Agile Teams

Agile; Retrospective

How to Hold a Retrospective (and Why Cherry Picking Doesn’t Work)

By Emma Sharrock / October 23, 2018 / Comments Off on How to Hold a Retrospective (and Why Cherry Picking Doesn’t Work)

I often see extraordinary frameworks fail because teams are cherry picking which elements to implement. They want to keep the “doing” elements of the system, and love the rewards and benefits, but they don’t want to implement the “thinking” parts of the system, and dislike challenges or negative feedback. Unfortunately, an incompletely implemented framework such…

Read More
Agile; retrospective

Why the Retrospective is the Heart of Agile

By Emma Sharrock / September 17, 2018 / Comments Off on Why the Retrospective is the Heart of Agile

For those of you who know me, you’ll know that I am an utter Agile tragic. I have woven the structure of Agile into the very fabric of the way that I do life, and I believe that the heart of this is the Retrospective. While there are many other frameworks for DOING, very few of…

Read More

Collaborate to Create (Hint: Don’t Criticise)

By Emma Sharrock / July 17, 2018 / Comments Off on Collaborate to Create (Hint: Don’t Criticise)

As leaders in an increasingly Agile world, it is crucial for us to develop a culture where building on ideas and acknowledging contributions is not just reserved for collaboration sessions. It is about living that culture all the time, and supporting each other to continuously improve. One of the greatest challenges I see when I’m…

Read More
Finishing Flag for Successful Outcome

The 6 Attributes of a Successful Outcome

By Emma Sharrock / June 21, 2018 / Comments Off on The 6 Attributes of a Successful Outcome

When we work in an Agile way, it’s crucial to clearly define a successful outcome for every project. A clearly defined outcome means that each of the millions of daily project micro-decisions will be made through that lens, both consciously and unconsciously. With a clearly defined outcome, some of the iterative deliverables or results might…

Read More

8 Crucial Questions to Ask Your Agile Coach

By Emma Sharrock / April 30, 2018 / Comments Off on 8 Crucial Questions to Ask Your Agile Coach

“Agile” has become a leadership buzzword as it continues to expand from being a strictly IT methodology to a business enabler. As with many new industries that create a sharp upturn in demand for certain skills, there has been a rapid increase in people calling themselves ‘Agile Coach’. It is impossible to become an expert…

Read More

Are You Stuck on Send?

By Emma Sharrock / March 29, 2018 / Comments Off on Are You Stuck on Send?

In my early days in the military, outdoor survival was the most memorable training experience for me. In the harsh Australian bush, it becomes clear very quickly that preparation is key, and as Greek poet Archilochus observed; “We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” For…

Read More

The Agile SpaceX Falcon Heavy Test Flight

By Emma Sharrock / February 7, 2018 / Comments Off on The Agile SpaceX Falcon Heavy Test Flight

As an Agile enthusiast, I can’t help but be excited about the SpaceX launch today. This is why (WARNING: contains spoilers – watch the webcast first! http://www.spacex.com/webcast): It was iterative. This is not the final thing. We’re not launching humans to Mars yet. This is a great example of sharing work early to get feedback…

Read More

Why Agile? Why Now?

By Emma Sharrock / February 2, 2018 / Comments Off on Why Agile? Why Now?

A common question I get when I work with people new to Agile as a way of working is ‘Why Agile?’ A question that I love – because we should always be asking Why rather than What or How – especially at the start of something new or unfamiliar. This question is often followed up with ‘Why now?’ Another…

Read More
agile, agile change

Why your Organisation isn’t Agile

By Emma Sharrock / October 16, 2017 / Comments Off on Why your Organisation isn’t Agile

For many businesses and leaders, “Agile” has become synonymous with any flexible working arrangements. Working from home? Thats an Agile Work Location. No chairs in the boardroom? That’s an Agile Standup. Sticky notes on the wall? That’s kanban, baby! I was talking to a friend the other day who has just started consulting for a firm…

Read More
project management books, agile, learning

Project Management Books

By Emma Sharrock / September 25, 2017 / Comments Off on Project Management Books

I often get asked what courses, books and experiences I would recommend to someone new to project management. Or someone who is thinking about going into project management. It’s a big question with many possible answers. How to introduce someone to a new world in a way where they learn enough to get started, and…

Read More
agile, teamwork, coach

How to Coach an Awesome Team

By Emma Sharrock / September 8, 2017 / Comments Off on How to Coach an Awesome Team

Introducing a team to Agile concepts and ideas is one of the most satisfying things I do as an Agile Coach. The idea that I can show a team strategies, tools and techniques that will make a difference to the way they work is brilliant. Even tools like visualising work and putting more rigour into planning…

Read More
agile, leadership, change

Don’t Force it – Allow it instead

By Emma Sharrock / August 24, 2017 / Comments Off on Don’t Force it – Allow it instead

The other day during a yoga class I found myself in an unfamiliar position. A kind of twist and stretch that had me questioning if the human body is supposed to do that. As I attempted to breathe calmly, I noticed much huffing and puffing in the room as others similarly found this position unfamiliar. The…

Read More
project management, agile

Death of the Project?

By Emma Sharrock / August 13, 2017 / Comments Off on Death of the Project?

The Standish Group’s Chaos Report of 2015 stated that ‘Over the last 20 years the project management field has experienced increasing layers of project management processes, tools, governance, compliance and oversight. Yet these activities and products have done nothing to improve project success.’ As a project professional, this makes me sad (especially the ‘done nothing’ bit!). But it…

Read More
learn agile do

Don’t just Learn it – DO it!

By Emma Sharrock / July 25, 2017 / Comments Off on Don’t just Learn it – DO it!

You can find just about anything you want on the Internet. From cats playing the piano, to tiny animals wearing sombreros to doom and gloom news, to happy news, to well, you name it! One thing I love about the Internet is that you can learn just about anything. The availability of online learning that is…

Read More
accountability, team-work

Command and Control vs Accountability

By Emma Sharrock / May 21, 2017 / Comments Off on Command and Control vs Accountability

John Seddon wrote Freedom from Command and Control: A Better way to make Work Work in 2003, and it would have to be one of the best books describing the Agile mindset leaders and organisations need to succeed in this rapidly changing world. It has helped countless leaders move from a more hierarchical micro-management style to…

Read More
agile, thin slices

How Thin is too Thin?

By Emma Sharrock / April 13, 2017 / Comments Off on How Thin is too Thin?

#MyAgileYear April is all about delivering early and often. And this often means slicing things into small, or thin, slices (manageable chunks). But a question I am often asked is: how thin is too thin? Possibly not the best question to ask before a holiday centred around chocolate, but let’s explore. You Can’t be too Thin…

Read More