Delegation Theater: Is your team truly empowered—or just playing the part?

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Peter and Richard introduce the Team Empowerment Map, a practical technique for clarifying decision-making across teams. Built on Jurgen Appelo’s 7 Levels of Delegation, this tool reveals where decisions are centralized, shared, or fully delegated—and how to shift toward real empowerment.

You’ll learn:

How to spot “Delegation Theater” in your organization

How to use the Empowerment Map to visualize who decides what

How one team used the tool to improve ownership and clarity

What it takes to move decisions toward team autonomy the right way

Whether you're a leader or team member, this episode will help you build alignment, avoid confusion, and empower your team effectively.

Download a blank map and facilitation guide: https://www.humanizingwork.com/team-empowerment-map/

Want help facilitating one in your organization? Schedule a call: http://humanizingwork.com/contact/

Episode page with transcripts and more resources**:** https://www.humanizingwork.com/team-empowerment-map/

Share a challenge or episode idea: [email protected]

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

If your team feels worn out, it's not just you—and it's not because you're doing Agile wrong.

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we describe two simple, proven techniques to help teams recover from the constant pressure to improve. From refreshing your retrospectives to scheduling strategic "cool downs," we show how small changes can make a big impact.

Ready to build a more sustainable pace for your team? Start by visiting humanizingwork.com to connect with us.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/improvement-fatigue-appreciation-retro/

Share a challenge or episode idea: [email protected]

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Backlog refinement shouldn't be the most painful meeting of the week—but for many teams, it is.

Too much detail too early. Vague stories. Half the team checked out. And eventually, no one shows up at all.

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we’ll show you three practical changes that turn backlog refinement from a dreaded chore into a valuable, collaborative part of your Agile process. These tips will help you reduce churn, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and make sprint planning smoother.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why Agile feels harder than it should, this might be the place to start.

—

Looking for help making Agile actually work in your organization? Schedule a conversation with us at https://www.humanizingwork.com

—

Like this episode? Subscribe to the show, leave us a review, and share it with others!

Episode page:  https://www.humanizingwork.com/three-keys-to-productive-backlog-refinement/

Share a challenge or episode idea: [email protected]

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

One tip. One meeting. Big impact. In this rapid-fire episode, we show how a small change to each Scrum event can eliminate frustration and create flow. If your Backlog Refinement, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, or Sprint Retrospective has become stale, bureaucratic, or unproductive, we’ve got a simple tweak for each that takes under a minute to explain. Pick one meeting and improve it, or do a pass through all of them, and help your team get much more productive immediately!

Episode page:

https://www.humanizingwork.com/one-breakthrough-tip-to-improve-each-scrum-meeting/

Share a challenge or episode idea: [email protected]

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Most organizations invest heavily in strategy to gain alignment—only to see those plans fall apart when complexity enters the picture. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Peter Green and Richard Lawrence share a better way to build product strategy—one designed for complexity.

They introduce the Strategy Steps Canvas, a lightweight tool that helps teams chart an adaptive, value-driven path from current reality to a compelling vision. Along the way, you'll learn why most strategic plans fail, how to avoid wasting time on over-specified roadmaps, and what Netflix can teach us about strategic evolution.

Whether you’re a leader, product manager, or team member looking to connect daily work to long-term impact, this episode will help you rethink how you approach strategy in complex environments.

Resources from the episode:

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/great-strategy-in-a-complex-world/

Share a challenge or episode idea: [email protected]

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we tackle one of the most-requested topics in Agile and Scrum: how to split a user story effectively.

Drawing from our best-selling 80/20 Product Backlog Refinement course, Richard walks through the widely-used Story Splitting Flowchart, breaking down common challenges and actionable solutions.

You’ll learn:

Whether you're a Product Owner, Scrum Master, Agile Coach, or team member, this episode will help you refine your backlog with confidence and clarity.

Resources Mentioned:

Leading change doesn’t have to feel like a struggle—it can be joyful, creative, and deeply collaborative. In this episode, we explore a powerful shift in mindset that turns resistance into partnership, using Eli Goldratt’s Levels of Resistance model. Instead of fighting pushback, what if you invited skeptics to help solve the challenges?

We’ll show you how to reframe resistance as an opportunity for co-creation—where change becomes not just necessary, but exciting. If you’ve ever wanted change efforts to feel more energizing and less exhausting, this episode is for you.

Have you experienced the joy of solving tough problems together? Drop a comment below!

Want help leading change in your organization? Visit humanizingwork.com to start a conversation.

✅ Support the Show!

 Share a challenge or episode idea: [email protected]

 Check out the episode page for transcripts and links: https://www.humanizingwork.com/joyful-collaborative-change-management/

Should you split the Scrum Product Owner role? Many organizations do—but is it the right move? In this episode, we break down why companies divide the PO role (often into Product Manager, Product Owner, and/or Business Analyst), the hidden downsides that can hurt product success, and the key to making it work if you must split it.

Learn how a proven delegation model can prevent misalignment, reduce bottlenecks, and improve decision-making. Don’t let a split PO role slow your team down!

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/split-product-owner-role/

Share a challenge or episode idea: [email protected]

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Many organizations struggle to balance predictability with adaptability in large initiatives. Too much planning creates rigidity, while too little leads to chaos. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we dive into Phases 3 & 4 of CAPED—our Complexity-Aware Planning, Estimation, and Delivery approach—where we create a structured execution plan while keeping room for change.

Phase 3 (Analytical Planning) ensures that teams build a realistic, risk-aware plan by defining What we’re building, How we’ll ensure quality, and When it will be delivered.

Phase 4 (Iterative Execution) brings that plan to life with incremental delivery, adaptive prioritization, and continuous planning cycles that keep projects aligned and valuable.

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how to move from uncertainty to structured execution, without falling into the trap of rigid planning.

Learn more about CAPED: humanizingwork.com/caped

Subscribe for more leadership, product management, and collaboration insights!

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/caped-phases-3-4-episode

Share a challenge or episode idea: [email protected]

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Software teams have used Agile techniques to iterate during execution for years. But what if the cost of iteration is too high to change after planning is complete?

In Phase 2 of the CAPED process—Active Planning—we resolve complexity before committing to a full-scale execution plan. In this episode, we explore how Pixar and architect Frank Gehry use iterative planning techniques to test and refine their ideas early—just like CAPED helps teams tackle uncertainty in big, complex initiatives.

Discover how Feature Mining, Iterative Probe-Sense-Respond, and Stakeholder Review form a loop that systematically turns unknowns into knowns—allowing teams to earn green and move forward with confidence.

Learn more about CAPED: https://www.humanizingwork.com/caped/

Watch Episode 65 to learn more about Feature Mining

Watch Episode 121 to learn more about the Humanizing Work Review Process

Watch Episode 145 to learn more about earning green

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/caped-phase-2-episode-active-planning/

Share a challenge or episode idea: [email protected]

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork