The Humanizing Work Show

#209 Quarterly Planning Done Right

Humanizing Work — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:31:16 +0000

Quarterly planning often starts with good intentions and ends in frustration. Teams leave planning sessions with detailed plans and optimistic commitments, only to watch reality undo them weeks later.

In this episode of The Humanizing Work Show, Peter Green and Richard Lawrence explore why most quarterly planning breaks down—and what actually makes it work in complex, multi-team environments.

They introduce The Three Essentials of Quarterly Planning:
Shared understanding across teams
Meaningful quarterly goals and commitments
A sustainable rhythm for learning and delivery

Drawing on Cynefin, CAPED, Scrum, and research like the Progress Principle, this conversation offers practical guidance for leaders, product teams, and agile practitioners who want quarterly planning to feel grounded, realistic, and energizing—whether you’re using SAFe or not.

If you’re responsible for quarterly planning and want fewer surprises, better coordination, and goals that actually guide decisions, this episode is for you.

Episode page:
https://www.humanizingwork.com/quarterly-planning-done-right/

#208 The Surprising Move That Ended My Leadership Frustration

Humanizing Work — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Most of us know the feeling of being frustrated with a leader who micro-manages, goes silent, or keeps changing expectations. It’s easy to get stuck replaying every misstep and planning some kind of confrontation.

In this episode, Peter shares a recent experience where he hit that point with a leader on a community project. None of the obvious options seemed likely to help. During a moment of prayer and meditation, a different idea surfaced—reach out, share a meal, and learn who this person really was.

The shift that followed changed the whole situation.
This story isn’t about ignoring harm or letting poor leadership slide. It’s about recognizing when the real tension lives in our own thoughts and expectations, and how a small, human act can open a better way forward.

Episode page with resources:
https://www.humanizingwork.com/the-surprising-move-that-ended-my-leadership-frustration

Have a challenge at work or an episode idea? Email us at mailbag@humanizingwork.com
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#207 A Better Way to Practice Gratitude

Humanizing Work — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Most gratitude practices focus on making a list. In this conversation, we explore a deeper, more effective approach. It’s called counterfactual gratitude, a research-backed practice where you reflect on the good things in your life that almost didn’t happen.

We walk through how this method works, why it has stronger emotional impact than standard gratitude lists, and how it improves connection with others. We also answer several counterfactual questions from a 23-question guide and share stories about turning points, near misses, support from unexpected places, and difficulties that became doorways to something better.

If you want a gratitude practice that leads to real insight and more meaningful conversations, this episode will help you try it yourself.

Get the 23 Counterfactual Gratitude Questions PDF, links to resources mentioned in the episode, and the full transcript on the episode page:
https://www.humanizingwork.com/deepening-your-gratitude-practice-with-counterfactual-questions

#206 Feature Mining: Find the Smart First Slice of a Big Complex Idea

Humanizing Work — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Most teams start big initiatives with a slice that’s too big, too obvious, or too fuzzy to deliver anything useful. Feature Mining gives you a simple, reliable way to find the smart first slice of a big complex idea. It helps you uncover the real sources of complexity, align stakeholders early, and design first steps that create value, reduce risk, and generate real learning.

In this episode, Peter Green and Richard Lawrence explain how Feature Mining works, where it came from, and why it’s so effective in complex environments. You’ll hear a real retail example, the step-by-step process, and the core benefits teams see when they use this approach well.

You can learn Feature Mining in depth as part of our 80/20 Product Backlog Refinement online course, or join us live in our CSPO, A-CSPO, or CAPED workshops, where Feature Mining is a core practice for shaping big initiatives.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/feature-mining-overview-finding-the-first-slice-in-complexity
Share a challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#205 Three Strategies to Reduce the Pain of Cross-Team Dependencies

Humanizing Work — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Most agile practices have become widely adopted—but cross-functional team structures remain the exception. Despite clear benefits like faster learning, shorter time to market, and simpler coordination, many teams still depend on others to get work done.

In this episode, Peter Green and Richard Lawrence share three practical strategies to reduce the pain of cross-team dependencies and make work flow better right where you are. You’ll learn how to spot where complexity really lives, use the CAPED model to collaborate across teams, define clear interfaces, and make the flow of value visible to build a case for change.

Full episode page, transcript, and resources:
https://www.humanizingwork.com/reduce-the-pain-of-cross-team-dependencies/

#204 The Life-Changing Focus of a Clean Backlog

Humanizing Work — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

An overgrown backlog is not a promise—it’s a drag on focus and trust. Peter and Richard explain how to release the weight of GTD-style open commitments, use a Kondo-inspired “thank it and let it go,” and sort work into Active / Archive / Someday-Maybe. When needed, declare Backlog Bankruptcy and rebuild from the top, aligned to purpose. Less noise. More signal. Real momentum.

Check out the episode page for links, a transcript, and other resources: https://www.humanizingwork.com/life-changing-focus-clean-backlog/

#203 5 Research-Backed Ways to Say No Without Being a Jerk

Humanizing Work — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

If your calendar is full of “quick requests” and constant context switching, you’re not alone.
In this episode, Peter Green and Richard Lawrence explore why saying no at work is so hard—and how to do it well.

They share five practical, research-backed ways to protect focus and maintain trust:

Purpose – Use a clear team purpose as your filter for incoming requests.
Goals – Anchor decisions to aligned commitments, not personal priorities.
Flow – Protect attention and energy to finish meaningful work.
Decision Rights – Clarify who decides what, so refusals aren’t personal.
Stewardship – Reframe “no” as an act of service to your commitments.

Along the way, they reference organizational psychology research on attention residue, goal-setting, role clarity, and empowered refusal—and share practical ways to translate those findings into daily team habits.

Listen to learn how to stop reacting, focus on what matters, and say no gracefully.

Full transcript and links:
https://www.humanizingwork.com/research-backed-ways-to-say-no-without-being-a-jerk/

#202 How to Run a Retrospective That Actually Improves Things (Ep 61 Rebroadcast)

Humanizing Work — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:41:41 +0000

We just passed 200 episodes of The Humanizing Work Show!

To celebrate, we’re bringing back one of our most practical episodes—Two Key Moves for Better Sprint Retrospectives.

If your retros have become stale, repetitive, or ineffective, this conversation will help you turn them into one of the most valuable meetings you run.

Richard Lawrence and Peter Green share two facilitation practices that transform retros from a “check-the-box” routine into a continuous learning engine:

Using the Focused Conversation (ORID) structure to move from scattered opinions to shared insight
Treating each sprint as an experiment so improvement feels safe, steady, and sustainable

You’ll learn why “Stop/Start/Continue” hits a ceiling, how to collect shared data that fuels meaningful reflection, and why the phrase “let’s just try it for one sprint” can change everything.

Part of our 200-Episode Celebration—revisiting foundational ideas that make work more fit for humans, and humans more capable of doing great work.

#201 Scrum vs Kanban – When to Use Each (and Four Ways to Combine Them)

Humanizing Work — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Agile expert Richard Lawrence breaks down the differences between Scrum and Kanban, two of the most widely used approaches for managing work. He explains how each method works, where each one excels, and how you can decide which is best for your team or project.

You’ll learn the core distinction between Scrum’s time boxes and Kanban’s work-in-progress (WIP) limits, when to use Scrum, when to use Kanban, and why the answer is sometimes “both.”

Richard shares practical ways to combine elements of Scrum and Kanban to solve real-world problems, along with the most common pitfalls teams encounter when switching between these approaches—and how to avoid them.

Whether you’re new to agile methods or looking to refine your team’s process, this episode will give you a clear, practical framework for making better decisions about how you work.

Show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.humanizingwork.com/scrum-vs-kanban-getting-the-most-of-both-episode

#200 Metrics, Trust, and Escaping the Status Report Trap

Humanizing Work — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

When leaders ask for more data, dashboards, and reports, it’s often a signal of low trust. The trouble is, giving them more data doesn’t build it. So what do you do instead?

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we unpack why reporting fails to create trust and what actually does. You’ll hear Rachel Botsman’s four traits of trust, how to connect with stakeholder needs, and three steps you can use to escape the status report trap.

Show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.humanizingwork.com/metrics-trust-and-escaping-the-status-report-trap/

#199 How to Overcome Resistance to a Complexity-First Approach

Humanizing Work — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Leaders may know the value of early learning, but teams may have built up resistance tackling the hardest, most uncertain work first. Instead, they chase quick wins that feel safe but create nasty surprises later. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Richard Lawrence and Peter Green share how CAPED helps leaders make it safe for teams to go complexity first.

You’ll hear why quick wins are such an alluring trap, what causes team hesitation, and how leaders can use culture signals and skill-building to change the pattern. From Microsoft’s Tay chatbot story to practical tools like complexity mapping, feature mining, and reference class forecasting, this episode shows how to turn complexity first into the obvious, motivating choice.

Show notes, links, and transcript for this episode: https://www.humanizingwork.com/quick-wins-trap-core-complexity/

#198 Presenting to Leadership? Here's How to Get Great Results

Humanizing Work — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Most presentations to leaders don’t lead to decisions. They’re overloaded with slides, but they don’t result in action or support.

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Peter and Richard share a proven formula for presenting to leadership that gets results. Learn how to:

Do the right pre-work so your proposal aligns with what leaders care about
Craft a clear, practical request
Use the “Therefore / But” pattern to tell a persuasive story
Follow through so decisions actually stick

Show notes and transcript: https://www.humanizingwork.com/how-to-present-to-leaders-and-get-results/

#197 Vibe Coding Gotchas to Watch Out For

Humanizing Work — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Vibe coding prototypes can feel magical. With just a few prompts, an AI builds a working app you can click around and test. But when something looks real, it’s easy to fall into common product traps.

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Peter shares his positive experience vibe coding a drag-and-drop helper app for a NY Times word game, while Richard highlights the hidden risks. Together they explore how confirmation bias, anchoring, sunk cost fallacy, precision/accuracy bias, and optimism bias sneak in when prototypes start looking like products.

The big lesson: don’t use vibe coding to prove your idea — use it to learn.

If you want help learning how to validate ideas systematically — with or without AI — join us in an upcoming CSPO or A-CSPO workshop at Humanizing Work.

Show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.humanizingwork.com/vibe-coding-prototypes-advice/

Share your challenges or episode ideas: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#196 How to Fix Story Point Estimation

Humanizing Work — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Story points are everywhere in agile teams, but too often they’re misunderstood and frustrating. In this episode, we explain how story points really work as a form of Reference Class Forecasting and show you how to use them the right way.

You’ll learn:

Why story points often fail teams
The simple move that makes them accurate and useful
How to handle common questions about estimation

Whether you’re a product owner, scrum master, or team lead, this episode will help you move past the frustration and get real value from story points.

Show notes, links, and transcript for this episode: https://www.humanizingwork.com/how-to-fix-story-point-estimation/

#195: Why Forecasting Works (and Estimating Fails)

Humanizing Work — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Estimating feels responsible and concrete, but decades of research and real-world examples show it’s systematically wrong. In this episode, we share Kahneman’s work on the planning fallacy, Flyvbjerg’s analysis of megaprojects, and our own stories of estimation gone sideways. Then we show how reference class forecasting—using past outcomes instead of guesses—creates better plans, restores trust, and helps leaders place smarter bets. Forecasting is also a central move in our Complexity Aware Planning, Estimation, and Delivery (CAPED) framework, giving organizations a reliable way to plan while managing complexity.

Show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.humanizingwork.com/estimating-bad-forecasting-good-episode/
Email us with your thoughts: mailbag@humanizingwork.com
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#194 From Debate to Decision: Three Strategies to Keep Feedback Useful

Humanizing Work — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 15:20:15 +0000

Feedback makes decisions better, but only if it stays in the zone of healthy debate. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we share three practical strategies to keep feedback from tipping into unhelpful argument—and how to recover fast when it does.

You’ll hear real stories of feedback gone wrong, including our own, and how using these tools—decision ownership clarity, the Humanizing Work Feedback Process, and safe-to-try experiments—helped us turn conflict back into progress.

Show notes, links, and transcript for this episode: https://www.humanizingwork.com/debate-to-decision-episode/

#193 Using Deliberate Practice to Take Your Work From Good to Great

Humanizing Work — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Going from “good enough” to “great” takes more than time on task — it takes deliberate practice.
In this episode, we explore the research behind deliberate practice, bust the myths around the “10,000 hour rule,” and show how to apply these principles to product work and team improvement. You’ll learn how to design work that builds skill, creates better outcomes, and keeps you motivated through the discomfort of growth.

Show notes, links and transcript for this episode: https://www.humanizingwork.com/deliberate-practice-episode/
Share your challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#192 PI Planning Is Broken. Here’s a Better Way

Humanizing Work — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

What if PI Planning didn’t just need tweaks—it needed a reframe?

In this episode, we dig into the painful reality many teams face with SAFe’s PI Planning. We revisit its origin in Toyota’s “obeya” rooms, unpack how the intent was lost, and offer a better approach rooted in complexity science.

Enter CAPED—a four-phase framework that guides teams through Strategic Planning, Active Planning, Analytical Planning, and then Execution. By sequencing planning this way, teams address uncertainty early, collaborate where it matters most, and avoid locking in the wrong plan too soon.

If PI Planning isn’t working for you, this episode offers a path to something that will.

Register for the upcoming CAPED webinar: https://www.humanizingwork.com/events/breaking-free-from-the-planning-pendulum/
Share a challenge or idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork
View the Show Notes and Transcript on the Episode Page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/pi-planning-episode/

#191 How to Build a Calm, Supportive Culture (and Why It Works)

Humanizing Work — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Many companies try to attract talent with flashy perks, parties, and ping-pong tables—but what if calm and supportive beats "cool" every time? This week, Peter and Richard reveal why a calm culture is the hidden key to long-term productivity and employee satisfaction. They cover how to foster intrinsic motivation, eliminate unnecessary stress, and design a workplace where real, sustainable work happens consistently.

#190 Beyond Retrospectives: Team Resets Can Boost Productivity, Direction, and Connection

Humanizing Work — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 14:53:26 +0000

Is your team feeling stuck even after retrospectives? In this episode, Richard and Peter share how issues in a team’s productivity, direction, and connection may be a red flag that you need a bigger reset than a typical retro, and what to do instead.

#189 Designing Work for Flow with Hollywood & Tech Exec Steven Puri

Humanizing Work — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 21:58:00 +0000

Steven Puri left a career in Hollywood—where he worked on Independence Day, Die Hard, and Transformers—to help people find focus and ease in their work. In this conversation, Peter and Steven explore the journey from film exec to startup founder, the psychology of flow states, and what it takes to consistently do meaningful work.

They cover:

How leaders create culture through vision and style
Why the best creatives are willing to throw out their own ideas
What really gets in the way of flow—and how to design around it
The origin story and design thinking behind Sukha

If you're seeking less stress and more flow in your work, don’t miss this episode.

7-7-25 Humanizing Work is on Vacation This Week, New Content Next Week!

Humanizing Work — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:45:21 +0000

We are off this week, but will have new content next week! Catch up on past episodes at https://www.humanizingwork.com/humanizing-work-show/

#188 [REBROADCAST] How Mark Ethier Built a High-Performing Organization at iZotope

Humanizing Work — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Special rebroadcast episode: Mark Ethier founded iZotope and built it into an award-winning audio technology powerhouse by prioritizing empowerment, innovation, and purpose. In this conversation, Mark reveals the insights and lessons he learned about modern leadership, organizational transformation, and why genuine empowerment is the secret to sustainable innovation and high performance.

Discover how Mark navigated co-founder relationships, Agile transformations, subscription-model shifts, and how he redefined accountability and the manager’s role at iZotope.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/rebroadcast-how-mark-ethier-built-a-high-performing-organization-through-empowerment-and-purpose/

Share your challenges or episode ideas: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#187 Advice for Internal Product Owners

Humanizing Work — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Most Product Owner advice is built for market-facing roles—helping visionary products succeed in the market. But internal Product Owners operate in a very different world.

If you're working on internal systems, platforms, or tools, you've probably felt caught in the middle—between shifting priorities, competing stakeholders, and unclear authority. And you've probably noticed that most product guidance doesn't fit your context.

In this episode, we explore what internal Product Owners actually need. You'll learn:

Why most standard PO advice falls short for internal roles
Three categories of practices that do work: foundational, amplified, and adapted
Practical tools for stakeholder interviews, value modeling, assumption testing, and more

If you want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and impact in an internal-facing role, this episode is for you.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/internal-product-owner-advice/

Send us your questions or episode ideas: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

#186 Which Parts of Scrum are Essential

Humanizing Work — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:01:32 +0000

Do we really need this part of Scrum?

It’s a common—and valid—question. Scrum can feel heavy or mismatched for some teams. In this episode, we look at each part of Scrum through a practical lens: what purpose it serves, what advantages it brings, and what trade-offs come with skipping it.

Whether you’re using all of Scrum, parts of it, or just trying to figure out what’s worth keeping, this episode will help you make those decisions with more clarity and confidence.

Full episode and links: https://www.humanizingwork.com/which-parts-of-scrum-are-essential[/](https://www.humanizingwork.com/?p=9160&preview=true)

Share a challenge or suggest a topic: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#185 Using Breakouts to Improve Team Meetings

Humanizing Work — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Too many team meetings are dominated by the same few voices, leaving others hesitant to speak up. In this episode, we share how small breakout groups create space for everyone to contribute, leading to better outcomes individually and for the team. We'll share the rules we follow for using breakouts effectively, the research on why they work, and a real-world example of using breakouts to help a team break through on a tough, high-stakes decision.

Episode Page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/using-breakouts-in-team-meetings

Have a challenge or an episode idea? Email us: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#184 The Surprising Upside of Tough Feedback

Humanizing Work — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:00:00 +0000

One hard conversation changed how Peter showed up at work—and improved collaboration and creative output on the team. In this episode, Peter and Richard unpack a moment of honest, uncomfortable feedback and the ripple effects it set in motion.

They share the emotional reality of both giving and receiving feedback, how it built deeper trust, and why moments like this can unlock a kind of productivity flywheel on any team.

Whether you’re a team member, manager, or leader of leaders, this episode will help you see feedback not as a risk—but as an investment.

Full show notes and resources at: https://www.humanizingwork.com/tough-feedback-creates-a-productivity-flywheel/

Share a challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#183 When Teams Get in a Rut, Great Facilitators Play a Wildcard

Humanizing Work — Mon, 26 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

When a team gets stuck—circling the same ideas without progress—the pressure is on the facilitator to do something. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we share one of the most effective moves we’ve found to break that cycle: using a wildcard.

You’ll hear two real stories of teams that were stuck for weeks—one from Intel’s leadership in the 1980s, and one from Peter’s own experience coaching a Scrum team. In both cases, it wasn’t brute force or analysis that created the breakthrough—it was a surprising new input that shifted the team’s thinking.

We’ll explain what wildcard techniques are, why they work from a brain science perspective, and how you can start using them in your meetings right away. If you're a Scrum Master, Agile coach, or facilitator, this one's for you.

Resources from this episode:

Episode page: humanizingwork.com/wildcards-episode
Want to share a challenge or suggest a topic? Email us at mailbag@humanizingwork.com
Connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#182 The Top 3 Traits of Successful Leaders, & Quick Habits to Develop Them

Humanizing Work — Mon, 19 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Want to be a more effective leader without overhauling your entire approach?

Research from the Leadership Circle Profile reveals three specific competencies that are most highly correlated with great leadership:

Purposeful Visionary
Fosters Team Play
Mentoring & Developing

In this episode, we break down what each of these means, why they matter most, and how you can start practicing them in just 5 minutes a week—right inside the meetings you’re already leading.

Episode resources: humanizingwork.com/top-3-traits-of-successful-leaders

Send us a challenge or idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

Learn more: humanizingwork.com/cracking-the-code-of-effective-leadership-with-the-leadership-circle

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Intro: Leadership Models Are Everywhere
(00:00:49) - The Problem: Too Many Competencies, Not Enough Time
(00:01:56) - What Really Works: The Power of the Leadership Circle
(00:02:45) - This Episode’s Promise: 3 High Leverage Skills
(00:03:11) - Quick CTA: Subscribe + Free Resources
(00:03:49) - The 3 Competencies That Predict Leadership Success
(00:04:56) - The Research: Why These 3 Rise to the Top
(00:05:44) - Overview: Each Skill + a 5-Minute Habit
(00:05:50) - Skill 1: Purposeful Visionary
(00:07:07) - Real Example: Framing a Meeting with Purpose
(00:08:44) - Free Resource: Purposeful Visionary Worksheet
(00:08:59) - Skill 2: Fosters Team Play
(00:10:07) - Story: Ben Zander and Collaborative Feedback
(00:11:10) - 5-Minute Habit: Ask for Team Feedback
(00:12:03) - Skill 3: Mentoring and Developing
(00:13:25) - Reframing 1:1s for Growth
(00:13:53) - 5-Minute Habit: Use the Empowering Development Scorecard
(00:14:07) - Wrap Up: Why These 3 Matter Most
(00:14:37) - Your Challenge: Pick One and Practice
(00:15:10) - Want More Help? Coaching, 360s, and Workshops
(00:15:35) - Outro: What Are You Practicing?

#181 How to Give Feedback That’s True, Useful, and Kind

Humanizing Work — Mon, 12 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Giving feedback is hard—and most of us get it wrong. In this episode, we share a practical framework for giving feedback that’s more likely to be true, useful, and kind. Learn how to ground feedback in what actually happened, say it clearly and at the right time, and share it in a way that builds trust instead of tension. Whether you're a manager, team member, or coach, this approach will help you turn awkward conversations into real growth. View the episode page to view the transcript and links to other resources: https://www.humanizingwork.com/how-to-give-feedback-thats-true-useful-and-kind/ Share a challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#180 Use a Team Empowerment Map to Fix Delegation Theater

Humanizing Work — Mon, 05 May 2025 14:44:03 +0000

Delegation Theater: Is your team truly empowered—or just playing the part?

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Peter and Richard introduce the Team Empowerment Map, a practical technique for clarifying decision-making across teams. Built on Jurgen Appelo’s 7 Levels of Delegation, this tool reveals where decisions are centralized, shared, or fully delegated—and how to shift toward real empowerment.

You’ll learn:

How to spot “Delegation Theater” in your organization
How to use the Empowerment Map to visualize who decides what
How one team used the tool to improve ownership and clarity
What it takes to move decisions toward team autonomy the right way

Whether you're a leader or team member, this episode will help you build alignment, avoid confusion, and empower your team effectively.

Download a blank map and facilitation guide: https://www.humanizingwork.com/team-empowerment-map/

Want help facilitating one in your organization? Schedule a call: http://humanizingwork.com/contact/

Episode page with transcripts and more resources**:** https://www.humanizingwork.com/team-empowerment-map/

Share a challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#179 Agile Burnout? Two Ways to Reenergize Your Team

Humanizing Work — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:56:32 +0000

If your team feels worn out, it's not just you—and it's not because you're doing Agile wrong.

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we describe two simple, proven techniques to help teams recover from the constant pressure to improve. From refreshing your retrospectives to scheduling strategic "cool downs," we show how small changes can make a big impact.

Ready to build a more sustainable pace for your team? Start by visiting humanizingwork.com to connect with us.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/improvement-fatigue-appreciation-retro/

Share a challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#178 Three Keys to Productive Backlog Refinement

Humanizing Work — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Backlog refinement shouldn't be the most painful meeting of the week—but for many teams, it is.

Too much detail too early. Vague stories. Half the team checked out. And eventually, no one shows up at all.

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we’ll show you three practical changes that turn backlog refinement from a dreaded chore into a valuable, collaborative part of your Agile process. These tips will help you reduce churn, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and make sprint planning smoother.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why Agile feels harder than it should, this might be the place to start.

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Looking for help making Agile actually work in your organization? Schedule a conversation with us at https://www.humanizingwork.com

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Like this episode? Subscribe to the show, leave us a review, and share it with others!

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/three-keys-to-productive-backlog-refinement/

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#177 One Breakthrough Tip to Improve Each Scrum Meeting

Humanizing Work — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

One tip. One meeting. Big impact. In this rapid-fire episode, we show how a small change to each Scrum event can eliminate frustration and create flow. If your Backlog Refinement, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, or Sprint Retrospective has become stale, bureaucratic, or unproductive, we’ve got a simple tweak for each that takes under a minute to explain. Pick one meeting and improve it, or do a pass through all of them, and help your team get much more productive immediately!

Episode page:

https://www.humanizingwork.com/one-breakthrough-tip-to-improve-each-scrum-meeting/

Share a challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com

Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

#176 Great Strategy in a Complex World

Humanizing Work — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Most organizations invest heavily in strategy to gain alignment—only to see those plans fall apart when complexity enters the picture. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Peter Green and Richard Lawrence share a better way to build product strategy—one designed for complexity.

They introduce the Strategy Steps Canvas, a lightweight tool that helps teams chart an adaptive, value-driven path from current reality to a compelling vision. Along the way, you'll learn why most strategic plans fail, how to avoid wasting time on over-specified roadmaps, and what Netflix can teach us about strategic evolution.

Whether you’re a leader, product manager, or team member looking to connect daily work to long-term impact, this episode will help you rethink how you approach strategy in complex environments.

Resources from the episode:

Strategy Steps Canvas (Free Download)
Netflix Example Walkthrough
Ep 124: How to Craft a Vision Statement That’s Not Just Corporate-Speak

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/great-strategy-in-a-complex-world/

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#175 How to Split a User Story

Humanizing Work — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we tackle one of the most-requested topics in Agile and Scrum: how to split a user story effectively.

Drawing from our best-selling 80/20 Product Backlog Refinement course, Richard walks through the widely-used Story Splitting Flowchart, breaking down common challenges and actionable solutions.

You’ll learn:

Why “unsplittable stories” are often just non-stories
How to balance the INVEST criteria when refining your backlog
Which story splitting patterns are most useful (and when to use them)
How smarter story slicing improves prioritization and ROI

Whether you're a Product Owner, Scrum Master, Agile Coach, or team member, this episode will help you refine your backlog with confidence and clarity.

Resources Mentioned:

80/20 Product Backlog Refinement Course: https://www.humanizingwork.com/8020
Story Splitting Poster: https://www.humanizingwork.com/story-splitting-poster
Episode Page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/how-to-split-a-user-story-episode

#174 How to Make Change Management Joyful and Collaborative

Humanizing Work — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Leading change doesn’t have to feel like a struggle—it can be joyful, creative, and deeply collaborative. In this episode, we explore a powerful shift in mindset that turns resistance into partnership, using Eli Goldratt’s Levels of Resistance model. Instead of fighting pushback, what if you invited skeptics to help solve the challenges?

We’ll show you how to reframe resistance as an opportunity for co-creation—where change becomes not just necessary, but exciting. If you’ve ever wanted change efforts to feel more energizing and less exhausting, this episode is for you.

Have you experienced the joy of solving tough problems together? Drop a comment below!

Want help leading change in your organization? Visit humanizingwork.com to start a conversation.

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Check out the episode page for transcripts and links: https://www.humanizingwork.com/joyful-collaborative-change-management/

#173 Making a Split Product Owner Role Work

Humanizing Work — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:02:10 +0000

Should you split the Scrum Product Owner role? Many organizations do—but is it the right move? In this episode, we break down why companies divide the PO role (often into Product Manager, Product Owner, and/or Business Analyst), the hidden downsides that can hurt product success, and the key to making it work if you must split it.

Learn how a proven delegation model can prevent misalignment, reduce bottlenecks, and improve decision-making. Don’t let a split PO role slow your team down!

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/split-product-owner-role/

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#172 CAPED Phases 3-4: Creating Predictability While Keeping Adaptability

Humanizing Work — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Many organizations struggle to balance predictability with adaptability in large initiatives. Too much planning creates rigidity, while too little leads to chaos. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we dive into Phases 3 & 4 of CAPED—our Complexity-Aware Planning, Estimation, and Delivery approach—where we create a structured execution plan while keeping room for change.

Phase 3 (Analytical Planning) ensures that teams build a realistic, risk-aware plan by defining What we’re building, How we’ll ensure quality, and When it will be delivered.

Phase 4 (Iterative Execution) brings that plan to life with incremental delivery, adaptive prioritization, and continuous planning cycles that keep projects aligned and valuable.

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how to move from uncertainty to structured execution, without falling into the trap of rigid planning.

Learn more about CAPED: humanizingwork.com/caped

Subscribe for more leadership, product management, and collaboration insights!

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/caped-phases-3-4-episode

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#171 CAPED Phase 2: The Secret to Planning Complex Work

Humanizing Work — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 19:35:08 +0000

Software teams have used Agile techniques to iterate during execution for years. But what if the cost of iteration is too high to change after planning is complete?

In Phase 2 of the CAPED process—Active Planning—we resolve complexity before committing to a full-scale execution plan. In this episode, we explore how Pixar and architect Frank Gehry use iterative planning techniques to test and refine their ideas early—just like CAPED helps teams tackle uncertainty in big, complex initiatives.

Discover how Feature Mining, Iterative Probe-Sense-Respond, and Stakeholder Review form a loop that systematically turns unknowns into knowns—allowing teams to earn green and move forward with confidence.

Learn more about CAPED: https://www.humanizingwork.com/caped/

Watch Episode 65 to learn more about Feature Mining

Watch Episode 121 to learn more about the Humanizing Work Review Process

Watch Episode 145 to learn more about earning green

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/caped-phase-2-episode-active-planning/

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#170 CAPED Phase 1–Complexity Aware Project Kickoffs

Humanizing Work — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 17:49:50 +0000

Traditional project kickoffs assume predictability, but large, complex projects—especially in regulated industries—don’t work that way. In this episode, we take a deep dive into Phase 1 of our CAPED approach: Strategic Planning. Learn how to align stakeholders, map complexity, and use Reference Class Forecasting instead of unreliable decomposition-based methods to improve estimates and decision-making.

Episode page: : https://www.humanizingwork.com/caped-phase-1-episode-complexity-aware-project-kickoffs/

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#169 CAPED: A Smarter Way to Plan Complex Work

Humanizing Work — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Struggling to balance Agile’s adaptability with the predictability leaders demand? You’re not alone. Many teams try to blend Agile and Waterfall, only to end up with the worst of both—rigid upfront planning that falls apart or chaotic iteration with no clear direction.

In this episode, we introduce Active Planning, a key breakthrough in the CAPED (Complexity-Aware Planning, Estimation, and Delivery) approach. Inspired by Pixar’s storytelling process and Frank Gehry’s architectural methods, Active Planning tackles complexity head-on—bringing predictability without rigidity.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why planning fails when teams treat everything as complicated

✅ How Active Planning front-loads complexity to reduce last-minute chaos

✅ A simple shift you can make today to improve your planning process

If you’ve ever felt stuck between Agile and Waterfall, this episode is for you.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/caped-episode/

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#168 Should You Backfill That Leadership Role—or Rethink It?

Humanizing Work — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

When a key leader leaves, the instinct is to backfill the role. But what if the real need has changed? In this episode, we break down how to make a smart, intentional hiring decision using three key insights:

Not Backfilling a Role Is a Strategic Choice, Not Just a Cost-Saving Move. If you don’t hire, who takes on the leadership responsibilities? Your teams? Yourself? A mix?
The Three Jobs of Management Define Whether a Leadership Role Is Needed. A manager is only valuable if they create clarity, increase capability, or improve systems in a way that multiplies their team’s impact.
AI Changes Work, But It Doesn’t Eliminate the Need for Leadership. AI might automate tasks, but it raises the bar for leadership by shifting priorities, increasing complexity, and demanding new skills.

Through real-world examples—including a tech company that thrived without a director and a marketing org navigating AI’s impact—we’ll help you decide whether to hire, restructure, or rethink the role entirely.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/backfill-that-leadership-role/

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#167 "But in the Real World...": Overcoming Resistance to Change

Humanizing Work — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Have you ever heard (or said), "That sounds great, but in the real world…"? This common objection can block meaningful change in teams and organizations. In this episode, we explore where this resistance comes from, how to interpret it, and—most importantly—how to work through it. Whether you're coaching a team, facing skepticism from colleagues, or even doubting change yourself, we’ll share practical ways to think about the “in the real world” objections, and how to respond with small, meaningful steps toward a better way of working.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/but-in-the-real-world/

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#166 Five Lessons to Build Stronger Trust at Work and Home

Humanizing Work — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 22:35:13 +0000

Trust is the foundation of every successful relationship, whether it’s between teammates, managers, or customers. In this episode, Peter shares key insights and actionable takeaways from Rachel Botsman’s audiobook How to Trust and Be Trusted. Discover the five big questions about trust, including how to make better decisions about who to trust, how to earn trust instead of trying to build it, and how trust drives innovation. Plus, learn practical strategies to repair trust when it’s broken and navigate the role of transparency in fostering trust.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/building-trust-with-rachel-botsman/

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#165 Three Things You Need for Empowerment

Humanizing Work — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Are you tired of talking about empowerment without seeing real results? In this episode, Peter and Richard dive into the common trap of "empowerment theater"—when leaders say the right things about autonomy but fail to back them up with meaningful action.

Discover the three essential elements of productive empowerment: clarity, capability, and systems. You’ll learn practical strategies for creating the conditions where teams can make better decisions, move faster, and deliver innovative solutions to your organization’s biggest challenges.

Whether you're leading a team, managing stakeholders, or driving change in your organization, this episode will help you turn empowerment from a buzzword into a game-changing strategy.

Tune in now to transform your leadership approach!

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/empowerment-theater/

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#164 How the Progress Principle Can Help Your Goals Stick This Year

Humanizing Work — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Tired of setting goals that fizzle out by February? Discover the key to sustained motivation with Teresa Amabile's groundbreaking "Progress Principle." In this episode, we share practical steps to apply this research to your personal and work goals, helping you turn ambitious resolutions into meaningful progress that lasts.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/progress-principle/

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#163 Five Ways to Get Fired Up for 2025

Humanizing Work — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 14:48:27 +0000

If you’re ready to leave 2024 behind and make the most of 2025, this episode is for you! We’ll share five powerful ways to take charge of your growth and well-being this year. From embracing new habits to thriving in complexity, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you find focus and inspiration, no matter the challenges ahead.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/five-ways-to-get-fired-up-for-2025/

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#162 Leadership Lessons from the Vineyard: A Conversation with Steven Thompson

Humanizing Work — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 00:13:49 +0000

Discover how leadership and regenerative farming intersect in this inspiring conversation with Steven Thompson of Analemma Wines. Steven shares the challenges of running a biodynamic winery, the power of shared purpose, and what it takes to build thriving ecosystems—both in the vineyard and among teams. Whether you're into wine, regenerative farming, or leadership, this episode offers fresh insights into sustainability, values-driven work, and organizational growth.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/leadership-lessons-from-the-vineyard/

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#161 4-Steps to Go From Resistance to Action

Humanizing Work — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Feeling stuck by team resistance or organizational inertia? Learn the 4-Step Roadblock Buster, a proven process to go from “That Won’t Work Here” to “How Might We?” Peter and Richard share practical steps and real-world success stories to inspire your next breakthrough.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/resistance-to-action/

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#160 Backlog Refinement: Avoiding the Detail Trap

Humanizing Work — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Backlog refinement is essential for Agile teams, but it's easy to fall into the trap of overloading the backlog with too much detail—or not enough. In this episode, we tackle one of the most common and painful mistakes teams make: detailing work too early or too late. Discover how to keep refinement manageable and effective by structuring your backlog with just the right level of detail, using the PO Board model for clarity and flow. Plus, actionable tips to eliminate churn and restore calm to your backlog refinement process.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/avoiding-the-detail-trap/

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#159 How to Run an Effective Year-End Retrospective

Humanizing Work — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Too many year-end retrospectives suffer from recency and peak-end biases, causing them to devolve into superficial reviews or Q4 gripe sessions. In this episode, we share a structured approach to help teams and organizations overcome those biases and conduct meaningful reflection sessions that drive real improvement.

Learn how to:
✨ Start with purpose to ground your retrospective
Use the ORID framework (Observation, Reflection, Interpretation, Decision) to guide meaningful discussion
Create timelines that capture the full year’s experience
Scale the approach for different team sizes and contexts

Whether you’re planning an individual reflection, team retrospective, or organization-wide review, this episode provides practical tools to make your year-end reflection more valuable.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/how-to-run-an-effective-year-end-retrospective/
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#158 How to Do Complexity Aware Annual Planning

Humanizing Work — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:00:00 +0000

"A beautifully detailed plan feels great—until reality intervenes." In this episode, Richard and Peter share hard-earned lessons about annual planning from their work with hundreds of organizations. They reveal why most companies should spend less time on detailed strategies and more time clarifying vision.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/annual-planning-that-works/

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#157 Are Product Owners & Product Managers the Same Thing?

Humanizing Work — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 15:36:03 +0000

What’s the real difference between Product Owners and Product Managers? This episode explores the evolving definitions of these roles and highlights how modern Product Management thought leadership aligns with the fundamentals of Great Product Ownership.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/are-product-owners-product-managers-the-same-thing/

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#156 How to Make a Team Faster (Without Burning Out)

Humanizing Work — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 15:50:09 +0000

"We've cut scope as much as we can, but the team still isn't fast enough." Sound familiar? In this episode, Richard and Peter reveal what actually makes teams faster—and it's probably not what you think. Learn the three key levers that influence team speed, common pitfalls to avoid, and practical steps you can take to sustainably increase your team's capacity. Perfect for engineering leaders, product managers, and anyone responsible for team performance.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/make-a-team-faster/

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Connect with Humanizing Work:

The Humanizing Work Show

#209 Quarterly Planning Done Right

#208 The Surprising Move That Ended My Leadership Frustration

#207 A Better Way to Practice Gratitude

#206 Feature Mining: Find the Smart First Slice of a Big Complex Idea

#205 Three Strategies to Reduce the Pain of Cross-Team Dependencies

#204 The Life-Changing Focus of a Clean Backlog

#203 5 Research-Backed Ways to Say No Without Being a Jerk

#202 How to Run a Retrospective That Actually Improves Things (Ep 61 Rebroadcast)

#201 Scrum vs Kanban – When to Use Each (and Four Ways to Combine Them)

#200 Metrics, Trust, and Escaping the Status Report Trap

#199 How to Overcome Resistance to a Complexity-First Approach

#198 Presenting to Leadership? Here's How to Get Great Results

#197 Vibe Coding Gotchas to Watch Out For

#196 How to Fix Story Point Estimation

#195: Why Forecasting Works (and Estimating Fails)

#194 From Debate to Decision: Three Strategies to Keep Feedback Useful

#193 Using Deliberate Practice to Take Your Work From Good to Great

#192 PI Planning Is Broken. Here’s a Better Way

#191 How to Build a Calm, Supportive Culture (and Why It Works)

#190 Beyond Retrospectives: Team Resets Can Boost Productivity, Direction, and Connection

#189 Designing Work for Flow with Hollywood & Tech Exec Steven Puri

7-7-25 Humanizing Work is on Vacation This Week, New Content Next Week!

#188 [REBROADCAST] How Mark Ethier Built a High-Performing Organization at iZotope

#187 Advice for Internal Product Owners

#186 Which Parts of Scrum are Essential

#185 Using Breakouts to Improve Team Meetings

#184 The Surprising Upside of Tough Feedback

#183 When Teams Get in a Rut, Great Facilitators Play a Wildcard

#182 The Top 3 Traits of Successful Leaders, & Quick Habits to Develop Them

Chapters

#181 How to Give Feedback That’s True, Useful, and Kind

#180 Use a Team Empowerment Map to Fix Delegation Theater

#179 Agile Burnout? Two Ways to Reenergize Your Team

#178 Three Keys to Productive Backlog Refinement

#177 One Breakthrough Tip to Improve Each Scrum Meeting

#176 Great Strategy in a Complex World

#175 How to Split a User Story

#174 How to Make Change Management Joyful and Collaborative

#173 Making a Split Product Owner Role Work

#172 CAPED Phases 3-4: Creating Predictability While Keeping Adaptability

#171 CAPED Phase 2: The Secret to Planning Complex Work

#170 CAPED Phase 1–Complexity Aware Project Kickoffs

#169 CAPED: A Smarter Way to Plan Complex Work

#168 Should You Backfill That Leadership Role—or Rethink It?

#167 "But in the Real World...": Overcoming Resistance to Change

#166 Five Lessons to Build Stronger Trust at Work and Home

#165 Three Things You Need for Empowerment

#164 How the Progress Principle Can Help Your Goals Stick This Year

#163 Five Ways to Get Fired Up for 2025

#162 Leadership Lessons from the Vineyard: A Conversation with Steven Thompson

#161 4-Steps to Go From Resistance to Action

#160 Backlog Refinement: Avoiding the Detail Trap

#159 How to Run an Effective Year-End Retrospective

#158 How to Do Complexity Aware Annual Planning

#157 Are Product Owners & Product Managers the Same Thing?

#156 How to Make a Team Faster (Without Burning Out)

#155 How to Manage Deadlines in Agile

#154 Beyond the Spotify Model: CTO Kevin Goldsmith on Agile, Authority & Empowering Teams

#153 Behind the Scenes of a 50-Person Remote Retro

#152 Decision-Making in Consensus Cultures

#151 What Business Teams Can Learn From Jazz (Edited Rebroadcast)

#150 Dealing With 'But We Must!' Management

#149 Using Focused Conversations to Access Group Wisdom

#148 Streamlining Cross-Team Coordination: Save Time, Catch Details That Matter

#147 To Plan or Not to Plan?

#146 When Purpose and Strategy Don't Matter

#145 Projects Shouldn’t Start Green, They Should Earn It

#144 Giving Great Answers to Impromptu Questions: Richard’s Top Five Tips

#143 Daily Scrum Taking Too Long?

#142 Agile's Three Tribes: People, Performance, and Process

#141 Setting Team Goals: 5 Tips for Getting it Right

#140 The Fishbowl & the Psychological Costs of Agile

#139 Why Leadership Communication Fails and Three Strategies to Fix It

#138 How to Launch a Highly Effective Leadership Team

#137 5 Lessons from Music to Help You Succeed at Work | Humanizing Work Show

#136 Why You Should Amplify Your Amundsens and Dampen Your Shackletons

#135 The Duck Canopy Incident & Its Unexpected Lessons for Work

#134 Why Agile Jobs Are Vanishing, and What to Do About It | Humanizing Work Show

#133 Employee Engagement Is Terrible. Why It Matters and What Can Be Done.