Agile Ideas

Ever struggled to talk about your expertise without feeling like you're bragging? You’re not alone. In this empowering episode, we sit down with Amanda Blesing—former CEO turned executive coach and self-described “Fempreneur”—to unpack the art of authentic self-promotion that actually feels good. Drawing from her time in the association sector, Amanda shares how a pattern of women holding bac...

What’s the secret to building a successful PMO from scratch? Start with vanilla. In this solo episode, I share a career’s worth of lessons on setting up a Project Management Office that delivers real value—right from day one. Just like vanilla is the foundation for the most creative ice cream flavors, a “vanilla PMO” provides the essential ingredients before layering on complexity. With over 20 ye...

What if the real power lies not in choosing a side—but in mastering both? We explore how blending agile and traditional project management is redefining success across industries. In this thought-provoking episode, I’m joined by Lenka Pinka , Chief of Staff to the CEO at Project Management Institute, and Sandy Mamoli , Agile Coach, former Olympian, and Agile Alliance board member, to unpack one of...

The battle for PMO relevance has never been more challenging. In this essential conversation, we explore what it takes to make enterprise portfolio management successful beyond frameworks and templates. Our guest, Ryan Chaffey , Divisional Manager of the Enterprise PMO at Yarra Valley Water, brings a powerful perspective to the discussion, drawing on his extensive background in steering strategic...

Career disaster strikes in the most unexpected moments—ask Guy Thorpe. Two weeks after receiving Employee of the Year honors at a major life insurance company, he held a pink slip after an organizational restructuring. This shocking pivot catalysed an entrepreneurial journey that would transform his professional path. Guy's candid conversation reveals how being viewed as "just another co...

What happens when project management expertise meets sustainability principles? Eman Deabil, Bahraini transformation management leader and award-winning professional, reveals the powerful intersection that sparked her global Green PMO initiative. Emerging from a desire to create something uniquely Bahraini that would impact the world, Iman's collaborative book project brings together diverse...

Discover the key to transforming your Project Management Office (PMO) in this insightful episode featuring Bill Dow, an industry authority with decades of experience. In our engaging conversation, Bill unveils actionable strategies to elevate your PMO from merely functioning to flourishing. We dive deep into the critical elements of defining service offerings, crafting effective roadmaps, and main...

In this episode, we delve deep into the evolving landscape of Project Management Offices (PMOs) and the increasingly vital role of change management as we approach 2025. Today’s PMOs face the challenge of delivering projects and ensuring those projects lead to meaningful, sustainable change within organizations. With insights from industry experts, we uncover how the intersection of PMO function a...

Throw back to one of our favorites, in case you missed it!  Jeff Wood has over 20+ years of experience in leading transformational change including the implementation of PMOs within both the public and private sectors. Love making a difference to organisations and the people within priding myself on strong servant-leadership, efficient and effective service design, delivery of complex portfolios,...

Throw back to one of our favorites, in case you missed it!  Steve is obsessed with making tech human and leveraging it to deliver continuous value. For the past 20 years, his focus has been on using mapping techniques to guide ambitious and struggling teams towards their true north. He's a former startup CTO, agency consultant, systems and release engineer, finance IT manager, tech support ph...

Throw back to one of our favorites, in case you missed it! In this episode, we sit down with Steve Glaveski—entrepreneur, author, and the dynamic founder of Collective Campus, one of Australia’s fastest-growing companies. Known for his work in corporate innovation and startup acceleration, Steve has helped over 100 startups raise more than $25M and driven innovation programs for companies like Mic...

Throw back to one of our favorites, in case you missed it!  Vladimir Pacheco is currently an Associate Professor in Governance and coordinator of the International Studies programme at the Department of Global Studies in the School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Denmark.  His current research interests include analyzing the governance mechanisms, economic policy prescriptions, and soci...

In this episode, we explore the dynamic relationship between change management and PMO alignment. Discover why synchronising these two functions is pivotal for successful organisational change and project outcomes. We discuss the benefits of alignment, common challenges, and proven strategies to achieve harmony between change management and the PMO. With insights from real-world case studies and p...

Martin Cooperwaite, co-founder of Kiandra, takes us from his early days of coding adventure games as a kid to leading one of Australia’s top software companies. Inspired by his dad’s source code books, Martin’s passion for tech evolved from childhood tinkering to co-founding Kiandra with a friend in 1995, starting with local projects and growing into a global digital transformation leader with off...

What if Project Management Offices (PMOs) are the unsung heroes of organizational success in a post-pandemic world? This episode promises to unlock insights into how global events have reshaped PMOs, emphasizing their growing significance, and why your contribution to this field matters now more than ever. As we navigate through anticipated PMO trends for 2025, discover the transformative power of...

Mark Burnett, also known as "Reasoning with Mark," shares his fascinating journey from growing up in Kingston, Jamaica to becoming an influential project manager and consultant. Discover how a life-altering accident led him to create the concept of the ambidextrous project manager, blending creativity, emotional intelligence, and adaptability. Through engaging stories and poignant insigh...

Alicia Kearns, former Chief Marketing Officer at Rendera and CEO of The Growth CMO, brings over 20 years of experience in delivering enterprise and growth strategies for global tech giants like LinkedIn, SAP, and Samsung. In this episode, Alicia shares her expertise in brand building, demand generation, and content strategy, offering valuable insights for businesses at any stage of growth.  We exp...

Jordan Green AM is addicted to applying bleeding edge technology to solve real world problems, more than 40 years in strategic governance roles and driven to discover disruptive business models. Jordan fosters solutions that change people’s lives.  As engineer, executive, founder, director and investor for over 4 decades Jordan has helped start, build and grow technology-based ventures in Australi...

What if your childhood dream was so big, it seemed impossible? Listen to Baishakhi Connor's extraordinary journey from a small town in India, where she dreamt of becoming the President of the United States, to her impactful career spanning four continents. Discover how she found her path through the software industry, pursued engineering and an MBA, and navigated the complex process of moving...

Ever wondered how to transform your PMO into a strategic powerhouse? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Laura Barnard, a trailblazer in integrating PMOs and project management with organisational strategy. Laura shares her extensive experience working with industry giants like JP Morgan, LinkedIn, IBM, and Amazon.  Reflecting on the evolution of PMOs from the chaotic early dot-com days...

Is your understanding of agile stuck in the past? Tune in to our latest Agile Ideas episode, where we chat with Maarten Dalmijn from the Netherlands, an agile, scrum, and product management maestro with a fascinating background that even includes an early appearance in an Oscar-winning film! We tackle the persistent myths around agile, revealing how its principles predate the Agile Manifesto and e...

Is the traditional office mandate pushing top talent out the door? This topic is more relevant now than ever. Join us as we engage with Karen Ferris, a Melbourne-based consultant and organizational change management expert who passionately challenges the return-to-office mandate. Karen shares her insights on why focusing on productivity and flexibility always trumps mandatory office attendance. Ka...

Do you know the key differences between Product Managers and Product Owners? In this episode, we promise to clarify this often-misunderstood distinction, especially within agile environments. Join us and our esteemed guest Adrienne Tan, co-founder and CEO of BrainMates, as she shares her in-depth knowledge on the evolving state of the product management market. From the impacts of post-COVID overh...

Ever wondered how to seamlessly align client needs with the offerings of tech providers? Join us on this episode of Agile Ideas as we uncover the secrets of effective Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solutions. Recorded live on May 23rd as a Meetup, we delve into bridging the gap between business requirements and technological capabilities through the vital role of a client advocate.  Discover e...

In this episode, we sit down with Katherine Maxey, Vice President of Information Technology at Enviva. With over 30 years of experience across manufacturing, retail, and the U.S. government sectors, Katherine shares her wealth of knowledge and experiences from her dynamic career. Join us as we delve into her journey from a Project Manager to a senior IT leader, exploring the challenges, triumphs,...