Badass Agile

-Across the world, people are leaving - or thinking of leaving - their jobs and careers in stunning numbers. -Is the solution in Agile? -Perhaps because of the pandemic, people are waking up and lighting up to a different future.  -It may be the case that they're realizing that what they had been told was an unthinkable model of work is actually quite doable, with little or no downward impact on p...

One of the critical pieces of leadership is strength - strength of character, ideas We're never taught how to be strong so strong has become a bad word, associated with bullies or pushinesss or anger or worse Strength means the ability to manage and control the thoughts and emotions that launch in response to injurious words or actions.  It means the ability to stay centred and unswayed.  It means...

The secret to boundless energy and consistent forward momentum is to stay hungry every day. Keep reaching, stretching, learning, and acting as if you're starting from zero.  Assume you know nothing, and nothing is guaranteed. ***JOIN THE FORGE*** Sign up for more info about our online leadership immersion experience. https://badassagile.com/the-forge/ ****** Follow on CLUBHOUSE: https://www.joincl...

When looking for the cause of delivery issues in teams, think of the three P's. Permission Perfection Past ***JOIN THE FORGE*** Sign up for more info about our online leadership immersion experience. https://badassagile.com/the-forge/ ****** Follow on CLUBHOUSE: https://www.joinclubhouse.com/club/badass-agile Don't forget to join us in the Badass Agile Listener Lounge on Facebook for member exclus...

Most teams are composed of people who have other day jobs. This will be particularly true of a product owner who has multiple priorities and projects, but increasingly true of all team members - they have multiple accountabilities across the organization. So how do you work with a team like that? They may not be living agile values every day...they may be getting different versions of it...agile i...

A dark stage, a single light, and a stool. The feel of a live room (that we all miss) is the perfect crucible for a contemplation that becomes a rallying cry. What if we feel called to do more, be more? Is it out duty to lean into the uncomfortable? What happens if we fail to oppose a prevailing force that we know is wrong? ***JOIN THE FORGE*** Sign up for more info about our online leadership imm...

Too much of what we "know" about in the field of high performance comes from books, memes, or youtube videos. Inspiration is essential, so is knowledge, but it is how you ACT upon both of these that is a difference-maker. Can you identify what courageous leaps you took today?  What you were humble enough to learn? What you were disciplined enough to earn or get?  If not, you are studying, NOT prac...

Was someone unjust in their words? Or are you just bad with criticism? Were you really just observing, or just scared to jump in? Are you working on yourself, waiting for the right moment, or scared to leap? Is something out of your league, or do you just tell yourself it is? This is shadow work. What tapes have you been playing your whole life that keep you from getting to another level of skill?...

Picture a smoky club. The spill of the stage light, hushed chatter, and the chiming of glasses and plates carrying good drinks and passable food punctuate the mood. A well-worn house mic and PA are the vessel. This is a space to create and connect. A true experiment in agile creativity. A completely fresh offering. Like a song with no melody. A verse with no meter. An abundance of logic has gotten...

Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage. This is what most people mean when they put in air quotes "Agile". A blessing and a curse, we use this to make our product more nimble and responsive, but in truth, we use it to excuse sloppy prioritization and execution when we allow new requirements to be suddenly add...

You cannot ascend if your beliefs, routines thoughts, experiences and emotions are limited to your present circumstances and reality. Think and feel bigger than your environment. Artists see. So do innovators and problem solvers. Therefore agile itself is a form of artistry.... LISTEN TO THE BADASS AGILE PODCAST ON SHUFFLE! - Get it here for iOS - https://getshuffle.app/ ***JOIN THE FORGE*** Sign...

"Come With Me If You Want To Live" - The Terminator. At any stage in a transformation or ramp-up, mayhem or uncertainty can undo some of your progress. The consequences of standing still aren't obvious to everyone - it just feels safer. You can almost feel the confusion and frustration of your team members or clients. Sometimes you just have to extend your hand and say "come with me if you want to...

The pride that comes from creating more output = although not necessarily expending more effort - than anyone you know. This comes from working with clients who feel everything they do is a herculean lift, and the mindset shattering that occurs when you show them how easily you can produce 10x what they think is reasonable without blinking an eye. LISTEN TO THE BADASS AGILE PODCAST ON SHUFFLE! - G...

Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. Do we do this? No, we don't. It's one of the biggest problems with Agile. -The key word here is actually 'priority'. When you watch teams at work, you see what their priorities are - metrics, safety, certainly, plan, budget, and speed -"highest" priority means that you can, of course, commit...

I can change your culture in 5 minutes. It's commitment and consistency that take time. It's overcoming the disbelief and old attitudes. The first thing we do wrong when trying to change culture is to plan it and approve it.  Culture change requires, like good software, continuous delivery of new value.  The most important thing to get right is inspiration. Next, the implementation has to be swift...

One way to begin to change the arc of your life as a leader is to ask "what is the boldest thing I can do today"? Your day will present you with opportunities and choices. What you choose reflects your attitude toward comfort and risk.  How do you force yourself to take the road less travelled; to do the thing that you most fear, to continuously live in the fear zone?  By asking yourself this simp...

The most profitable and in-demand agile practitioner will be the one who can solve important, complex and valuable problems efficiently and confidently. LISTEN TO THE BADASS AGILE PODCAST ON SHUFFLE! - Get it here for iOS - https://getshuffle.app/ ***JOIN THE FORGE*** Sign up for more info about our online leadership immersion experience. https://badassagile.com/the-forge/ ****** Follow on CLUBHOU...

The greatest, most revealing question isn't always "what do you need?".  It's just as often, "what isnt working?". Every pain reveals an opportunity. As agilists, we should be experts in resolving blockers.  Finding and fixing pain points is what we do ....or do we? To get good at fixing pain and struggle, identifying it is only the first step.  We also have to make sure that we aggressively ask "...

I get asked "how can i get teams to turn their cameras on and get engaged?".  Engagement is YOUR job. A great facilitator doesn't need cameras, visuals, or physical presence to make unforgettable impact. Even if there was an advantage to having cameras on, I want you to be the kind of leader and facilitator that can operate in any condition and still grab that audience. Great communications have n...

Creativity requires freedom. The ability to desire and dream with impunity.  That doesn't happen by accident. You have to enable and defend it. Remove the cost of failureStand between your team (and their creativity) and danger (rejection, judgment)Once earned, make sure the brushstrokes are big and colourful, otherwise nothing changesGrowth and development is done in consistent single-digit devel...

To grow yourself AND your team, develop your patience and persistence. Although the industry would like you to believe that great delivery and performance are days away, the really good stuff takes time. In the beginning, we all have to find our feet.  At the bottom of the hill, everything is a climb.  If you can't push consistently upward, gravity will pull you right back down. A new team might e...

The biggest disruptor of productivity is distraction. No matter how small, distractions interrupt flow, engagement, and deep work. The biggest offender is usually electronics - smartphones, laptops, wearables - but really, its anywhere you choose to allow your focus to escape to. LISTEN TO THE BADASS AGILE PODCAST ON SHUFFLE! - Get it here for iOS - https://getshuffle.app/ ***JOIN THE FORGE*** Sig...

We must be careful to ensure that we own our time. We frequently complain that we are 'overloaded' Overwhelm is not something that is done TO YOU. It is something that you accept; or even welcome. The antidote is simple but hard: Say no all day every dayLimit your participation in meetingsDelegate, automate, eliminate, integrateDon't seek perfection or any '100%' measure (always on time, workout 7...

Most of us (especially in the midst of global stay-at-home orders) experience our favourite brands digitally far more than we do physically. Great creative and experience design is fascinating; especially knowing it can make or break attraction and loyalty. Adam Smith, of Tension (https://wearetension.com) is in the business of partnering with firms along the entire strategy-to-build cycle. His fr...

If you're struggling to get exceptional traction or results with your clients...try this.  Set the bar to "Overdeliver". This means declaring an intention of delivering exceptional, unexpected value.  It means asking for feedback against that intention. "How can I overdeliver with an exceptional (experience today, outcome this week, etc)? And at every opportunity, ask..."did i/we overdeliver this...