Read the  full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the  Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Lucia started her career on the project management path, and she had success with it. However, unlike many project managers that find Scrum by chance, Lucia was on a deliberate quest to find a better way of delivering software projects. It was not by chance that she, after searching for a while, found Scrum, and the Scrum Master role.  This newfound career took her into a new company that was starting a new project, with a Product Owner that did not have time for the team. In this episode, we explore how Scrum Masters can develop their relationship with the PO, to be able to help the team.  In this episode, we also refer to the Coach Your PO course, a course by the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast to help Scrum Masters develop their PO skills, and be able to help the PO’s they work with. We also refer to  the Product Owner Sprint Checklist, a tool we developed to help you have that important conversation about the PO’s availability to the team, because when they are not available, we know, the team suffers! About Lucia Alarcon Lucia is a Delivery Lead and a coach working in Wellington NZ, leading an amazing development squad to achieve the delivery of multiple digital initiatives using Agile, creating a culture of empowerment, collaboration and communication. With 15+ years of experience, her professional (and personal!) journey has taken her through a variety of organizations and halfway around the world from Argentina. Lucia loves all things Agile, facilitation and coaching.  You can link with Lucia Alarcon on LinkedIn and connect with Lucia Alarcon on Instagram.

How to help a busy, and absent Product Owner, work better with their Agile team | Lucia Alarcon

Every week day, Certified Scrum Master, Agile Coach and business consultant Vasco Duarte interviews Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches from all over the world to get you actionable advice, new tips and tricks, improve your craft as a Scrum Master with daily doses of inspiring conversations with Scrum Masters from the all over the world. Stay tuned for BONUS episodes when we interview Agile gurus and other thought leaders in the business space to bring you the Agile Business perspective you need to succeed as a Scrum Master. 
Some of the topics we discuss include: Agile Business, Agile Strategy, Retrospectives, Team motivation, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Backlog Refinement, Scaling Scrum, Lean Startup, Test Driven Development (TDD), Behavior Driven Development (BDD), Paper Prototyping, QA in Scrum, the role of agile managers, servant leadership, agile coaching, and more!

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  Paul Jarvis: Embracing the Stretch Zone, Tools for Personal and Agile Team Growth   Read the   full Show Notes  and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the   Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website:  http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   In this episode, Paul introduces the  "comfort - stretch - panic model" by Karl Ronker. This episode explores the necessity of stepping out of comfort to achieve personal and professional growth, emphasizing the role of the Stretch zone in challenging and expanding our capabilities. Through practical tips and insights, including the significance of a growth mindset. Paul refers to  Managing for Happiness, Jurgen Appelo. Regarding change processes, Paul guides listeners on how to use experiments, spikes, and  the Cynefin model  to navigate and embrace change effectively. What does it truly mean to stretch beyond our comfort zones, and how can we apply these principles to foster a culture of continuous improvement and happiness? Discover tools, tips, and techniques that catalyze growth and change.     [IMAGE HERE]  As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change?  The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone of any change process!  You can buy Lean Change Management the book at Amazon. Also available in  French,  Spanish,  German  and  Portuguese.     About Paul Jarvis   Paul is a seasoned Enterprise Lean Agile Coach, Trainer, RTE, and Scrum Master with a decade of experience in the FinTech sector, focusing on banking, payments, and e-commerce. Recently, he completed a 3.5-year tenure at a key player in investment banking.   You can link with Paul Jarvis on LinkedIn and connect with Paul Jarvis on Twitter.

Embracing the Stretch Zone, Tools for Personal and Agile Team Growth | Paul Jarvis

  Paul Jarvis: Unlocking Scrum Team Potential, The High-performance Tree Tool    Read the   full Show Notes  and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the   Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website:  http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   In this episode, we explore the dynamics of two high-performing teams hindered by a single member's reluctance to seek help. This episode explores the critical lesson, such as leveraging the "power of the team", and introduces   the high-performance tree  metaphor, illustrating the foundational values and desired behaviors in effective Scrum teams. How does one individual's challenge affect team performance, and what strategies can encourage collective problem-solving and support? Paul discusses his approach and insights, and refers to   a video from Lyssa Adkins about the high-performance tree.   Featured Book of the Week: Management 3.0 by Jurgen Appelo   Paul recommends the book  "Management 3.0" by Jurgen Appelo. He shares the book's profound impact on understanding Agile. Paul also shares other key references for Scrum Masters such as  "Coaching Agile Teams" by Lyssa Adkins,  "Radical Candor" by Kim Scott,  "Nonviolent Communication" by Marshal Rosenberg,  "Think Again" by Adam Grant, and Patrick Lencioni's contributions. Each book offers a unique perspective on Agile principles, from fostering constructive disagreements and navigating conflicts to reevaluating our knowledge and embracing humility. Find out about Paul's lightbulb moments and the collective wisdom these authors bring to the Agile table.     [IMAGE HERE] Do you wish you had decades of experience? Learn from the Best Scrum Masters In The World, Today!   The Tips from the Trenches - Scrum Master edition audiobook  includes hours of audio interviews with SM’s that have decades of experience: from Mike Cohn to Linda Rising, Christopher Avery, and many more.  Super-experienced Scrum Masters share their hard-earned lessons with you. Learn those today, make your teams awesome!        About Paul Jarvis   Paul is a seasoned Enterprise Lean Agile Coach, Trainer, RTE, and Scrum Master with a decade of experience in the FinTech sector, focusing on banking, payments, and e-commerce. Recently, he completed a 3.5-year tenure at a key player in investment banking.   You can link with Paul Jarvis on LinkedIn and connect with Paul Jarvis on Twitter.

Unlocking Scrum Team Potential, The High-performance Tree Tool | Paul Jarvis

  Paul Jarvis: Agile is a Framework for Collaboration, Here’s How   Read the   full Show Notes  and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the   Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website:  http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "Agile is a framework for collaboration"   In this episode, Paul shares a story from his early days as a Scrum Master in digital agencies, focusing on website projects for real estate agents. Despite the prevalence of the waterfall methodology, Paul ventured into the world of Agile, aiming to transform his and supplier teams' approach to project management. His journey wasn't without its challenges, especially in conveying the benefits of Agile over traditional methods. Through a mix of daily phone calls and strategic persuasion, he learned valuable lessons about teamwork, the essence of Agile as a framework for collaboration, and the importance of explaining new processes to those involved. How can the shift from waterfall to Agile catalyze better teamwork and project outcomes? Listen to Paul's story of perseverance, learn about the tools like  MURAL  that supported his journey, and the insights he gained on fostering collaboration within teams.     [IMAGE HERE]  Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with will also face these moments! We need inspiring stories to help them, and ourselves! The Bungsu Story, is an inspiring story by Marcus Hammarberg which shows how a Coach can help organizations recover even from the most disastrous situations! Learn how Marcus helped The Bungsu, a hospital in Indonesia, recover from near-bankruptcy, twice! Using Lean and Agile methods to rebuild an organization and a team! An inspiring story you need to know about!  Buy the book on Amazon: The Bungsu Story - How Lean and Kanban Saved a Small Hospital in Indonesia. Twice. and Can Help You Reshape Work in Your Company.     About Paul Jarvis   Paul is a seasoned Enterprise Lean Agile Coach, Trainer, RTE, and Scrum Master with a decade of experience in the FinTech sector, focusing on banking, payments, and e-commerce. Recently, he completed a 3.5-year tenure at a key player in investment banking.   You can link with Paul Jarvis on LinkedIn and connect with Paul Jarvis on Twitter.  

Agile is a Framework for Collaboration, Here’s How | Paul Jarvis

  In this BONUS episode, we delve into the merging of Scrum and Kanban with Todd Little, Chairman at Kanban University, and Joey Spooner, Vice President of Product Management at Kanban University. Join us as we uncover the journey and strategies behind integrating Scrum and Kanban to replace project management and enhance team productivity.   The Genesis of Agile and Kanban Integration    "Finding the right balance between Scrum and Kanban came from a need to handle uncertainty in tech projects better,"  explains Todd.    Both leaders discuss their initial encounters with agile methodologies and how challenges in their projects led them to innovate and blend Scrum with Kanban to improve flexibility and responsiveness.   Understanding Scrum and Kanban    "There's a historical divide between the Scrum and Kanban communities, but bridging them can significantly enhance how teams operate."  Notes Joey.   They break down the fundamental aspects of Scrum and Kanban, explaining how each contributes uniquely to managing projects and how combining them can mitigate the limitations of using one over the other.   Real-World Benefits of a Hybrid Approach    Todd shares a case study from Vanguard, highlighting their "Scrum stall" and how integrating Kanban principles like mapping work flows and setting WIP limits dramatically improved cycle times and overall efficiency. Joey adds, "Visualizing work and adjusting processes to reduce bottlenecks, especially in QA, transformed our team dynamics and output."   Challenges and Insights in Combining Methodologies    "Start where you are, and evolve incrementally," advises Todd    Todd and Joey emphasize the importance of recognizing current practices and gradually introducing Kanban elements to enhance Scrum frameworks. Joey reflects on early challenges in adoption, suggesting a cautious approach to avoid overwhelming teams and to foster more sustainable improvements.   Navigating Change and Resistance    The discussion touches on managing resistance to change. Todd and Joey highlight strategies like using historical data for forecasting and focusing on evolutionary change to gain buy-in from stakeholders and team members, ensuring a smoother integration of practices.   What Does Agile Look Like, When We Push it to 11?   Looking ahead, Todd envisions a focus on refining product discovery processes to make workplaces more dynamic and fulfilling. Both speakers emphasize the importance of continuous improvement and pushing the boundaries of current agile practices to maximize their impact.   Learn More and Connect    To explore more about integrating Scrum with Kanban and to connect with Todd and Joey, visit the Kanban University website or find them on LinkedIn (see links below). Also, don't miss the upcoming Product Owner Summit for more insights from industry leaders.   About Todd Little    Todd Little is the Chairman of Kanban University, a seasoned executive, and a pioneer in lean and agile methodologies. His extensive experience in leading technology developments and his contributions as an author and speaker have positioned him as a key figure in global project management circles.   You can link with  Todd Little on LinkedIn  and connect with  Todd Little on Twitter.   About Joey Spooner    Joey Spooner is the Vice President of Product Management at Kanban University, with a rich background in managing complex projects across various industries. He holds a degree from the University of Florida and is known for his innovative approaches to community development and product management.   You can link with  Joey Spooner on LinkedIn.

BONUS: Improving Scrum with Kanban! With Todd Little & Joey Spooner

  Tom Baldwin: Agile Team Champion, The Product Owner Who Gave the Stage Away   Read the   full Show Notes  and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the   Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website:  http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   The Great Product Owner: Agile Team Champion, The PO Who Gave the Stage Away   This segment spotlights an exemplary Product Owner who, through openness and experimentation, fosters a strong bond between stakeholders, developers, and the Scrum team. Tom emphasizes the importance of backlog management, team involvement in decision-making, and the PO's non-technical, yet impactful, leadership style, illustrating how an effective PO can be a linchpin for team success and stakeholder satisfaction.   The Bad Product Owner: The Proxy PO As A Strategy To Overcome PO Anti-Patterns   Tom shares some critical anti-patterns often seen in the role of the Product Owner, like distance, dictatorship, and the toxicity surrounding the PO role. By proposing solutions such as empowering subject matter experts and adopting the Proxy PO pattern, Tom provides a blueprint for transforming the PO role into a catalyst for effective Scrum practices, ensuring a balanced and productive team dynamic.     [IMAGE HERE] Are you having trouble helping the team work well with their Product Owner?  We’ve put together a course to help you work on the collaboration team-product owner. You can find it at  bit.ly/coachyourpo.  18 modules, 8+ hours of modules with tools and techniques that you can use to help teams and PO’s collaborate.     About Tom Baldwin   Tom is a Lean-Agile Coach & Scrum Master, who is trying to solve the problem that it has been more than 20 years since the Agile Manifesto, but Business Agility is still not the norm. Tom is currently writing “Production line for the mind: The Practicing Principle”, with the idea of making agility simple to understand & to implement – and not just for software.   You can link with  Tom Baldwin on LinkedIn.

How to help a busy, and absent Product Owner, work better with their Agile team | Lucia Alarcon

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