Francie Van Wirkus's Blog, page 25
April 18, 2017
Agile, After the Party (plus offer code)
Agile, After the Party (plus offer code)
New is so exciting. So immediately attention-grabbing and demanding. What about when new fades? What kind of thing continues to hold our attention over the long run? Things we value. People we value. Tribes. When they are new, technology transformations like Agile and Scaled Agile demand our attention and can be very exciting. But what about after the splashy, noisy launch party is over? When the…
April 2, 2017
Mindfulness: No Yoga Mat Required
Mindfulness: No Yoga Mat Required
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RkYK75REHpc
Mindfulness is the best, free tool we all have access to. All you need is time without distraction.
If you haven’t the time for Mindfulness, Then perhaps you are entirely too busy.
Enjoy this his delightful interview with Jennifer Bonine, and get started today on opening up space inside you for better problem solving, creativity, and innovation.
March 31, 2017
You're Invited
This June, I will join tech learners from all over the world for the Agile Dev West conference, in fabulous Las Vegas. I will share the latest learning I have from our Agile dojo. The journey of this concept has been undulating and envigorating over the last year. Now, things are taking a new turn on the journey: my coaching partner and I are going to be a sensei for several weeks. Our first…
February 20, 2017
Tools & Book Preview
Just for you: encouragement to think differently, and a preview of Permission to Lead, book 2 of The Dominant Gene series… “They seemed to really like the tool, but they really liked how using it made them feel.” My coach, Eve, asks me to open my notebook to the page with the five lean leader principles on it. Then, she points to manage flow. “A tool is only as good as your mindset when using it,…
February 17, 2017
A Leadership Challenge for Entire Team
A Leadership Challenge for Entire Team
I have a challenge for you this week: a classic what would you do question to reflect on, and then practice. This challenge is for teams as well as those with positional leader roles. Make it a group challenge, and see where the conversation goes. It also works for families, for they are the ultimate team. You are part of a team during uncertain times, and the team is feeling uneasy. When you are…
February 16, 2017
My new Tribe
The I Race Like a Girl Team: Fitness brings us...
The I Race Like a Girl Team: Fitness brings us together; encouragement keeps us together. This is just the tribe for me.
December 3, 2016
The Ideal Time for Agile Leadership
The Ideal Time for Agile Leadership
The ideal time to begin practicing agile leadership is after you fully understand scrum. The idea time to begin practicing agile leadership is when you (finally) get a coach. The ideal time to begin practicing agile leadership is after your boss begins using it. The ideal time to begin practicing agile leadership is after you finish reading Reveille. The ideal time to begin practicing agile…
September 25, 2016
2016 Ironman Wisconsin Race Retrospective
2016 Ironman Wisconsin Race Retrospective
Short story: just about everything that could go wrong, did. I still finished, because I tried my best. Longer story: Whatever expectations you have of your Ironman day, such as a finish time or place in your age group, they are set back to zero for everyone at the start of the race. If you don’t race with that mindset, you will struggle when things get hard. In my final week before Ironman, I…
September 24, 2016
Drawing the Line
The inital response when change is slow to happen is to blame it on culture. To draw a line in the sand, or paint one on a wall, that shows “you are here, and you need to get way over there.” With good intentions, committees are formed, titles are invented, and money is spent. Innovation and self organization is lost. These big bang efforts rarely yield any impact on the culture, and change…
September 13, 2016
Is New Actually Improved?
We’ve seen it hundreds of times: that “New & Improved” phrase on packages. From experience, we know that new doesn’t always mean improved. We know this, and yet it is so very difficult to actually change. In November, I will be speaking about starting an Agile dojo in a large, complex organization. This Agile dojo is definitely new, but is it improving…anything? Join me at the Better Software…
