For the great majority of us, the term project management is related to the compilation of steps taken to develop a project from beginning to end. Most of these steps are more logical to some of us than others. You basically divide the project into sections,...
A Retrospective One of my first experiences as a team coach was to help the developers work with a stakeholder they found difficult because the stakeholder would constantly shift priorities and demand “more” to be delivered. There was a specific demand for all tasks...
In our team coaching efforts we have used the Team Self-Managing Canvas to grow teaminess. Teaminess is not a dictionary word, yet 😉 Teaminess refers to a feeling of being one in effort, behavior, and communication toward achieving shared purposes. For teams that are...
Three essential Agile Leadership Skills Agile leaders maintain an environment of trust and support that is necessary for healthy team dynamics. Especially with all of us working remotely it is more important than ever to step up and lead differently. These are the top...
I don’t want to be the millionth person to tell you that times are “unprecedented” -- but, just like every single professional reading this, I’ve been busy navigating what my new normal would become. It’s been challenging, to say the least. I’ve had to discover new...
Reflections on 3 Years as a “Scrum” Master and Scrum Master.
Hi! I'm Natraj Kaushik. I recently attended an Advanced Scrum Master Certification course facilitated by Evolve Agility. I have been working on scrum teams for about fourteen years. Over the years I have been a development team member, Scrum Master, Product Owner and...
The post explains a systems thinking approach for team learning, emphasizing mental models, curiosity over knowledge accumulation, and the importance of actionability. It introduces a technique involving a series of steps to foster collective understanding and address the blind spots inherent in any team environment. These steps guide a team to identify factors affecting their performance, analyze cause and effect relationships, identify dominant causes and effects, and ultimately make informed decisions to improve productivity and tackle challenging work. The method values facilitation, engagement, and the realization that learning is a continuous, shared process within a team’s system.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, businesses are adapting by finding creative ways to work without physical contact. Effective remote collaboration is essential, with practices like deep listening, participation encouragement, and holding space for different viewpoints critical for maintaining effective communication and leadership. Embracing uncertainty, fostering teamwork, and developing strong communication habits are key for teams to thrive, especially for those already familiar with agile methodologies like daily Scrums. Leaders are encouraged to step up with humanity and humility during these rapid changes.
If the recent coronavirus pandemic upended the strategic growth plans of your organization — plans you created in the optimistic environment of an 11-year stock market bull run — you’re not alone. And you’re not without resources. How well your team or...