I have a long-standing directive for whatever work must be done, whether it be research, a problem to solve, a hypothesis to test or a product to develop: purpose before process and process before tools. To move from your process into your tools, you must follow these steps, in this order: simplify, standardize and systematize....Read More

Imagine going to a village in the remote regions of China. You ask the village leaders to assemble the smartest, most imaginative, highly respected members of the village. Then you commission them to create the best home possible with no constraints. If they can imagine it, and if physics permit it, they can build it....Read More

“One of our core values is accountability.” “You are accountable for these results or this project.” Chances are, you’ve heard these phrases before. One of the most popular buzzwords across organizations regardless of domain, size or geography is “accountability.”     What Is Accountability? Given the frequent use of the word and the level of...Read More

After years of experience in the field, I’ve found that there is a hierarchy in ways one can convince another person of something. Understanding this hierarchy is critical for effective communication from the C-level down. The Hierarchy of Effective Communication Manipulation: Lacking the Character Traits of Honesty, Integrity & Civility The lowest plane of communication...Read More

One of the most common concerns I hear during Scrum training or coaching is: “how do I get my manager to change?” While there’s no recipe I can provide to address this specific challenge, I do have a few recommendations. Start by Modeling Scrum Values Get started by modeling the Scrum values within your organization....Read More