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Blog Post

Don't Overload the Sprint

April 14, 2025
It may be tempting to push the team to deliver more by overloading the Sprint with extra work. But don’t do it! One of Scrum’s core values is focus, and that value exists for a reason. A team that focuses on delivering a reasonable amount of work will accomplish more than one that tries to take on everything at once.
Blog Post

That's Not the Point of Points

April 14, 2025
Points are not for measuring individual performance. Points are for forecasting future delivery. We don't need to fake the data to make developers look better, because that's not what points are for.
Blog Post

Scrum Team 3D Reality Model: Path to Agile Product-Oriented Organisation

April 14, 2025
You’ve adopted Scrum. You’ve trained your teams. But still, something’s off. Scaling is slow. Results are inconsistent. That’s because you’re scaling the wrong thing. It’s not just about growing Scrum—it’s about re-centering your organisation around it. In a world where enterprise agility often disappoints, this article offers a bold perspective: the problem isn’t Scrum—it’s how we orient Scrum Teams within complex systems. Enter the 3D Reality Model: a visual, three-dimensional map that places Scrum Teams at the core of product-oriented transformation. The model provides a reference system with three strategic axes: Portfolio (Height): Vertical alignment with goals and governance. End-to-End Value (Width): Ownership across the full delivery cycle. Cross-Org Collaboration (Depth): Transparent engagement with surrounding teams and services.
Blog Post

Riding Waves: How Surfing Principles Can Transform Your Product Leadership

April 9, 2025
In a recent ProdPad webinar, I sat down with Janna Bastow for a fireside chat. This was an opportunity to explore how the principles of surfing can revolutionize product leadership and business agility. In this article, I share highlights of our conversation in order to offer a unique perspective offers product managers, owners, and leaders a fresh framework for navigating uncertainty and complexity in today's fast-paced market.
Blog Post

Micro-training: Definition of Done

April 8, 2025
Master one of Scrum’s most critical (and misunderstood) concepts with PST Jason Malmstadt in this micro-training video. Alongside PST'S Robb Pieper and Greg Crown, Jason explains what the Definition of Done really means, how it differs from acceptance criteria, and why it’s key to delivering high-quality, releasable increments every Sprint.
Blog Post

“Can We Do Scrum And SAFe Simultaneously?”

April 8, 2025
Can you do 100% Scrum and SAFe at the same time? In this post, I explore that question through a real-life training story, highlighting the tradeoffs and tensions that surface when frameworks collide. The key takeaway: it’s less about purity and more about mindful, context-driven choices.
Blog Post

Accountability, Responsibility and Authority in Scrum

April 7, 2025
Unlock effective Scrum! Learn the distinct roles of accountability, responsibility & authority. Discover why empowering Product Owners, Developers and Scrum Masters with real decision-making authority is fundamental to self-management & value delivery. While often used interchangeably, accountability, responsibility and authority have distinct implications that are essential for effective teamwork and value delivery.
Blog Post

When Leadership Changes, Who Pays the Price?

April 4, 2025
Frequent organizational restructuring disrupts careers, impacts morale, and affects business performance. Are leaders considering the human cost of constant change? Explore the effects of leadership transitions and restructuring in this insightful analysis.
Blog Post

Facilitating Collaborative Conversations

April 3, 2025
Ever felt like team conversations spin in circles? Mark cuts through the chaos, revealing the art of facilitation as a powerful tool for driving effective collaboration. Discover the four-phases—Context, Diverge, Converge, and Action—essential for guiding productive conversations and driving teams towards shared goals. Through practical techniques, you will be empowered to master facilitation and unlock the collective potential of your team.
Blog Post

Coaching vs. Mentoring: Guiding Yourself and Others to Greatness

April 3, 2025
In the fast-paced world of leadership and career growth, the right guidance can make all the difference. But are you seeking coaching when you actually need mentoring—or vice versa? Coaching helps unlock your potential by guiding you to your own solutions, while mentoring provides wisdom and strategic advice from those who’ve walked the path before you. This article breaks down the key differences and real-world applications of both, helping you make informed decisions to accelerate your success. Whether you’re looking to grow as a leader or support others in their journey, understanding when to choose coaching or mentoring is the key to unlocking greatness.
Blog Post

Why Does Management Hate Scrum?

April 2, 2025
Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and others pushing for a more agile product organization often face apathy, resistance, or downright hostility from management. In this video, PSTs Jason Malmstadt, Robb Pieper, and Greg Crown break down why management often resists Scrum and share practical tips to tackle that pushback and make Agile stick.
Blog Post

AI Team Scaling Models in Organizations

April 2, 2025
What structure do the AI teams follow in Uber, Meta, or Spotify? I researched it and was able to find some articles and blogs from different people. This information may have changed, so please comment and provide references if you have access to the latest information. Happy reading!
Blog Post

Release Date Slipping? Small Batches for the Win!

April 1, 2025
This is a story about a former client. Early plans were to release a “Minimum Viable Experience” before year end. By late Spring, the Product Director described two “problems” and asked for my help: Release dates for the first publicly available version were slipping. And scope was expanding.
Blog Post

Do You Need That Ticket?

March 31, 2025
Some teams are obsessed with documenting everything. They create tickets for tracking time, logging meetings, or even planning how to plan. They think they’re being transparent. In reality, they’re just adding layers of clerical work that don’t actually help deliver value.
Blog Post

Why Your Team Resists Change – And How to Inspire Change

March 31, 2025
Implementing change in the workplace is one of the most crucial skills in your professional career. Regardless of your current position and industry, with high probability, your next big step in professional growth will be related to change. This article is worth reading if you want to be more effective in implementing change in the workplace.
Blog Post

Scrum Pitfalls: Avoiding a Mission Impossible

March 29, 2025
Over the years, I've noticed recurring challenges and red flags that can seriously limit Scrum's effectiveness. Spotting these symptoms early can mean the difference between Scrum thriving or turning into "mission impossible." In this blog post, I'll highlight the key pitfalls to watch out for.
Blog Post

Coaching Over Clerical

March 28, 2025
Scrum Masters can sometimes fall into the trap of managing the process rather than coaching the team. While it might seem helpful to update tickets, close backlog items, or move tasks around, this kind of administrative work actually disempowers the team and takes the Scrum Master away from their real job: helping people grow, removing obstacles, and improving the adoption of Scrum.
Blog Post

From Value Dimensions To Organization Design

March 28, 2025
New tools, frameworks, and best practices seem to appear every week—and many organizations adopt them without stepping back to ask a simple, but critical question: Does this support the way we compete? At the heart of good companies is a clear strategy—how you create value in the market. While there are many variations, most organizations compete along one of three fundamental value dimensions
Blog Post

AI-Driven Organizational Structure for Successful AI Transformation

March 28, 2025
Implementing an AI transformation demands rethinking traditional organizational structures. Successful AI teams require autonomy, flexibility, iterative practices, and extensive cross-functional collaboration. This AI-driven organizational model balances strategic coherence, rapid experimentation, and continuous learning—setting the foundation for successful, scalable AI transformations.
Blog Post

Scrum Not Working? Try It As Is Before You Modify It

March 27, 2025
Many teams struggle with Scrum—not because it doesn’t work, but because they modify it too soon. Before tweaking the framework, ask yourself: Have you truly tried Scrum as designed? Discover why ‘trying it as is’ matters and challenge your team to commit to five full Sprints before making changes.
Blog Post

Selbstorganisation: Was braucht es, damit es wirklich funktioniert?

March 27, 2025
Selbstorganisation ist das Herzstück agiler Methoden wie Scrum. Sie ermöglicht es Teams, schneller und direkter Entscheidungen zu treffen, das Engagement der Teammitglieder zu steigern und den Bedarf an externer Steuerung zu minimieren. Doch was macht Selbstorganisation so effektiv? Und welche Voraussetzungen müssen erfüllt sein, damit sie ihr volles Potenzial entfalten kann? In meinem Blog-Post beleuchte ich die Schlüsselbedingungen für erfolgreiche Selbstorganisation: von klaren Zielen und Transparenz über das Vertrauen des Umfelds bis hin zur Integration des Product Owners als aktiver Teil des Teams. Entdecke, wie dein Team durch Selbstorganisation flexibler, engagierter und effizienter arbeiten kann!