The Agile Coach Podcast

The software world is amazing. You're essentially just taking what used to be a rock and tricking it into thinking using electricity in a process that, to many, is comparable to magic. But human nature being what it is, it's very easy for this almost mystic power to get to one's head. You begin to obsess over the details, things that you can do and all of the possibilities that exist in the tech space... and you lose sight of what really matters: the customer. As a developer or a company leader the goal is not just to make cool things, but to make cool things that serve a purpose: enhancing the day-to-day life of the customer. When it comes to QA testing and automation, the goal isn't just to ensure that features function properly; the goal is to ensure customer satisfaction because, at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. In today's podcast, we sit down with Michael "Fritz" Fritzius and discuss topics such as different kinds of testing, bugs and defect management and how to maintain continuous deployment.

Our Speaker: Michael Fritz
Being a father, podcaster and automation guru, Michael does it all! With over 12 years in the quality assurance testing and automation field, Michael has helped numerous businesses create automation solutions through his company Arch DevOps. We are proud to introduce Michael "Fritz" Fritzius.

"Breaking Into Software Test Automation" Udemy Course:
https://www.udemy.com/share/104BMk/

You did it. You finally graduated school and are ready to go out into the world and put your expertise to good use. Nevertheless, there is one thing standing in between you and the job of your dreams: the interview. On its face, an interview might seem to be simply a measure of how much you know about a given subject, but in practice, an interview is really more of a measure of how willing you are to learn and how you manage yourself. Allowing yourself to be measured at any capacity requires confidence and courage, but if just thinking about the interview process fills you with anxiety, you're not alone. However, approaching an interview with nervousness is oftentimes what sabotages candidates the most. Luckily, courage is like a muscle, and if it's strengthened properly using the right techniques, you'll end up being not only a stronger interview candidate, but a stronger candidate for whatever you pursue. In today's podcast, we sit down with the confident new product manager, Neha Satya, and discuss topics such as preparing for an introduction, showing up with confidence and nailing round 1, 2 & 3 interviews.

Our Speaker: Neha Satya
Neha is a product manager at Capco and a project manager mentor at Product Gym. Although she is relatively new to the working world, Neha is no stranger to hard work. Her drive, determination, confidence and communication skills have made her an incredibly sought after candidate in the agile and product space. We are proud to introduce Neha Satya.

One of the first steps people take on their journey towards their dream job is talking to a recruiter. However... most people have no idea how to do this! In order to properly work with a recruiter, it's important that you first understand how a recruiter thinks. What motivates them? Why do they do what they do? What can you do during your interaction with them that will help land you that job? In today's podcast, we sit down with former-recruiter and co-founder of Product Gym, Richard Chen, and explore what the life of a recruiter is really like. Topics to be discussed include entering the product space without a formal title, how to properly work with a recruiter and how to stand up for yourself as a job candidate.

Our Speaker: Richard Chen
Richard is the co-founder of Product Gym, a recruiter-founded company whose goal is to be a community for aspiring product managers and a place where they can network, be coached and collaborate to achieve their dream career. He advocates strongly for the letting go of negative energy, staying humble and bringing enthusiasm into everything you do. We are proud to introduce Richard Chen.

Launching a Product with a PM Mindset (feat. Nikunj Sharma) | Ep. 20

In a world of individual performers, it is easy to forget about the power of the team. One can become so focused on accomplishing the task they were assigned that they overlook how their decisions affect anyone else. However, each of us have unique skills and perspectives that can have a positive impact on what we are trying to get done. A team is more than just a group of people, it's a human system with a collective purpose and way of working. It's built on trust and individual relationships, and it stems from servant leaders that create a safe space to communicate and collaborate. Harnessing the power of the team is not an easy thing to do, but when done right, a team can accomplish unimaginable things. In today's podcast, we sit down with agile leader, Lakshmi Ramaseshan, and dive into topics such as showing up as a scrum master, psychological safety, and how to create a team culture within an organization.

Our Speaker: Lakshmi Ramaseshan
Lakshmi started out as a developer, but after being asked to serve as a liaison, bridging the gap between her team and the customer, Lakshmi's desire to best serve her organization began to take shape. With her drive and passion for serving others, Lakshmi quickly moved into more formal roles such as product manager, scrum master and agile coach, earning her over 15 years of experience as an Agile leader. Despite her knowledge, Lakshmi remains humble, staying engaged with agile communities and continually uncovering better ways to grow her team and her life. We are proud to introduce Lakshmi Ramaseshan.

The 12th principle of the Agile Manifesto reads as follows: “At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.” This principle has traditionally been observed through what are called retrospectives. In many cases, the true intentions of the retrospective are lost as we approach them as nothing more than meetings we hold because we‘ve been told they’re necessary. We show up, make a list of what we did and what we can do better and go on with the same ole routine spring after sprint. However, a meeting is just a meeting and a list is just a list without intentionality and further action. The purpose of a retrospective is to bring your team together, be transparent with one another so that you can align your goals, and make concrete decisions regarding how your next sprint can be even better than the last. Today we sit down with author, speaker, and professional Agile leader, Diana Larson and deep dive into Agile retrospectives, discussing topics such as the purpose of a retrospective, the 5-step retrospective framework and how to make good retrospectives great.

Our Speaker: Diana Larson
When it comes to Agile retrospectives, Diana Larson literally helped write the book. Her publication, “Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great” is world-renowned and has helped countless Agile leaders fully embrace the power that the 12th Agile principle has to offer. Presently, Diana dedicates her time to the company she co-founded: The Agile Fluency Project. Here, her goal is to help new and experienced Agilists make the most of Agile practices within the needs of their businesses and teams. In her free time, Diana enjoys staying connected with the Agile community, speaking at meet-ups and going on podcasts like the one you’re hearing today! We are proud to welcome Diana Larson.

One of Agile's key principles is customer collaboration, and a great way organizations can exhibit this principle is by implementing the Scaled Agile Framework (or SAFe). In SAFe, you're not just working with one team, but many teams, which creates dependencies and a more transparent and collaborative work environment. In today's podcast, we sit down with Agile team facilitator, Hari Khanal, and dive into the world of Scaled Agile, addressing topics such as the role of a scrum master in SAFe, PI Planning in a remote world, unlocking intrinsic motivation and more.

Our Speaker: Hari Khanal
Hari has a passion for serving others and bringing people together, and it was this passion that drove him to leave his job in sales to pursue a career in Agile. He currently works as a scrum master, coach and facilitator for multiple organizations as well as runs his own companies outside of his career. We are proud to introduce Hari Khanal.

To connect with Hari, check him out on LinkedIn:

https://linkedin.com/in/hari-khanal

Although it may at first seem counterintuitive, concepts like vulnerability and courage are more related than you might think. With every act of courage comes risk (be it risk to one's own physical safety, wealth, social standing, etc), and with every risky decision comes vulnerability. Although we are all born vulnerable, no one is born courageous. Courage is a skill that is learned through intentionality, humility and practice. As you will hear in today's podcast, "Agility is all about being willing to grow, being willing to figure it out, being willing to take challenges by the horns and to overcome them." This is important to learn not only as a member of an Agile team but as an Agile team leader as well. We all have the potential to be courageous if we're willing to work hard and put our pride aside. In today's episode, we sit down with Agile leader, Meghann Rudolph, and discuss topics such as setting the team culture, ways to show support, building relationships with your team members and more!

Our Speaker: Meghann Rudolph
Meghann Rudolph is an adventurer at heart, constantly looking for life's next opportunity as she races towards her next entrepreneurial goal. Presently working as a Scrum master and Agile facilitator at Comcast and as a LinkedIn content creator, Meghann credits much of her success to the love and support shown to her by her family and mentors. We are proud to introduce, Meghann Rudolph.

To connect with Meghann, check out her LinkedIn:

https://linkedin.com/in/meghann-rudolph

If you were to ask six people to describe what makes a product manager, you'd likely get seven different answers. This is because the role of a product manager is like white space; a blank canvas waiting to be filled and defined by your company, the people you work with, and most importantly, you. In today's podcast, we sit down with product manager, Rajsi Rana, and explore how to begin defining your own role as a product manager. Topics to be discussed include good PM habits, networking and building relationships, how to become a better writer, how to manage your time more efficiently, and much more.

Our Speaker:
Rajsi Rana After studying computer science and finance at the University of Cambridge, Rajsi Rana learned about the idea of becoming a product manager through a friend, and the rest is history. Having a type-A personality, Rajsi went from being a college student to a technical program manager at Amazon fairly quickly. After working in this position for a few years, in 2019, she became the senior product manager at Oracle Cloud where she works on special projects that focus on the company's top customers. We are proud to introduce Rajsi Rana.

As an Agile facilitator, your job isn't just to keep track of time and take meeting notes; it's to encourage conversation and collaboration and guide teams into what's best for them. Ultimately, your goal is not to change people, but rather make them awesome by enabling them to reach their full potential. In today's podcast, we sit down with Senior Agile Coach, Barbara Kryvko, and discuss topics such as sprint and iteration planning, tips for new scrum masters, the importance of a retrospective and more all through the lens of Modern Agile.

Our Speaker: Barbara Kryvko
After earning her degree from Webster University in Computer Science and Mathematics, Barbara Kryvko began her Agile journey in the software space, gaining decades of experience in Network engineering, software development, IT Consultation, and systems administration. Eventually, she would end up at Monsanto where she'd become a Scrum Master and Agile Coach for the first time, managing multiple teams as well as coaching their product managers, business partners and management. Currently, Barbara works as a Senior Agile Coach at Bayer Crop Science where she works to "foster a culture of excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement." We are proud to introduce Barbara Kryvko.

To connect with Barbara, find her at the link below:
LinkedIn: https://LinkedIn.com/in/barbarakryvko

We've all been there. You're invited to some sort of gathering where there are people you haven't seen in awhile. Maybe you've been busy with work or other obligations, but you know that if you go to this event, someone's going to make you feel guilty for not showing up more often. What do you do when that happens? Do you get angry, sad, or maybe defensive? This is where emotional intelligence comes into play. Emotional intelligence is exactly what it sounds like: being smart with your feelings and the feelings of others. Whether we like to admit it or not, we all feel things, and sometimes those feelings can conflict with the feelings of others. Emotional intelligence teaches concepts such as self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness and relationship management which allow conflicting parties to truly express and address their underlying needs rather than fuel a loop of anger and resentment. It's about understanding ourselves and being empathetic towards others. If something is bothering us, we tend to ask, "Why won't the other person change?", but a better question to ask is, "Why do I want the other person to change?" If the answer is just "because it would benefit me," then that's not a good enough reason. In this episode, we sit down with Sagar Satyal and discuss concepts such as empathy, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution and the awareness needed to truly live a meaningful life.

Our Speaker: Sagar Satyal

Sagar Satyal is the co-founder of My Emotions Matter, an organization based in Kathmandu Nepal whose mission is to help others live harmoniously by providing educational resources, screenings and consultation services regarding emotional management and emotional intelligence. Along with being a huge football fan and enjoying walks in the park, Sagar enjoys exploring himself and the role emotions play in our everyday lives. Taking each day as it comes, Sagar's goal is to live a meaningful life and to help create an environment for others to do the same. We’re proud to introduce Sagar Satyal.

Although the title of "master" may evoke ideas of one who flawlessly executes their craft with independence and authority, when it comes to the art of scrum, principles such as collaboration, communication, and humility are the key to becoming a true master. A great scrum master leads by example, not only facilitating positive behavior within their team but showcasing that behavior daily in themselves and with every interaction from the first good morning to the last good night. To be Agile is to take pride in being human, and as a scrum master, empowering your agile team and giving them a chance to add value is one of the best things you can do. With empathy and openness, show your team how much you care, and once you're in a position where you feel less like authority and more like a friend, you have then become a true master. In today's podcast, we sit down once again with scrum master, Adam Miner, and discuss topics such as evolving as a scrum master, becoming a better coach and mentor, and how to empower your teams.  Timestamps: xxx  Our Speaker: Adam Miner Baseball has always been his passion, and when it comes to being a scrum master,  Adam Miner hits a home run. With a background in athletics, majoring in biology and starting his career in finance, Adam’s route to becoming a scrum master in IT product management is less than conventional. However, Adam’s unique experiences have allowed him to draw many parallels between high-performing sports and corporate teams and has molded how he treats others as a leader today. We are proud to have Adam Miner back on the podcast.

Our Speaker:
Adam Miner Baseball has always been his passion, and when it comes to being a scrum master,  Adam Miner hits a home run. With a background in athletics, majoring in biology and starting his career in finance, Adam’s route to becoming a scrum master in IT product management is less than conventional. However, Adam’s unique experiences have allowed him to draw many parallels between high-performing sports and corporate teams and has molded how he treats others as a leader today. We are proud to have Adam Miner back on the podcast.

No matter what job you’re working, communication is key when it comes to creating a high-preforming team. As a scrum master, along with guiding your team through difficult technical situations, it’s your job to properly guide them through social and emotional situations as well, fostering an environment of humility, transparency, confidence and trust. Growth doesn’t happen inside the comfort zone, so sometimes you have to be willing to push yourself and your team into challenging circumstances such as conflict-resolution, admitting mistakes and weaknesses, and bridging gaps with empathy. Being a scrum master is sort of a pseudo-role, as you’re asked to act as a leader, psychologist, facilitator, coach and whatever else is necessary to progress your team. In the end, however, the ultimate goal of a scrum master should be to “not be needed”. Creating a team that is so high-preforming that they no longer require your guidance is what separates the good scrum masters from the greats. In today’s podcast, we sit down with scrum master, Adam Miner and break down the art of scrum through topics such as navigating conflict, building teams as relationships, leading in a remote world, and trying new things.

Our Speaker: Adam Miner
Baseball has always been his passion, and when it comes to being a scrum master,  Adam Miner hits a home run. With a background in athletics, majoring in biology and starting his career in finance, Adam’s route to becoming a scrum master in IT product management is less than conventional. However, Adam’s unique experiences have allowed him to draw many parallels between high-performing sports and corporate teams and has molded how he treats others as a leader today. We are proud to introduce Adam Miner.

The secret to any good relationship is trust. Trust is not just what holds a relationship together, but it's also what propels it forward and allows it to grow in a way that is satisfying to all parties. It's easy to convince ourselves that a company is just a building; that it's simply mechanical. However, a company should be thought of more so as one big relationship because it's made up of people. It's not just a building, it's a business owner, a manager, a team leader, an employee. All of these people come together and form relationships as they work towards a common goal. When you stop thinking about a company as a machine in need of oil and rather as people with relationships in need of trust, that's when things will begin to take off. Scrumban is a combination of Scrum and Kanban, two distinct methods of mixing trust with efficient product-delivery. In today's podcast, we sit down with Agilist, Andrew Stellman and take a closer look at the proper implementation of Scrumban and how it relates to transitioning a company from a culture of control to one of trust.

Andrew Stellman earned a degree in Computer Science from Carnegie-Mellon, but although he started out as a humble software developer, he has since come to develop a generation of Agilists through his work as a product manager, consultant and O'Reilly published author. Some of his literary works include, "Beautiful Teams," "Learning Agile," "Applied Software Project Management," "Head First Agile," "Head First PMP," and "Head First C#". He's worked with both small and large, 80+ person teams and served as the Vice President of Goldman Sachs for five years. We are proud to introduce Andrew Stellman.

To connect with Andrew, visit his website Stellman-Greene.com or find him on LinkedIn and Twitter @AndrewStellman.

Many of us have grown up to place a high value on expertise. We're paid for our expertise, and we're admired for our expertise and, at times, we might even value ourselves based on our level of expertise. The idea of being an independent lone-wolf type of character is idolized and wished for, when, in reality, there is no real reason for it. If the goal is to accomplish a task or achieve a dream, shouldn't finding the best way to do that hold a higher precedent than being able to do it alone? Although it may seem counter-intuitive, one of the first steps in reaching a goal is truly understanding that in order to do something larger than yourself, you need to have trust in people. There is no way to completely hold knowledge and control over everything, and the sooner you learn to humble yourself and grow with others, the sooner your goals will be reached. In today's podcast, we sit down with Agilist, Jolene Jangles, and deconstruct what it looks like to be a trusting leader. Topics to be discussed include Agile meeting facilitation, levels of listening and a deep-dive into proper coaching techniques.

Attributing most of her success to her belief in people, Jolene Jangles has spent over 20 years working in technology and product development as a business analyst, mentor, coach, facilitator and Agile team leader. While working as a BA back in 2005, many now-traditional Agile practices had not yet evolved, so Jolene was required to figure out how to demonstrate Agility in her own unique way. This stroke of serendipity would later go on to heavily influence her philosophy on what it means to be a good leader, promoting the idea that successful teams tend to come from an environment where unique personal growth and decision-making take priority over traditional technique implementation. Aside from working in the Target system for nine years, transforming groups of sizes between 150 to 300 people, Jolene is also a Brené Brown instructor and the founder of Balanced Agility. We are proud to introduce Jolene Jangles.

Typically, people think of a product manager as a mini-CEO or that they’re in the middle of customers, technology and business, but the role of a product manager depends on many factors, such as the size of the company and what the product is that they’re helping to produce. Their job isn’t to boss people around, but rather influence them via data-driven communication and empathy. Product managers are storytellers. It is their job to set the team vision, strategy, create backlogs and roadmaps and communicate with many different people within and outside of the company. Product managers must be willing to deal with ambiguity, work cross-functionally, live with influence, communicate, be data-driven and place the customer as their number one priority. Product managers are the connection between all the different parties that come together to solve the customer’s problem. It takes confidence, empathy, and most of all, practice. In this episode, we sit down with product manager, Diego Granados and discuss product management through topics such as core skillsets, influence-based communication, prioritization, challenges and advice.

Our Speaker: Diego Granados
Although he enjoys testing out new Xbox features as a part of his job at Microsoft, Diego Granados doesn’t play games when it comes to product management. Originally from Mexico City, Diego graduated with an MBA from Duke University. He has several years of experience working as a product manager at Cisco and now Microsoft where he primarily works with machine-learning models. We’re proud to introduce Diego Granados.

To connect with Diego, search for him on YouTube under "PM Diego Granados".