As a coach, I know I should meet people where they are. Put myself in their shoes and empathize with what’s going on in their world. To simply be with them as they struggle. And after sharing with them what I’m noticing followed by some powerful questions, the hope is they will take action, and … Continue reading What If We Could Go Back To Change The Future?
One of the greatest benefits from Agile ways of working is the metamorphosis of a disparate collection of independent thinking individuals into a cohesive team of codependent individuals bonded together by a common goal and vision, all rowing in the same direction. From fully dependent teams waiting to be told… What to do When to … Continue reading Self-Organizing Product Managers?
How many customers can you serve at the same time before you’re no longer serving any of them? Standing in line waiting to be served as a customer is a common, everyday occurrence for most of us. Waiting is not enjoyable. But it’s necessary to maintain order when there are others also wanting to be … Continue reading Customer Disservice
Nobody likes to fail. When we fail, we try to turn it into a positive: Some say they learn from their failures. Some celebrate failure as a necessary evil. Some model failure as a rite of passage. On one hand, to fail is to admit defeat. On the other hand, we all fail every day. … Continue reading Fear of Failure
It’s true! But, does it have to be? Is there no other way? Apparently not yet. One recent example is the on again, off again Canadian VIA High Speed Rail Line project. Over the past 30 years, it’s been stalled by a combination of political inertia and high costs; always being kicked further and further … Continue reading Mega Multiphase Projects Are Alive and Well
In facilitating a recent series of product development workshops with a mixed audience of senior business and technology stakeholders, one of the technology stakeholders made what I felt was a profound statement re. Facilitation: “We don’t understand the product, they don’t understand the process”A Senior Technology Manager As a facilitator, how often do we attempt … Continue reading Stick To What We Know
One of my favourite parables that I use to discuss and teach the importance of customer-centricity is “The Three Bricklayers” The parable tells the story of how three bricklayers describe what they’re doing. The first bricklayer says he is simply laying bricks The second bricklayer says he is building a wall The third bricklayer says … Continue reading A Modern Day Story Of The Three Bricklayers
My good friend and colleague, Poonam Gupta invited myself and Joanne Stone to an Agile Meetup at CIBC to kick off 2025. The theme for the meetup was: “Is Agile Truly Dead?” It’s not the first time I’ve heard this question. In fact, rumours of its death started as far back as 2014 when Dave … Continue reading Is Agile Really Dead (Again)?
One of Oxford University Press’ 2024 shortlisted Words of the Year was: “Dynamic Pricing” (n.) The practice of varying the price for a product or service to reflect changing market conditions; in particular, the charging of a higher price at a time of greater demand. Given the rising and fluctuating cost of living for everything … Continue reading Dynamic Planning
“The more you know who you are and what you want, the less you let things upset you.” That’s a quote from the 2003 movie “Lost in Translation” starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. When I started thinking about this post, the title of that movie came to mind. The problem with Agile is that… … Continue reading Your Agile Is Not My Agile
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