Tom Peters: 20 Years Later – A Visionary Still Leading the Charge

June 2015 marks 20 years since I had the privilege of meeting Tom Peters in London, during his visit to the pioneering Usability Group at Reuters. A select few of us invited to attend his conference, which brought the book to life. At the time, our virtual Reuters team was at the forefront of transforming … Read more

Just Enough

My recent post on Crystal Clear caused a bit of a stir. One of the common threads was around “Just Enough”. In 1996, the product team I led at Reuters transitioned over to DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method) from RAD (Rapid Application Development). And the 20-years have flown by since. DSDM advocates “just enough” across … Read more

Unlocking Change with Systems Thinking

When it comes to enacting sustainable change, systems thinking is a powerful yet often underutilized tool. (I’ve successfully employed it in a recent role, where I took on an unfamiliar challenge, the transformation of a social care service. Introduced it in order to alleviate six years of change fatigue and bias). Instead of focusing on … Read more

The 7 Ps for Agile Leaders: Applying Military Wisdom to Drive Success

In the world of Agile leadership, where change is constant and complexity is the norm, lessons from unexpected sources can provide powerful insights. One such lesson comes from the military, where the 7 Ps are a well-known adage: “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.” This straightforward yet profound principle emphasizes the importance of preparation … Read more

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 neither natural nor inevitable; it’s a deliberate and often arduous process. For CxOs seeking to … Read more

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 worlds is surprisingly relevant to today’s complex landscape of agility, lean practices, systems thinking, and … Read more