When we are young, we are taught not to use certain words. Our parents, teachers, and mentors showed us that while certain words make us feel better in the moment, they are often seen as a sign of immaturity and not welcome in professional speech. I am wondering if it’s time to add “transformation” to...Read More

Many organizations move toward a more agile way of working without fully understanding the benefits that they are trying to capture. While coaches and consultants, yours truly included, emphasize that they should start with their “Why?” (shout-out to Simon Sinek), the “Why?” will only get you so far. Stating that we want to “Decrease time...Read More

I’m excited that agilityIRL has begun a new partnership with the Minnesota chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI). It has obvious benefits for agilityIRL, as we will be bringing our training services to a new market. However, it’s more than that. For me it represents tying together two phases of my career and shows...Read More

Part 3—Bits & Atoms In Part 1 of this 7-part series we looked at VUCA, its origins and meaning, and how it relates to Agile leadership.  The speed and interdependence of events in today’s world will ultimately overwhelm the time-honored processes and culture we’ve so far built.  Once comforting constants are transforming into variables that...Read More

Part 2—The Toffler Curve In Part 1 of this 7-part series we looked at VUCA, its origins, it’s meaning, and how it relates to Agile leadership.  The speed and interdependence of events in today’s world are overwhelming the time-honored processes and culture we’ve built so far.  Once comforting constants are transforming into variables that defy...Read More

There is a myth that organizational change, which is to say, cultural change, will be successful only if it is done top-down, led by the CEO, and has broad, if not total, buy-in. This is wrong. The most successful organizational changes occur from the middle-out, by a motivated and enlightened leader of some smaller organization...Read More

Are you familiar with the boiled frog analogy? If you place a live frog in a pan of boiling water, the frog will immediately jump out. Smart. Right? However, if you place a frog in a pan of room temperature water, and all other conditions are comfortable, it will settle in. And if all other...Read More