AI: A New Thinking Partner in Agile Teams with Dan Neumann
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, your host, , discusses his perspective on the influence of Artificial Intelligence on Agile Teams. AI has created excitement and great expectations, undoubtedly changing how we perceive work and raising some concerns. In this episode, Dan dives deep into how Generative AI can impact Agile Teams’ work, describing AI’s use in this field and using valuable examples to describe several manners to incorporate AI to ease the work at different stages of an Agile process. Key Takeaways Generative AI, a new thinking partner to Agile Teams: There are sensitivities around using...
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Maximizing Team Autonomy while Maintaining Accountability in Agile Frameworks with Dan Neumann
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, your host, , is discussing how to maximize Team autonomy while maintaining accountability within Agile Frameworks. In this episode, Dan defines the importance of autonomy and accountability in Agile. He explains the challenge faced when too much autonomy leads to a lack of accountability while, on the contrary, too much control inhibits innovation and why leaders should prioritize this delicate balance. Key Takeaways What is Autonomy in Agile? Autonomy is the ability to self-manage, make decisions, and drive solutions. Give Teams the environment and support they need,...
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Tips for Managers to Help Agile Teams with Dan Neumann
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, , your host, dives deep into how Managers can support and help their Agile Teams. We often fall into common misconceptions, such as believing that self-managing Teams do not need Functional Managers or finding that the Manager’s role is not well defined, making it difficult to identify how he can assist an Agile Team. In this episode, Dan shares many valuable tips for Managers trying to find the best ways to help an Agile Team. Key Takeaways Tip No.1: Encourage Team Involvement. Involve the team in the solution process and respect their expertise and opinions. ...
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Project Inception Activities: Setting the Stage for Success with Mike Guiler
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, welcomes to explore starting on the right foot and staying aligned during the delivery process. In this episode, Dan discusses the crucial activities that set the stage for a successful project inception. Whether starting a new project or re-initiating an existing one, these activities are essential for aligning your Team, stakeholders, and vision. Key Takeaways Understanding Project Inception: Project inception is the initial phase of a project where we lay the groundwork for everything that follows. It’s about understanding the project’s goals, scope, and...
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Excellence Exhaustion: What Is It and How to Prevent It, with Nina Sossamon-Poghe
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, welcomes to today’s conversation. Nina has an interesting background as a U.S. gymnast, a News Anchor, and a Corporate Leader with a unique perspective on resilience, mental health, and well-being. In this episode, Dan and Nina discuss an innovative concept, Excellence Exhaustion, while they define and analyze its significance. Nina also shares the “Resilience Route Navigator,” a framework designed to help high achievers combat Excellence Exhaustion. Key Takeaways What is Excellence Exhaustion? Excellent Exhaustion is different from burnout. Nina likes to...
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Kanban Essentials: How and When to Start with Mike Guiler
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, your host, , welcomes to discuss a recent course on Kanban Essentials they experienced together. By the end of the classes, they encountered a common feeling in some participants: fear of failing. Often, acquiring new knowledge, embarking on a new journey, or using a new tool can trigger insecurities: What could happen if it is not right? Where do I begin? In this episode, they encourage Agilists to face this first stage of hesitation, analyze the limitations, and consider the best scenarios for using a new tool or enforcing an innovative strategy through implementing...
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A Journey into Project Retrospectives with Norm Kerth
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, your host, is joined by , author of . Norm Kerth wrote this book before Sprint Retrospectives were invented! In this episode, Norm and Dan explore the subject of Project Retrospectives. They discuss the learning opportunity within every major project event, especially in instances where things did not turn out favorably. Norm explains when and when not to have a Retrospective and how to prove its value to organizations reluctant to grant the necessary time to invest in them. Key Takeaways An unconventional career: Norm realized that the best way to move up inside a...
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Liberating Structures with Kristen Belcher
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, your host, Dan Neumann, is joined by an external guest: , a Software Developer turned Agile Coach. In this episode, they discuss liberating structures, simple and subtle tools that can help everyone attending a group event contribute and be included. They dive deep into some of the Liberating Structures, such as 1-2-4-All, Drawing Together, Purpose-to-Practice, and TRIZ. Listen to this thoughtful conversation and get ready to apply some of these practices to the next event you facilitate. Key Takeaways Many structures we use with groups, like presentations, status reports,...
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Seven Tips for Agile Facilitation with Dan Neumann and Justin Thatil
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, your hosts, Dan Neumann and Justin Thatil, share seven tips for Agile Facilitation. Collaboration is necessary when solving a problem, and Agile Coaches and Masters work to enable a Team to cooperate. Every event is unique, which is why Facilitation could be considered a form of art. Key Takeaways Contextual Awareness: Teams and events are filled with unique variables that the facilitator cannot always anticipate; as a result, reading the overall atmosphere of a room and the individuals’ body language is a fundamental skill for Facilitators. Every Facilitator has to...
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Main Challenges of Product Practice with Ned Pope
Agile Coaches' Corner
This week, your host, Justin Thatil, welcomes , Director of Product Practice at Agile Thought. In this episode, Ned and Justin explore the most common challenges encountered while engaging with an enterprise client. Ned shares valuable insights regarding creating a new product effectively and timely, emphasizing the crucial value of openness and collaboration within a Team. Ned highlights the importance of focusing on the problem, the elements of the solution, and how they can be broken down to prioritize the most unique and highest value for clients and customers. Key Takeaways ...
info_outlineThis week, your host, Dan Neumann, is joined by an external guest: Kristen Belcher, a Software Developer turned Agile Coach. In this episode, they discuss liberating structures, simple and subtle tools that can help everyone attending a group event contribute and be included. They dive deep into some of the Liberating Structures, such as 1-2-4-All, Drawing Together, Purpose-to-Practice, and TRIZ. Listen to this thoughtful conversation and get ready to apply some of these practices to the next event you facilitate.
Key Takeaways
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Many structures we use with groups, like presentations, status reports, and even tight discussions, tend to fail because they don’t have space for all the participants’ voices or allow members to think “outside the box.” Sometimes, there is even no structure at all. Liberating structures are the tools that liberate everyone in the conversation to contribute and be included.
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We all have different participation styles: thinkers, talkers, and quiet ones. We all communicate in unique manners, and our input is equally valuable.
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There are 33 liberating structures.
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One Liberating Structure is 1-2-4-All. You can apply it starting with 1: People have time to think on their own. Then 2: They pair up and discuss with another person. Then 4: The pairs will pair, generating themes and sharing what they learn. Finally, All: Where everybody can share their ideas. Even though everyone won’t be allowed to speak to the large group, they had the chance to contribute in the previous instances.
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Another Liberating Structure is called Drawing Together. Everyone needs to draw a picture using the same shapes (no artistic ability is required). Every shape has a significance: Circles stand for wholeness, rectangles represent support, triangles represent goals, spirals represent changes, and the stick or star persons represent relationships. The group interprets a picture, and these views are the kickstart for a discussion.
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Purpose-to-Practice is a tool for identifying our main purpose and rooting the members together. It helps realize who must be included to achieve a shared purpose.
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TRIZ is the liberating structure created to assess the absolute worst scenario that can happen.
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When choosing a liberating structure, you must match it with the problem you are trying to solve in a group.
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First, you need to frame the problem to find the right tool to approach it.
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It's a good idea to have a Plan A and a Plan B for facilitation.
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How can you start applying Liberating Structures?
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When approaching liberating structures, you will first learn what they are for, then how to approach the space, how people participate, groups, and the sequence of steps to be followed. The material also provides time allocations. You will receive minimum specifications of how the liberating structures are set up.
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There is no specific script about how you should facilitate.
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Be comfortable doing something uncomfortable and new.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Download the Liberating Structures App
The Art of Gathering, by Priya Parker
The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth, by Amy C. Edmondson
Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well. by Amy C. Edmondson
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