The Agile Daily Standup - AgileDad

Lead With Light & Love - Light The World 2023 This year for #LightTheWorld, focus on sharing kindness, just like Jesus did. Throughout December, look for ways to bring joy to someone new each day. By following Jesus, the true Light of the World, you can bring a little light to the lives of friends, family members, coworkers, and even strangers! From December 1 to Christmas Day, pay attention t...

Backlogs Aren't Meant to Hold It All - Mike Cohn Backlogs are like dessert: best in moderation. Having a backlog that’s too big is a sign of trouble like an extra-wide slice of pie with two scoops of ice cream. This goes for both product and sprint backlogs. Each should be kept to a manageable size. The Sprint Backlog A sprint backlog can become unwieldy when team members start to use it as a...

When the Agile Team Says, "We Don't Need xyz Meeting..." So, let’s translate the “we don’t need statement” to what you’re really saying: Sprint Planning: We do Sprint planning because we are committed to delivering incrementally. There are so many benefits of delivering incrementally. So, what you’re really saying is that you don’t need sprints benefits: We don’t need risk mitigation...

The Top 4 Tips to Lead Your Team as a ScrumMaster Be a servant leader. Your role is to serve the team, not to boss them around. Focus on helping the team achieve their goals and overcoming any challenges they may face. Be a good communicator. Communication is key to any successful team. Make sure to communicate regularly with your team members and stakeholders. Be clear and concise in your communi...

Enjoy The Silence... Silence can be awkward. A virtual meeting can be incredibly uncomfortable when everyone stares at each other. As a Scrum Master, in the past, I would continue utilizing filer words to break as much silence as possible. Whenever I asked the team a question, and no one would answer right away, I broke the “awkwardness” by attempting to elaborate on the question or provide my opi...

How to Persuade Others You've Made the Right Decisions - Kim Scott Your team has managed to  come to a decision , but there are still people who don’t agree with it — the same people who will be responsible for helping to implement it. If you’re working efficiently, not everybody on your team is involved in every step of the listen-clarify-debate-decide process for everything — just the releva...

Being Thankful for Agile: A Deep Dive into Appreciation In the expansive universe of project management and software development, it's easy to get ensnared in the intricacies of metrics, deliverables, and the ever-looming shadow of deadlines. Yet today, I'd like to invite you on a different journey. One that traverses the realms of emotions, relationships, and profound gratitude, centered...

Being a Scrum Master Requires Coffee: 5 Ways Coffee Makes Scrum Taste Better From keeping the team on track to navigating difficult conversations with stakeholders, there’s always something brewing in the Agile world. That’s why, my dear fellow Scrum Masters, I’m here to tell you that being a Scrum Master requires coffee. And not just any coffee, but a rich, aromatic brew that can fuel your brain...

Are Items in the Sprint Backlog ALWAYS Smaller Than Items in the Product Backlog? Maybe... Maybe not... This question from the PSM 1 Exam facilitated by Scrum. Org certainly generated some interesting discussion in one of my Advanced Workshops! We concluded that it is all a matter of applying best techniques to how we prioritize! How to connect with AgileDad: - [website]  https://www.agiledad.com/...

Strategies To Maximize Team Efficiency 1) Understand the North Star 2) Clear & Effective Communication and Collaboration 3) Knowledge of Agile Roles & Accountabilities 4) Becoming the ULTIMATE Communicator 5) Not Repeating the Same Mistakes How to connect with AgileDad: - [website]  https://www.agiledad.com/ - [instagram]  https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/ - [facebook]  https://www.fa...

Dealing With Toxicity - 3 Ways to Thwart Negativity Addressing toxicity in interpersonal relationships and environments is an essential aspect of promoting mental and emotional well-being. Here are three top techniques to combat such negativity in our personal and social spheres: Boundaries and Self-care : Set Clear Boundaries : Learn to say "no" when necessary and establish clear bounda...

Scrum Explained In Less Than 15 Minutes... Ready? GO!! Is it possible? Listen and find out.. LOL How to connect with AgileDad: - [website]  ⁠https://www.agiledad.com/⁠ - [instagram]  ⁠https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/⁠ - [facebook]  ⁠https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/⁠ - [Linkedin]  ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/⁠

Making Retrospectives Matter - 3 Keys to Success! #1. The team doesn’t know what greatness looks like If a team always feel that nothing needs to change, it could be because they don’t know what a high-performing team is like. They have been working in their familiar ways for too long and never got a chance to learn what greatness can be. #2. The improvement actions have not been actually taken on...

MVP vs MMF - What is the Difference? - Mike Cohn I had a question come up in a recent Better User Stories webinar. We were talking about  story mapping  and the concept of setting a significant objective for a period of time (usually about a quarter). I gave three examples of how to come up with a  significant objective : An MMF (minimum marketable feature), an MVP (minimum viable product), or a W...

No Agile Methodology is Right for You I understand that there is no one-size-fits-all methodology for any team. Every team is unique, every project is unique, because people are unique. Therefore, it is much more important to understand the fundamental principles associated with agile work methodologies and project management rather than becoming an evangelist for Methodology A or B. A summary of...

AgileDad Veterans Day Tribute

Help Me Understand: Navigating the Complexities of Human Understanding In today's hyper-connected world, with information at our fingertips and global conversations just a click away, understanding one another has never been more crucial. Yet, it's apparent that in many ways, we're more divided and less understanding than ever before. Why? Let's dive into the complexities of human...

The Power of Agile Backlog Refinement in Scrum Im here to shed light on the importance of backlog refinement, demystify its nuances, and illustrate how it can supercharge your Scrum journey. In Scrum, the product backlog is your compass, pointing the way towards delivering valuable features and activities. Managed by the Product Owner, it constantly adapts to new insights, stakeholder feedback, an...

The ScrumMaster IS a People Person... In the fast-paced world of Scrum, where project timelines are tight, and deliverables are paramount, one might wonder where the role of a People Person fits in. However, my experiences as a People Person as a scrum master have taught me that fostering strong relationships, understanding my team members, and promoting a positive work environment are not just va...

Feedback vs. Feedforward — Here’s Why I Don’t Like Either Word to Describe Radical Candor - Kim Scott There’s been a  lot of chatter  lately about feedback vs. feedforward. Words matter. I don’t love the word feedback, but because it’s commonly used to show people what to do more of and what to do less of, I use it often. Does “bad feedback” mean criticism, or does it mean criticism that is badly...

Providing Constructive Criticism as an Introverted Team Leader In the dynamic landscape of team collaboration, constructive criticism stands as a cornerstone for personal and collective growth. As an introverted team leader, navigating the delicate balance between maintaining harmony and fostering improvement can be challenging.  So, how can you deliver constructive criticism effectively while dra...

What Inspires You? Today, we embark on a heartening journey exploring inspiration—the lifeblood of our creativity and motivation. Have you ever paused to marvel at the early morning sun casting golden hues or the heartfelt laughter of a child? While we often search for inspiration in grand moments, it's life's quiet whispers that truly touch our souls. Like Jane, a writer who, amidst a cre...

Daily Scrums: Synchronization Meetings, Not Status Meetings The daily scrum: It's not a status meeting, it's a synchronization meeting. The term status meeting conjures images of sitting around a table with each person giving an update to a project manager while everyone else feigns interest (In reality, they're either mentally preparing for their own upcoming update or wondering how m...

Which Agile Certification Is Right For Me? How do you know which Agile Certification is right for you? Join V. Lee Henson as we discuss all of the different certs without bias and discuss which ay be best for you. How to connect with AgileDad: - [website]  https://www.agiledad.com/ - [instagram]  https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/ - [facebook]  https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/ - [Linkedi...

Agile Trick or Treat - 5 ScArY Things About Agile Change Overload : Agile represents a fundamental shift from traditional project management methods. The constant emphasis on flexibility, adaptation, and change can be overwhelming for teams and organizations used to static processes. Perceived Loss of Control : Traditional management often involves detailed upfront planning and strict adherence to...