Imagine someone asks you to do something. You have three potential options: to respond with a yes, a no, or a maybe. In today's world of instant gratification, and more things to do than we know what to do with, we've forgotten the meaning of of these words. Saying yes. We say yes because we […]

Feeling safe is a fundamental need we all have. If we are raised in an environment filled with drama, exclusion, and ridicule, you may struggle feeling safe being yourself and contributing to teams. Our childhood shapes our ideas and beliefs. Our culture helps define how we approach life. Our experiences mold how we view the […]

Every season brings change. In the spring (the formation of a new company), everything is fresh and new. Summer (the growth years), brings new and exciting opportunities. Autumn (stability), brings about an opportunity to let go of outdated products and processes. Winter (leaning out), provides an opportunity to get lean and plan for what's next. […]

As we've discussed before, a mindset is a fixed attitude, disposition, or mood. Your mindset is formed throughout your life and is shaped by your beliefs. When you are very young (0 - 6 years old), you begin forming your beliefs by watching how life unfolds around you. You are a blank slate and each […]

Transparency | Inspection | Adaptation Although empirical process controls are an embedded concept in the Agile values and principles, how to actually practice these simple ideas eludes many teams and organizations. Let's break it down from a mindset perspective. Transparency: the quality or state of easily being seen through, recognized, obvious; open, frank, or candid. […]

Be giving, forgiving, compassionate, and loving. These are not words we usually associate with work or how we would describe our interactions with co-workers, but what if it was? What if everyone on a team and in an organization actually practiced being more giving and compassionate? In this day and age of lawsuits, people are […]

Remember the saying, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." It's a clever visual representation that encourages us to break down the work so we can accomplish more than we could have ever imagined. Think about it. When you take on a project, whether it's at work or home, you usually […]

As a kid, my mom really tried to help me be "perfect," but I often fell short. It was way too difficult trying to meet someone else's expectations, so instead, I focused on doing my best, learning, and growing from each experience. I had no idea that was what I was doing; I was only […]

We think of the ripple effect when we drop a pebble into a pond and watch the ripples begin to spread. The flow seems to continue moving outward forever. Perhaps you've seen how this works in the real world. When you smile at someone, have you noticed how they will usually smile back? Another example […]

Whenever I think of the team development phase called "storming," it makes me feel excited. Storming is that phase after the honeymoon period, where we start to feel comfortable with our surroundings and we allow our bad habits to eek out. When a team comes together (forming), they are filled with hope and anticipation. Then, […]