Personal Thoughts
Robert Galen
We've Moved
We've Moved
Walking Their Talk, Sustainability, Inspiration
Robert Galen
Sustainability

I saw this wonderfully courageous and informative post by Sabine Canditt the other day where she wrote about Sustainable Scrum. 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sustainable-scrum-responsible-choice-sabine-canditt-x0gef

After just completing a The Week program facilitated by the amazing Ann-Marie Kong, it touched my heart.

That said, I wanted to highlight one comment reaction/interaction between Sabine and Erich Bühler 

Erich said—

Thank you for bringing this approach into the world! Scrum does provide an iterative approach for teams to create value, but its scope is limited to the product level and struggles with dynamics across the whole organization for several reasons.
Without updating the underlying business and financial model at a strategic level, Scrum alone cannot transform organization-wide sustainability.

Sustainability
Short-takes, Inspiration
Robert Galen
Sandy’s Take
Sandy’s Take
Short-takes, Personal Thoughts
Robert Galen
The Human Aspects of Agile Coaching
The Human Aspects of Agile Coaching
Coaching, ACGW, Personal Thoughts
Robert Galen
Keys to Building your Coaching Relationships

I talk a lot about the first step in coaching any client (individual, system, team, etc.) is to build a relationship, gain empathy and understanding, and then gain an idea of where/how to help initially. So, do NOT start to coach until you’ve done some relationship-building. 

But what does a coaching relationship, or a professional relationship in general, look like? What are aspects of that? Here are a few things that come to my mind—

  • Making + taking the time.

  • Explaining what you do—what is Agile Coaching.

  • Building some empathy; walking in their shoes; understanding where they are coming from.

  • Meeting them where they are.

  • Listening; reflective listening; building metaphors together.

  • Connecting with their language, not yours.

Keys to Building your Coaching Relationships

Aanu Gopald

2021 Scrum Alliance Board Candidates

It was an amazing sight for me the other day.

The Scrum Alliance announced three candidates for their 2021 Board. What was amazing and perhaps overdue is that the slate was filled with three wonderfully diverse women. Two of which I know very well and one whom I have heard great things about.

What is that old expression—we have an embarrassment of riches.

I just want to say that I envision a world where all three of these wonderful women could and would be on the board at the same time. They’re ALL great candidates.

But, there can be only 1

I don’t often do this, but I want to highlight one of the candidates because I’m just enamored with her “essence” and I have a more personal connection to her. That candidate is Aanu Gopald.

I first met Aanu in 2017 when she attended one of my first Certified Agile Leadership classes in Dallas, TX. To be honest, she was a “force of nature”. Strong, skilled, passionate, bold, thoughtful, courageous, and experienced. She brought a level of engagement to the class that I greatly appreciated.

She then showed initiative by asking me to co-teach a couple of the CAL classes with me and to be one of her mentors for her CEC (which she has since earned). In both cases, I learned a lot about Aanu, her diversity and inclusion passions, and how sincere she is about bringing agility to others.

Aanu struck me then, and even more so now, as a “rising star” in our agile and Scrum communities. She fiercely and fearlessly walks her talk and brings her passion around agility to her Dallas community, her beloved African communities, and to everyone she touches. She seems to have limitless energy around developing herself and all those around her. She is, in a word, a role model for us all.

Annu often calls me Uncle Bob, which is a term of endearment and respect for her. I simply call her Annu but with equal respect for her journey and intentions.

In order to get to know her better, here’s a link to her personal statement on the Scrum Alliance website.

I’m going to cast my vote for Aanu. And I’d encourage you to consider doing the same. And if the universe answers and she’s elected to the board, I’m incredibly excited to see what sort of “disruption” she brings to things ;-)

Stay agile my friends,

Bob.