In this insightful episode, Laurens speaks with Leslie Morse, an accomplished agile leader and influencer. Leslie shares her journey from accidental business analyst to a pivotal role at Scrum.org, discussing the nuances of agile leadership and her commitment to fostering inclusive communities within the agile sphere.

Key Points Discussed:

Journey into Agile and Business Analysis: Leslie recounts how she stumbled into business analysis and agile methodologies, emphasizing the organic nature of her career progression shaped by opportunities and personal growth within tech startups and corporate settings.

Role at Scrum.org: Leslie discusses her current role as a product owner, focusing on the challenges and adjustments she faced starting her job during the lockdown and how she manages to build community and connect with colleagues remotely.

Women in Agile: As a passionate advocate for women in the agile community, Leslie shares the genesis and growth of the Women in Agile podcast and organization, highlighting its role in amplifying women's voices and supporting diversity within the industry.

Leadership Insights: Leslie provides profound insights into effective leadership, stressing the importance of self-awareness, embracing vulnerability, and the power of silence in leadership. She discusses the balance between speaking up and creating space for teams to express themselves.

Personal Growth and Community Building: Reflecting on her experiences and personal growth, Leslie talks about the importance of community, friendship, and the supportive network within the agile community that has been instrumental during challenging times.

Leslie Morse's reflections provide valuable lessons on leadership, the importance of community, and personal resilience. Her journey illustrates the impact of agile methodologies not just on projects and organizations, but also on personal development and building supportive professional networks.

Connect with Leslie Morse through LinkedIn or reach out to her at Scrum.org to delve deeper into her work and contributions to the agile community.

Also, listen to her podcast!

https://womeninagile.org/podcast/

In this episode, Laurens Bonnema welcomes Joe Justice, a globally recognized figure in agile hardware and corporate restructuring. Joe shares his insights on applying agile methodologies beyond software, particularly in hardware and manufacturing sectors. He discusses his work at Tesla and his experiences with other leading automotive companies, emphasizing the transformative power of agile practices in these industries.

Key Points Discussed:

Agile Application in Hardware: Joe details his journey from software to hardware, illustrating how agile principles can be adapted to manage complex manufacturing processes, supply chains, and product developments effectively.

Leadership in Agile Settings: He emphasizes the critical role of clear communication and cultural alignment in fostering agile environments, especially in hardware contexts where the stakes and scales of operations differ significantly from software.

Innovations at Tesla: Joe shares anecdotes from his time at Tesla, highlighting how the company's agile approach under Elon Musk's leadership has spurred rapid innovation and growth, setting new standards in the automotive industry.

Global Agile Training: Joe discusses his current focus on training executives and teams worldwide, promoting a deeper understanding of agile practices across different sectors and regions.

Joe Justice's experiences underscore the versatility and effectiveness of agile methodologies when correctly implemented in both software and hardware industries. His work continues to influence and inspire leaders and teams aiming to enhance efficiency, creativity, and responsiveness in their operations.

Connect with Joe Justice on social media or visit the Agile Business Institute's website for resources and training opportunities in agile practices.

Also, read his book!

https://en.abi-agile.com/book/

In this insightful episode of the Agile Leadership Podcast, Laurens speaks with Jenni Jepsen, an expert in change management and agile leadership. Jenni shares her unique journey into the agile world, her collaboration with renowned leaders, and her book on creating ownership through leadership.

Key Points Discussed:

Agile Journey: Jenni recounts how a chance encounter and invitation from agile guru Pollyanna Pixton in 2006 sparked her agile journey. Despite initially knowing little about agile methodologies, her expertise has grown significantly over the years.

Expertise in Agile: With a strong foundation in leadership and communication, Jenni discusses how agile principles have transcended the software realm to impact various business sectors. Her approach focuses on principles over methodologies.

Collaborative Leadership: Jenni emphasizes the importance of intent-based leadership and creating environments that foster ownership and engagement.

Online Adaptation: The shift to online work due to COVID-19 challenged Jenni to overcome her biases towards face-to-face interaction, adapting new tools and methods to maintain effective communication and training.

Jenni's story illustrates a profound journey through the agile landscape, highlighting her evolution from novice to expert. Her experiences underline the adaptability and continuous learning necessary to thrive in agile leadership.

Connect with Jenni through Go Agile's website to explore her work and insights further.

Also, get her book!

https://www.amazon.com/TOGETHER-leaders-involve-engage-people-ebook/dp/B08P9TQZHT

In this episode, Laurens chats with Patricia Kong from Scrum.org about the dynamic intersection of leadership and agility. Patricia, a key figure behind the Evidence Based Management framework for measuring the value of your Scrum, delves into her journey from finance to agile leadership and the pivotal role of continuous improvement in organizational agility.

Key Points Discussed:

Career Transition: Patricia shares her transition from finance to product management and how her multilingual skills played a crucial role in her agile journey.

Evidence-Based Management: She introduces the concept of Evidence-Based Management, which helps leaders measure organizational improvement through empirical data.

Leadership and Change: Patricia emphasizes the importance of personal involvement in change initiatives, highlighting common mistakes people make by distancing themselves from the changes they advocate.

Goal Setting: She discusses the challenges organizations face in defining clear, measurable goals and the impact of having a unified vision to drive progress.

Patricia Kong's insights shed light on the necessity of evidence-based practices in fostering agile leadership and the significance of setting and regularly reviewing clear organizational goals.

To delve deeper into Patricia’s work, visit https://scrum.org or connect with her on LinkedIn for more insights on agile practices and leadership.

Also, get her books!

https://www.amazon.com/Nexus-Framework-Scaling-Scrum-Continuously-ebook/dp/B0785FLRJ2 https://www.amazon.com/Unlocking-Business-Agility-Evidence-Based-Management-ebook/dp/B0CP5ZQJX5 https://www.amazon.com/Facilitating-Professional-Scrum-Teams-Effectiveness-ebook/dp/B0CLKZC5JM

Laurens welcomes Mike Hoogveld, a prominent figure in Agile management and a partner at NLMTD consultancy. Mike shares insights into his journey into agile leadership, emphasizing the importance of effective collaboration and customer-centric practices in organizations.

Key Points Discussed:

Professional Background: Mike Hoogveld discusses his academic background and his path from marketing and sales into agile management, fueled by his curiosity about organizational cooperation and customer-centric innovation.

Agile Leadership: Mike emphasizes the role of leadership in shaping organizational culture and impacting customer and employee satisfaction. He highlights the necessity for leaders to foster awareness and behavioral change within management teams.

Approach to Consulting: Mike shares his method of engaging with management teams, focusing on positive reinforcement and constructive questioning to encourage a forward-thinking mindset.

Challenges in Organizations: He discusses the common challenges organizations face, such as internal cooperation and innovation, and the need for tailored agile solutions.

Psychological Safety: Mike stresses the importance of creating an environment where employees feel safe to experiment and fail, which is crucial for agile transformation and innovation.

Future Projects: Mike mentions his recent successful book, "Future Proof," and talks about his current project comparing historical periods of rapid change to today's fast-paced environment.

Mike Hoogveld's insights offer valuable lessons on agile leadership and the critical role of psychological safety in fostering an innovative and adaptive organizational culture. His approach emphasizes the importance of tailored solutions and leadership development in achieving effective agile transformation.

For more insights from Mike Hoogveld, visit his website at https://mikehoogveld.nl or explore further through https://nlmtd.com

Also, get his books!

https://www.managementboek.nl/boek/9789021460659/bertie-en-de-wonderjaren-mike-hoogveld https://www.managementboek.nl/boek/9789462156692/futureproof-mike-hoogveld https://www.managementboek.nl/boek/9789089653710/denk-als-een-startup-mike-hoogveld https://www.managementboek.nl/boek/9789089653185/agile-managen-mike-hoogveld

Chris Williams is author and host of the Badass Agile Podcast. He has spent the past 20 years of his career teaching and consulting in technology and management. He has seen every kind of trend come and go, and has met every kind of leader. But Chris also has a long background as a musician, audio engineer, business owner and entrepreneur, coach – and even boxing instructor. All of these challenges were opportunities in mastery – and the diverse subject areas taught him one important lesson – leadership is leadership, and excellence is gained the same way in every domain, from athletics to arts to business. It is his passion to light people up and equip them with the tools they need to emerge as powerful leaders. Chris believes in leadership as service, guided by vision, and he lives to help others find theirs; focusing next on fundamentals, and then enhancing practice to tweak and evolve their leadership game.

A Professional Scrum Trainer with Scrum.org, Ryan Ripley has experience as a software developer, manager, director, and ScrumMaster at various Fortune 500 companies in the medical device, wholesale, and financial services industries. Ryan is committed to helping teams break the cycle of “bad Scrum” so they can deliver valuable software that delights their customers. The host of Agile for Humans, the top Agile podcast on iTunes, Ryan lives in Indiana with his wife Kristin and three children. He blogs at ryanripley.com and is on Twitter @ryanripley. Ryan loves talking about all things Agile and promises not to speak in the third person if you come up and ask him a question.

Dave West is the CEO at Scrum.org. He is a frequent keynote at major industry conferences and is a widely published author of articles and research reports, along with his acclaimed book: Head First Object-Oriented Analysis and Design, that helped define new software modeling and application development processes. He led the development of the Rational Unified Process (RUP) for IBM/Rational. After IBM/Rational, West returned to consulting and managed Ivar Jacobson Consulting for North America. Then as VP, research director Forrester research where he ran the software development and delivery practice. Prior to joining Scrum.org he was Chief Product Officer at Tasktop where he was responsible for product management, engineering and architecture. 

A show about Agile leadership as seen through the eyes of experienced practitioners. The hosts, Ron Eringa and Laurens Bonnema, interview Agile leaders to highlight their unique take on Agile leadership.