Tag: Leadership
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Got Yourself a Mountain of a Problem
While on my honeymoon in New Zealand last month, I captured this breathtaking view of a perfectly conical volcano on the North Island. It reminded me of a valuable life and work lesson: even the most daunting challenges can be…
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Agile Transformation: Not a Caterpillar Turning Into a Butterfly
In the world of Agile transformation, it’s tempting to think of organizations like caterpillars—destined to transform into beautiful butterflies. But the reality is far more complex. Unlike a caterpillar, an organization doesn’t follow a preordained path to change. Transformation is…
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Navigating the “Layer Cake” of Agility, Lean, Systems Thinking, and Product Management
In the film Layer Cake, we see how the lives of the rich, the criminal, and the criminally rich are intricately woven together, each layer impacting the others in ways that often defy logic and expectation. This metaphor of intersecting…
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Make a decision. Move on. Forget about it.
This is how I approach decision-making in business, sports, and life. 30-years ago, I made a bold decision to drop out of starting a degree and accepted a role with a UK bank. Many people told me I was making…
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Turning Around a Microsoft Practice: An Agile Transformation Story
A decade ago, I embarked on a challenging journey to lead the Microsoft practice at Unilog, a French-headquartered European-wide technology consultancy, in the UK. The practice was facing numerous hurdles, including unprofitability, a lack of sustainable pipeline, low team morale,…
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The Cost of Not Adapting: Lessons in Agility from Tom Peters
In 1987, Tom Peters published Thriving on Chaos, a manifesto for navigating turbulent times. Decades before “agility” became a buzzword, Peters was championing adaptability, experimentation, and the courage to act in uncertain environments. One of his most enduring insights—”The cost…