In this episode, Santeri Kangas, a seasoned CTO and CISO, explores the complexities of leading tech organizations through various stages of growth. Santeri shares his journey from a developer to an influential leader in cybersecurity, AI, and cloud transformation, offering valuable lessons on scaling businesses, aligning technology with business goals, and fostering collaborative teams.

From Developer to Leader: Santeri's Evolution in Technology

"I grew into what I am through a series of pivotal moments, each shaping my approach to leadership and technology."

Santeri began his career as a developer, gradually advancing to roles such as architect, and eventually leading large-scale cybersecurity operations at F-Secure. He reflects on the challenges of dealing with exponential growth in malware, which pushed him to develop innovative, algorithm-driven solutions. This early experience highlighted the importance of integrating technology with broader business goals and set the foundation for his leadership philosophy.

"Leadership in tech is about growing with the challenges and continuously adapting your approach to meet evolving needs."

Scaling Startups: Building the Right Team for Success

"In startups, the marketing message often races ahead of the product. The key is getting the right people on the bus to bring those visions to life."

Santeri discusses the transition from large enterprises to the fast-paced world of startups. He emphasizes the importance of assembling a core team with diverse skills and a shared vision. By fostering strong communication and collaboration among product managers, architects, and R&D teams, Santeri believes that even the most ambitious startup goals can be achieved.

"Success in scaling comes from a solid core team that communicates well and drives the vision forward."

Balancing Technology and Business Objectives

"The CTO's role is to be the moderator, ensuring that technology strategies align with business goals without compromising on innovation."

One of the biggest challenges Santeri faces as a CTO is balancing technological innovation with the pressing demands of business growth. He describes the critical role of the CTO in maintaining this balance, ensuring that investments in new features, quality, and architectural improvements are aligned with the company's strategic objectives. Santeri also outlines the processes he uses, such as product portfolio steering groups and quarterly business reviews, to manage these competing priorities effectively.

"A successful CTO balances innovation with business needs, ensuring that both thrive together."

The Power of Automation in Scaling Operations

"Lazy engineers are the best engineers—automate every step to maintain focus on real innovation."

As companies grow, maintaining agility while scaling operations becomes increasingly challenging. Santeri advocates for the extensive use of automation, particularly in CI/CD pipelines, to reduce repetitive tasks and ensure that teams can focus on high-value work. He shares insights on transforming traditional teams into full DevOps teams, capable of managing multiple customer environments with efficiency.

"Automate relentlessly to free up your team for the innovation that drives your business forward."

Collaboration and Decision-Making in Growing Organizations

"It's all about people—how they communicate, collaborate, and respect each other's roles."

Santeri emphasizes the importance of collaboration in decision-making processes within growing organizations. He describes how the structure of decision-making evolves as companies scale, from a small core team to complex, multi-layered organizations. By setting up regular synchronization points and ensuring that decision-making bodies, such as product and portfolio steering groups, are well-informed and collaborative, Santeri ensures that the organization stays aligned with its strategic goals.

"Effective collaboration is the backbone of decision-making in any growing organization."

About Santeri Kangas

Santeri drives enterprise value by leveraging the latest technologies and creating passionate teams. As an entrepreneurial CTO, CISO, and European regional CEO, he excels in cybersecurity, AI, and cloud transformation. Santeri is also a World Economic Forum Global AI Council member and leads CUJO AI in securing connected experiences.

You can link with Santeri Kangas on LinkedIn.

CTO Series: Andrea Goulet On How To Lead with Empathy in Software Development

In this special BONUS episode of the CTO Series, Andrea Goulet, an innovative software executive, shares her mission to change the tech industry by making empathy a core technical skill. Andrea's insights reveal how empathy can transform leadership, foster collaboration, and drive success in software development. Through personal stories and practical tips, she illustrates the power of empathy in navigating complex challenges, from aligning mental models to enhancing communication between teams and leaders.

Defining Leadership Through Empathy

"Empathy isn't just credible in the software industry; it's crucial for innovation and collaboration."

Andrea reflects on her journey from a communications background where psychology played a pivotal role, to becoming a software executive who champions empathy. Despite initial skepticism from industry consultants, Andrea stuck to her belief that empathy was essential for success in tech. She shares a transformative experience with Scott Hanselman that highlighted the importance of understanding mental models and developing new communication strategies. This experience solidified her approach to leadership, emphasizing empathy as a vital skill for effective collaboration.

"Pause, reappraise, and think before you act – empathy in action is the key to navigating complex interactions in tech."

Enhancing Team Dynamics Through Empathy

"Developers can be as empathic as business leaders, breaking down traditional communication barriers."

Andrea delves into the importance of empathy between teams and their leaders, particularly when dealing with mismatched mental models. She discusses the protocols she has developed based on real-life situations, which prioritize empathy in decision-making and feedback processes. By advocating for her team members and facilitating conversations between executives and developers, Andrea demonstrates how empathy can lead to more effective problem-solving and collaboration.

"Facilitate conversations that shift from confrontation to collaboration – empathy is the bridge to solving shared problems."

Bridging Communication Gaps in Agile Environments

"The communication infrastructure is the 'plumbing' that allows information to flow seamlessly across your organization."

Andrea explains how the book Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal influenced her understanding of agile methodologies. Struggling with the lingo of Agile, she found clarity in McChrystal’s discussion of complex systems and the importance of managing interdependencies. Andrea emphasizes the need for a robust communication infrastructure to ensure that information flows freely within an organization, enabling teams to respond quickly to changing circumstances and align their efforts with broader business goals.

"Build communication loops that enable agility – the right infrastructure supports the flow of information and decision-making."

[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 Andrea Goulet

Andrea Goulet is on a mission to change the way the world thinks about empathy by leading a scientific revolution and making empathy a core technical skill for all technologists. She is a sought-after international keynote speaker, experienced software entrepreneur, and award-winning industry leader. Her expertise centers on using empathy and effective communication to modernize legacy and mission-critical software systems.

Andrea has taught over 75,000 students through her online courses on empathy and communication. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Empathy-Driven Software Development, and the founder of Empathy in Tech and Legacy Code Rocks, two online communities where code and compassion connect.

You can link with Andrea Goulet on LinkedIn.

CTO Series: Alexander Grosse Shares A Masterclass in Product, Process, and Leadership

In this special BONUS episode from our CTO Series, we learn about leadership and product from Alexander Grosse, a seasoned professional with an impressive track record at companies like Nokia, SoundCloud, and BCG Digital Ventures. Currently serving as the Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO) at Veo, Alexander shares insights into his unique role, offering practical advice on how to structure teams, integrate product and engineering functions, and scale effectively during periods of rapid growth. Whether you're in the tech space or simply interested in effective leadership, this episode provides invaluable lessons on aligning product and tech for optimal results.

The Evolution of the CPTO Role

"Bridging the gap between product and technology is crucial to avoid conflicts and ensure everyone is aligned on the same objectives."

Alexander begins by explaining the evolution of his role from an engineer to a CPTO, highlighting the challenges he faced in organizations where product and engineering were separated into silos. He discusses how this separation often led to conflicting incentives, ultimately stifling progress and innovation. By combining these roles under one umbrella, Alexander has been able to foster a more cohesive team, incentivized by the same goals and working in unison toward shared outcomes.

"In a startup with limited runway, it's essential to have one team incentivized by the same numbers. This alignment dissolves conflicts and directs energy towards building the product."

Leadership Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration

"Moving from cross-disciplinary to interdisciplinary teams was a game changer—it shifted the mindset from individual ownership to shared responsibility."

Reflecting on his career, Alexander shares a pivotal moment that redefined his approach to leadership—embracing interdisciplinary collaboration. Influenced by the principles in the book Change by Design, he emphasizes the importance of teams owning everything together rather than just their specific domains. This shift not only improved the innovation process at BCG Digital Ventures but also laid the foundation for his current leadership style at Veo.

"Interdisciplinary teams own everything together, creating a culture where innovation thrives and leadership becomes a collective effort."

Crafting a Unified Product and Tech Strategy

"Shared ownership across disciplines ensures that both business and tech priorities are aligned, resulting in a more agile and responsive organization."

As the CPTO, Alexander is responsible for both product strategy and the technology roadmap. He describes his process of fostering shared ownership among his teams, loosely following Agile principles to maintain flexibility and responsiveness. By working in short cycles, conducting regular retrospectives, and aligning product, engineering, and design, he has created a cohesive strategy that drives both innovation and business results.

"Shared ownership and agile processes enable us to stay responsive to both product and business needs, ensuring that we're always moving in the right direction."

Overcoming Challenges in Hardware and Software Integration

"Combining commercial needs with incremental software releases requires a careful balancing act, especially in hardware-driven businesses."

Alexander discusses the unique challenges of launching hardware products while maintaining agile software development cycles. He underscores the importance of risk management and cross-functional collaboration, particularly between supply chain, commercial, and product development teams. With a dedicated program manager for hardware releases and strategic use of firmware updates, Alexander navigates the complexities of integrating hardware and software in a fast-paced environment.

"In hardware-dependent businesses, mastering risk management and aligning cross-functional teams are key to a successful launch."

Fostering Collaboration Between Tech and Business Units

"Aligning incentives between tech and commercial teams is crucial—what gets people to buy a product doesn't always keep them engaged."

Collaboration between tech and business units is vital for success, and Alexander shares several strategies to enhance this partnership. From organizing workshops to aligning incentives, he emphasizes the need for close cooperation between departments. One of his key practices is making product teams accountable for churn, ensuring that they are directly tied to business outcomes and closely aligned with sales metrics.

"Make your product team accountable for churn—it’s the closest business number to sales metrics and fosters true alignment with the commercial side."

The Impact of AI on the Future of Product Development

"Tasks with sufficient training data will be taken over by AI, reshaping how we approach software and product development."

Alexander shares his thoughts on the rise of AI and its potential to transform software and product development. He predicts that AI will take over routine tasks, like CRUD operations, allowing developers to focus on more complex and creative aspects of product development. He also highlights the current use of AI in querying data sets, pointing to its growing influence in everyday business operations.

"AI is set to take over routine development tasks, pushing us to focus on innovation and higher-level problem-solving."

Recommended Reading for CPTOs

The book Change by Design has been a significant influence on Alexander's approach to his role as CPTO. He recommends it as essential reading for anyone looking to bridge the gap between product and technology, offering a framework for creating interdisciplinary teams and fostering innovation.

"Change by Design was the missing puzzle piece for creating a 'one team' approach—it's a must-read for any CPTO."

[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 Alexander

Alexander is a seasoned professional with a rich background in major corporations like Nokia, as well as experience with startups, and being a corporate venture builder at BCG Digital Ventures. Currently the Chief Product and Technology Officer at Veo, he invests in early-stage startups and offers expert advice, leveraging his experience as co-author of the O'Reilly book 'Scaling Teams'.

You can link with Alexander Grosse on LinkedIn.

BONUS: From Output to Outcome, The Customer-Focused OKRs with Jeff Gothelf

In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into the world of OKRs with Jeff Gothelf, co-author of the newly released book, Who Does What By How Much? A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs. Jeff is a product management expert, author, and keynote speaker, renowned for his contributions to building better products and fostering innovation within organizations. In this episode, Jeff discusses the evolution of OKRs, their impact on teams and organizations, and how to adopt this framework effectively.

The Motivation Behind the Book

"We needed to change how companies approach goal-setting to focus on outcomes rather than outputs." Jeff shares the journey that led him and his co-author Josh Seiden to write this book. They began with Lean UX, a practical guide for designers that expanded into other company areas (see this podcast episode with Josh Seiden about that book). However, as they worked more with clients, they noticed a disconnect between the goals set by leadership and the methods used by teams to achieve those goals. This realization inspired them to tackle the challenges companies face with goal-setting, particularly with OKRs, which they observe, are widely used but often misapplied.

The Shift from Output to Outcome

"In a post-OKR world, success is measured by what customers do differently when we solve the problem the right way." Jeff explains the fundamental difference between traditional goal-setting methods and OKRs. Traditional methods focus on output—what gets produced. In contrast, OKRs emphasize outcomes, or how customer behavior changes as a result of solving a problem correctly. Jeff highlights the importance of this shift in mindset, especially in software-driven organizations where success isn't just about delivering a product but about making a meaningful impact on users.

Overcoming the "Do the Thing" Mentality

"Start by asking your boss, 'What do you expect our users to do differently?'" One of the challenges in implementing OKRs is moving teams away from a mentality focused on simply completing tasks. Jeff suggests starting conversations with leadership by discussing the impact and benefits of feature requests, shifting the focus from just doing the thing to achieving a specific outcome. He also advises starting with a pilot team to ease into this new way of working, emphasizing the need for customer-centric, outcome-based OKRs.

Embracing Experiments Without Fear

"We saved the organization money by invalidating assumptions—this is a success, not a failure." Jeff addresses the common fear teams have about experimenting and potentially failing. He shares examples from his work with teams who, after finding their hypotheses invalid, were initially afraid to communicate this to leadership. However, by reframing these experiments as cost-saving successes, Jeff shows how organizations can shift their perspective and embrace experimentation as a critical part of innovation.

Structuring OKRs for Customer-Centricity

"We reverse-engineer the problem and identify the human who cares about having that problem solved." Jeff delves into the importance of structuring OKRs around customer needs. He recommends starting by defining the problem teams are trying to solve and understanding the people who are affected by that problem. Encouraging teams to dig deeper into the actual human experiences they aim to improve ensures that the OKRs are not only business-focused but also enhance customer experiences and relationships.

Redefining Roadmaps with OKRs

"OKR-based roadmaps replace feature lists with behavior change hypotheses." For OKRs to work effectively, Jeff explains that organizations must also rethink their roadmaps. Traditional roadmaps often list features to be built, but with OKRs, the focus shifts to committing to specific outcomes and behavior changes rather than delivering features. This change requires a new approach to planning and prioritization, one that aligns with the goals set by OKRs.

Starting the OKR Adoption Process

"Adopt a cycle of OKRs, experiments, and goal-based roadmaps to ease the transition." Jeff provides practical advice for organizations looking to start using OKRs. He outlines a cycle that includes setting OKRs, conducting experiments, and adjusting roadmaps based on the learnings from those experiments. He also emphasizes the importance of clear communication from teams, including sharing what they've learned and how they've adjusted their course based on that knowledge. Jeff's approach is tested and proven, with much of the content first shared on his blog.

The OKR Book

To dive deeper into customer-centric OKRs, you can order Who Does What By How Much? A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs on Amazon. For additional resources and insights, visit OKR-BOOK.com and JeffGothelf.com.

About Jeff Gothelf

Jeff Gothelf is a product management expert, author, and keynote speaker known for his impactful work in building better products and fostering innovation cultures. He is the co-author of Lean UX and Sense & Respond, and advises executives and organizations on business agility, digital transformation, and human-centered design. Jeff's latest project is co-authoring Who Does What By How Much? A Practical Guide to Customer-Centric OKRs.

You can link with Jeff Gothelf on LinkedIn and connect with Jeff Gothelf on Twitter.

Pooja Gupta: The Role of Business Knowledge in Effective Product Ownership

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: Empowering Teams with a Clear Product Vision

Pooja shares an inspiring story of a Product Owner who turned a struggling team around by focusing on the product vision and applying models like SCARF and the Five Dysfunctions model. This Product Owner’s approach not only clarified the team’s goals but also empowered the team to take ownership of the product’s short and long-term success. 

 

The Bad Product Owner: Escaping the JIRA Secretary Syndrome

Pooja discusses a common anti-pattern where Product Owners become "JIRA secretaries," focusing on backlog management rather than being involved in business decisions. She explains how this lack of business knowledge can turn Product Owners into bottlenecks, hindering team progress. Pooja emphasizes the need for Product Owners to have a deep understanding of the business and to bring a clear vision for the product. What are the dangers of having a Product Owner who isn’t aligned with the business, and how can you avoid this anti-pattern? Listen in to find out! 

 

[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 Pooja Gupta

Pooja is an Agile Coach at Visma Solutions and Agile Community Lead for Visma Group. With a passion for "limitless learning" and "selfless teaching," she brings empathy and a people-centric approach to her work and everyday life. Based in Helsinki for 9 years, she finds balance through yoga, meditation, and family life.

You can link with Pooja Gupta on LinkedIn.

Pooja Gupta: From Confusion to Clarity, Aligning Agile Team Efforts with Business Goals

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.

Pooja defines success for Scrum Masters through the lens of business outcomes. She stresses the importance of having clarity on business goals and helping teams align their work with these goals. Drawing from her experiences, Pooja discusses how the absence of a clear direction often leads to confusion and lack of focus. She also shares practical tips, including the importance of continuous discovery and refinement processes, and points to valuable resources like the Shape-Up methodology (also available in print from Basecamp) and Teresa Torres' work on continuous discovery. 

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Team-Designed Retrospective

In this episode, Pooja shares her experiment of letting the team take over the facilitation of their retrospectives, leading to deeper engagement and ownership of the process. She reflects on the benefits of rotating the facilitator role and how this approach can foster a more invested and self-sufficient team. Pooja also shares resources like Chris Stone's work and the book "Retrospective Anti-patterns" - by Aino Corry, a previous guest on the podcast -  to help teams enhance their retrospective practices. How can empowering your team in retrospectives lead to better outcomes? Listen in to find out!

 

[IMAGE HERE] Retrospectives, planning sessions, vision workshops, we are continuously helping teams learn about how to collaborate in practice! In this Actionable Agile Tools book, Jeff Campbell shares some of the tools he’s learned over a decade of coaching Agile Teams. The pragmatic coaching book you need, right now! Buy Actionable Agile Tools on Amazon, or directly from the author, and supercharge your facilitation toolbox! 

About Pooja Gupta

Pooja is an Agile Coach at Visma Solutions and Agile Community Lead for Visma Group. With a passion for "limitless learning" and "selfless teaching," she brings empathy and a people-centric approach to her work and everyday life. Based in Helsinki for 9 years, she finds balance through yoga, meditation, and family life.

You can link with Pooja Gupta on LinkedIn.

Pooja Gupta: The Power of Empathy in Leading Change

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, Pooja talks about the often-overlooked aspect of leading change: communication. She discusses how the real challenge in change management isn’t the change itself but how it’s communicated. By sharing a story of how two companies handled layoffs differently, Pooja illustrates the importance of empathy in communication. She provides actionable tips, including the need to normalize change, allow people to express their fears, and use models like SCARF to guide the change process. How can we better support our teams through change by focusing on empathetic communication?

 

[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 Pooja Gupta

Pooja is an Agile Coach at Visma Solutions and Agile Community Lead for Visma Group. With a passion for "limitless learning" and "selfless teaching," she brings empathy and a people-centric approach to her work and everyday life. Based in Helsinki for 9 years, she finds balance through yoga, meditation, and family life.

You can link with Pooja Gupta on LinkedIn.

Pooja Gupta: Aligning Team Members With Their Strengths, The Key to Agile Team Success

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.

Pooja shares the story of a team filled with competent individuals but plagued by conflict because they were not in roles that helped them express their strengths. She discusses the importance of aligning team members’ skills with the right stages of the project and introduces the Shape-Up methodology (also available in print from Basecamp) as a framework for navigating these challenges. Pooja highlights how understanding the team’s goals and using conflict management frameworks like the Grow model can lead to a more harmonious and productive team environment. What strategies can you use to align your team’s strengths with their roles and avoid destructive conflicts? Listen to find out!

 

Featured Book of the Week: "Reinventing Your Life" by Jeffrey Young et al.

In this episode, Pooja discusses the profound impact the book "Reinventing Your Life" had on her personal and professional growth. She explains how understanding different personality types has helped her stop trying to change others and focus on her own behaviors instead. Pooja emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and non-judgmental perspectives in working with diverse teams. 

 

[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 Pooja Gupta

Pooja is an Agile Coach at Visma Solutions and Agile Community Lead for Visma Group. With a passion for "limitless learning" and "selfless teaching," she brings empathy and a people-centric approach to her work and everyday life. Based in Helsinki for 9 years, she finds balance through yoga, meditation, and family life.

You can link with Pooja Gupta on LinkedIn.

Pooja Gupta: When Empathy Becomes a Double-Edged Sword And Why Scrum Masters Need to Learn Coaching

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.

Pooja shares her journey from product development to becoming an Agile Coach, where her natural empathy became both a strength and a challenge. Reflecting on how the work environment shifted during the COVID pandemic, she reveals the struggles she faced when she found herself in a mediator role without access to the necessary resources. Pooja discusses how she fell into the trap of focusing solely on facilitating meetings and how that limited her effectiveness. Recognizing that her team was working in silos and avoiding responsibility, she took the initiative to redefine her role, learned coaching from scratch, and empowered her team to take ownership of their work. What does it take to transform a team’s mindset from dependency to accountability? Listen to find out! 

 

[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 Pooja Gupta

Pooja is an Agile Coach at Visma Solutions and Agile Community Lead for Visma Group. With a passion for "limitless learning" and "selfless teaching," she brings empathy and a people-centric approach to her work and everyday life. Based in Helsinki for 9 years, she finds balance through yoga, meditation, and family life.

You can link with Pooja Gupta on LinkedIn.

Keir Lumsden: How a Great Product Owner Shapes Team Success Through A Clear Focus

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: How a Great Product Owner Shapes Team Success Through A Clear Focus

Keir discusses a positive example of a Product Owner who exemplified clarity and focus, working closely with the team to refine and prioritize the backlog. This PO understood the importance of a well-curated backlog and actively worked to remove noise, ensuring the team could work effectively towards a clear product vision. How do you foster a strong relationship between the team and the Product Owner? Keir offers insights into the traits that make a Product Owner truly great and how they can set a team up for success.

The Bad Product Owner: When Too Many Ideas Derail Agile Team Progress

Keir shares a story of working with a Product Owner who constantly shifted focus to the "next idea," causing the team to lose sight of validated goals. This anti-pattern of chasing too many ideas led to a lack of direction and split focus. How can you help your Product Owner stay aligned with the product vision? Keir discusses the use of cost-of-delay visualizations and the importance of maintaining clear communication about the product goal.

 

[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 Keir Lumsden

Keir Lumsden joins us from the UK. A former developer, Keir has been fully immersed in Agile practices for the past 10 years. With a mind that constantly seeks lessons beyond the realm of software development, he enjoys writing and speaking about these insights.

You can link with Keir Lumsden on LinkedIn.