Badass Agile

By Fuse Chamber, IncTechnology

Badass Agile episodes

September 09, 2018 Episode 66 - Square Pegs, Round Holes and Magic Bullets
This is an open letter to all Agile implementers and leaders. Are you trying to fit a square peg into a round hole?
* I love the Apollo 13 moment, but if you’re not in outer space and your crew isn’t about to die, you have to think more prudently about making square pegs fit into round holes
* We say Agile is no Magic Bullet, and then proceed to treat it like one
* Agile is a tool in a toolkit. Your job is to know where and when to properly apply it.
* Only when applied properly will you have success that you can build on and spread/grow
8 min
September 03, 2018Episode 65 – Task Level Prioritization With Stickies and Dots
We are accustomed to prioritizing backlogs – product and sprint – but we may not be as accustomed to prioritizing our day. This technique is often overlooked by teams, and yet how often do we find the day has gotten away from us because we made a choice to work on something that may not have been the highest-value target?
The solution is easy and cheap – a pad of index-card sized sticky notes and a sharpie pen
In no particular order, write down all your ‘todos’ for the day. It’s ok to include non-project or personal items.
Leave at least 1/4 of the card free for new items as the day progresses.
Find ONE top priority item and give it 5 dots. Give everything else a 4 or a 3. For things that are unclear, give it 1 dot.
Tackle the ONE and ONLY ONE 5-star first. Only after its done can you move to the next-highest item. Find a 4, and make it a 5.
You can change priorities any time – just add more dots to move it up higher.
This method is incredibly intuitive, forces you to stay focused and finish work, is simple and portable.
10 min
August 27, 2018Episode 64 – Performance Rituals
How do you ‘perform’? When you have to deliver a performance – whether its a speech in front of an executive, your team or a large crowd, how do you show up? Performance Rituals might be the answer.
The right rituals can radically change your effectiveness in meetings, negotiations, presentations or tough conversations
Don’t count on your event magically ‘going well’. You have to be prepared….so take care to make scripts, save them, refine them and make them accessible so its easy to use them
I’ve included my own for you to use/copy.
11 min
August 26, 2018 Episode 64 - Performance Rituals
How do you ‘perform’? When you have to deliver a performance - whether its a speech in front of an executive, your team or a large crowd, how do you show up? Performance Rituals might be the answer.
* The right rituals can radically change your effectiveness in meetings, negotiations, presentations or tough conversations
* Don't count on your event magically 'going well'. You have to be prepared....so take care to make scripts, save them, refine them and make them accessible so its easy to use them
* I've included my own for you to use/copy.
11 min
August 20, 2018Episode 63 – What’s Your Backlog?
A Leader Has to Be Constantly Growing And Moving
You need to have a backlog of items for your professional and leader development
The areas I recommend are Education and Learning, Community, Professional Contribution, Mindset and Habit Upgrades, and Team Problem Solving
You’re the product owner – keep the backlog current and prioritized, and execute every day.
11 min
August 12, 2018 Episode 62 - Becoming a Great Storyteller
You know whats missing in our leaders in every area of endeavour? Great communication. We need more storytellers. Want to become one?
* A compelling and dynamic leader has been places and done things. They inspire and ignite people with their communication style
* Start collecting your stories
* Start cementing your own personal philosophy
* Think of great analogies that drive home your points
13 min
August 06, 2018Episode 61 – Build a Shark Tank
Sooner or later, most leaders need to address emotional control. But how do you control emotions when they are automatic and sub-conscious reactions?
Being mercurial, moody, or unpredictable is great for keeping people terrified, but not for building trust, loyalty and performance
As a leader, or as anyone looking to build/improve success, you have to know what triggers emotional behaviour and what it costs you
The secret is to build a shark tank – a slight delay or barrier between events and your reactions to them
15 min
August 05, 2018 Episode 61 - Build a Shark Tank
Sooner or later, most leaders need to address emotional control. But how do you control emotions when they are automatic and sub-conscious reactions?
* Being mercurial, moody, or unpredictable is great for keeping people terrified, but not for building trust, loyalty and performance
* As a leader, or as anyone looking to build/improve success, you have to know what triggers emotional behaviour and what it costs you
* The secret is to build a shark tank - a slight delay or barrier between events and your reactions to them
15 min
July 31, 2018Episode 60 – Think Like An Owner
It’s not uncommon to find people feeling very disconnected from their work. Sometimes an individual’s passion and purpose is connected to their work in the team room, and sometimes, it’s not. Sometimes they may not know what their passion and purpose is….we’ve talked about methods for finding and connecting purpose in previous episodes, but is there a quicker, simpler way?
Ask your team to Think and Act Like an Owner
If this were a startup, and you were funding the initiative, you would be less inclined to do wasteful things. To hesitate, to over-plan. The mindsets and behaviours that Agile demands are the very same ones that startup-style ownership demands.
An Owner makes decisions quickly, abhors waste, and acts always in the interest of delighting the customer and igniting their teams….because ultimately these are the most important people an owner has to focus on
Encourage your teams often to break free from bad patterns, habits and attitudes by encouraging them to think and act like a true owner would
14 min
July 29, 2018 Episode 60 - Think Like An Owner
It’s not uncommon to find people feeling very disconnected from their work. Sometimes an individual’s passion and purpose is connected to their work in the team room, and sometimes, it’s not. Sometimes they may not know what their passion and purpose is….we’ve talked about methods for finding and connecting purpose in previous episodes, but is there a quicker, simpler way?
* Ask your team to Think and Act Like an Owner
* If this were a startup, and you were funding the initiative, you would be less inclined to do wasteful things. To hesitate, to over-plan. The mindsets and behaviours that Agile demands are the very same ones that startup-style ownership demands.
* An Owner makes decisions quickly, abhors waste, and acts always in the interest of delighting the customer and igniting their teams….because ultimately these are the most important people an owner has to focus on.
* Encourage your teams often to break free from bad patterns, habits and attitudes by encouraging them to think and act like a true owner would
14 min