Agile Ideas

It seems like everyone is talking about Agile - what is it, what does it mean, where does it come from - and why does AMO keep talking about it?  Initially, you will have some reservations about Agile - but once you get your head around the basics, and see the ways it benefits companies and projects, you will be a convert too.  On the podcast this episode, I look back on my 20 years working in Agi...

I have spent many years working with vendors of all shapes and sizes across my corporate career and running my own business. So I've seen the challenges around vendor management, particularly in projects, programmes and portfolios where we have to work with several different types.  Vendors can be very difficult to work with (although there are exceptions!), often using outdated systems and p...

This was so much fun. Had a great discussion on all things Agile and Banking, what is it, what does it mean, and why does it matter. Learning more about the observations and firsthand experiences with AMO Senior Consultant and Agile / PMO Expert (and certified accountant) Lucy Grierson. Lucy is a ball of fun and shares some serious insights about what she's seeing and experiencing in the Agil...

This episode is one that I have been waiting to release - I've been looking forward to interviewing Dr. Elisha Goldstein ever since he said yes to coming on the podcast!  Elisha Goldstein, PhD is one of the world's preeminent mindfulness teachers, a clinical psychologist, author of numerous books, and creator of the world's first "mental health accelerator" program. Dr. Go...

So, here is how I see it: good health is more than physical. We know it is important, and we should be taking care of ourselves in this way. Feeling depressed or anxious makes it harder to take care of ourselves - you can't have a healthy lifestyle if you ignore your mental health.  In this episode, I share some of my own experiences with anxiety in a corporate environment. I speak about the...

Agile in Banking - what is it, what does it mean and why does it matter? I had a great time chatting with Lucy Grierson (Senior AMO Consultant, Banking Expert) and Philippa Scholl (Payments Product Development Expert) at our recent Agile Ideas Meet Up about all of the above.  We dove deep into the topic and explored: How the banking and finance industry is embracing agile What the biggest challeng...

Project Management is a big passion, and even though it can be serious a lot of time, sometimes it's important to make it fun too. In this episode, I talk to Project Management Experts and Gamification Experts Hamutal and Daniel about all things Projects and thinking about things differently when helping people learn. They are founders of the one-of-a-kind project management board game now in...

There are probably several departments in your organisation that you know are critical to success, but that you don’t really understand. IT is a common one. Project management is another. Project managers help to ensure the profitability of your whole company. So, it’s probably a good idea to understand what they do a little better. Let's discuss the language of project management. In this po...

Many organisations are putting the governance into Agile… instead of the Agile into governance. It’s causing more rigidity, more bloat and more layers – not to mention increasing silos and division amongst teams. Let’s be clear Agile governance can complement traditional governance. It’s a way to increase flexibility + responsiveness for our stakeholders and customers  In this podcast, I cover: Wh...

Whether you are thinking about starting a business, are a business owner, or work in corporate, these lessons may be beneficial for you. Having spent almost 20 years in corporate and 10 years running my own businesses, I deep dive into some learnings I’ve gained that span across all business types.  In this podcast, I cover: What it's like to start a business when you have no idea what you ar...

There’s a common misconception that mental toughness means the same as “cowboys don’t cry.” That people who are mentally tough don’t have emotions, or at least that they don’t show them. However, while it’s true that sometimes, mental toughness and a “stiff upper lip” go together, that’s not always the case.  In this podcast, I cover: What you need to know about what mental toughness  What it real...

Having not gone to university, I've taken what is considered these days as an "unconventional path." I hear that many young people may struggle to secure jobs if they have not gone to university and completed at minimum a Bachelor's degree. In this episode I share some of the important lessons I’ve had over the years and what that has taught me about not having gone to universi...

Flashback to a very popular episode on the basics of Project Management. Re-sharing this one for those who may have missed it. To coincide with our new workshop on the same topics, we are sharing insights on Project Management fundamentals and applying this to help turn your ideas into reality.  After almost 20 years in Project Management, I have learned a lot of lessons and have worked globally a...

As we have closed out 2021, we are reflecting on the year that has been, thinking about the challenges and opportunities that came our way, and creating some purposeful space to consider the areas we think we will need to lean into in 2022.  In this episode, I explore:  Predictions for how 2022 may look for our PMO community Deep dive into the top 5 trends for PMOs in 2022 including sponsorship. t...

I think we can all agree that 2021 has been another rollercoaster year of emotions. There have been a fair few ups and downs, and upon reflecting and planning for 2022, how did things progress, what learnings did I seek along the way, what areas should I have focused on more or less. In this episode, I explore:  - Why I chose to have 3 mentors instead of 1  - Did I achieve all my goals or not, doe...

In this episode I am interviewed by the team at Books & Beyond Podcast brought to you by The PMO Leader, where we deep dive into what writing a white paper is all about. Why I wrote it, what's changed since writing about the state of PMOs and how things are changing on the horizon if we get the right PMO fit. We will talk about what's coming in the future also.  In this episode with,...

In this episode, Fatimah is interviewed by Fred Obeiro on the Ivy Podcast and of The PM Imperative. Fred interviews Fatimah on a range of topics from project management trends, dealing with difficult people, conflict resolution in remote teams, and how advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence may affect the role of project managers.  In this episode with Fred, we explore: New trends o...

I had so much fun last time I was interviewed by PMO Joe, that we decided to do it again. We decide to cover a lot more on mental health, agility in PMOs, capability uplift, and what we need to do to improve success. In this episode with Joe, I explore: How to introduce agility into PMOs Why the focus on capability is more important than ever  The importance of mental health in the workplace How w...

There are digital tools galore! But how do you sort through them? How do you know if it will satisfy your requirements? You need to make sure that you don't invest significant capital into purchasing and implementing an unsuitable tool only to find it doesn't work for you or you're not using it properly.  So, in this episode, I explore:  - My top 8 digital tools  - Pros and cons  -...

Almost all business owners can tell you that starting out in business, there is no one size fits all instruction manual so that you can make your ideas and business thrive. I definitely empathise with anyone starting out or wanting to start a business. Ive started more than one with failure and success.   So let me take you through some essential do’s and don’t’s when starting a new business.   In...

Agile? The PMO? What's going on right now? Is it just me or is there a real disconnect between organisations who are looking to introduce agile ways of working and what they are doing with their PMOs? Shouldn’t you look at leveraging them to drive the change? Wouldn’t it be better to engage the PMO rather than to ignore them? In this episode, I explore: - What is agile/Agile - What's goi...

Trying to grow a business, family, or climb the corporate ladder? Perhaps you are trying to change the world or improve yourself. Whatever success means to you, it can be harder to achieve when living with Anxiety. In this episode, I introduce you to what it means to be successfully anxious, how it impacted me, and what you can learn from my experience to help on your own journey.  In this episode...

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, programmes and projects, and development of people. Jeff is...

It's our businesses' 5 Year Anniversary, so as a business owner what do I wish I knew when I started that would have saved me heartache, headaches, and tears. Find out in this episode of Agile Ideas. In this episode, I explore: 5 Key Business Lessons I wish I knew when I started from people management, controlling everything to sales and vision. What I did about those lessons Top tips on...

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 phone jockey, and pizza maker. All focused on the flow of valu...