Arguing Agile Podcast

Are you (or management) considering shuffling team members to improve performance?

Before you play musical chairs, explore the latest Arguing Agile Podcast (Linked in the comments) for ways to make sure you're using data, not just reacting to hearsay and emotions!

Organizational design is difficult - don't just stumble through it.

We all know shuffling people between teams can disrupt team dynamics and set teams back to the "forming" stage. Listen as Enterprise Business Agility Coach Hemant (Om) Patel and Product Manager Brian Orlando discuss shuffling team members and outline 5 areas to be analyzed to be sure the data justifies change:

1. Team processes
2. Communication channels
3. Leadership styles
4. Workload distribution
5. Interpersonal team dynamics

#agileleadership #agilecoaching #teamperformance #organizationaldesign

0:00 Podcast Intro
0:17 Topic Intro: When Management Shuffles Team Members
0:48 Why the Shuffling?
2:21 Back to Forming
7:30 Om's Team-Shuffling Example
9:21 Shortcutting Storming & Forming
13:51 Skill (Re)Balancing
16:57 Observing Trends
19:33 Adding Cross-Functionality
20:35 Evaluating Feedback
23:43 What Management Thinks - Fresh Perspectives
25:58 Lacking Communication Skill
27:25 Brian's 5 Suggestions
30:14 Impact of Leadership Decisions
32:29 Leadership is Difficult
35:42 Career Growth
38:23 Conflict Resolution
40:56 Wrap-Up

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Apple Podcasts:
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Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3

Amazon Music:
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Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)
By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)
CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

In this episode of the Arguing Agile podcast, Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel are joined by Software Development expert Ed Martin for an exploration how company size affects business agility.

We discuss the challenges that arise as organizations scale from 3 people to 30 to 300 and beyond, covering topics like losing the culture of experimentation, organizational rigidity, continuous improvement, and the "rule of 3 and 10".

Listen as we share real-world examples on how to maintain agility while growing your business. Listen to learn strategies for reinventing your culture, org design best practices, and the importance of having a framework to "work on the business" as you scale. Listen whether you're a founder, agile coach, or product leader and this episode will give you valuable perspectives on navigating the complexities that come with company growth!

0:00 Podcast Intro
0:17 Topic Intro: Business Agility & Company Size
0:47 Brian's Start-up Story
1:51 The Rule of 3 and 10
3:20 Proactive Work on the System
5:27 Om's Systems Example
7:05 Ed's Planning Example
8:11 Example: 3 to 30 People
11:20 Example: Growth to 300
13:57 Continuous Improvement
17:04 Shooting the Messenger
19:35 Your 100%
23:04 Losing the Experimentation Culture
26:15 Business Rigidity and Reinvention
28:16 Culture is Past Tense
30:10 Reinspection Triggers
32:53 Org Design
34:57 Gino Wickman: Traction
37:49 Working Groups
38:45 The Natural Order
44:12 Reinventing Organizations
48:37 Future Podcasts
48:55 Wrap-up

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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8XUSoJPxGPI8EtuUAHOb6g?sub_confirmation=1

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ee3506fc-38f2-46d1-a301-79681c55ed82/Agile-Podcast
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Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)
By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)
CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

Onboarding New Product Managers

In this episode of Arguing Agile, hosts Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel dive into the challenges and best practices around onboarding new product managers.

Topics include:

• Communicating the company vision, mission and goals
• Mapping key players, stakeholders and decision-making processes
• Aligning the new PM's goals to organizational objectives
• Building and owning the product roadmap
• Understanding customers, segmentation and building empathy
• The importance of mentorship and coaching for new PMs

Whether you're a product leader looking to optimize your onboarding or a new PM wanting to hit the ground running, this episode provides actionable tips to set up PMs for success from day one!

Roman Pichler's Stakeholder Management Article referenced in the podcast:
https://www.romanpichler.com/blog/stakeholder-management-tips-for-product-people/

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Watch it on YouTube
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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8XUSoJPxGPI8EtuUAHOb6g?sub_confirmation=1

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ee3506fc-38f2-46d1-a301-79681c55ed82/Agile-Podcast
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Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)By Whitewolf
(Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)
CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

In this episode, hosts Hemant (Om) Patel and Brian Orlando are joined by special guest Bob Crews, co-founder and CEO of Checkpoint Technologies.

Listen as we dive deep into the critical role quality assurance plays in the agile development process, including:

• The difference between QA and QC and how they fit into agile
• How QA has evolved over the past 20 years
• The importance of risk analysis as a QA function
• How QA can bridge the gap
• The impact of AI on software testing
• Tips for spotting and developing top QA talent

#QualityAssurance #AgileTesting #DevOps #TestAutomation #AI

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Watch it on YouTube
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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8XUSoJPxGPI8EtuUAHOb6g?sub_confirmation=1

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ee3506fc-38f2-46d1-a301-79681c55ed82/Agile-Podcast
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Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)
By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)
CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

What is a product philosophy and why does it matter?

In this insightful episode, Ed Martin joins hosts Om Patel and Brian Orlando to discuss how clarifying your product principles and values can align your team and improve decision-making.

Discover the difference between product philosophy, vision, and principles. Learn practical tips for formalizing your philosophy and applying it to real-world tradeoffs in features, technical debt, and go-to-market plans. Walk away with an understanding of how to establish a strong product philosophy for more cohesive, customer-centric products.

"Fail fast" is used so often, it has become a cliché!

In this episode, we tackle rebranding the term "fail fast" to "learn fast" within organizational cultures. Is this a step towards promoting psychological safety and open conversations, or does it undermine the essence of embracing failure as a catalyst for growth?

Whether you're a leader, manager, or part of a self-organizing team, this episode offers valuable insights into cultivating a culture that truly values experimentation, iteration, and learning from setbacks.

0:00 Podcast Intro
0:17 Topic Intro
1:11 Negative Connotations of "Fail"
2:53 Identifying the Fixed Mindset
4:40 Management & Failure
5:40 Promoting Psychological Safety, Maybe
7:48 Directness & Alignment
9:52 Accepting the Change
11:19 Setting & Achieving Goals
13:30 The Growth Mindset
14:22 Slicing Work
18:55 Failure & Leadership Reactions
22:20 The Fixed Mindset
24:00 Acceptable Risk Taking
25:53 Self-Organization Gone Awry
28:50 Brian's Learnings
31:42 Wrap-Up

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Watch it on YouTube
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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8XUSoJPxGPI8EtuUAHOb6g?sub_confirmation=1

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ee3506fc-38f2-46d1-a301-79681c55ed82/Agile-Podcast
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Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)
By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)
CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

In this episode, our favorite special mystery guest joins the podcast for a comprehensive walkthrough of the PI Planning agenda so that our resident Product Manager, Brian, can be "sold" on the idea.

SAFe P.I. Planning is a critical event that aligns teams with business objectives and fosters collaboration across the organization...

...or is it?

Drawing from extensive experience, we delve into the benefits of PI Planning, including fostering relationships, securing leadership buy-in, and mitigating risks. We also discuss the challenges teams face, such as managing dependencies, handling missed objectives, and maintaining engagement throughout the intense planning sessions.

0:00 Podcast Intro
0:17 Topic Intro
0:50 Benefits of PI Planning
2:20 Big-Room and Quarterly Planning
4:35 Product Pre-Work
7:06 Portfolio Funding: Lean Business Cases
8:43 Staying High-Level
11:25 Risks and Objectives
12:58 Failing to Meet Objectives
14:12 Arguing on: Stretch Goals
17:23 Goals: Committed vs Uncommited
19:25 Slowly Moving Train-Wrecks
23:43 Benefits of In-Person, Hybrid, & Virtual
27:57 Facilitating Preparation
30:19 SAFe PI Planning Agenda, Day 1 (Pre-Lunch)
34:27 SAFe PI Planning Agenda, Day 1 (Post-Lunch)
37:04 SAFe PI Planning Agenda, Day 2 (Pre-Lunch)
39:31 SAFe PI Planning Agenda, Day 2 (Post-Lunch)
41:44 Negotiations
45:27 PI Retrospective
48:11 Keeping Leadership Engaged
52:13 Wrap-Up

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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8XUSoJPxGPI8EtuUAHOb6g?sub_confirmation=1

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ee3506fc-38f2-46d1-a301-79681c55ed82/Agile-Podcast
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Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)
By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)
CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

Standardization. It's the battle-cry of managers, the world, over!

This episode explores a parallel track to our Weaponizing Efficiency episode where we explore the dark side of standardization.

In this episode, the hosts share their experiences and insights on topics such as:

• The potential stifling effects of rigid processes and monocultures on innovation
• The dangers of groupthink and bureaucracy in organizations
• The impact of standardization on individual learning and development
• The complexities of vendor procurement processes and their ramifications
• The role of handoffs, sign-offs, and stage gates in impeding customer value delivery

0:00 Topic Intro: Weaponizing Standardization
1:03 Stifling Innovation
2:33 Arguing on: Stifling Innovation
5:14 A Confusing M&A Story: Standardizing without Value
9:39 What Makes You Believe...?
10:45 Driving Toward Group Think
13:08 Self-Serving Bureaucracy
15:02 Google AI Rollback
15:34 Challenging Agile Coaches
19:41 Losing Market Share
24:20 The Desire for Control
27:25 Individual Learning & Development
29:23 Try Stuff, Do Cool Things
34:45 Inconsistent Enforcement of Standards
35:26 Disingenuous Procurement Processes
40:42 Dell Laptop Example
42:12 Hand-offs & Sign-offs
47:53 Reducing Wasteful Processes
50:46 Wrap-Up

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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
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Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ee3506fc-38f2-46d1-a301-79681c55ed82/Agile-Podcast
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Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)
By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)
CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

Some people say you can't build products without being guided by evidence.

Some people say you can't build products without strong intuition.

We're arguing about the balance so you don't have to!

This episode, we also welcome back friend of the show Alex Polyakov, CEO and Founder of Project Simple. Alex and his company are on a mission to make Teams better by building the first ever AI Agile Software Management Platform. Go see what Project Simple is all about by visiting them at projectsimple.ai!

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apolyako

00:00 Podcast Intro
00:17 Topic Intro: Evidence vs Intuition
00:58 Relationship Between Intuition & Evidence
02:31 Intuition & Experience
04:02 Survivorship Bias
06:14 Domain Expertise + Curiosity + Leadership
09:34 OKRs Done Wrong
10:43 Alex, on OKRs
12:06 Leading vs Lagging
14:57 Experiments, Conceptually
19:10 Experiments in Business Value
20:58 Product Management (AirBnB)
25:17 Coaching Talent
27:34 Building the Perfect Product Manager
29:25 Enter the Training-Industrial Complex
31:04 Transitioning from Founder to First Product Manager
33:45 Vision & Company Founders
35:24 Examples of Failures
37:59 iPhone Example (Risk)
40:49 Risk vs Evidence
42:41 Misinterpreting Data
46:08 Wrap-Up

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Watch it on YouTube
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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8XUSoJPxGPI8EtuUAHOb6g?sub_confirmation=1

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ee3506fc-38f2-46d1-a301-79681c55ed82/Agile-Podcast
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Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample)
By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)
CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

In agile software development, everyone loves to say they know what the customer needs... but who do you really need to listen to, and what are they really saying?

This podcast explores the different roles and their interpretations of "customer needs", from product managers to founders to the actual customer!

0:00 Topic Intro: It's What the Customer Needs
0:33 When the Product Manager or Owner Tells You
1:57 Jumping to Solutions (vs Exploring Problems)
6:43 "The Customer Said" Defense
10:04 When a Proxy Product Owner Tells You
12:02 Business Analysts & UX Researcher
15:37 Proxy Cons: Decision Making Delays & Bottlenecks
20:37 When Your Boss Tells You
23:28 Red Flag on Idea Validation
26:08 When Sales Tells You
30:49 Negatives of Sales
33:28 When a Founder Tells You
34:53 Founders: 24/7 Type of People
39:09 When the Customer Directly Tells You
42:03 Process & Stakeholder Management
45:54 Customers Don't Know Your Systems
48:04 Wrap-Up

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Watch it on YouTube
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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8XUSoJPxGPI8EtuUAHOb6g?sub_confirmation=1

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3

Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ee3506fc-38f2-46d1-a301-79681c55ed82/Agile-Podcast
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AA153 - "I" Know What the Customer Needs