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Higgle: The B2B Sales Club
1 Why You Need to Grow Your Customer’s Decision Confidence with Brent Adamson and Karl Schmidt 36:25
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LikedAre you ready to discover why building customer self-confidence is more crucial than ever in today's B2B sales landscape? Brent Adamson and Karl Schmidt join us today, the duo behind the upcoming book "The Framemaking Sale." These sales experts unravel the critical yet often overlooked aspect of buyer confidence. They shift the focus from traditional supplier-centric models to the empowering idea that true confidence comes from within the customers themselves. This perspective not only transforms how we view B2B sales, but also highlights the importance of nurturing decision confidence. Throughout our conversation, Brent and Karl introduce their innovative concept of framemaking, a strategy that aligns sales solutions with client priorities. This approach goes beyond typical sales tactics by fostering genuine, lasting relationships with clients, even when they choose competitors. Their ideas promise to shake up conventional sales methods. Topics covered during this episode include: Why buyer confidence should be supplier-agnostic and focus on customers' decision making abilities. How Brent and Karl met each other at Corporate Executive Board (now part of Gartner). Why nurturing customer decision confidence is crucial in B2B. How framemaking aligns sales solutions with client priorities to overcome decision complexity. Why the book emphasizes customer confidence over supplier trust for effective decision making. The impact of decision complexity, information overload, and outcome uncertainty. Why understanding clients' businesses deeply helps navigate obstacles and maintain deal momentum. How salespeople can anticipate and overcome potential deal barriers. Why gaining customer confidence involves addressing emotional and rational decision aspects. Listen now to learn how to revolutionize your B2B sales approach with innovative framemaking techniques that build lasting customer relationships. Brent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentadamson Karl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-schmidt-q…
When Architects Push Solutions—Learning to Disagree but Commit in Agile Teams | Lilia Pulova
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Lilia Pulova: When Architects Push Solutions—Learning to Disagree but Commit in Agile Teams
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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.
Lilia shares a challenging situation where an architect pushed a complex solution that she felt might be too difficult for her less-experienced team. Despite having two alternative solutions that better suited the team's capabilities, she chose to let go of her concerns and try the architect's approach. This decision required significant adaptation and ongoing conversations with her frustrated team members. By informing her manager about the team's frustration level and working closely with the team to adapt the solution to their context, Lilia demonstrates the valuable principle of "disagree but commit" - sometimes you need to let go of your preferred approach and learn from trying something different.
Self-reflection Question: When have you had to set aside your preferred solution to support a team decision, and what did you learn from that experience?
[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.
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About Lilia Pulova
Lilia Pulova, a former Business Intelligence Analyst, discovered her passion as a Scrum Master by chance. A natural communicator with a love for languages, she now bridges the gap between business and tech, translating complex needs into streamlined processes that boost productivity and keep teams aligned and focused.
You can link with Lilia Pulova on LinkedIn.
202 episodes
When Architects Push Solutions—Learning to Disagree but Commit in Agile Teams | Lilia Pulova
Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
ShareManage episode 490333631 series 92756
Content provided by Vasco Duarte, Agile Coach, Certified Scrum Master, and Certified Product Owner. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Vasco Duarte, Agile Coach, Certified Scrum Master, and Certified Product Owner or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
Lilia Pulova: When Architects Push Solutions—Learning to Disagree but Commit in Agile Teams
…
continue reading
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.
Lilia shares a challenging situation where an architect pushed a complex solution that she felt might be too difficult for her less-experienced team. Despite having two alternative solutions that better suited the team's capabilities, she chose to let go of her concerns and try the architect's approach. This decision required significant adaptation and ongoing conversations with her frustrated team members. By informing her manager about the team's frustration level and working closely with the team to adapt the solution to their context, Lilia demonstrates the valuable principle of "disagree but commit" - sometimes you need to let go of your preferred approach and learn from trying something different.
Self-reflection Question: When have you had to set aside your preferred solution to support a team decision, and what did you learn from that experience?
[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.
[The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
About Lilia Pulova
Lilia Pulova, a former Business Intelligence Analyst, discovered her passion as a Scrum Master by chance. A natural communicator with a love for languages, she now bridges the gap between business and tech, translating complex needs into streamlined processes that boost productivity and keep teams aligned and focused.
You can link with Lilia Pulova on LinkedIn.
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1 Selecting the Appropriate Agile Values for Organizational Impact | Pascal Papathemelis 15:27
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPascal Papathemelis: Selecting the Appropriate Agile Values for Organizational Impact 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. Pascal defines success for Scrum Masters through his recent mantra of "effectiveness over efficiency," "outcome over output," and "create value for the customer." Working with a client introducing a new digital platform, he focuses on understanding the value for both the organization and end customers while minimizing confusion in the process. Pascal emphasizes the importance of ensuring work sustainability over time by focusing on Agile values and principles and their deep understanding. He customizes the Agile Manifesto's values and principles for each organization, such as focusing on customer value, collaboration, and constant learning. Pascal strategically highlights the principles and values that address the biggest challenges facing the organization at any given time, making Agile concepts relevant and actionable for the specific context. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Sailboat Pascal recommends the sailboat retrospective as his preferred format, though he emphasizes that the choice depends on context and team focus. He values this metaphor-based retrospective because it helps teams discuss critical aspects of their work through different perspectives. The sailboat format allows teams to explore what propels them forward (wind), what holds them back (anchors), what they need to watch out for (rocks), and their destination (island). Pascal also uses timeline retrospectives and stresses the importance of varying retrospective formats to prevent teams from falling into routine patterns that might limit their ability to bring fresh insights to their work. He believes that good data and effective visualization are essential components of any successful retrospective format. Self-reflection Question: How effectively are you customizing Agile principles to address your organization's specific challenges and context? [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 Pascal Papathemelis Pascal is an Agile & Professional Coach that wants to make a positive impact to the people working with. Coaching in Finnish, German and English language. Focus areas are human factors, outcomes, effectiveness, flow, decision making, clarity and constant improvement. You can link with Pascal Papathemelis on LinkedIn .…
1 From Waterfall to Agile—A Multi-Level Change Strategy | Pascal Papathemelis 15:43
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPascal Papathemelis: From Waterfall to Agile—A Multi-Level Change Strategy 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. Pascal describes a successful agile transformation where he collaborated with a fellow coach in the IT department of a large organization with a waterfall history and heavy documentation-driven processes. The two coaches worked together effectively, sharing information and scouting for opportunities to take action. They began with an assessment and discussions across IT, business, and management levels to understand the current state. Using the Cynefin framework to understand complexity, they conducted a two-day workshop to introduce Agile vocabulary, covering concepts like Push/Pull and process waste. The coaches operated at multiple levels simultaneously - working strategically with leadership who typically pushed excessive work to the organization, while also helping teams visualize their processes and clarify priorities. At the team level, they acted as Scrum Masters to demonstrate the role while mentoring the actual Scrum Master through one-on-one sessions. They also supported the Product Owner in understanding their role and used story maps to help visualize and organize work effectively. Self-reflection Question: How might collaborating with another coach or change agent amplify your effectiveness in leading organizational transformation? [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 Pascal Papathemelis Pascal is an Agile & Professional Coach that wants to make a positive impact to the people working with. Coaching in Finnish, German and English language. Focus areas are human factors, outcomes, effectiveness, flow, decision making, clarity and constant improvement. You can link with Pascal Papathemelis on LinkedIn .…
1 The Hidden Cost of Removing Scrum Masters from High-Performing Teams | Pascal Papathemelis 19:56
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPascal Papathemelis: The Hidden Cost of Removing Scrum Masters from High-Performing 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. Pascal shares a cautionary experience with mature Scrum teams that appeared to function flawlessly. These teams demonstrated excellent Scrum practices with minimal impediments, leading management to conclude that Scrum Masters were unnecessary. When management removed all Scrum Masters from the department, the previously high-performing teams began to struggle significantly. Team members had to absorb the responsibilities previously handled by their Scrum Masters, causing them to lose focus on their core value-creating work. Different teams adopted various approaches to fill the Scrum Master void, but none proved effective. Pascal reflects that the Scrum Masters could have made their value more visible by supporting Product Owners more actively and becoming more involved in team tasks. This experience taught him the importance of demonstrating the ongoing value that Scrum Masters provide, even when teams appear to be self-sufficient. Featured Book of the Week: Learning Out Loud—Community Learning and Networking Pascal draws his greatest inspiration not from a single book, but from active participation in the Agile community. He finds tremendous value in discussions within local communities, networking events, and sparring sessions with colleagues. Pascal particularly benefits from Agile Coaching circles in Helsinki , which provide practical knowledge and insights. He also gains inspiration from Agile conferences, but credits Agile Coaching Camps as having the biggest impact - these 2.5-day open space format events are intense and packed with valuable insights. Pascal recommends that Scrum Masters actively engage with their local Agile communities and attend coaching camps to accelerate their professional development and gain diverse perspectives. Self-reflection Question: How visible is the value you provide as a Scrum Master, and what steps could you take to make your contributions more apparent to your organization? [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 Pascal Papathemelis Pascal is an Agile & Professional Coach that wants to make a positive impact to the people working with. Coaching in Finnish, German and English language. Focus areas are human factors, outcomes, effectiveness, flow, decision making, clarity and constant improvement. You can link with Pascal Papathemelis on LinkedIn .…
1 From Mechanics to Human Factors—How Scrum Masters Grow | Pascal Papathemelis 15:37
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedPascal Papathemelis: From Mechanics to Human Factors—How Scrum Masters Grow 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. Pascal shares his evolution as a Scrum Master, moving from focusing purely on the mechanics of Scrum to understanding the critical importance of human factors. Early in his career, Pascal worked with teams that struggled to achieve sprint goals, with stories floating from one sprint to another. Through retrospectives and continuous improvement, he learned essential tips like not taking too much into sprints and making stories smaller. However, Pascal's biggest transformation came when he shifted focus to human elements - involving everyone in the team, improving collaboration during refinement, and developing people's skills and attitudes. He emphasizes that every person is an individual with the intention to be their best, and a good Scrum Master must sense when something is wrong and create safe environments for open conversations. Pascal highlights the importance of corridor conversations and coffee machine breakthroughs, especially before COVID, and stresses the need to invest effort in how teams start, using models like Tuckman's team growth model and Diana Larsen's Team Liftoff approach. In this segment, we also refer to the episode with Arne Roock, about the importance of team design and setup in the success of teams . Self-reflection Question: How might shifting your focus from Scrum mechanics to human factors transform the way you support your team's growth and collaboration? [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 Pascal Papathemelis Pascal is an Agile & Professional Coach that wants to make a positive impact to the people working with. Coaching in Finnish, German and English language. Focus areas are human factors, outcomes, effectiveness, flow, decision making, clarity and constant improvement. You can link with Pascal Papathemelis on LinkedIn .…
1 Millions of Users, Multiple Stakeholders—The Art of Product Owner Navigation | Bernard Agrest 12:40
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBernard Agrest: Millions of Users, Multiple Stakeholders—The Art of Product Owner Navigation 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: The Stakeholder Navigator Bernard describes an exceptional Product Owner who managed a product impacting millions of people while navigating constantly evolving requirements from multiple stakeholders. This Product Owner excelled at understanding each stakeholder's unique needs and communicating effectively with all of them. What made this person truly great was their ability to come to the development team with a clear understanding of both the business case and user needs, having done the hard work of stakeholder management upfront. This Product Owner understood that their role was to be the bridge between complex stakeholder requirements and clear team direction. The Bad Product Owner: The Collaborative Hoarder Bernard identifies a dangerous anti-pattern: the Product Owner who adds everything to the backlog under the guise of being "collaborative." While this behavior appears inclusive and team-friendly on the surface, it actually demonstrates that the Product Owner isn't following through on delivering real value. These Product Owners become almost exclusively focused on authority rather than outcomes, making them particularly difficult to coach since they resist guidance. Bernard recommends using Cost of Delay as both a prioritization technique and a tool to help Product Owners understand why certain items shouldn't be added to the backlog at all. Self-reflection Question: Is your Product Owner truly collaborating by providing clear direction, or are they avoiding difficult prioritization decisions by adding everything to the backlog? In this segment we refer to the Coach Your Product Owner e-course that we created for everyone who needs to help their Product Owners succeed ! [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 Bernard Agrest Bernard currently leads a major software implementation at University of Wisconsin—Madison Medical School, serving over 10,000 employees. Previously, he built a PMO and led Data and Learning at Teach For America. His journey began redesigning operations for a Veteran Service Organization, where he co-led national initiatives and launched a new alumni program. You can link with Bernard Agrest on LinkedIn .…
1 Creating Conditions for Healthy Conflict and Continuous Improvement in Agile Teams | Bernard Agrest 12:23
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBernard Agrest: Creating Conditions for Healthy Conflict and Continuous Improvement in 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. Bernard believes successful Scrum Masters focus on creating conditions where tension and healthy conflict can emerge naturally, rather than maintaining artificial harmony. Too many organizations remain stuck in fear-based cultures where people avoid raising important issues. For Bernard, success means ensuring people regularly surface problems and engage meaningfully with each other—it's not enough to simply monitor green dashboards. He emphasizes that real leadership involves focusing on creating conditions for teams to discuss what truly matters, moving beyond surface-level metrics to foster genuine dialogue and continuous improvement. Self-reflection Question: Are the people on your teams regularly raising issues, or are you relying too heavily on dashboard metrics to gauge team health? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: 4L's The 4L's retrospective format is simple yet powerful, examining what the team Liked, Learned, Lacked, and Longed for. Bernard particularly values the "Longed for" category because it asks people to connect the dots between how they felt and how they performed. In one memorable session, using 4L's helped his team understand what they were missing in their regular sync work, leading them to change how they conducted meetings to better support upcoming deliveries. This retrospective format had long-term organizational impact, helping teams realize gaps in their collaborative processes and make meaningful improvements to their working relationships. [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 Bernard Agrest Bernard currently leads a major software implementation at University of Wisconsin—Madison Medical School, serving over 10,000 employees. Previously, he built a PMO and led Data and Learning at Teach For America. His journey began redesigning operations for a Veteran Service Organization, where he co-led national initiatives and launched a new alumni program. You can link with Bernard Agrest on LinkedIn .…
1 One-on-One Insights—Building Change Strategy Through Individual Conversations | Bernard Agrest 13:57
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBernard Agrest: One-on-One Insights—Building Change Strategy Through Individual Conversations 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. When faced with a tool that needed complete rebuilding rather than more "duct-tape" features, Bernard knew that disruption was inevitable—but where to start? Through extensive one-on-one conversations with employees and stakeholders, he discovered that teams didn't understand their work was cyclical, and more importantly, that the onboarding team was central to the entire process. By starting the transformation with this pivotal team and focusing on training and user adoption, the new tool provided immediate organizational impact with data-driven decision making. Bernard's approach demonstrates that successful change management starts with understanding the true workflow and identifying the critical connection points that can drive the most significant positive impact. Self-reflection Question: In your current change initiatives, have you identified which team or process serves as the central hub that could accelerate transformation across the entire organization? [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 Bernard Agrest Bernard currently leads a major software implementation at University of Wisconsin—Madison Medical School, serving over 10,000 employees. Previously, he built a PMO and led Data and Learning at Teach For America. His journey began redesigning operations for a Veteran Service Organization, where he co-led national initiatives and launched a new alumni program. You can link with Bernard Agrest on LinkedIn .…
1 Avoiding Hard Conversations—When High-Performing Agile Teams Self-Destruct | Bernard Agrest 14:05
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBernard Agrest: Avoiding Hard Conversations—When High-Performing Agile Teams Self-Destruct 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. Bernard describes how a high-performing, fun-loving team began to unravel when a new member joined who wasn't delivering on their commitments. Instead of addressing the performance issue directly, team members started picking up the slack, avoiding the difficult conversation that needed to happen. As morale dropped and people checked out, Bernard realized the team was paralyzed by fear of confrontation and assumptions that raising the issue would be ignored. This experience taught him that individual performance problems quickly become whole-team problems when left unaddressed, and that strong relationships require the courage to have honest, supportive conversations. Self-reflection Question: What difficult conversation are you avoiding on your team, and what assumptions might be preventing you from addressing it? Featured Book of the Week: The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni Bernard recommends The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni because it helps leaders understand that everyone has specific "genius" areas in different phases of work. When people work outside their natural genius zones, they feel unfulfilled and frustrated. This framework has been invaluable for Bernard in understanding team dynamics—why some teams click naturally while others struggle. By recognizing each person's working genius, leaders can better position team members for success and create more effective, satisfied teams. [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 Bernard Agrest Bernard currently leads a major software implementation at University of Wisconsin—Madison Medical School, serving over 10,000 employees. Previously, he built a PMO and led Data and Learning at Teach For America. His journey began redesigning operations for a Veteran Service Organization, where he co-led national initiatives and launched a new alumni program. You can link with Bernard Agrest on LinkedIn .…
1 When Stepping Back Becomes Stepping Away—A Leadership Failure Story | Bernard Agrest 15:39
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBernard Agrest: When Stepping Back Becomes Stepping Away—A Leadership Failure 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. Bernard shares a powerful story about a critical research project where his instinct to step back and empower his team ultimately led to project failure and personal burnout. When Bernard realized his team wasn't ready for the work ahead, he made the mistake of taking everything on himself rather than building proper feedback loops and ensuring true understanding. Working overtime and feeling guilty about not supporting his team properly, Bernard learned that empowerment isn't about stepping back—it's about creating space to work together. His key insight reveals that it's through doing the work that we discover what work actually needs to be done, and that having people say they "get" the plan doesn't mean they truly understand it. Self-reflection Question: How do you distinguish between genuine team empowerment and abandonment when stepping back from direct involvement in projects? [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 Bernard Agrest Bernard currently leads a major software implementation at University of Wisconsin—Madison Medical School, serving over 10,000 employees. Previously, he built a PMO and led Data and Learning at Teach For America. His journey began redesigning operations for a Veteran Service Organization, where he co-led national initiatives and launched a new alumni program. You can link with Bernard Agrest on LinkedIn .…
1 Business Case Ownership—The Product Owner's Core Duty | Lilia Pulova 12:24
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedLilia Pulova: Business Case Ownership—The Product Owner's Core Duty 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: Always Present and Inspirational Lilia describes an exceptional Product Owner whose defining characteristic was consistent presence with the team. This presence went beyond just showing up - it was inspirational and made team members genuinely care about their delivery and the product they were building. The Product Owner served as the vital connection between the team and the organization's wider mission, helping everyone understand how their work contributed to the bigger picture. This constant engagement and visibility created a motivated team that took pride in their product development efforts. The Bad Product Owner: Unprepared and Responsibility-Shifting Lilia encountered a Product Owner who exemplified poor practices by consistently arriving at backlog refinement meetings without any preparation, expecting developers to provide business context instead. This approach was fundamentally wrong because developers aren't equipped to discuss business expectations or product direction - that's the Product Owner's responsibility. This individual habitually said "yes" to all tickets without consideration, shifted decision-making responsibility to the team, and relied on architects to manage the product and determine sprint priorities. Product Owners must own the business case rather than delegate it, and keep the business rationale constantly visible to the team. Self-reflection Question: How do you ensure your Product Owner maintains proper preparation and ownership of business decisions rather than shifting these responsibilities to the development team? [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 Lilia Pulova Lilia Pulova, a former Business Intelligence Analyst, discovered her passion as a Scrum Master by chance. A natural communicator with a love for languages, she now bridges the gap between business and tech, translating complex needs into streamlined processes that boost productivity and keep teams aligned and focused. You can link with Lilia Pulova on LinkedIn .…
1 Building Self-Sufficient Teams Through Emotional Intelligence | Lilia Pulova 13:17
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedLilia Pulova: Building Self-Sufficient Teams Through Emotional Intelligence 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. Lilia defines success for Scrum Masters by asking a simple but powerful question: "Do people feel supported?" Her approach focuses on training teams to take on her responsibilities and make their own decisions. Rather than dictating solutions, she presents options and allows teams to choose their path. Over time, teams learn these options and develop independence in decision-making. She maintains awareness by monitoring delivery metrics, watching for tickets that take too long, and staying attentive during daily stand-ups. With her primarily remote team keeping cameras open, Lilia reads emotions and body language to identify potential issues early, preventing small conflicts from escalating into major problems. Self-reflection Question: How well do you read the emotional state of your team members, and what early warning signs might you be overlooking? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: 1-on-1 Retrospective Lilia advocates for the 1-on-1 retrospective as her most effective format, explaining that people open up more in private conversations than in group settings. While group retrospectives can work well with smooth conversation flow, she finds that structured formats don't always suit every team - sometimes the "lack of format" creates better outcomes. The key to successful 1-on-1 retrospectives is building strong relationships and establishing trust, which she considers the most important foundation for effective retrospectives. [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 Lilia Pulova Lilia Pulova, a former Business Intelligence Analyst, discovered her passion as a Scrum Master by chance. A natural communicator with a love for languages, she now bridges the gap between business and tech, translating complex needs into streamlined processes that boost productivity and keep teams aligned and focused. You can link with Lilia Pulova on LinkedIn .…
1 Leading Transformation: Leading an Agile Transformation—The Power of Patience and Small Winss | Lilia Pulova 11:36
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedLilia Pulova: Leading an Agile Transformation—The Power of Patience and Small Wins 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. Lilia shares her experience leading a genuine Agile transformation in an organization just beginning their journey. Faced with widespread skepticism and resistance, she encountered impatient stakeholders demanding immediate results during the challenging first 2-3 months. The breakthrough came after two months when stakeholders finally witnessed tangible improvements in the application and faster release cycles. Patience emerged as the critical skill that carried the transformation through its most difficult phase. Lilia emphasizes the importance of conducting numerous one-on-one conversations and consistently praising teams while celebrating small wins to maintain motivation throughout the change process. Self-reflection Question: How do you maintain team morale and stakeholder confidence during the uncertain early phases of organizational change? [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 Lilia Pulova Lilia Pulova, a former Business Intelligence Analyst, discovered her passion as a Scrum Master by chance. A natural communicator with a love for languages, she now bridges the gap between business and tech, translating complex needs into streamlined processes that boost productivity and keep teams aligned and focused. You can link with Lilia Pulova on LinkedIn .…
1 Leadership Red Flag—When Managers Care More About Career Than Team Success | Lilia Pulova 14:58
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedLilia Pulova: Leadership Red Flag—When Managers Care More About Career Than Team 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. Lilia shares the story of when she worked with a troubled team where all projects were running late. As a junior Scrum Master, she struggled to identify that the root cause was a manager more focused on career advancement than team success. This manager only paid attention to team members who could provide exposure to higher management, dismissing other requests with "let's solve that later." Integration problems mounted, key people were absent, and when COVID arrived, the team was ultimately disbanded. This experience taught Lilia crucial lessons about taking ownership of team success and viewing the Scrum Master role as a continuous learning journey in leadership. Self-reflection Question: How well do you understand the human dynamics within your team, and what signals might you be missing about individual motivations? Featured Book of the Week: 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene Lilia recommends "48 Laws of Power" by Robert Greene for its insights into human behavior and understanding the consequences of our actions when working with others. As Scrum Masters who interact with humans daily, this book helps develop awareness of interpersonal dynamics. One key principle Lilia applies is "always say less than necessary" - helping teams make decisions rather than overwhelming them with too much information or direction. [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 Lilia Pulova Lilia Pulova, a former Business Intelligence Analyst, discovered her passion as a Scrum Master by chance. A natural communicator with a love for languages, she now bridges the gap between business and tech, translating complex needs into streamlined processes that boost productivity and keep teams aligned and focused. You can link with Lilia Pulova on LinkedIn .…
1 When Architects Push Solutions—Learning to Disagree but Commit in Agile Teams | Lilia Pulova 13:56
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedLilia Pulova: When Architects Push Solutions—Learning to Disagree but Commit in 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 . Lilia shares a challenging situation where an architect pushed a complex solution that she felt might be too difficult for her less-experienced team. Despite having two alternative solutions that better suited the team's capabilities, she chose to let go of her concerns and try the architect's approach. This decision required significant adaptation and ongoing conversations with her frustrated team members. By informing her manager about the team's frustration level and working closely with the team to adapt the solution to their context, Lilia demonstrates the valuable principle of "disagree but commit" - sometimes you need to let go of your preferred approach and learn from trying something different. Self-reflection Question: When have you had to set aside your preferred solution to support a team decision, and what did you learn from that experience? [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 Lilia Pulova Lilia Pulova, a former Business Intelligence Analyst, discovered her passion as a Scrum Master by chance. A natural communicator with a love for languages, she now bridges the gap between business and tech, translating complex needs into streamlined processes that boost productivity and keep teams aligned and focused. You can link with Lilia Pulova on LinkedIn .…
1 BONUS: Never Stop Experimenting—Building a Culture of Continuous Discovery | Stavros Stavru 31:11
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBONUS: Never Stop Experimenting—Building a Culture of Continuous Discovery with Stavros Stavru In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into the world of continuous experimentation with Stavros Stavru, Ph.D. in Organizational Transformations and founder of EdTech ventures AhaPlay and The Caringers. Stavros shares insights from his latest book "Never Stop Experimenting" and reveals how teams can maintain their discovery mindset while balancing the pressures of delivery. The Exploration-Exploitation Dilemma "What would we choose? What we know, and try to exploit? Or go for something new, and better than we currently have?" Stavros introduces us to one of the fundamental challenges facing modern teams: the tension between exploration and exploitation. He explains how teams often start with an exploration mindset, focused on solving real problems through discovery. However, over time, there's a natural shift from discovery to delivery, and teams forget the importance of continued exploration. The title "Never Stop Experimenting" serves as an anchor for teams to remember the value of maintaining their experimental approach even when delivery pressures mount. Born from a Decade of Practice "All the techniques that I describe in the book were born during 10 years of practice." The book isn't theoretical - it's grounded in real-world application. Stavros shares how every technique and framework in "Never Stop Experimenting" emerged from his extensive hands-on experience working with teams over a decade. This practical foundation ensures that readers get battle-tested approaches rather than untested concepts. Software Development as Incremental Experiments "Experimentation requires a creative process." Stavros addresses a common challenge: while teams understand the benefits of experimentation and want to experiment, they often face management resistance that ultimately demotivates the team. He emphasizes that viewing software development as a series of incremental experiments isn't just beneficial - it's absolutely necessary for teams to remain innovative and responsive to changing needs. The Fatware Matrix: Putting Products on a Diet "The challenge: how do you convince the business that you need to spend some time removing features?" One of the book's standout concepts is "The Fatware Matrix," which helps Product Managers recognize when their product is becoming bloated. Stavros introduces a practical tool combining the Kano framework with maintenance cost analysis to illustrate the true cost and impact of maintaining old features. This approach helped one team successfully remove features from their software, with stakeholders later commenting, "Now this is more transparent for us." The key is managing feature creep and software bloat before they become overwhelming. The NSE Ratio: Optimizing Experimentation Rhythm "It's when we try something new that we learn what works. We need to change something on a regular basis." The NSE (Never Stop Experimenting) Ratio measures how long teams wait before introducing new approaches or experimenting with their processes. Stavros explains how teams should define their NSE ratio as part of their team agreements, establishing a regular cadence for trying new things. This systematic approach ensures that learning and adaptation become embedded in the team's rhythm rather than happening sporadically. Building a Safe-to-Fail Culture "Speak of your own failures. When we show our failures as leaders, we show the team that they can run their own experiments." Creating a truly safe-to-fail environment requires leaders to model vulnerability and transparency about their own mistakes. Stavros emphasizes that leaders must give the example by sharing their failures openly, which gives permission for the rest of the organization to take risks and learn from their own experiments. This leadership modeling is crucial for establishing psychological safety around experimentation. About Stavros Stavru Stavros is a Ph.D. in Organizational Transformations and a leading voice in Agile coaching, leadership, and soft skills. Founder of EdTech ventures AhaPlay and The Caringers, he has delivered over 800 trainings and authored Never Stop Experimenting, a powerful toolkit for continuous improvement across teams and organizations. You can connect with Stavros Stavru on LinkedIn , and check his book site at Neverstopexperimenting.com .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 The Product Owner Mindset in Construction | Luca Cotta Ramusino 17:41
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAgile in Construction: Why Construction Teams Need Product Owner Thinking with Luca Cotta Ramusino 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: The Customer Value Detective Luca discovered that applying the Product Owner role in construction requires thinking like a customer and understanding that "it's the customer that defines what value is." The great Product Owner in construction acts as a customer value detective, constantly asking "which task out of these is going to move the yardstick?" They ensure that work always serves a customer—if you can't identify your customer, you should stop and find one. This mindset transforms how construction teams approach their daily huddles and project planning, viewing everything through the lens of customer value rather than just task completion. The Bad Product Owner: The Waste Accumulator The bad Product Owner in construction fails to eliminate waste from processes, allowing non-value-adding activities to persist simply because "that's how we've always done it." They struggle to have candid conversations with customers and fail to tease out real requirements. Instead of transforming language into customer reality, they ask customers directly "what they want" without understanding that customers are better at identifying what they don't want than articulating what they need. This approach leads to projects that complete tasks without delivering real value. In this segment, refer to The Last Planner Method . Self-reflection Question: Can you clearly identify the customer for every piece of work your team performs, and how do you ensure that work truly moves the project toward completion? [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 Luca Cotta Ramusino Luca is a passionate Lean advocate with roots in the construction industry, now guiding teams through agile transformation. He thrives on exploring uncharted territory, then helping clients navigate it with confidence. Ask him how Lean and agile methods can unlock your team's potential in today's fast-paced, ever-evolving work environment. You can link with Luca Cotta Ramusino on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Managing The Network of Promises in Lean Construction | Luca Cotta Ramusino 18:08
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAgile in Construction: Managing The Network of Promises in Lean Construction, with Luca Cotta Ramusino 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 . Luca defines success in Lean construction through two critical metrics from the Last Planner Method: PPC (Percentage of Plan Complete) and RNC (Reasons for Not Completing). Success means creating reliable promises in what he describes as construction's "network of promises." The Last Planner Method removes layers of management by having those closest to the work do the planning themselves. PPC measures how reliable your promises are—similar to Scrum's definition of "done"—while RNC identifies where problems concentrate, typically in 2-3 areas. Both the work provider and receiver must agree on what "complete" means for these metrics to be meaningful. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Reflect and Disinfect Luca developed this daily retrospective practice where people share what was interesting about their work day without formal meetings. Inspired by both Scrum retrospectives and Toyota's focus on reflection and introspection, this 15-minute format answers three questions: what should we continue doing, what should we stop doing, and what should we start doing? The practice emphasizes that teams need moments to stop and think back in order to improve how they work. The informal nature makes it accessible to construction crews who might resist traditional meeting formats. Self-reflection Question: How reliable are the promises your team makes, and what patterns do you see in the reasons they're not kept? [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 Luca Cotta Ramusino Luca is a passionate Lean advocate with roots in the construction industry, now guiding teams through agile transformation. He thrives on exploring uncharted territory, then helping clients navigate it with confidence. Ask him how Lean and agile methods can unlock your team's potential in today's fast-paced, ever-evolving work environment. You can link with Luca Cotta Ramusino on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 The Parade of Trades—Teaching Flow in Construction | Luca Cotta Ramusino 13:33
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAgile in Construction: The Parade of Trades—Teaching Flow in Construction, With Luca Cotta Ramusino 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 . Luca learned the hard way that you can't just parachute consultants into construction sites and expect Lean methods to stick. His change strategy focuses on getting buy-in from crews by showing them "what's in it for them." He starts with exercises that provide insight into how Lean ideas apply to their specific jobs, like the "Parade of Trades" simulation that demonstrates how one crew moving at twice the speed still gets stuck behind slower crews ahead. This reveals that predictability of progress matters more than speed of progress. Once teams become familiar with these concepts, Luca transitions from directive teaching to facilitating meetings and conversations, moving into the background to help teams become more sustainable in their Lean practices. In this segment, Luca refers to the movie Karate Kid from 1984 , and to Theory of Constraints . Self-reflection Question: How do you ensure that change initiatives show clear value to the people who must actually implement them? [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 Luca Cotta Ramusino Luca is a passionate Lean advocate with roots in the construction industry, now guiding teams through agile transformation. He thrives on exploring uncharted territory, then helping clients navigate it with confidence. Ask him how Lean and agile methods can unlock your team's potential in today's fast-paced, ever-evolving work environment. You can link with Luca Cotta Ramusino on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 The Culture Shock of Applying Agile and Lean to Construction | Luca Cotta Ramusino 18:49
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAgile in Construction: The Culture Shock of Applying Agile and Lean to Construction, With Luca Cotta Ramusino 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 . Luca experienced a culture shock when first applying Lean thinking to construction, struggling to see how methods designed for cars and assembly lines could work in one-off construction projects. However, he discovered that collaboration in construction isn't about boss relationships—it's about people coming together to deliver value from the customer's perspective. The key insight: when multiple contractors compete for their share of income, the real goal becomes finding ways to complete "the work" efficiently. Competition exists, but the ultimate focus must remain on delivering what the customer truly needs, not just what individual trades want to accomplish. In this segment, we refer to the concept of an Andon Cord , and Swarming from Lean . Featured Book of the Week: The Machine That Changed the World & The Toyota Way These two books provided Luca with his "aha!" moment in understanding Lean construction. The Toyota Way , available in both English and Italian (with additional Italian company case studies), initially created a culture shock as Luca struggled to apply automotive methods to construction's one-off projects. However, these books revealed how Lean thinking could transform construction through visual management to surface problems quickly and swarming practices to fix issues faster. The books taught him that Lean principles transcend industries when properly adapted to different contexts. The Machine That Changed The World, by Womack, Jones, and Roos . Self-reflection Question: What industry practices have you dismissed too quickly without considering how they might adapt to your unique context? [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 Luca Cotta Ramusino Luca is a passionate Lean advocate with roots in the construction industry, now guiding teams through agile transformation. He thrives on exploring uncharted territory, then helping clients navigate it with confidence. Ask him how Lean and agile methods can unlock your team's potential in today's fast-paced, ever-evolving work environment. You can link with Luca Cotta Ramusino on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Tackling the Specialist-silo Problem in Agile Construction | Luca Cotta Ramusino 15:16
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedAgile in Construction: Tackling the Specialist-silo Problem in Construction With Luca Cotta Ramusino 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 . Luca shares a critical insight from his 20+ years in construction: crews often obsess about the wrong problem. While everyone knows a drywall crew can hang drywall, the real challenge isn't about individual abilities—it's about having work ready to perform. Construction sites are messy, crowded environments where multiple trades work simultaneously, not in splendid isolation. Luca emphasizes that completing work depends not just on your crew's skills, but on having the area prepared and ready for your specific trade. He explains how he gains buy-in from tradespeople by showing them "what's in it for them" and helping them understand the difference between how they think they're working versus what's actually happening on site. Self-reflection Question: How often do you focus on your team's capabilities while overlooking whether the work is actually ready for them to execute? [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 Luca Cotta Ramusino Luca is a passionate Lean advocate with roots in the construction industry, now guiding teams through agile transformation. He thrives on exploring uncharted territory, then helping clients navigate it with confidence. Ask him how Lean and agile methods can unlock your team's potential in today's fast-paced, ever-evolving work environment. You can link with Luca Cotta Ramusino on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 The Ghost Product Owner vs. The Storytelling Master | Stuart Tipples 17:18
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedStuart Tipples: The Ghost Product Owner vs. The Storytelling Master 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: The Storytelling Master Stuart describes an exceptional Product Owner who worked with an API team on what could have been a dry, unsexy product. This PO excelled by maintaining clear availability through established office hours, showing up consistently for the team, and avoiding micromanagement. The standout quality was their ability to tell compelling stories that created clarity and got the team onboard with the vision. Through storytelling, this PO helped the team communicate the value of their work, transforming a potentially mundane product into something meaningful and engaging for both the team and stakeholders. The Bad Product Owner: The Ghost with the Most Stuart encountered a problematic Product Owner working with a customer-portal team dealing with edge cases, legacy systems, and messy code. This PO earned the nickname "The Ghost with the Most" because they were never available when needed. They would miss sprint planning sessions, delay or skip backlog refinement entirely, and leave team members to fill the gap while juggling their own responsibilities. Stuart learned to address this directly by outlining how the PO's behavior affected the team and delivery, asking "Can I help you?" The PO initially reacted defensively but eventually admitted they weren't happy in the role. Self-reflection Question: How effectively does your Product Owner use storytelling to create clarity and help the team understand the value of their work? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Stuart Tipples Stuart is an Agilista, a coach, Scrum Master, agile delivery. A husband, Dog Dad, and as Star Wars nerd. Positive disruptor. Passionate about helping teams and individuals build and ship awesome products to their customers. Stuart also blogs at www.yourebelscrum.com You can link with Stuart Tipples on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Happy Teams Embrace Obstacles—Building Psychological Safety Through Retrospectives | Stuart Tipples 14:36
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedStuart Tipples: Defining Scrum Master Success and the 4L's Retrospective 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 . Stuart redefines success for Scrum Masters, moving beyond organized JIRA boards and well-structured stories to focus on team dynamics and behavior. True success means seeing healthy conflict that leads to insight, having transparent priorities, and watching teams call out their own behavior through self-checking mechanisms. Stuart emphasizes that happy teams aren't just content - they're energized by embracing obstacles and challenges. He stresses the importance of reinforcing great behaviors when you see them, creating an environment where teams can thrive independently. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: 4L's The 4L's retrospective format is Stuart's favorite because it strikes the perfect balance between warmth and honest feedback. The format covers four areas: Liked (appreciation), Learned (growth opportunities), Lacked (identifying gaps), and Longed for (dreaming big). This structure prevents people from freezing up while uncovering golden moments and building psychological safety. As a bonus, the format allows facilitators to bring fun elements and themes, making retrospectives more engaging while maintaining their effectiveness in driving team improvement. Self-reflection Question: Does your team demonstrate healthy conflict that leads to insight, or are disagreements avoided and issues left unresolved? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Stuart Tipples Stuart is an Agilista, a coach, Scrum Master, agile delivery. A husband, Dog Dad, and as Star Wars nerd. Positive disruptor. Passionate about helping teams and individuals build and ship awesome products to their customers. Stuart also blogs at www.yourebelscrum.com You can link with Stuart Tipples on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Leading Change Without Hierarchical Power | Stuart Tipples 15:54
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedStuart Tipples: Beyond Hierarchy—Influencing Agile Adoption Through Setting the Example and Community 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 . Stuart explores the challenging aspect of leading change as a Scrum Master without hierarchical authority. He shares his experience as a chapter lead where he built a community of practice and recruited new Scrum Masters to become change agents. The breakthrough came when he convinced director-level leaders to run their own quarterly retrospectives, creating a powerful example for teams throughout the organization. Stuart emphasizes that change spreads organically - when you change your team, it becomes contagious. His approach involved showing up daily as a change agent, understanding the difference between sponsors and change agents, and initially facilitating leadership retrospectives to demonstrate proper technique. Self-reflection Question: How can you leverage community building and lead by example to create lasting organizational change without relying on formal authority? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Stuart Tipples Stuart is an Agilista, a coach, Scrum Master, agile delivery. A husband, Dog Dad, and as Star Wars nerd. Positive disruptor. Passionate about helping teams and individuals build and ship awesome products to their customers. Stuart also blogs at www.yourebelscrum.com You can link with Stuart Tipples on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Trust-Based Leadership and Team Implosion | Stuart Tipples 17:25
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedStuart Tipples: Silent Teams, Explosive Outcomes—Learning to Normalize Disagreement 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 . Stuart tells the story of a team he was brought in to coach that appeared functional on the surface but was struggling beneath. Despite being behind on critical work, the team maintained a facade of happiness while abandoning retrospectives and falling into hero culture patterns. The team had developed "toxic positivity" where members stayed silent about real issues, creating an environment without psychological safety. When problems finally surfaced, the team exploded into unpleasant disagreements. Stuart's key learning: teams usually stay silent until it's too late, making it crucial to foster psychological safety by normalizing disagreement and creating space for honest dialogue. Self-reflection Question: Is your team comfortable with healthy disagreement, or are you maintaining a facade of toxic positivity that prevents real issues from being addressed? Featured Book of the Week: Trust Based Leadership by Mike Ettore Trust Based Leadership by Mike Ettore stands out because it's devoid of corporate fluff and delivers a clear message from a former marine turned executive. Stuart recommends it because it focuses on the fundamental truth that if you don't build trust, you're just managing compliance. The book emphasizes leading with consistency, clarity, and courage, and encourages leaders not to wait for permission to make positive changes. It's a practical guide that moves beyond typical corporate leadership advice to address real-world leadership challenges. [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Stuart Tipples Stuart is an Agilista, a coach, Scrum Master, agile delivery. A husband, Dog Dad, and as Star Wars nerd. Positive disruptor. Passionate about helping teams and individuals build and ship awesome products to their customers. Stuart also blogs at www.yourebelscrum.com You can link with Stuart Tipples on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Breaking Free from Zombie Scrum | Stuart Tipples 15:14
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedStuart Tipples: From Zombie Scrum to Agile Thinking—Learning from a Failed 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 . Stuart shares a powerful story about joining a team that appeared to be thriving with Scrum ceremonies in place, only to discover they were performing "zombie scrum" - going through the motions without embracing agile thinking. The team functioned as a feature factory, never questioning requirements or truly collaborating. Stuart learned that agile isn't about what you do, but how you and the team think. He emphasizes that frameworks are just guardrails; the real focus must be on coaching people in agile values and principles. His key insight: know the rules before you break them, and remember that no amount of ceremony can rescue a team that lacks the agile mindset. Self-reflection Question: Are your team's agile ceremonies creating real value and fostering collaboration, or are you simply going through the motions of "performative theatre"? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Stuart Tipples Stuart is an Agilista, a coach, Scrum Master, agile delivery. A husband, Dog Dad, and as Star Wars nerd. Positive disruptor. Passionate about helping teams and individuals build and ship awesome products to their customers. Stuart also blogs at www.yourebelscrum.com You can link with Stuart Tipples on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 The No-Scroll Bar Rule—Empowering PO’s Through Constraints | Joel Bancroft-Connors 19:17
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedJoel Bancroft-Connors: The No-Scroll Bar Rule—Empowering PO’s Through Constraints 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: The Collaborative Innovator Joel describes an exceptional Product Owner scenario at a large insurance organization where complementary skills created magic. Working with two different people - a business expert who understood insurance but lacked development knowledge, and a designer with user experience expertise - Joel suggested the designer take on the Product Owner role while collaborating closely with the business person. This collaboration between complementary skills produced outstanding results. The great Product Owner understood that their role wasn't to control every detail but to unleash developer creativity by providing problems and context rather than prescriptive solutions. Joel's approach of "give the developers a problem and a canvas" allowed the team to innovate while staying focused on customer needs. This Product Owner fostered innovation rather than preventing it, demonstrating how effective collaboration can transform product development. The Bad Product Owner: The Business Analyst That Couldn’t Let Go Joel identifies a problematic anti-pattern: the Business Analyst who transitions to Product Owner but can't abandon their documentation-heavy approach. While Business Analysts can make excellent Product Owners with proper support, those who insist on documenting everything create communication bottlenecks and slow down delivery. This creates a "telephone game" effect between the BA/PO and developers. Joel encountered one such individual who would declare "the developers can't do that" without giving them the opportunity to explore solutions. Following his "no-scroll bar rule" for documentation, Joel emphasizes that Product Owners should provide just enough information to enable developer creativity, not overwhelming detail that stifles innovation. When the problematic BA was replaced with someone who understood customers and trusted developers, the team's innovation flourished. In this segment, we refer to the book Liftoff, by Larsen and Nies . Self-reflection Question: Are you enabling developer innovation by providing problems and context, or are you stifling creativity with excessive documentation and control? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Joel Bancroft-Connors Joel Bancroft-Connors is The Gorilla Coach — a Certified Scrum Trainer and Agile disruptor focused on sustainable value and effectiveness. With a background in product, project, and coaching, Joel blends sharp insights with practical tools to help teams thrive. He is a Miro power user and rocks curated classroom playlists. You can link with Joel Bancroft-Connors on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Sustainable Value—Redefining Success Beyond Profit | Joel Bancroft-Connors 17:24
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedJoel Bancroft-Connors: Sustainable Value—Redefining Success Beyond Profit 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 . Joel has evolved his definition of Scrum Master success over time, moving beyond traditional metrics to focus on what truly matters: sustainable value delivery. While Agile principles clearly state the goal of delivering value continuously, Joel emphasizes that success isn't just about making profit - it's about creating sustainable profit through sustainable processes and people practices. He challenges Scrum Masters to consider their "people sustainability metric" and asks whether their approach supports long-term team health and organizational resilience. Joel's definition encompasses three pillars: delivering sustainable value, maintaining sustainable processes, and ensuring sustainability for people. This holistic view of success requires Scrum Masters to think beyond immediate outcomes and consider the long-term impact of their practices. In this segment, we refer to the book Turn the ship around! by David Marquet . Self-reflection Question: What is your people sustainability metric, and how are you measuring whether your Scrum practices support long-term team and organizational health? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Back to Basics Joel advocates for returning to the foundational retrospective format outlined in "Agile Retrospectives" by Derby and Larsen. Rather than getting caught up in complex or creative retrospective techniques, he emphasizes the power of following the basic steps: set the stage, gather data, generate insights, decide what to do, and close the retrospective. Joel stresses that there's an important arc to retrospectives that shouldn't be overlooked. By taking time to properly gather data and following the structured approach from the agile retrospectives book, teams can achieve more meaningful and actionable outcomes. Sometimes the most effective approach is simply executing the fundamentals exceptionally well. In this segment, we refer to the book Agile retrospectives, by Derby and Larsen . [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Joel Bancroft-Connors Joel Bancroft-Connors is The Gorilla Coach — a Certified Scrum Trainer and Agile disruptor focused on sustainable value and effectiveness. With a background in product, project, and coaching, Joel blends sharp insights with practical tools to help teams thrive. He is a Miro power user and rocks curated classroom playlists. You can link with Joel Bancroft-Connors on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 The 90-Day Rule—Building Trust Before Disrupting the Status Quo | Joel Bancroft-Connors 14:20
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedJoel Bancroft-Connors: The 90-Day Rule—Building Trust Before Disrupting the Status Quo 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 . Joel shares his first experience as a CSM at a traditional hard drive manufacturing company, where he learned the art of patient change management. Tasked with bridging the gap between a rigid mothership company and their agile startup division, Joel discovered the power of focusing on principles rather than processes. For six months, he concentrated on creating transparency and shifting focus from status reporting to "getting to done" without ever mentioning Scrum or Agile. His approach followed what he calls the 90-day rule: "In the first 90 days - do no harm, but then have a plan to do something." By listening first and building trust, Joel helped the team deliver a product in just three months. He emphasizes the importance of making people feel valued and using "future perfect thinking" to envision desired outcomes before introducing change. In this episode we refer to Luke Hohmann’s Innovation Games, the website and resource Manager-Tools.com , and Daniel Pink’s book Drive . Self-reflection Question: Are you rushing to implement changes, or are you taking time to build trust and understand the current state before introducing new practices? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Joel Bancroft-Connors Joel Bancroft-Connors is The Gorilla Coach — a Certified Scrum Trainer and Agile disruptor focused on sustainable value and effectiveness. With a background in product, project, and coaching, Joel blends sharp insights with practical tools to help teams thrive. He is a Miro power user and rocks curated classroom playlists. You can link with Joel Bancroft-Connors on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 How Performance Reviews Killed a Great Agile Team | Joel Bancroft-Connors 12:52
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedJoel Bancroft-Connors: How Performance Reviews Killed a Great Agile Team 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 . Joel tells the story of a team caught in the crossfire of a poorly executed large-scale agile transformation. While the CTO championed going agile, they quickly checked out, leaving the organization without clear direction or understanding of why they were adopting agile practices. The company measured success through output metrics like "number of teams trained" rather than meaningful outcomes. Joel worked with an exceptional team that had built their own collaborative workspace and was performing well, but external forces kept pulling them out of flow. Performance reviews created internal conflict, leading team members to focus on individual success rather than collective achievement. The team ultimately fell into their own traps, with everyone "focusing on themselves and throwing others under the bus." Joel recommends balancing performance evaluations with 50% team-based and 50% individual metrics to prevent this destructive pattern. Self-reflection Question: Does your team truly understand why they are using Scrum, or are they just going through the motions of the framework? Featured Book of the Week: Start with Why by Simon Sinek Joel credits Simon Sinek's "Start with Why" as a transformational influence on his coaching approach. The book's central principle that "people don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it" fundamentally changed how Joel teaches Scrum. He realized he had been teaching Scrum incorrectly by focusing on the mechanics rather than the purpose. Now Joel listens to this book annually and has shifted his focus to helping teams and organizations understand why Scrum matters and why it's important. This shift from teaching the "what" to emphasizing the "why" has made his coaching significantly more effective and meaningful. Joel also mentions the book Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Adkins . [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Joel Bancroft-Connors Joel Bancroft-Connors is The Gorilla Coach — a Certified Scrum Trainer and Agile disruptor focused on sustainable value and effectiveness. With a background in product, project, and coaching, Joel blends sharp insights with practical tools to help teams thrive. He is a Miro power user and rocks curated classroom playlists. You can link with Joel Bancroft-Connors on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 When Great Scrum Masters Fail—The Hidden Cost of Poor Value Communication | Joel Bancroft-Connors 15:24
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedJoel Bancroft-Connors: When Great Scrum Masters Fail—The Hidden Cost of Poor Value Communication 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 . Joel shares a powerful lesson about the critical importance of communicating value beyond team performance. Despite achieving remarkable success with multiple teams as an agile coach, Joel and his colleagues ultimately failed because they couldn't effectively demonstrate their value to leadership. The teams were thriving, but when budget cuts came, the coaching support was eliminated first. Without ongoing support, these successful teams began to deteriorate. Joel emphasizes that as Scrum Masters and agile coaches, we must actively communicate our impact and connect team success to business outcomes. Simply assuming that good team performance speaks for itself is not enough - we need to interact more with stakeholders and clearly articulate the value we create. In this episode, we refer to the TV series Ted Lasso , and the books Start with Why by Simon Sinek , and Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Adkins . Self-reflection Question: How effectively are you communicating the business value of your Scrum Master activities to leadership, and what specific metrics or stories could better demonstrate your impact? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Joel Bancroft-Connors Joel Bancroft-Connors is The Gorilla Coach — a Certified Scrum Trainer and Agile disruptor focused on sustainable value and effectiveness. With a background in product, project, and coaching, Joel blends sharp insights with practical tools to help teams thrive. He is a Miro power user and rocks curated classroom playlists. You can link with Joel Bancroft-Connors on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 BONUS Martti Kuldma: How to Transform Century-Old Organizations Through Product-Driven Agile Transformation 44:05
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBONUS: Martti Kuldma shares how to transform century-old organizations through product-driven agile transformation In this BONUS episode we explore the remarkable transformation journey at Omniva with CEO Martti Kuldma. From traditional postal services to innovative logistics solutions, we explore how a 100+ year old company embraced product thinking, DevOps practices, and agile transformation to become a competitive force in modern logistics. Omniva's Digital Evolution—IT as a Revenue Center "We innovated the parcel machine business for a few years, and software has been an area of investment for us - software as a separate vertical in our business." Omniva represents a fascinating case study in organizational transformation. While many know it as Estonia's post office, the company has evolved into an international logistics powerhouse with significant revenue streams beyond traditional postal services. Under Martti's leadership, the organization has reimagined software not as a support function but as a core revenue driver, positioning itself for the dramatic shifts expected in logistics delivery over the next five years. The Vision: Physical Mailing as the Next IP Network "The Vision: physical mailing as the next IP network - this will give us a lot more freedom to adapt to changes in delivery demand." Martti's strategic vision extends far beyond conventional logistics thinking. By conceptualizing physical delivery networks similar to internet protocols, Omniva is preparing for a future where logistics companies leverage their physical infrastructure advantages. This approach addresses the fundamental challenge of fluctuating demand in e-commerce and traditional logistics, creating opportunities for crowd delivery solutions and gig economy integration that capitalize on existing network effects. Breaking Down Waterfall Barriers "When I came we had waterfall processes - annual budgeting, procurement for software development. It took a couple of weeks to do the first rounds, and understand what could be improved." The transformation from traditional procurement-based software development to agile product teams required dismantling entrenched processes. Martti discovered that the contractor model, while seemingly cost-effective, created expensive knowledge transfer cycles and left the organization vulnerable when external teams departed. His engineering background enabled him to recruit talent and build sustainable development capabilities that keep critical knowledge within the organization. Creating Cross-Functional Product Teams "We started to create cross-functional product area teams. We are not going to tell you what you need to build. You are accountable for the logistics efficiency." The shift from eleven distinct roles in software development to autonomous product teams represents more than organizational restructuring. By empowering teams with accountability for business outcomes rather than just deliverables, Omniva transformed how work gets planned and executed. This approach eliminates traditional handoffs and role silos, creating teams that own both the problem and the solution. The Product Manager Evolution "For me, the PM is directly accountable for the business results. The final step of the transformation started when I took the CEO role." Martti identifies a critical challenge in agile transformations: the misunderstanding of Product Manager responsibilities. Rather than falling into delivery or project management patterns, effective PMs at Omniva own business results directly. This shift required company-wide transformation because technical changes alone cannot sustain organizational evolution without corresponding changes in mindset and accountability structures. Leadership Through Storytelling "My main tool is just talking. All I do is story-telling internally and externally. I needed to become the best salesman in the company." The transition from technical leadership to CEO revealed that transformation leadership requires different skills than technical management. Martti discovered that his primary value comes through narrative construction and communication rather than direct technical contribution. This realization highlights how senior leaders must evolve their impact methods as organizations scale and transform. Real-Time Feedback Philosophy "The feedback needs to be given immediately. ‘Last year, in May your performance was not the best’ - this is completely useless feedback." Martti's rejection of annual reviews stems from practical experience with feedback effectiveness. Immediate, personal feedback creates learning opportunities and course corrections that annual cycles cannot provide. Anonymous 360 feedback systems often dilute accountability and actionability, whereas direct, timely conversations enable meaningful professional development and relationship building. Essential Transformation Practices "You need to tell the story - and convince people that this transformation is essential and needed. You need to trust and let them make their own decisions." Drawing from experiences at both Pipedrive and Omniva, Martti identifies three critical elements for leading complex organizational change: Compelling narrative: People need to understand why transformation is necessary and how it benefits both the organization and their individual growth Distributed decision-making: Trust enables teams to solve problems creatively rather than waiting for hierarchical approval Business accountability for engineers: When technical teams understand and own business outcomes, they innovate more effectively toward meaningful goals The dynamic team formation model used at Pipedrive, where engineers and PMs pitched ideas and assembled mission-focused teams, demonstrates how organizational structure can enable rather than constrain innovation. About Martti Kuldma Martti Kuldma is CEO of Omniva, leading its transformation into a product-driven logistics company. A former engineering leader at Pipedrive and CTO at Omniva, he brings deep expertise in scaling teams, agile transformation, and digital innovation. Martti is also a startup founder and passionate advocate for high-impact product organizations. You can link with Martti Kuldma on LinkedIn.…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 BONUS Entertainment That Makes Change: Lessons in Product Thinking from Believe Ltd. With Patrick James Lynch 41:43
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBONUS: Patrick James Lynch on Entertainment That Makes Change - Lessons in Product Thinking from Believe Ltd. In this BONUS episode we explore how Patrick James Lynch, filmmaker, media executive, and rare disease advocate, has built Believe Limited around a powerful mission: entertainment that effects change. Patrick shares his journey from personal experience with his brother's hemophilia to creating award-winning content that empowers rare and chronic disease communities, offering valuable lessons for product managers on human-centered design, stakeholder alignment, and building emotionally viable products. The Genesis of Entertainment That Effects Change "This is more than a product." Patrick's journey began with a deeply personal question about his brother who had hemophilia. As an entrepreneur, he set out to respond to an identified need with one product to meet that need, but quickly realized the scope was much larger. His curiosity about what was different between him and his brother led him to understand that he needed to help people like his brother. This realization drove him to create valuable online videos to engage their audience, marking the beginning of Believe Ltd.'s mission of entertainment that effects change. Essential Product Lessons: Listen, Learn, and Do No Harm "The fact that I am my audience, does not mean that I'm an expert." Patrick emphasizes the critical importance of conducting thorough needs assessments and truly understanding your community before building products. Key insights include: Embed yourself in the community you're serving rather than making assumptions Follow the principle of "listen, learn and do no harm" as your starting point Involve community engagement as a dedicated role - Believe Ltd. has a VP of community engagement Define clear phrases that explain the value you deliver to your audience Use your personal story to establish credibility and relate experiences to your audience The goal is to get as familiar with your community as possible, then conduct your own research and development based on those deep insights. Navigating Multi-Stakeholder Complexity "Collaboration only succeeds when all points of view are respected." Working with patients, funders, healthcare professionals, and pharmaceutical companies requires careful orchestration. Patrick's approach centers on prioritizing the end game and identifying the north star goal that aligns all parties. He emphasizes focusing on combined skills and networks rather than trying to accomplish everything at the start. The key is ensuring that aligning stakeholders becomes a central part of the process, with everyone being accounted for throughout the journey. Human-Centered Storytelling as Product Strategy "What's the story that shows the value add of your product?" Patrick advocates for human-centered storytelling as a fundamental product approach. Rather than leading with features or specifications, he suggests crafting stories that demonstrate real value - like how a thermos saved someone's life while hiking. Stories have been humanity's primary communication tool since the beginning of time, and they remain the most effective way to show product value and connect with audiences on a meaningful level. Being a Value Fundamentalist "At any given moment, if anyone takes a screen grab, and set it against our five core values as a company - you see it's playing out." Patrick describes himself as a value fundamentalist, meaning that their company's core values are always present in everything they do. This requires courage, including the willingness to say "no" when opportunities don't align with their values. As CEO, he believes in embodying these values consistently, even when it's challenging, because who they are must always be visible in their work. Balancing Vision with Community Feedback "When you ask the audience for a solution, there's no innovation." Patrick warns against sacrificing vision simply because you're working closely with your audience. While being in the sandbox with your community is essential, maintaining your original vision for entertainment that changes minds is equally important. He recommends having someone you can bounce ideas off to help maintain this balance, and remembers that all great things start small and are inherently iterative. Creating Emotionally Viable Products "We can't develop emotional connection by going through a list of features." Beyond minimum viable products, Patrick focuses on emotional viability - the hook that makes people truly care. Emotional connection cannot be built through feature lists but rather through compelling stories that capture people's imagination. When audiences engage with products outside of direct supervision, storytelling becomes the bridge that helps them discover new uses and applications. This creates a dance between product creators and their audience, leading to better product design. The Currency of Attention "Attention is the only currency - there's great wisdom in that." Patrick recognizes that in today's landscape, capturing and maintaining attention is the fundamental challenge. Since everyone is an audience member at different times, this perspective helps inform both strategy and tactics. Products must compete not just on functionality but on their ability to engage and maintain audience interest over time. As a recommended reading, Patrick suggests that we should read “Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need” to understand how to better tell stories about our products. About Patrick James Lynch Patrick James Lynch is a filmmaker, media executive, and rare disease advocate. CEO of Believe Limited and founder of BloodStream Media, he uses his experience with hemophilia to drive award-winning storytelling, health advocacy, and mission-driven content that inspires and empowers rare and chronic disease communities worldwide. You can link with Patrick James Lynch on LinkedIn and follow Patrick James Lynch’s work on his website .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 BONUS The Startup CTO's Handbook With Zach Goldberg 41:01
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBONUS: Zach Goldberg shares how to build high-performing engineering teams and master the startup CTO role In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into the world of startup leadership with Zach Goldberg, author of The Startup CTO's Handbook . We explore the critical transition from engineering to leadership, the art of balancing technical debt with startup urgency, and the communication skills that separate great CTOs from the rest. The Genesis of The Startup CTO's Handbook "My original training in software engineering was not enough for being a leader. All the people and leadership skills, I had to learn on my own." Zach's journey to writing The Startup CTO's Handbook began with a stark realization about the gap between technical training and leadership reality. Despite his classical software engineering background, he discovered that the people and leadership skills required for CTO success had to be self-taught. The book emerged from a growing Google Doc of topics and frameworks addressing the leadership and management challenges that CTOs consistently face - from hiring and performance management to making strategic decisions under pressure. Today, we can either buy the digital/print book on Amazon, or read the book on GitHub . In this segment, we also refer to the book The Great CEO Within . Learning to Truly Learn: The Max Mintz Story "Max only cared about my ability to learn - to get curious about something hard. He wanted to help me deal with complexity." Zach opens his book with a deeply personal story about his mentor, Max Mintz, who fundamentally changed his approach to learning during what he calls "the most impactful single coffee" of his life. Over 1.5 years of conversations, Max taught him that true learning isn't about accumulating facts, but about developing curiosity for hard problems and building the capacity to handle complexity. This lesson forms the foundation of effective CTO leadership - the ability to continuously learn and adapt in an ever-changing technical landscape. The Three Critical CTO Mistakes "As a CTO, the most important 3 things: people, people, people. Do the people have the right energy, the right passion? Assemble the right team." Zach identifies consistent patterns in startup CTO failures across his experience. The first and most critical mistake is undervaluing people decisions - failing to prioritize team energy, passion, and the right assembly of talent. The second category involves investment mistakes, particularly the challenge of balancing short-term survival needs with long-term technical goals. In startups, the ROI timespan is exceptionally short, requiring optimization for immediate objectives rather than hypothetical scale. The third mistake is treating technology as religion rather than tools, losing sight of what the business actually needs. Optimizing for Velocity and Developer Experience "You are optimizing for velocity! What are you doing to help developers get their work done? Look at developer experience as a metric." Successful startup CTOs understand that velocity - the time from idea to valuable market delivery - is paramount. This requires a fundamental shift in thinking about technology decisions, focusing on features that deliver real customer value rather than technical elegance. Zach emphasizes measuring developer experience as a key metric, recognizing that anything that helps developers work more effectively directly impacts the company's ability to survive and thrive in competitive markets. The Professional Skill Tree Concept "It's like a character progression in an RPG. When we learn one type of skills, we don't learn other types of skills. We make investments every day and we have a choice on where we learn." Drawing from gaming metaphors, Zach explains how technical professionals often reach Level 100 in engineering skills while remaining Level 1 in management. The skill tree concept highlights that every learning investment is a choice - time spent developing one skill area means less time available for others. For engineers transitioning to leadership, the key is recognizing opportunities to serve as tech leads, where they can begin setting culture and quality standards while still leveraging their technical expertise. Balancing Kaizen with Startup Urgency "Pick the high-impact debt, and pay that down. This is not always easy, especially because we also need to pick what debt we don't invest on." The tension between continuous improvement and startup speed requires sophisticated thinking about technical debt. Using financial analogies, Zach explains that technical debt has both principal and interest components. The key is identifying which debt carries the highest interest rates and can be paid down most quickly, while consciously choosing which debt to carry forward. This approach maintains the healthy tension between quality and speed that defines successful startup engineering. The Power of Audience Empathy "The single hardest skill, especially for very tech leaders is that of 'audience empathy.' When you explain ideas to people, you usually assume a lot - but they might not." According to Zach, the most undervalued communication habit for startup tech leaders is developing audience empathy. Technical leaders often suffer from the curse of knowledge, assuming their audience shares their context and understanding. The solution requires deliberately considering what the audience already knows before crafting any communication, whether it's explaining technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders or providing clear direction to team members. In this segment we refer to the concept of “ the curse of knowledge ”, a cognitive bias that occurs when a person who has specialized knowledge assumes that others share in that knowledge. About Zach Goldberg Zach Goldberg is a seasoned technical entrepreneur, executive coach, and author of The Startup CTO's Handbook. With a founder's mentality and a passion for systems thinking, Zach helps engineering leaders build high-performing teams. He also founded Advance The World, a nonprofit inspiring youth in STEM through immersive experiences. You can link with Zach Goldberg on LinkedIn , and visit Zach’s website at CTOHB.com .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 BONUS Tom Gilb: Building True Engineering Culture and Delivering Value Through Evolutionary Methods 42:39
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBONUS: Tom Gilb on Building True Engineering Culture and Delivering Value Through Evolutionary Methods In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into the world of true engineering discipline with Tom Gilb, a pioneer who was writing about Agile principles before Agile was even named. We explore his latest book "Success - Super Secrets & Strategies for Efficient Value Delivery in Projects and Programs, and Plans" and uncover the fundamental flaws in how organizations approach project delivery and stakeholder management. The Genesis of Success-Focused Engineering "People were failing at project deliveries - even when using Agile. I saw there was very little about setting clear goals and reaching them, it had nothing to do with being successful." Tom's motivation for writing his latest book stems from a critical observation: despite the widespread adoption of Agile methodologies, project failure rates remain unacceptably high. The core issue isn't methodology but rather the fundamental lack of clarity around what success actually means. Tom emphasizes that true success is about achieving the improvements you want at a price you can afford, yet most organizations fail to define this clearly from the outset. In this segment, we refer to the book How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg who published statistics on the poor performance of projects in general. Beyond OKRs: The Power of Quantified Multi-Dimensional Objectives "First you need to have a definition of what it means to succeed. And that needs to be multi-dimensional. And you need to clarify what they are." While many organizations believe they're already quantifying objectives through frameworks like OKRs, Tom reveals significant weaknesses in these approaches. True value isn't just profit—it encompasses multiple dimensions including security, usability, and other stakeholder-specific benefits. The key insight is learning to quantify what needs to be achieved across all critical dimensions, as you simply cannot design for high-quality attributes like security without first quantifying and designing for them explicitly. In this segment, we talk about Tom’s paper on OKR’s titled "OKR Objectives and Key Results: what's wrong and how to fix it" . The Missing Engineering Discipline "Why is the failure rate of our projects so high?" Tom identifies a paradoxical problem: engineering organizations often lack true engineering discipline. This fundamental gap explains why project success rates remain low despite technological advances. Real engineering requires systematic approaches to design, stakeholder analysis, and incremental value delivery—disciplines that are often overlooked in favor of rushed implementations. Stakeholder Analysis: Beyond User Stories "Stakeholders have a requirement - even if we don't know it. They might be people, but also law, contract, policies, etc. They all have requirements for us." Traditional user-centered methods like user stories can lead to failure when critical stakeholders are overlooked. Tom advocates for comprehensive stakeholder analysis as the foundation of engineering discipline. Stakeholders aren't just people—they include laws, contracts, policies, and other constraints that have requirements for your system. The practical tip here is to use AI tools to help identify and list these stakeholders, then quantify their specific requirements using structured approaches like Planguage . The Gilb Cycle: True Incremental Value Delivery "Get things done every week, next week, until it's all done. We need to decompose any possible design into enough increments so that each increment delivers some value." What distinguishes Tom's evolutionary approach from popular Agile frameworks is the focus on choosing the most efficient design and then systematically improving existing systems through measured increments. Each increment must deliver tangible value, and the decomposition process should be aided by AI tools to ensure optimal value delivery. This isn't just about iteration—it's about strategic improvement with measurable outcomes. Building Engineering Culture: A Two-Leader Approach "There are two leaders: the tech leaders and the management leaders. For management leaders: demand a value stream of results starting next week. To the tech leaders: learn the engineering process." Creating a true engineering culture requires coordinated effort from both management and technical leadership. Management leaders should demand immediate value streams with weekly results, while technical leaders must master fundamental engineering processes including stakeholder analysis and requirement quantification. This dual approach ensures both accountability and capability development within the organization. Further Resources During this episode we refer to several of Tom’s books and papers. You can see this list below Software Metrics by Tom Gilb Principles of software engineering management - Also available in PDF Evo book About Tom Gilb Tom Gilb, born in the US, lived in London, and then moved to Norway in 1958. An independent teacher, consultant, and writer, he has worked in software engineering, corporate top management, and large-scale systems engineering. As the saying goes, Tom was writing about Agile, before Agile was named. In 1976, Tom introduced the term "evolutionary" in his book Software Metrics, advocating for development in small, measurable steps. Today, we talk about Evo, the name that Tom used to describe his approach. You can link with Tom Gilb on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 BONUS Solution-Focused Coaching for Agile Teams With Ralph and Veronika 44:17
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBONUS: Solution-Focused Coaching: The Game-Changing Method Every Scrum Master Needs With Ralph Miarka and Veronika Jugwirth In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into solution-focused coaching with Ralph and Veronika, co-authors of "Solution Focused Coaching For Agile Teams." This conversation explores how to shift from problem-solving to solution-building, helping Agile teams thrive through a forward-looking approach that empowers teams to find their own path to success. Understanding Solution-Focused Coaching "Solution focus, focuses on the goal itself. We are not talking about 'how', but first start with 'what we want to achieve'." Solution-focused coaching represents a fundamental shift from traditional problem-solving approaches. Rather than diving into root cause analysis and retrospectives focused on what went wrong, this methodology centers on the future and desired outcomes. It operates as a communication system that recognizes the complexity of modern work environments where simple cause-effect relationships don't always apply. In engineering, root causes make sense when dealing with predictable systems, but in complex organizational dynamics, solution-focused coaching acknowledges that we often can't identify clear root causes and instead focuses on creating a "preferred future." In this segment we refer to Solution-focused brief therapy and the Cynefin model. The Power of Not-Knowing "Instead of suggesting solutions, we should start by asking questions. The “Not-knowing position” is about accepting this." The "not-knowing position" challenges coaches and leaders to resist the urge to immediately diagnose problems and offer solutions. When someone shares their story, they're not sharing the version we think we know. This approach transforms coaching conversations by starting with questions like "What difference would it make for you to solve this problem?" This shift toward asking questions about a positive future can even help identify advocates among those who initially resist change, creating unexpected allies in transformation efforts. Everyone as an Expert "When we help teams change by themselves, they change much faster." The principle that "everyone is an expert in their situation" fundamentally changes how coaches approach team dynamics, especially during periods of pressure or conflict. Instead of imposing external solutions, this approach involves asking teams what they already like about their current practices. For example, when observing daily standups with their natural diversity of approaches, focusing on what teams appreciate about their existing practices creates a foundation for sustainable change. Teams that discover their own path to improvement implement changes more rapidly and with greater commitment than those following prescribed solutions. The Miracle Question Technique "What would be a very small first sign that tells you that there was a small miracle during the night?" The Miracle Question emerges from real coaching conversations where clients express that "only a miracle can help." Rather than dismissing this statement, solution-focused coaches embrace the client's language to create powerful exploration opportunities. The technique involves asking teams to imagine their situation after a small miracle has occurred overnight, then identifying the first small signs they would notice. This approach helps teams explore possibilities and envision concrete steps toward their preferred future, making abstract goals tangible and achievable. Unlearning the Fix-It Mentality "Don't work by yourself in the problems of others, let them work." For Agile practitioners trained to identify and fix problems, solution-focused coaching requires a significant mindset shift. Instead of jumping into problem-solving mode, coaches must learn to hold space for solutions to emerge naturally from the team. This involves trusting that team members are experts in their own situations and developing strong questioning skills. Coaches and Scrum Masters need to clarify their own goals and resist the urge to solve problems for others, instead creating conditions where teams can work through challenges themselves. Practical Questions for Immediate Implementation "What do we want to achieve? What is our goal, and why?" Teams can immediately begin incorporating solution-focused approaches by bringing specific questions into their regular ceremonies. Key questions include exploring what the team wants to achieve and understanding the underlying purpose behind their goals. Additionally, asking "What works already?" helps teams build on existing strengths rather than focusing solely on problems. Confidence-building questions like "How confident are we?" and "What would make you more confident?" create opportunities for teams to identify specific actions that would increase their likelihood of success. About Ralph and Veronika Ralph Miarka is an Agile coach, trainer, and co-author of the book that is our topic for today's episode: Solution Focused Coaching For Agile Teams. Ralph helps teams thrive through solution-focused coaching. With a background in engineering and leadership, he bridges structure and empathy to spark real change. You can link with Ralph Miarka on LinkedIn. Veronika Jungwrith is a coach, consultant, and facilitator, Veronika blends solution-focused coaching with leadership development. Her work empowers individuals and teams to navigate complexity with clarity, meaning, and lasting impact. You can link with Veronika Jungwrith on LinkedIn.…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Why Great Product Owners Listen—Communication Lessons from Product Ownership Extremes | Deniz Ari 19:39
19:39 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked19:39
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedDeniz Ari: Why Great Product Owners Listen—Communication Lessons from Product Ownership Extremes The Great Product Owner: The Power of Clear Communication Deniz describes a truly exemplary Product Owner who excelled through outstanding communication skills. This PO was an exceptional listener who maintained openness throughout all interactions. They ensured the team thoroughly understood requirements and priorities, always clearly articulating the rationale behind decisions. With a well-defined product vision and transparent prioritization process, this PO successfully bridged the gap between the development team and clients. Deniz emphasizes how this clear communication style naturally fostered team motivation, as everyone understood not just what they were building, but why it mattered. The Bad Product Owner: The Tyrant PO Deniz shares a challenging experience with a problematic Product Owner during what initially appeared to be a straightforward public sector migration project with adequate budget and timeline. Despite these favorable conditions, the situation deteriorated when the PO began pushing the team to work overtime, overstepping boundaries by questioning architectural decisions, and inappropriately assuming Scrum Master responsibilities. Described as a "tyrant" or "despot," this PO exhibited extremely poor communication skills and preferred dictating rather than collaborating. When Deniz attempted to address these issues, the situation became so toxic that it affected Deniz's health, ultimately leading to their decision to leave the project. The PO subsequently claimed no Scrum Master was needed. Deniz reflects that sometimes the best option is to recognize when a situation cannot be changed and to move on. Self-reflection Question: What boundaries would you establish with a dominant Product Owner, and at what point would you decide that the situation cannot be improved? [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 Deniz Ari Deniz is an innovative, driven professional with expertise in Agile coaching, delivery management, data science, and technology transformation. As a Scrum Master and Agile Coach, Deniz builds high-performing teams, drives strategic execution, and fosters collaboration. Passionate about continuous improvement, they lead cultural shifts, optimize processes, and deliver scalable, high-quality outcomes. You can link with Deniz Ari on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Stakeholder Management Rhythms for Successful Scrum Masters | Deniz Ari 14:56
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedDeniz Ari: Stakeholder Management Rhythms for Successful Scrum Masters 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 Deniz, successful Scrum Masters create environments with positive team dynamics, easy communication, and a focus on continuous improvement that leads to valuable deliverables. The key indicators include whether team members can speak freely, whether there's trust between team members, and if the team feels like "a safe place to fail." Deniz recommends admitting your own mistakes in front of the team to model vulnerability, continuously observing team interactions, and noticing whether teams openly discuss obstacles. For stakeholder management, Deniz suggests establishing regular catch-up calls with leaders to keep team messages in the conversation and setting up routine discussions with stakeholders to maintain alignment. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Worst Retro Deniz shares a playful yet effective retrospective format called "The Worst Retro," conducted using a MURAL board. The session begins with an energy/mood check to establish the team's current state. Then it moves into three key sections: what team members remember from the sprint, how they could make the next sprint worse, and finally deciding what actions to take next. Deniz explains that the power of this approach lies in using humor to discuss serious problems—by asking how to make things worse, team members can indirectly highlight what's already not working. This format creates an informal, relaxed environment where people feel comfortable addressing challenging topics that might otherwise remain unspoken. Self-reflection Question: How might introducing an element of humor or "reverse thinking" help your team discuss problems they've been avoiding in traditional retrospective formats? [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 Deniz Ari Deniz is an innovative, driven professional with expertise in Agile coaching, delivery management, data science, and technology transformation. As a Scrum Master and Agile Coach, Deniz builds high-performing teams, drives strategic execution, and fosters collaboration. Passionate about continuous improvement, they lead cultural shifts, optimize processes, and deliver scalable, high-quality outcomes. You can link with Deniz Ari on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Why Your Process Changes Are Failing—The Stakeholder Alignment Problem | Deniz Ari 16:31
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedDeniz Ari: Why Your Process Changes Are Failing—The Stakeholder Alignment Problem 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. Deniz explores the challenges of implementing change in organizations, emphasizing that change is always a long and difficult process requiring patience and trust. Drawing on the Change Curve concept, Deniz shares a personal experience trying to improve project visibility by cleaning up backlogs in JIRA for 10 in-flight projects. Despite good intentions, Deniz found themselves as the only person using the tool, with team members and Product Owners using different systems that better suited their specific needs—POs wanting only high-level items while the development team needed to split items into smaller tasks. Through this experience, Deniz learned the crucial importance of having all stakeholders (Product Owners, development teams, and managers) aligned on using the same tool, and understanding the unique perspectives of each group before implementing process changes. In this episode, we refer to the Change Curve . Self-reflection Question: What changes have you attempted to implement that failed because you didn't fully understand the different needs and perspectives of all stakeholders involved? [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 Deniz Ari Deniz is an innovative, driven professional with expertise in Agile coaching, delivery management, data science, and technology transformation. As a Scrum Master and Agile Coach, Deniz builds high-performing teams, drives strategic execution, and fosters collaboration. Passionate about continuous improvement, they lead cultural shifts, optimize processes, and deliver scalable, high-quality outcomes. You can link with Deniz Ari on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Security Team Breakdown—The Devastating Impact of Poor Product Ownership | Deniz Ari 17:49
17:49 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked17:49
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedDeniz Ari: Security Team Breakdown—The Devastating Impact of Poor Product Ownership 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. Deniz shares the story of a security project with a team of eight experienced, senior engineers working on mission-critical systems. Despite initial motivation and clear architectural solutions, the team soon exhibited signs of negative behavior including complaints and criticism. The root cause traced back to frequent Product Owner changes—several within less than a year—and poor client management. Instead of shielding the team, the PO directly transferred stress from clients to the team, demanded overtime, and created unnecessary tension by bringing unfiltered conflicts to the team and requesting excessive details. Deniz emphasizes the importance of avoiding unnecessary tensions, being more political when necessary to protect the team, and being mindful of tone in written communications. Self-reflection Question: In what ways might you be failing to set proper boundaries in your role, and how could establishing clearer limits improve both your effectiveness and your team's performance? Featured Book of the Week: Boundaries by Henrik Cloud Deniz recommends "Boundaries" by Henrik Cloud , a book about human relationships and personal limitations. The book addresses crucial questions: Does your life feel out of control? Do you keep saying yes to everyone? Are you taking responsibility for others' feelings and problems? Have you forgotten your own limitations? Deniz explains how this book helped them learn to say "no" while still considering others' realities and feelings, and understanding why we often struggle with setting boundaries. Deniz highlights that being a Scrum Master involves much more than just processes and methods—it requires healthy personal boundaries. [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Deniz Ari Deniz is an innovative, driven professional with expertise in Agile coaching, delivery management, data science, and technology transformation. As a Scrum Master and Agile Coach, Deniz builds high-performing teams, drives strategic execution, and fosters collaboration. Passionate about continuous improvement, they lead cultural shifts, optimize processes, and deliver scalable, high-quality outcomes. You can link with Deniz Ari on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 How Intense Delivery Pressure Destroyed Team Trust, Culture, and Brought Burnout | Deniz Ari 18:34
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedDeniz Ari: How Intense Delivery Pressure Destroyed Team Trust, Culture, and Brought Burnout 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 in the public sector, Deniz faced a challenging situation during a particularly busy winter period when the client wanted to combine multiple major initiatives simultaneously: migration, new features, and security improvements. This led to an oversized team of 25 engineers, which ultimately caused significant problems. The pressure to continuously deliver became overwhelming, breaking team trust and leaving members feeling abandoned. Several team members left, the team culture disintegrated, and cases of burnout emerged. After this difficult experience, Deniz conducted a comprehensive retrospective to process what happened and provide feedback to management about the dangers of excessive pressure in Scrum environments. Self-reflection Question: How might you recognize the early warning signs of team burnout before it reaches a critical point, and what boundaries would you establish to protect your team? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Deniz Ari Deniz is an innovative, driven professional with expertise in Agile coaching, delivery management, data science, and technology transformation. As a Scrum Master and Agile Coach, Deniz builds high-performing teams, drives strategic execution, and fosters collaboration. Passionate about continuous improvement, they lead cultural shifts, optimize processes, and deliver scalable, high-quality outcomes. You can link with Deniz Ari on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 BONUS The PRFAQ Framework With Marcelo Calbucci 28:15
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Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedBONUS: Marcelo Calbucci reveals Amazon's secret innovation framework that transforms product development! 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 BONUS episode, we explore "The PRFAQ Framework" ( visit also the website ) with author Marcelo Calbucci. He shares how Amazon's innovative approach to product development can be adapted by founders, product managers, and teams across industries. Learn how this powerful methodology creates alignment, clarifies vision, and ensures customer-centricity in product development. The Origins of PRFAQ "I learned the PR FAQ method at Amazon and realized this is a great tool that would be valuable for founders and product leaders." Marcelo Calbucci shares how his experience at Amazon introduced him to the PRFAQ framework—a structured approach to product ideation and development. He explains how this methodology transformed his thinking about innovation and why he felt compelled to share it with a wider audience through his book. The framework addresses a critical gap he observed in how teams approach product development, often lacking the clarity and customer focus needed for success. Understanding the PRFAQ Framework "PR FAQ stands for press release and frequently asked questions—it's a method to talk about and define a vision for the product." The PRFAQ framework is a six-page document with a highly prescriptive structure. Marcelo breaks down the components: Page 1: A press release announcing the product Page 2+: Customer FAQ addressing potential questions Page 3+: Internal FAQ covering implementation details This document serves as the foundation for product development, helping teams align on vision and strategy before diving into execution. Marcelo emphasizes that the framework forces teams to articulate the "why" behind their work, not just the "what" and "how." The Alignment Challenge "Challenge: pick a few people from your organization, ask each one 'why are we doing this?' Chances are you will get a different answer from different people." One of the most significant challenges in product development is the lack of alignment across teams. Marcelo highlights how common it is for team members to have different understandings of product goals and strategy. Without a shared vision, teams risk building features that don't solve the right problems or address customer needs effectively. The PRFAQ framework creates alignment by documenting and socializing product vision in a consistent format that encourages discussion and feedback. Practical Implementation Tips "Use the PRFAQ as a textual document, instead of a PowerPoint presentation—the discipline of writing helps clarify thinking." Marcelo offers several practical tips for implementing the PRFAQ approach effectively: Write things out in paragraphs rather than bullet points Consider writing the FAQs before the press release Use the document as a tool for discussion, not as a polished deliverable Conduct review sessions with peers, team members, and stakeholders Focus on substance over style—the goal is to discover feedback He emphasizes that the act of writing forces clearer thinking and exposes gaps in logic or understanding that might otherwise remain hidden. The Amazon Way "At Amazon, every product starts with a PRFAQ. It starts with someone having an idea. The first thing they do is to write the PRFAQ." Marcelo provides insight into how Amazon implements this framework across the organization. Every product initiative begins with a PRFAQ document that articulates the vision and strategy. Teams spend time discussing and refining this document before moving into execution. This methodical approach allows Amazon to get early feedback on ideas, helping to identify potential issues before significant resources are invested. The framework has been a cornerstone of Amazon's ability to innovate consistently across diverse product areas. Customer-Centricity in Practice "Here’s one lesson about product leadership: understand the problems better than even the customer understands them." The customer-centric nature of the PRFAQ framework is one of its greatest strengths. By forcing teams to anticipate customer questions and articulate benefits from their perspective, the framework ensures products are built to solve real problems. Marcelo explains that sometimes the "customer" might be internal, but the principle remains the same—deeply understanding the problems before proposing solutions. This approach has proven particularly effective at Amazon, where customer obsession is a core value. Learning from the Book Development Process "In interviewing teams using the method, I discovered that the problem was convincing the whole team about the PRFAQ method." Interestingly, Marcelo applied the PRFAQ framework to the development of his own book. Through this meta-application, he discovered that the biggest challenge wasn't explaining the method itself but convincing entire teams to adopt it. This insight shaped the book's approach—making product strategy discussions less academic and more practical. He focused on providing concrete examples and templates that teams could immediately apply to their work. Resources for Deeper Learning "Read examples first, pay attention to how you write the phrases in the document." For listeners wanting to explore the PRFAQ framework further, Marcelo recommends starting with examples to understand the tone and structure. His book website offers resources and templates to help teams implement the framework. He emphasizes that seeing the framework in action is often more valuable than theoretical discussions, which is why he includes numerous examples in his book and supplementary materials. About Marcelo Calbucci Marcelo Calbucci is a founder, product and engineering leader, and innovation expert passionate about solving customers' biggest challenges through software. With over two decades of experience, he has launched dozens of products across industries and mentored nearly a thousand founders and professionals, shaping the future of product development and innovation. Marcelo Calbucci is the author of "The PRFAQ Framework: Adapting Amazon's Innovation Framework to Work for You," which describes Amazon's PRFAQ method—a strategic approach designed to refine and present new product ideas by focusing on customer-centric narratives. You can link with Marcelo Calbucci on LinkedIn and connect with Marcelo Calbucci on Substack .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Why the 'Why' Matters—Product Owner Communication Lessons | Simina Fodor 18:18
18:18 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked18:18
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedSimina Fodor: Why the 'Why' Matters—Product Owner Communication Lessons 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: Transparency and Customer Focus This exemplary Product Owner shaped Simina's entire view of product management and even inspired her to consider a future transition to that role. Despite not having a traditional product background (coming instead from support), this PO demonstrated exceptional openness to both giving and receiving feedback. They consistently explained the logic behind decisions, sharing the "why" that motivated their priorities. What truly set them apart was bringing customer perspectives and use cases directly to the team, helping developers understand the features through the lens of personas and user scenarios. The PO's transparency extended to their own professional journey, openly sharing how they grew into the role, which created an atmosphere of continuous learning and development. The Bad Product Owner: The Ghost Commander This experienced Product Owner approached the role with a command-and-control mindset carried over from previous Project Management experience, believing that backlog grooming was "beneath them." Essentially a ghost to the team, they avoided retrospectives while issuing constantly shifting priorities with little explanation or logic. The PO would issue commands and demand immediate responses without considering consequences, creating a toxic environment that threatened to destroy team morale. Simina recommends coaching such Product Owners on agile mindset principles and seeking leadership support when necessary to prevent team deterioration. Self-reflection Question: How can you effectively bridge the gap between command-and-control Product Owners and teams seeking more transparency and collaboration? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Simina Fodor Simina is a career rebel with a passion for bold moves. From HR to Agile delivery, she's ditched the rulebook to inspire others to build careers that ignite passion. No apologies, no detours—just fearless pivots and real talk about creating work that truly fires you up. You can link with Simina Fodor on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 The Courage to Question—Signs of a Healthy Agile Team| Simina Fodor 15:09
15:09 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked15:09
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedSimina Fodor: The Courage to Question—Signs of a Healthy Agile Team 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 Simina, Scrum Master success goes far beyond facilitation skills – it's about what happens when you're not in the room. True success means creating a self-sustaining team that maintains healthy practices even in your absence. Simina looks for indicators like: Do team members feel safe raising concerns regularly? Can they push back with the Product Owner and offer suggestions? Do they proactively ask for the "why" behind requests instead of blindly following directions? She emphasizes that successful teams raise dependencies early in the sprint, have the courage to plan work with other teams, and handle integrations independently. The ultimate test of Scrum Master effectiveness is whether the team continues to thrive even when you step away for a few days. Self-reflection Question: What specific behaviors would indicate that your team has reached a level of self-sustainability that would allow you to step back? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Start/Stop/Continue Simina advocates for the simplicity of t he Start/Stop/Continue retrospective format. After experimenting with numerous complex approaches, she found that sometimes the most straightforward formats yield the best results. This classic structure cuts through noise and focuses teams on what truly matters: what new practices they should begin, what isn't working and should stop, and what's effective and should continue. Simina appreciates how this format's simplicity makes it accessible and easy to follow, allowing teams to concentrate on meaningful conversation rather than getting lost in complicated retrospective mechanics. [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Simina Fodor Simina is a career rebel with a passion for bold moves. From HR to Agile delivery, she's ditched the rulebook to inspire others to build careers that ignite passion. No apologies, no detours—just fearless pivots and real talk about creating work that truly fires you up. You can link with Simina Fodor on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 Building Bridges—How Cross-Department Champions Drive Agile Adoption| Simina Fodor 14:56
14:56 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked14:56
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedSimina Fodor: Building Bridges—How Cross-Department Champions Drive Agile Adoption 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 . Simina shares her experience leading an enterprise Agile transformation from her position in Project Management. Rather than pushing for immediate, wholesale change, she started small - seeking out interested colleagues, sharing case studies from other companies, and gradually building internal support. This patient approach took years before the organization officially embraced Agile and Scrum, but created a strong foundation of champions across departments. When business needs finally demanded faster releases and better responsiveness to change, Simina had already established a community of practice ready to support the transition. She began with a single pilot team implementing just daily standups, which then expanded into a full Agile program that ultimately facilitated her transition from Project Manager to Scrum Master. Self-reflection Question: How might building informal networks and starting with small changes create a more sustainable foundation for organizational transformation than top-down mandates? [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Simina Fodor Simina is a career rebel with a passion for bold moves. From HR to Agile delivery, she's ditched the rulebook to inspire others to build careers that ignite passion. No apologies, no detours—just fearless pivots and real talk about creating work that truly fires you up. You can link with Simina Fodor on LinkedIn .…
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Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
1 How Leadership Communication Can Destroy Team Morale | Simina Fodor 19:00
19:00 Play Later Play Later Lists Like Liked19:00
Play Later Play Later Lists Like LikedSimina Fodor: How Leadership Communication Can Destroy Team Morale 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 . Simina recounts working with a diverse, remote team on a high-visibility project to retire legacy systems under strict deadlines. The team made sacrifices, working overtime and through vacations to meet the challenging timeline. When Simina recommended team bonuses to recognize their extraordinary efforts, leadership not only rejected the request but publicly announced that overtime was simply "expected" as part of the job. This single communication destroyed the team's trust, leading to disengagement, dropped velocity, missed deadlines, and team members skipping Scrum events. Simina highlights how quickly team dynamics can collapse when leadership dismisses extra effort and fails to acknowledge team contributions. Self-reflection Question: How might you advocate for proper recognition of your team's extraordinary efforts when leadership views such work as simply expected? Featured Book of the Week: The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo Simina recommends "The Making of a Manager" by Julie Zhuo , a book she initially dismissed because she wasn't in a management role. However, upon reading it, she discovered numerous parallels between effective management and Scrum Mastery. The book's message that managers don't need to know all the answers resonated deeply with her, reinforcing the importance of understanding humans first before implementing processes. Despite not being an Agile-specific book, Simina found its people-focused approach incredibly valuable for her Scrum Master practice. [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] 🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025 Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories. 🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders. 💡 Learn practical strategies for impact. 🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator Check Full Program [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends] About Simina Fodor Simina is a career rebel with a passion for bold moves. From HR to Agile delivery, she's ditched the rulebook to inspire others to build careers that ignite passion. No apologies, no detours—just fearless pivots and real talk about creating work that truly fires you up. You can link with Simina Fodor on LinkedIn .…
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