Agile Driven Impact

In this episode of Agile Driven Impact, we explore the vital connection between team well-being and performance. Joining us is Bethany M. Planton, Founder and CEO of bmpconsulting, a certified Grant Professional, and a Registered Scrum Master and Product Owner. Bethany shares her unique perspective on why team happiness is a leading indicator of success rather than a "soft metric." We di...

In this Season 2 premiere of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Diane and Erich open up The Garage to tune up the engine of any great initiative: the team itself. They dive into how uncovering and celebrating the unique, individual skills of your team members transforms a group of people into a high-performance unit. Learn how to capture these distinct strengths directly inside a Team Working Agreement to...

In this crucial Pit Stop episode of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Diane and Erich tackle one of the biggest threats to momentum: unexpected urgent interrupts. They reveal the root causes of these distractions, explaining that most are due to a lack of visibility, not true emergency. Learn how to insulate your team by establishing a single point of contact to act as a shield against non-critical reque...

In this crucial Pit Stop episode of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Diane and Erich tackle a universal problem: the daily check-in (or stand-up) that always runs past its 15-minute time limit. They reveal why this meeting becomes a momentum killer and how to fix it by getting back to the core principles. Learn the two most important rules for protecting your time: stop solving problems during the check...

In this episode of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Diane and Erich tackle the critical skill of setting short-term goals. They share why relying on year-long plans is inefficient and introduce the power of the "Time-Boxed Focus"—a fixed period dedicated to a single, unifying objective. Learn how to stop being overwhelmed by a massive project and start gaining momentum by breaking your journey...

In this episode of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Erich and Diane dive into the "anti-patterns" that when present in a team practically guarantee a slow, ineffective, and demoralizing team environment. The discussion of the “anti-patterns” is meant to serve as a diagnostic tool for listeners to identify and avoid common pitfalls. These situations can work there way into Agile teams with the...

In this episode of Agile Driven Impact, host Diane and guest Beth Archer, GPC, RSM, a professional who serves as both a part-time Scrum Master and team member, explore the unique dynamics of this dual role. They discuss the advantages, such as enhanced flexibility and a fresh perspective, alongside potential challenges like context-switching and the need for strong time management. A key segment d...

In this episode of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Erich and Diane focus on how Agile is about achieving outcomes like clear focus, better collaboration, and greater impact, not just adopting practices. They talk about how the true goal is a resilient team delivering real results. The discussion emphasizes both effectiveness and efficiency, detailing five core activities high-performing teams master: v...

In this episode of Agile Driven Impact hosts, Diane and Erich focus on the core Agile value of "Responding to Change over Following a Plan." They address the common fear of altering plans once set, using driving as a metaphor to illustrate how adaptation is the fastest and safest route to impact. The episode will guide listeners on identifying when changes are necessary and how to implem...

In this episode of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Diane and Erich Leonard bring you back into the "Agile Garage" to discuss the art of getting feedback from your team and your project's stakeholders. They explore the importance of working product over contract negotiation. Learn how to invite candid, meaningful feedback about whatever type of work product your team is creating. Evolving...

In this episode of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Diane and Erich Leonard bring you back into the "Agile Garage" to discuss the art of getting feedback from your team and your project's stakeholders. They explore the importance of working product over contract negotiation. Learn how to invite candid, meaningful feedback about whatever type of work product your team is creating. Evolving...

Drawing on their experience from building a race car and their professional careers, hosts Diane and Erich Leonard bring you into the "Agile Garage" for a focused pit stop on team dynamics. They discuss how to determine optimal team size and composition, emphasizing the value of having a diverse range of skills. Learn how to foster structured interactions and healthy debate to build a re...

In this episode of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Diane and Erich Leonard introduce the agile mindset as the core operating system for change-makers. Moving beyond buzzwords, they use relatable analogies from the racetrack to demystify principles like adapting to change and valuing collaboration over rigid plans. The hosts share how their Formula SAE advisor’s "enabling constraints" taught t...

In Episode 1 of Agile Driven Impact, hosts Diane and Erich Leonard take you back to where it all began: the intense world of college Formula SAE racing. 🏎️ They share their unique origin story, revealing how they developed a powerful, collaborative, and resilient mindset, building a race car under pressure—all without ever hearing the term "agile." This episode sets the stage for the ent...