There are a number of traditional or classical project management tools which have held their popularity through the ages. This, despite having outlived their initial usefulness and utility over 75 years ago when: The world was less volatile, more stable, more certain, simpler and less ambiguous. The people doing the work were more compliant and … Continue reading My RACI Is Not Your RACI
When you have too many cooks in Hell’s Kitchen, you move them over to Next Level Chef. At e least that’s how I interpret what Gordon Ramsey did with those two shows. So, what happens when there’s too many coaches in an organization? You can… Reduce the number of agile coaches Introduce a hierarchy of … Continue reading Next Level Coach
After more than three years of remote facilitation using video conferencing and Mural or Miro, I had almost forgotten how good it feels to be physically present with people. To listen to and sense the vibe in the room To greet each other with a hearty handshake To speak with one another face to face … Continue reading Let’s Get Physical
I love using pictures instead of words. Not just because of the old adage, A picture is worth a thousand wordsUnknown But also, because pictures enable people to convey meaning in psychologically unsafe environments. If I ask a brand new team of people including their management, “How did that <situation> make you feel?” Some may … Continue reading How I Violated Self-Management
One of the most common refrains that I hear when I help clients amp up their agility and ways of working is: “We don’t want more meetings!” Whether it’s Scrum events or Kanban cadences, the reaction is always the same. “We already have too many meetings” “When will we have time to do real work?” … Continue reading The Colour of Meeting
Clowns to the left of me. Jokers to the right. Here I am stuck in the middle. These lyrics to an oldie but goodie song by Stealers Wheel kept spinning and cycling through my head one day as I reflected on my situation at a client. Clowns to the left of me. Jokers to the … Continue reading Stuck In The Middle
I love what I do as an Agile Coach. Helping others be the best they can be on their path towards agility is my passion. It fuels my continuous learning and desire to be the best version of myself as a coach. Reading or listening to books, taking courses, learning from my community, practicing, experimenting … Continue reading I Was Just Schooled In Coaching!
Except when it’s not. It’s not what you don’t know that’ll bite ya, it’s what you think you do know. What was certain is no longer. There are no sure things. Smugness leads to complacency. Learning starts with a crack in the mindset. Dare to buck the trend and be different. Knowledge is a blessing … Continue reading Ignorance Is Bliss
One of my most memorable Western films is the 1960’s “The Magnificent Seven” starring Yul Brynner. A poor Mexican village being terrorized by a gang of bandits, pools their money to recruit a cadre of seven gunslingers -for-hire to protect them. The movie tells the story of how these seven gunslingers bonded with each and … Continue reading What Happens When Consultants Collide?
So grateful for an eventful 2022 filled with health, family, friends, love and happiness. Looking forward to a brand new year. Wishing everyone a Happy 2023! Take care and be safe.
nextchapterconsulting.ca 