang release with numerous post-launch issues. Ville explains how misaligned team dynamics can derail progress and highlights the importance of involving beta users and advocating for customer-centric testing. He also shares practical tips, such as engaging antagonistic testers to uncover potential flaws early and fostering PO-team collaboration to build trust and resilience.
Self-reflection Question:
How can you foster a culture of collaboration between the PO and the team to avoid conflicts during critical projects?
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
đ„In the ruthless world of fintech, success isnât just about innovationâitâs about coaching!đ„Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, sheâs 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 isnât just about the productâitâs about the people.
đš Will Angelaâs coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to Peopleâthe gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.
Buy Now on Amazon
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
About Ville Reijonen
Ville is a seasoned Agilist and pattern enthusiast. He has co-authored two booksâone on distributed machine control system patterns and another on Scrum patterns. Ville is passionate about discovering patterns in various contexts and currently works as a freelance coach, empowering individuals and teams by fostering focus and understanding.
You can link with Ville Reijonen on LinkedIn.
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CTO Series: Engineering Leadership, Automation, and Trust with Dan Hollinger
In this CTO Series episode, we sit down with Dan Hollinger, an accomplished engineering leader passionate about fostering empathy, transparency, and trust in tech teams. Dan shares pivotal lessons from his career, from building scalable automation systems to navigating complex leadership challenges. We cover key strategies for aligning tech initiatives with business goals, fostering collaboration, and ensuring long-term technical health.
Defining Leadership Through Automation and EmpowermentâEnable your humans to focus on the interesting workâautomation should take care of the rest.â
Dan recounts his transformative experience at CCP Games, makers of EVE Online, where a robust test automation system changed his perspective on scaling technical processes. This role introduced him to the power of automation in freeing up engineers to focus on more exploratory and impactful tasks. He emphasizes how empowering self-directed teams with high-level vision statements enables creativity and innovation.
Building Self-Correcting ProcessesâAlways retro your processesâdonât let them run on autopilot.â
Dan explains the importance of self-correcting processes, using the SEV (Side Event) system as an example. He highlights how retrospectives can improve response times and prevent future crises. For Dan, consistent reviews are the key to maintaining agile, resilient systems that adapt to evolving needs.
Bridging the Gap Between Business and TechâThere are no enemiesâtreat your colleagues like allies working toward a common goal.â
In cross-functional environments, Danâs mantra is to focus on the project and maintain open communication. Drawing from his experience in gaming, where multiple departments collaborate on creative projects, he underscores the importance of empathy and curiosity. Asking questions and breaking down solutions into smaller, reviewable pieces can diffuse conflict and build trust.
Future-Proofing Through Strategic RoadmappingâThe lifespan of the solution dictates the scope of the work.â
Dan shares his approach to strategic roadmapping by considering the expected longevity of technical solutions. He gives an example of building a feature flag system for a game studio that needed to support a long-term vision while adapting to a new game engine. His advice: break large goals into smaller, adaptable increments that align with future changes.
Navigating Leadership Challenges During Organizational ChangeâTrust is your greatest currency during periods of uncertainty.â
Dan reflects on a particularly challenging period when a leadership change caused a significant exodus of engineers at his company, leaving him with only one engineer. Despite the setback, Dan leaned into transparency and empathy, earning the trust of departing team members, which helped him transfer knowledge and rebuild the team.
Expanding the Scope of LeadershipâMy role expanded from leading an engineering team to caring about the morale of the entire company.â
A surprising revelation for Dan was realizing the broader impact of his leadership on non-engineering teams. He discusses how this shift required him to listen to and support colleagues across all departments, emphasizing the value of empathy-driven leadership.
The Book That Shaped Danâs Leadership ApproachâThe DORA metrics help us measure what really matters for technical health.â
Dan highlights the book Accelerate by Nicole Forsgren et al., which introduced him to the DORA (DevOps Research and Assessment) metrics. These metrics help organizations measure software delivery performance and technical health, offering a data-driven approach to evaluate progress and identify improvement areas.
About Dan Hollinger
Dan Hollinger is a proven engineering leader who champions empowerment through support, empathy, and transparency. He fosters a culture of trust, prioritizing alignment over dictation. Technically adept, Dan advocates for automatable solutions and a blameless environment, ensuring his team thrives both personally and professionally in a collaborative space.
You can link with Dan Hollinger on LinkedIn. - Visa fler
