This is part 2 of my interview with Tony Johnson from Crosswind PM. In this part of the interview Tony and talk through his recent experience attending a Disciplined Agile Training event held by PMI. We also share our thoughts and opinions on why PMI acquired Disciplined Agile and Flex and how we are expecting that to impact the Project Management community.

In the first part of the interview, which you can find here (https://bit.ly/3bnDXw0), Tony and I discussed some of the upcoming changes to the Project Management Institute's Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), how that will impact the PMP Exam, and the impact you can expect it have on your work in PM.

If you’d like to reach out to Tony with follow up questions:

Web: crosswindpm.com

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: twitter.com/crosswindpm

One of the results of the health crisis we are currently facing is that large public gatherings are temporarily off the table. No in-person events. Many events have been canceled, some are working out how to move online and some new ones have been specifically created to take place in a virtual setting.

The Agile Virtual Summit is taking place on Jun 1-5, 2020. It’s all online and you can earn upwards of 25 PDU’s by joining some of the most influential thought leaders in the Agile Space (and beyond.) The speaker list includes Diana Larsen, Lyssa Adkins, Jim Benson, Clinton Keith, Ronica Roth, and more. 

In this episode of the podcast, Adam Weisbart and I talk about what led to the event, why he put it together, and what to expect from it.

In addition to talking about the event, Adam and I also discuss some of the challenges we’ve each faced since moving to a way of working that is 100% online. We share some of the things we’ve learned and tips that can help you be more effective for your teams in this new way of working.

Agile Virtual Summit: https://agilevirtualsummit.com/

Contacting Adam:

Web: https://weisbart.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weisbart/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Weisbart

Email: [email protected]

There is probably nothing in the last 20 years that has had as comprehensive an impact on how we work as Covid-19. Yes, there were team members who worked remote before or maybe your team was distributed around the globe, but we've never been in a situation where EVERYONE was working from home. That is a completely different thing. It comes with unique challenges that we are only starting to adjust to.

For me personally, moving my work online has been incredibly challenging, and while the challenges are not always easily solved, and they are not always challenges I want to deal with, they are always rewarding.

Along with the things I've learned how to do right, there are many things I have learned to do wrong. The exploration of how to get better at online facilitation and teaching led me to a point where I knew I needed to check in with an expert. As luck would have it, Mark Kilby happened to be in an online training I took recently on how to facilitate large online collaboration. Mark is the co-author, along with Johanna Rothman, of the book From Chaos to Successfully Distributed Agile Teams. If you work with distributed teams and you are looking for practical answers to struggles you are facing, YOU NEED THIS BOOK.

After the class, I asked Mark if he'd be open to talking about what it has been like for him since Corona hit and what he's discovered in the way of best practices and antipatterns for online facilitation. So if you are looking for some tips on what to do and what to not do when you are working with your teams online, you'll find a lot of valuable ideas shared in this interview.

Mark's Book

From Chaos to Successfully Distributed Agile Teams

https://amzn.to/3bPVDkT

Contacting Mark:

Web: https://www.markkilby.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mkilby

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkilby/

This is the first part of a two part interview with Tony Johnson, Founder and CEO of Crosswind Learning. Crosswind is a PMI REP based in Carrolton, Texas, that has been providing instruction in project management for 20 years.

In this part of the interview, we focus on the upcoming changes in the new edition of the PMBOK, including what that will mean for practitioners and especially how it will impact those preparing for the PMP exam. If you aren’t up to speed on how the new PMBOK is going to be different, you will definitely want to give this a listen because there are some significant changes being made to the structure of the standard and how things like Agile practices are being woven in.

And make sure to check back next week for Part 2 where Tony will share his recent experience going through PMI’s Disciplined Agile training.

If you’d like to reach out to Tony with follow up questions:

Web: https://crosswindpm.com

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: https://twitter.com/crosswindpm

“Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount 
of work not done--is essential.”

~From the 12 Principles of Agile Software https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html

It is one of the most basic responsibilities of the Product Owner and one almost every PO struggles with... saying "No" to people who ask for things. A Product Owner who can't say No is going to end up with a Product Backlog jammed full of things that can't be done. This puts the entire organization at risk. At the same time, a PO who is constantly telling Senior Management "No" to all their requests may find themselves "being offered the opportunity to enjoy working at another company."

So, how do you go say "No" from a position of strength and safety? How do you know that saying "No" is really the right response? What kind of challenges do you need to be ready for? How can you prepare for those uncomfortable moments when you are waiting to see if you will be thanked for your honesty and candor, or told to leave your ID badge with HR on your way out?

In this episode of the Reluctant Agilist, Tim Wise joins me to talk through various aspects of the challenge of saying "No."

Links from the Podcast

Agile Day Atlanta http://agiledayatlanta.com

Books Mentioned

Turn the Ship Around - L. David Marquet https://amzn.to/2QXOGWD

Leadership is Language - L. David Marquet https://amzn.to/2w2mRFj

Speed of Trust - Stephen Covey Jr. https://amzn.to/3439xgy

7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey https://amzn.to/3bCsDMX

Contacting Tim

Twitter https://twitter.com/timswise

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwise/

Email: [email protected]

Towards the end of 2018, The Scrum Alliance restructured its organization around a new leadership model. Howard Sublett returned to the Scrum Alliance as Chief Product Owner and shortly after that, Melissa Boggs joined as Chief Scrum Master. In these new roles, they are truly leading an effort to change the world of work.

In this episode of the podcast, I had a chance to check in with Melissa and Howard on how the change is going. We discuss the changes made to the way the Scrum Alliance is organized around a team model, where individuals select areas they are most passionate about and teams where they can add the most value.

We also talk about how this change has impacted each of them personally, digging into the things they are most proud of, the areas they are still working on, and lessons they have learned along the way. You can catch up on all of this by checking out their Unscripted posts (see the link below.)

The interview closes out with a little taste of what you can expect at the 2020 North American Global Scrum Gathering which is taking place in NYC this May.

Check out Scrum Alliance Unscripted

https://www.scrumalliance.org/unscripted

Contacting Melissa Boggs

Web: https://www.scrumalliance.org/community/profile/mboggs2

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hmngbirdagility

Contacting Howard Sublett

Web: https://www.scrumalliance.org/community/profile/hsublett

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/howardsublett

The 2020 North American Scrum Gathering - New York City - May 11-13, 2020

https://events.scrumalliance.org/sgnyc20

Ryan Ripley wears many hats. He's a Professional Scrum Trainer, an Agile Coach, the creator of the Agile for Humans podcast, a blogger, a speaker, and now... author!

Last month, Ryan and Todd Miller released Fixing Your Scrum (https://amzn.to/2Pi46En), a book chock full of real-life stories from two seasoned Agile coaches who spend their days helping organizations, teams, and individuals find a better way to work.

In this episode of The Reluctant Agilist, Ryan and I talk about the book, what motivated them to write it, and how it can help you figure out ways to address some of the issues you and your Scrum Team are facing.

During the interview, Ryan and I also discuss what led him to become a Professional Scrum Trainer and why he finds teaching Scrum and Agile to be such a rewarding way to spend his days.

If you are going to be in NYC on February 20, 2020, Ryan and Todd will be speaking at the Agile NYC User Group. http://bit.ly/37EcB2C

If you haven't checked out Ryan's podcast Agile for Humans, that is something you definitely want to do. https://ryanripley.com/agile-for-humans/

Links

Fixing Your Scrum by Ryan Ripley and Todd Miller

https://amzn.to/2Pi46En

Agile NYC User Group Event with Ryan Ripley and Todd Miller

http://bit.ly/37EcB2C

Contacting Ryan

Web: https://ryanripley.com/

Agile For Humans Podcast https://ryanripley.com/agile-for-humans/

Training https://ryanripley.com/training-classes/

Leadership is Language - L. David Marquet

In 2013, David Marquet’s book Turn the Ship Around (https://amzn.to/3bbE2nk) was published, introducing intent based leadership to people all over the world. Since then David has worked with thousands of companies, teams, and individuals and helped them transform the way they think about and engage with others. His new book Leadership Is Language (https://amzn.to/3b6H3p7 ) digs even deeper into intent based leadership by focusing on the subtle ways in which the words we choose impact the message we are trying to send—how it is received and acted upon by others.

In this interview, David and I talk about the new book and some of the key ideas he introduces in Leadership is Language. One of concepts we focus on in the interview is blue work vs. red work, or, the thinking work we do that embraces variability and the execution work we do where we want to limit variability.

As an added bonus, David shares a a tip towards the end of the interview that is absolutely going to transform your ability to get people to arrive on time for events.

Leadership is Language

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780735217539

Contacting David

If you’d like to reach David or learn more about Intent Based Leadership here are some links to get you started:

Web: https://www.davidmarquet.com

Web: https://intentbasedleadership.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ldavidmarquet

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ldavidmarquet

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmarquet/

Videos

In addition to the book, David posts his “Leadership Nudges” on YouTube each week:

Leadership Nudges Videos: http://bit.ly/2UlglmM

Live Events

And if you’d like to see David in person, here are some of his upcoming events:

February 12 from 11:30 - 12:30 - Watermark Conference for Women

https://www.watermarkconferenceforwomen.org/speakers/david-marquet/ 

February 16 from 1:00 - 1:40 PM Sunday Times Life Lessons; Choose Category Business

https://www.lifelessonsfestival.com/programme  

February 17 from 6:45 - 8:00 PM How To Academy

https://www.howtoacademy.com/events/leadership-is-language-how-to-empower-your-team-through-better-communication/ 

February 20 - Stockholm (Crisp Event)

https://www.crisp.se/kurser/intent-based-leadership-david-marquet-february-20-2020 

February 21 goAgile Event

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/david-marquet-brings-language-is-leadership-to-copenhagen-dont-miss-this-keynote-book-signing-and-tickets-83150069095

Gil Broza is back with a brand new book that answers a question that is asked in every single class I teach.

Can you use Agile outside of software?

The simple answer is yes. Agile practices are applied in a wide range of fields that are not IT related. What Gil has put together in his new book "Agile for Non-Software Teams: A Practical Guide for Your Journey" is a step-by-step guide to help you begin your non-software Agile journey, and in this episode of The Reluctant Agilist, Gil shares his reasons for writing the book, some of the key ideas and critical factors people should be considering before heading down this path, and when it is not a fit.

Gil's Books:

- Agile for Non-Software Teams: A Practical Guide for Your Journey https://amzn.to/30GLceF

- The Human Side of Agile - How to Help Your Team Deliver https://amzn.to/2GnxgwZ

- The Agile Mind-Set: Making Agile Processes Work https://amzn.to/2sHds4a

Contacting Gil:

(if you have stories to share about using Agile outside of software, he'd love to hear from you)

- Web: https://3pvantage.com

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbroza/

TLDR

Regardless of whether you are a traditional PM or you are working in Agile, topics like emotional intelligence, creating safety and self-care are part of the current conversation about how we approach our work. This podcast presents another side of that discussion and focuses on how different experiences and events result in trauma that can leave lasting scars that we carry with us as we interact with others. Becoming more aware of different types of trauma, how it shows up in you as well as others, will help you become a more valuable and effective leader for your teams and organizations.

In this episode of the Reluctant Agilist, Brandon Brown is back to talk about trauma. Trauma takes many forms and it is something that all of us deal with, but we may not think about how it pertains to our day to day work. As we move through life, each of us experiences different things that have a lasting impact. Sometimes, these things are very obvious, sometimes they are more subtle, and sometimes we don’t realize how deeply they’ve impacted us until much later.

As an example, if you’ve ever worked in an organization where you felt that your contribution was not valued or your ideas were not heard, the impact of this may stick with you long after the conditions are no longer in play. You may find, even years later, that you are still reacting to the unfortunate previous situation. Recognizing the trauma you’ve experienced in the past and finding ways to work through it will help you show up in a more open and present state for your co-workers and your team. And recognizing that others have had different, but equally significant experiences can help us offer more empathy to the people we are interacting with.

If you'd like to reach out to Brandon with follow up questions, here is how you can reach him:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brbphilly/


Twitter: twitter.com/b_pbs


AboutMe: about.me/brandonrbrown