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.
As much as I tire of hearing people decry the value of agile coaching to enable agile ways of working, I’m more tired of people trying to formulate and then proclaim a set of metrics as the golden standard for measuring the value delivered by agile ways. A set of metrics such as: Higher customer … Continue reading Why Is The Value Of Agile Coaching So Elusive?
I was recently caught in the cross-hairs of a debate and word-smithing over what does and does not qualify as a “Transformation”. It felt like we were dictating how people should perceive the value of their efforts and outcomes. When that happens, one person’s audacious transformation can be reframed as another person’s routine business-as-usual. I … Continue reading The “T” Word
Speech is silver, Silence is golden - Arabic proverb. In my travels, I’ve been exposed to a variety of different coaching stances, styles and schools of thought. Some resonate with me and some don’t. I’m especially partial to the “Silence is golden” school of thought. As a result, one of my favourite coaching questions is, … Continue reading The Power of What Else?
When you assume things, you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me”. I learned that saying at a summer camp when I was barely a teenager. It has stuck with me ever since. Nowhere is its truth more apparent than with the art and practice of communication. Making assumptions about what should or shouldn’t … Continue reading The Fog of Communication
I’m no plumber. My wife reminds me of that fact every time I go near a plumbing fixture with wrench in hand. I’ve had my share of plumbing repair successes. Replacing a washer or swapping out a faucet - those are relatively easy DIY jobs I’ve done well. On the other hand, installing a new … Continue reading DIY Lessons for Change
nextchapterconsulting.ca 