It’s the Season 2 finale, we’re at the top of the mountain, and Sarah Rose and John are here to show you the view. Accompanied by multidisciplinary designer and founder of /ayd, Charis Alexander, they explore the question of what is really at the heart of driving ourselves and our teams towards more meaningful achievement? Together, they’ll guide you through the ways in which cultivating psychologically safe, equity-minded teams is a precursor to Flow State which, in turn, is the foundation...

What is the right way to engage in feedback conversations? In this episode, John and Sarah Rose challenge traditional, default modes of feedback, including telling it how it is, blaming, and constructive criticism—all of which are unidirectional and assume one “right” answer. Instead, your intrepid hosts guide you out of the binary realm of one truth and walk you step by step through alternative models that contribute to building a feedback culture for growth. _____ Referenced this...

Beware the default mode of prizes and back-pats lest you drain the power from praise. Trite and nonspecific praise can at best offer minimal value, and at worst create a system of winners and losers. We know it’s common to under-communicate genuinely positive, appreciative, and admiring regard for our coworkers in a powerful way. That's why Sarah Rose and John are jumping into the deep end of the praise pool and focusing this episode on sharing 3 tactical checkpoints to examine, reform, and...

Scrum teams perform at their best when given the trust to be self-managing, the freedom to decide how their work gets done, and clear goals for the sprint ahead. But what are the limitations on autonomy and what does it look like to protect it in the...

We could talk about the core Scrum values ‘til the cows come home — Focus, Openness, Commitment, Courage, and Respect! HOWEVER, what does it look like to reflect and act on those core values from the perspective of an ally? Sarah Rose and John share...

Making the most of collaborative time is challenging. Whether it's designing, brainstorming, planning, or learning, discussion protocols offer structured processes to support focused and productive conversations, build collective understanding, and...

How might we practice what we know to be true in theory: in SCRUM, the more team members who are able to exercise their voice, the better the final product will be.In this episode, we learn from Linda Rosenbury— superintendent of schools in Washington...

Vulnerability, making mistakes, and being wrong are critical to our teams’ success! As leaders across Scrum roles, in modeling our own vulnerability through seeking help, sharing fears, admitting mistakes, or admitting failure we invite the same in our...

When silence becomes a pattern on a Scrum team — mayday! — we have a problem. Identifying different types of employee silence and understanding how to address them is the first step towards reviving team voice. Whether it’s fear, embarrassment, a narrow...

Season 2 begins with an exuberant welcome to new co-host, Sarah Rose Belok! Learn why clear and upheld norms can steer teams beyond unproductive behaviors to do their BEST work (even teams of two!). John and Sarah Rose model how to identify and finalize...

A quick(ish) update on the show -- enjoy!

There's a huge difference between being told this is a safe space and a space actually being safe. In this episode, Sarah Rose Belok unpacks how psychological safety can be fostered, honored, and maintained on a team.----Do you want to learn more about...

All the agility in a project isn't worth its salt unless the end result is usable. User Story Mapping can help. Friend of the show, Jaimie Olmstead, explains how to navigate a team through their product user's journey to build a backlog, identify any...

Scrum champions the MVP: deliver the minimum rapidly so you can iterate as soon as possible. But what about those moments when we find enough time to not only deliver an MVP but throw in a little extra delight to boot. Learn how Alley's Director of...

Standups. Backlogs. Fibonacci numbers? Getting up to speed with Scrum can be a challenge. This week, Senior UX Developer Kaitlin Bolling shares her tips and shortcuts to going from a Scrum zero to a Scrum hero!----Do you want to learn more about Scrum?...

Projects are full of many big decision points, but what about the small decisions we make every day. In this episode, Ken and John discuss the choices we make to fully close out a sprint.----Do you want to learn more about Scrum? Follow us!Twitter /...

How can you navigate the natural tension between scoped bodies of work and the agility of Scrum? Alley Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, Brad Campeau-Laurion, discusses the nuts and bolts of contracts in an Agile environment.----Do you want to learn...

Scrum relies on doing the most important work first, but how can you prioritize two competing deliverables for a single team? In this episode, D. Scott DiPerna walks us through ways to make tough decisions less daunting and how to more courageously...

Delivering Agile projects isn't about having an emergency-free experience - far from it. But, by taking the time to develop and document emergency procedures on your team will guarantee that when the fire drills start, everyone will know what to do and...

Sometimes, the best way to move fast is to go slow. Taking a breather to more closely research or investigate a stakeholder request before doing the work can help a project in the long run.  On this episode, Pattie Reaves and Allan Collins walk us...

A bit of spooky fun this week. Instead of our normal show sharing our scrum successes and missteps, we give you three scary stories with an agile tinge to them. 100% fiction. 100% fun. Enjoy!----Sound effects and music courtesy of Daniel Gale Rosen,...

A team with the best tools and smoothest processes won't deliver success if they aren't working together. In this episode, we discuss one of the core tenets of the Agile Manifesto: value Individuals and Interactions most. Learn how communication,...

Scrum doesn't have time for "that's not my job" silos. 100% clarity and collaboration delivers the best results. In this episode, we discuss what being T-shaped means, and how any member of a team can help unblock a colleague, regardless of...

Team, team, team - we say all the time how Scrum focuses on the power of teams over individuals. Swarming - working together on a shared problem - is one example of how a Scrum team is stronger together.----Do you want to learn more about Scrum? Follow...