In this episode, Helen Fleming, SAFe Coach and SPCT candidate dives into the powerful philosophy of servant leadership, which prioritizes the needs of others to empower them to succeed. Helen shares why servant leadership is experiencing a resurgence at AT&T and describes real-world examples of the effect it’s having inside the company. Like what you hear? Connect with Helen on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Does presenting in front of a large group of people make you anxious? You’re not alone. In this episode, self-proclaimed introvert Robert Dunlap, an SPCT candidate at a telecommunications company, shares his tips to help you overcome your fears and teach a great class. Like what you hear? Connect with Robert on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

“AI is not coming for your job. You don't have to fear AI. You have to fear the person who knows how to use AI better than you do.” On today’s episode, Adam sits down with William Kammersell, Director of Product Management at Scaled Agile to discuss technology and AI in the workplace and how to use both to enhance productivity and learning. They talk through their own experiences using AI, how the tools are only as powerful as the data they have access to, and their ideas for how AI might factor into the future of SAFe® Studio. Books mentioned in the podcast include: Deep Work by Cal Newport Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath Like what you hear? Connect with William on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

How are your behaviors as a manager or a leader affecting others in your organization? In this episode, Carl Starendal, SAFe Fellow in Sweden, shares his advice to help you model positive behaviors, stay involved when shifting responsibility to someone else (decentralized decision-making), and invest in developing strong relationships with your colleagues during good and bad times. Like what you hear? Connect with Carl on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Organizations that focus too much on shiny new software features often forget about other key elements like technical debt, security, and performance. And that can compromise the software they deliver. In this episode, Lech Babula, iSPCT at Nordea Bank, shares some tips to help you avoid the software death spiral loop and take action. Like what you hear? Connect with Lech on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

“We were shipping six linear feet of technical documentation with every system that we sold. And it occurred to me that a lot of what we were documenting was just bad design and challenges using the system. I proposed that we take a look at what documentation we would prefer to write … and adjust the software to match the documentation.” In this episode, Adam talks to Harry Max about user experience design and prioritization. Harry is an executive coach and the author of Managing Priorities: How to Create Better Plans and Make Smarter Decisions. The two discuss topics including why prioritization is important in decision-making and planning, how fear can hinder effective decisions, and strategies to improve productivity. Books mentioned in the podcast include: The Timeless Way of Building by Christopher Alexander Wiring the Winning Organization by Gene Kim and Steven J. Spear Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman Deep Work by Cal Newport. Like what you hear? Connect with Harry on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Does your organization have a vision? In this episode, Susan Gibson, CEO, cofounder, and SPCT at Temenos+Agility shares her perspective on how vision is critical to execution—and why it’s often missing from organizations’ large change initiatives. Like what you hear? Connect with Susan on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

In this episode, Konrad Swistelnicki, SPCT candidate at Kegon, explains why the evolution of commitment in Agile approaches and in SAFe is a good thing. And why value delivered is really what matters. Like what you hear? Connect with Konrad on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

“Be present. Be engaged. Participate in everything and anything—sit at a round table, talk with an expert one-on-one, and network at the partner marketplace. You never know what you’ll learn.” Twice a year, a small but mighty team of six people plans and executes the SAFe Summit. In this episode, Adam talks to two of those six people, Karen Lewison and Eric Neal, to find out what happens behind the scenes to successfully pull off these popular events. Karen and Eric talk about the challenges and excitement of organizing and hosting the SAFe Summit, and why it’s so important to select the right venue and create a positive attendee experience. They also offer advice for first-time attendees, especially around networking, and share details for both the SAFe Summit Berlin and SAFe Summit Washington, D.C. Like what you hear? Connect with Karen and Eric on LinkedIn. Check out details on the SAFe Summits and other events here. Explore SAFe courses here.

What do you do when you are trying to implement or improve new ways of working but management isn’t hearing your message? Fernando Razo, Enterprise Lean-Agile Coach at Softtek, shares his key tips for navigating the human element of those conversations. Like what you hear? Connect with Fernando on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

How are cyber-physical systems different than software and what does SAFe look like in that environment? Oliver Wörl, SPC at NTT Data explains and shares a tip for improving that system, one element at a time. Like what you hear? Connect with Oliver on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

"If we don’t get the people side … we are not going to be a successful organization going forward.” In this people-focused episode, Adam talks to Fabiola Eyholzer from Just Leading Solutions about the importance of Agile HR and its role in organizational agility. The two discuss the why behind the shift to a more human-centered approach and what being on the cusp of the augmented era means for humans. Fabiola also introduces the Agile HR Explorer course designed to help HR professionals understand and embrace Agile principles and practices. Like what you hear? Connect with Fabiola on LinkedIn. Learn more about the Agile HR Explorer course from Just Leading Solutions. And explore other SAFe courses here.

Tune in as Mahesh Varadharajan, SPCT and SAFe practice lead at KnowledgeHut shares a short story about how having the right person in the right role helped an organization avoid derailing its PI Planning event. Like what you hear? Connect with Mahesh on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

The early stages of adopting Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) can feel a bit overwhelming. In today’s episode, Deema Dajani, SAFe Fellow and product management director has some essential advice to help you stay calm and carry on. Like what you hear? Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here. Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.  

How can an approach that originated in finance help you better evaluate epics and initiatives in SAFe, particularly around uncertainty and risk? In today’s episode, Adam talks to SAFe Fellow and SPCT Joe Vallone about real options. The two discuss how the approach is best applied at the portfolio level and why it’s useful in evaluating MVPs and in deciding whether to pivot, persevere, or refactor. Read the article mentioned in the podcast. Like what you hear? Connect with Joe on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.   Scaled Agile Framework Improving Portfolio Outcomes with Real Options - Scaled Agile Framework Because traditional valuation tools such as NPV ignore the value of flexibility, real options are important in strategic and financial analysis. —McKinsey Quarterly [1] Improving Portfolio Outcomes with Real Options By Joe Vallone, SAFe Fellow, Scaled Agile Inc., and Claus Hirzmann, Strategic-Finance SAS Note: This article is part of the Community Contributions series, which provides additional points of view and guidance based on the experiences and opinions of the extended SAFe community of experts. Abstract To maintain portfolio flow andRead more Est. reading time 12 minutes   Scaled Agile Framework Improving Portfolio Outcomes with Real Options - Scaled Agile Framework Because traditional valuation tools such as NPV ignore the value of flexibility, real options are important in strategic and financial analysis. —McKinsey Quarterly [1] Improving Portfolio Outcomes with Real Options By Joe Vallone, SAFe Fellow, Scaled Agile Inc., and Claus Hirzmann, Strategic-Finance SAS Note: This article is part of the Community Contributions series, which provides additional points of view and guidance based on the experiences and opinions of the extended SAFe community of experts. Abstract To maintain portfolio flow andRead more Est. reading time 12 minutes   Scaled Agile Which SAFe Course is Right for Me? SAFe Course Finder Use our Course Wizard to find the SAFe® course that’s right for you. Start the path toward your Scaled Agile certification today. (8 kB)    

You need to be customer-centric, speaking to customers and validating, but how do you do that? Deema Dajani, Product Management Director at Scaled Agile, Inc., recommends the Double Diamond of Design Thinking. Like what you hear? Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.   linkedin.com Deema Dajani - Scaled Agile, Inc. | LinkedIn SAFe Business and Portfolio Agility Experiences | Learn more about Deema Dajani's work experience, education, connections & more by visiting their profile on LinkedIn   Scaled Agile Which SAFe Course is Right for Me? SAFe Course Finder Use our Course Wizard to find the SAFe® course that’s right for you. Start the path toward your Scaled Agile certification today. (8 kB)  

Adam is making the most of his time at the 2023 SAFe® Summit Nashville, this time sitting down with Alexis Williams of Atlassian, Josh Fruit with Accenture, and Dana Buttera of Norfolk Southern. They talk about some emerging trends in business and enterprise agility before launching into a thorough conversation about how, together, they’ve successfully helped Norfolk Southern, a centuries-old train company, embrace an Agile way of working by focusing on the people, the problems that need to be solved, and the “why” of it all. Like what you hear? Connect with Alexis, Josh, and Norfolk Southern on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Listen to today’s conversation in two languages—the first half in English and the second half in Portuguese. In this episode, Adam talks to economist Marcio Tambelini who is responsible for Agile training at B3 in Brazil, one of the world’s largest stock exchanges. Marcio shares why B3 decided to adopt Agile methodologies, his experience implementing SAFe, and the outcomes that the company has realized around speed, autonomy, and customer satisfaction. He also highlights why he treats value streams like small businesses, and the importance of customer-centricity and product-based budgeting. Like what you hear? Connect with Marcio on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

What’s the best way to get people to love your product when you release it? Deema Dajani, Product Management Director at Scaled Agile has some tips to consider before you even start building it. Like what you hear? Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

On today’s episode, Adam is joined by Richard Knaster, a longtime SAFe® Fellow and a leading voice in the area of value stream management. Richard shares his own journey to SAFe and tells us more about the work he’s doing today: encouraging organizations to embrace SAFe through the adoption of Atomic Habits. And how breaking things down into manageable chunks of work can help anyone achieve their goals—whether it’s eating better and exercising more or successfully completing an Agile transformation. Like what you hear? Connect with Richard on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

So, you’re running your first participatory budgeting event and you’re nervous. What’s the best way to demystify the event for everyone involved? Deema Dajani, Product Management Director at Scaled Agile has some suggestions in today’s episode. Like what you hear? Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

How are you supporting the people who support your people? Whether your organization is on its way or just getting started with incorporating HR into your Agile way of working, Fabiola Eyholzer, CEO of Just Leading Solutions, has some advice to help you on that journey. Like what you hear? Connect with Fabiola on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Adam welcomes Aly Orloff, Lead Agile Instructor and Coach at Lockheed Martin to the podcast to talk about all things innovation. They discuss the importance of encouraging a culture of innovation (which includes letting go of your fear of failure) and considering whether a healthy appetite for risk might have changed the fates of companies like Blockbuster or Kodak. Aly also shares her experience implementing SAFe at Lockheed Martin. To close out, she leaves us with three tips to convince others to adopt the IP iteration. Like what you hear? Connect with Aly on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Is your funding rationale the best match for your organization’s MVPs and development value stream? In today’s episode, Joe Vallone, SPCT and SAFe® Fellow, describes the Real Options financial framework and why it’s attractive for funding Lean-Agile development. Read the article Joe mentions in the podcast. Like what you hear? Connect with Joe on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Today’s episode is in French and features Odile Moreau, SAFe Strategic Advisor and SPCT at Scaled Agile. She shares three key areas where organizations can use the eight flow accelerators to constantly improve. Like what you hear? Connect with Odile on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Today, Adam talks to Terry Densmore, principal product manager at Digital.ai, about—you guessed it—artificial intelligence (AI). Terry describes how the company is using AI to improve Agile planning, deployment, and other aspects of business agility—and how that benefits customers. Adam and Terry also dive into the importance of value stream management, using AI to surface data and compare the plan to the truth, and the implications of commitment to simplify the business. Finally, Terry describes the future of digital.ai, including further integration of AI capabilities to enhance—not replace—human decision-making and creativity. Like what you hear? Connect with Terry on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Today, Saahil is back to talk about how to go from good to great with your strategic themes. He shares what kind of strategic themes he’s seeing in the field, what’s missing, and tips to make them better to drive success for the entire enterprise. Like what you hear? Connect with Saahil on Linked In. Explore SAFe courses here.

Today’s episode contemplates a unique approach to address system team challenges. Tune in to hear SPCT Saahil Panikar describe the idea of a profit-to-owner for the system team and how it has the potential to generate powerful results. Like what you hear? Connect with Saahil on Linked In. Explore SAFe courses here.

In today’s episode, Adam sits down with Tegan Harbridge from Easy Agile. After getting her expert opinion on how the 2023 SAFe® Summit Nashville holds up from an event design perspective, the two dive into conversation. They discuss the importance of knowing that you can’t be everything to everyone, accepting that not all feedback is created equal, and answering the question of why you’re doing what you’re doing—in SAFe, and in life. Like what you hear? Check out Easy Agile. Explore SAFe courses here.

In today’s episode, SPCT Vikas Kapila explains why SAFe is a lot more than a framework—and why you should use it when planning your next vacation. Like what you hear? Connect with Vikas on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Ramesh Nori is here to offer insight on his approach to helping others when they ask.

Today’s episode finds Adam at the 2023 SAFe® Summit Nashville, where he sits down with David Gipp, an SPCT with Agile Velocity. After bonding over their shared experiences in the athletic retail space, and the value of the energy found there, they discuss the importance of outcome (not output), why the improv principle of “yes, and” is relevant, and how the “COVID pivot” is informing how the Agile community is working today.

Gez Smith wants to have coffee with you. Actually, he wants to have coffee with 100 of you. Inspired by a colleague who is setting out to have coffee with 100 random people, Gez makes an argument for why doing something similar will help encourage social connection and spark creativity on your next Agile Release Train.

How do you foster innovation at an organization? Hazurasingh Siviya, SPCT with Temenos + Agility, is here today to offer three tips on just that—from looking at enhancements to current products and services to being a disruptor and adopting innovation as a mindset. He also highlights the importance of MVPs to drive innovation.

Adam sits down with Justin Oke, cofounder of Kendis, to talk all things PI Planning. They dive into what Kendis has to offer, how it evolved from an idea born from a social conversation over a few drinks to what it is today, and where it’s headed next—including the three things that Justin is most excited about. Adam and Justin also reflect on how their time spent in the military and law enforcement has had a lasting impact on their approach to the work they do today.

How do you foster innovation at an organization? Hazurasingh Siviya, SPCT with Temenos + Agility, is here today to offer three tips on just that—from looking at enhancements to current products and services to being a disruptor and adopting innovation as a mindset. He also highlights the importance of MVPs to drive innovation.

What do quotes from Spiderman, Adam Grant, and Steve Jobs have to do with SAFe? Find out in this engaging conversation with Adam and Anand Murthy Raj, SAFe Fellow, SPCT, and Managing Director at Gladwell Academy – Asia. They discuss what they’ve learned over the course of their careers—both inside and outside of SAFe. And they highlight the importance of being relentlessly curious, seeking discomfort, and remembering to enjoy the space between point A and point B.

Eren Özdemir is here to offer a few quick tips and things to keep in mind when working with an external client on a SAFe® transformation.

In this episode, Adam sits down with Gez Smith to talk about his specialty: applying SAFe in highly regulated environments, specifically banks. They discuss the unique challenges of matching SAFe with a regulatory framework and how at the end of the day, SAFe is all about people and relationships. The two also share some lessons learned the hard way during SAFe workshops in other countries—and why that kind of learning has been some of the best.

There are few things worse than getting to the end of a project and realizing that things just aren’t working the way you anticipated. That’s where SAFe® Principle 5 comes in. Hear from Natalia Kuzmina, Head of Agile Practices at S&P Global, about how using a system demo is a better way to evaluate a project.

In today’s episode, Adam takes a step back from SAFe to explore something a little different with Brent Hurley from Agility Health, one of the leading Agile team management platforms. After hearing a little bit about Brent’s background, the two take a deep-dive into all things Agility Health, including the history of the company, and how the tool helps companies build, assess, and grow Agile teams.

In today’s episode, Mauricio Gambini, enterprise Agile coach from Enterprise Agility, offers his eight suggestions to start coaching on a well-established ART to help facilitate continued growth and improvement.  

In today’s episode, Adam sits down with Markus Vogg, SPCT and global head of business agility at Capgemini Invent, and Em Sperring, SPC and business agility senior consultant, to discuss their Agile journeys. You’ll hear about their experience in bringing Agile to traditionally non-Agile spaces, like HR and accounting, and how that experience informs their approach to any Agile transformation—big or small. They also discuss the joys of working with intercontinental teams and share some advice they would give to their younger, pre-Agile selves.

It’s no secret that the SAFe implementation roadmap encourages a variety of training throughout the journey, but have you ever considered bringing along a co-trainer? Sarah Blaesing is here today to make a case for why a co-trainer just makes sense.

What does high performance military training have to do with Lean portfolio management? Find out in today’s episode when Adam sits down again with Eduardo Alvim, senior trainer/consultant and SPCT. The two catch up since their last meeting and discuss portfolios, some trends they’re seeing, and how value, especially when it comes to things like PI planning, is more than just making money.

How do you get numerous stakeholders with different priorities and limited budgets to agree what to fund and how? Hint: the answer involves everyone in one room and some Monopoly money. In today’s episode, Vanessa Martens, Agile coach and SPCT candidate with Cprime, shares her experience and key observations leading a participatory budgeting event with an insurance company in Africa.

In this episode, Adam hands the reins over to Alexis Williams and Christian Kelly of Atlassian to lead a discussion with Florian Lukitsch from Deutsche Telekom. The company is five years into its Agile transformation and, according to Florian, the transformation never truly ends — there will always be opportunities to adapt. The trio also discusses the importance of communication, experimentation, and OKRs, and how looking at an Agile transformation as a culture change instead of simply a project will benefit everyone in the long run.

What can simultaneously hold an organization back and move it forward in an Agile transformation? And what do dark jeans have to do with it? In this episode, Vanessa Martens, Agile coach and SPCT candidate with Cprime shares her experience and advice around helping an organization shift from a control-based environment to a collaborative one.