The Delivery Space

The Importance of Facilitation : Charles-Louis De Maere

Back by popular demand: Charles-Louis De Maere returns for series 4!
During this chat with Nisha, he talks about the importance of pivoting during facilitation sessions, obtaining the right balance of clarity and vagueness, and you'll hear an (initially shocking) but very interesting story about his time in Niger.
Here are some key highlights:
Global Facilitation Experiences: Charles Louis shares his unique facilitation experiences in various countries, highlighting the importance of adapting to different cultural contexts.
 
Embracing Vagueness: Charles Louis discusses  ‘Kishotenketsu’ an organic narrative storyteller's pattern originating from China that has shown to be ideal for learning. The aspect of 'Kishotenketsu', Charles Louis talks about is emphasising the value of being 'vague enough' to foster creativity and engagement in facilitation. (See comments for a  ten-day workshop design and facilitation program offered by Charles Louis and Francis Laleman who gradually developed over the last few decades)
 
Impactful Stories: Charles recounts impactful stories from his facilitation work, including experiences in Peru and Niger, illustrating the diverse applications and profound impact of effective facilitation.
 
Facilitation in Diverse Settings: The discussion also touches upon facilitating in various settings, including for NGOs in South and Southeast Asia, and adapting to online facilitation during lockdowns.
 
What happens when things don’t go to plan and you have to pivot?: Charles-Louis mentions running facilitation skills training programs, focusing on the practical aspects of facilitation and how to handle unexpected challenges.
 
Follow Charles-Louis on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleslouisdemaere/
Check out Exploration Labs SRL here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/explorationlabssrl/
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Follow Nisha Joshi here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishajoshi1/
Follow Sharon Williams here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-williams-pmo/
 

Maximising Team Performance Using Dysfunction Mapping

🚀 We’re Kicking off Season 4 with a cracker of a podcast with Michael Lloyd, talking about my own experiences of Dysfunction Mapping and the workshop I attended to equip myself with practitioner skills.⭐️ Michael has created #DysfunctionMapping as a means to surface anti-patterns, monitor symptoms and help fellow Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches tailor their coaching strategies, to ensure they are making lasting changes to bring the most benefit to teams and organisations. As Michael put’s it, Dysfunction Mapping allows us to be deliberate about our coaching, allowing us to get to the core of why dysfunctions exist, and put in place solutions to measure the improvements we’re making.These dysfunctions can present as behaviours, or patterns that can hinder teams in their ability to work effectively, collaborate, and deliver business outcomes.Grab a cuppa and tune into the episode.We discussed:01:19 - My feedback on The Dysfunction Mapping workshop and its impact on my own growth01:20 - My personal reasons for attending the Dysfunction Mapping workshop01:48 - Approach to improving team performance, the importance of identifying areas for improvement within teams, and the value you bring as a Scrum Master.11:03 - Challenges faced while coaching Scrum Masters and analysis of the underlying reasons for these issues in different teams.11:50 - Exploration of common patterns and root causes in dysfunction within teamsFollow Nisha Joshi here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishajoshi1/Follow Sharon Williams here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-williams-pmo/Follow Michael Lloyd here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-lloyd-124621177/

PMO Learnings from Montserrat

🎯In this episode Nisha & Sharon met with Martin Parlett to discuss PMO Learning from the island of Montserrat, and what a heartwarming conversation we had. Montserrat was left devastated by two major natural disasters in the form of a hurricane in 1989 and a volcano in 1995. Martin gave us an insight into how the PMO lead a major countrywide social and infrastructure repair programme, and why as he describes “right practice beats best practice”. In this podcast we cover the following:00:00 Introduction02:25 The challenging environmental conditions that the team faced. 09:41 Capabilities required to deliver the change and how to overcome environmental constraints17:15 The role of local knowledge and cultural understanding in delivering change28:39 Facilitating effective dialogue41:49 Key learnings from the experience53:18 Tips for people who want to get involved in similar programmes Martin Parletts’ LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-parlett/Follow Nisha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishajoshi1/Follow Sharon on https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-williams-pmo/

The Double-Edged Sword of Diversity

🚀 Our latest episode of the Delivery Space is here! The Double-Edged Sword of Diversity features a conversation with Christiaan Verwijs about the impact of diversity on agile teams. 📚In their latest research paper, Christiaan and Professor Daniel Russo explore how differences in gender, age, role, and cultural background affect how well a team works and the level of conflict within it. They also examined the part psychological safety plays in the effectiveness of diverse teams. Their research included over 1,118 participants from 161 teams and is soon to be published! Our discussion delves into the research findings from the research paper. Link is in the comments 👇🏽We also share our personal experiences and insights of working in diverse teams and how our experiences have made an impact on us, putting a spotlight on the complexities and benefits of diversity in various different contexts. 🔍Here are some highlights:👉🏻 Research on Diversity and Team Effectiveness - Christiaan shares insights from his research with Professor Daniel Russo, highlighting their findings and the complexity of the topic👉🏾 Real-World Examples and Experiences - We discuss lived experiences from our careers and the impact they’ve had on how we’ve experienced diversity in teams👉 Cognitive Resource Diversity Theory - Christiaan explains the theory suggesting diverse teams bring varied viewpoints and perspectives, potentially leading to greater effectiveness, depending on the nature of the work being undertaken 👉🏿Practical Example of the Similarity Attraction Paradigm - An example is given illustrating how discovering similarities instead of focusing on differences, even in every-day contexts like shared food preferences or social activities, can positively impact team effectiveness​👉🏻The Categorisation Elaboration Model (CEM) - Christiaan explains how it integrates Cognitive Resource Diversity Theory & Similarity Attraction Paradigm and the significance of CEM is his latest research paper that is soon to be published!👉🏾 Using Liberating Structures and other facilitation exercises to explore diversity and team member’s value systems to deepen connection and understanding.

Communicating your Value as a Scrum Master

🎙️ New Episode Alert: Communicating Your Value as a Scrum Master 🚀In our latest episode of The Delivery Space I was joined by Patty Aluskewicz, who shares her insights on how Scrum Masters can effectively communicate their value. As Scrum Masters, we often face the challenge of not just doing our job well but also communicating our value in a way that resonates with our peers, teams, senior leadership and potential employers/clients. Patty and I talked about the nuanced journey of a Scrum Master, and how communicating value is linked with a deep sense of self-worth and a commitment to our own personal development. Certifications and accomplishments may not tell the full story of the value that a Scrum Master can bring…🔍 Some Highlights:Coaching Beyond Books (25:06-25:42): Discover why coaching is crucial for overcoming hardwired behaviours and how it surpasses traditional learning methods.Reflective Growth (26:59-27:57): Explore the power of self-reflection and a growth mindset in shaping your Scrum Master journey, drawing parallels from Patty’s personal experiences like yoga.Self-Advocacy (28:26-29:22): How you can communicate your strengths, especially in challenging corporate environments.Personal Branding & Networking (31:28-36:51): Patty talks about the significance of building a personal brand and the impact of networking, using personal stories for professional impact.Community Engagement (37:24-39:01): Hear from Patty on the benefits of being active in the Agile and Scrum community and the endless opportunities for learning and sharing experiences.Patty Aluskewicz is an Agile Coach for PwC and the founder of Agile Mindset Consulting. With over 15 years of experience, she assists businesses and their employees in building fundamental Agile and Scrum skills, improving team dynamics and communication, and successfully implementing organisational change. 👉 Grab a brew, listen in and share your thoughts and takeaways with us.You can follow Nisha here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishajoshi1/You can follow Sharon here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-williams-pmo/You can follow Patty here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattyaluskewicz-agile-coach/

The Agile Coaching Value System

🌐 Explore the value system that underpins Agile Coaching in this thought-provoking latest episode of The Delivery Space podcast.We're honoured to have Femi Odelusi, an expert in Agile Coaching, as our guest.💡 This episode offers a unique perspective on the transformative impact of Agile Coaching on teams and organisations.We discussed:📌 Femi Odelusi's Personal Agile Coaching Journey 5:37📌Navigating the Complexities of Agile Coaching in Organisations - 7:45📌Understanding the Agile Coaching Value System - 13:03Femi is a Professional Coach who helps individuals, teams, leadership, and organisations to be the best they can be. He has successfully guided several organisations (from a range of sectors) towards successful transformation, and he has a passion for guiding the Leadership of organisations towards maximising and leveraging the business benefits of today’s dynamic global markets using state of the art technologies. He is currently a Lead Coach with BT in the Telecoms sector, in their Digital Transformation. His professional coaching is backed up by accreditation:1. He is credentialled by International Coaching Federation (ICF) as ICF-ACC.2. EMCC Global Practitioner Level credentialled Coach (EIA).3. ORSC™ (Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching) trained Coach.4. Scrum Alliance® as a Certified Agile Coach® (CAC®) Certified Team Coach (CTC).5. International Consortium of Agile (ICAgile®) Agile Certified Coach (ICP-ACC) and Agile Team Facilitation (ICP-ATF)6. In terms of Scaling, he is a Scrum@Scale Practitioner and a Scaled Agile Program Consultant (SPC). The goal he always strives for is, with each encounter, to leave people and organisations better off than he found them.🎬 Watch or listen for a blend of personal stories, professional insights, and practical advice. The links to the episodes are in the comments below 👇🏽➡️ Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more enriching episodes from The Delivery Space!#AgileTransformation #Agilecoaching #Podcast #Agileleadership#AgileJourney #thedeliveryspace

Building a Community of Practice

On this episode of the Delivery Space Podcast we are joined by Algy Ayson.He is currently the Head of Project Delivery Centre of Excellence and Profession in the UK Parliament providing leadership to establish and develop a central hub of learning, best practice and community to bring together hundreds of project delivery professionals in Parliament. His core expertise is around change leadership, digital customer service transformation, operational and project delivery and community building.In this podcast we cover the following:00:00 Introduction02:23 What a community of practice is & why its needed04:35 What the community of practice in UK Parliament looks like and the drivers behind why it was created10:32 How a community of practice can positively impact learning & career development16:55 Links between community of practice, creativity & innovation21:13 Tips on setting up a Community of PracticeFollow Nisha here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishajoshi1/Follow Sharon here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-williams-pmo/Follow Algy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/algy-ayson/

Driving Business User Engagement

🔔New Podcast Alert - Latest episode On Driving Business User Engagement has landed 🚀How do you cultivate a relationship of trust and openness with business users when introducing change? What does it take to not only involve but also inspire business users - be they from Marketing, HR, Finance or Sales to get involved and help shape our transformation initiatives?Max Dave stands out in the consulting landscape as a transformative leader with over a decade and a half of dedicated service in optimising business processes. Her journey has been marked by her significant contributions to both venerable Fortune 500 companies as well as dynamic start-ups, where her strategic vision has been a driving force behind their operational success. Max has not only led these organisations through complex change but has also left an indelible mark on their operational frameworks and team culture.Max has redefined how businesses she’s worked with visualise and streamline their workflows, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Her skill in applying the best fit approaches and techniques for clients plays a critical role in aligning technical solutions with business needs, ensuring that she delivers value to the organisations she works with.Here’s what we discussed when Max joined us on The Delivery Space:1️⃣ Effective User Engagement - We discussed the crucial elements that constitute deep engagement and how to foster them within your user base (2:58)2️⃣ Dealing with Resistance - Max shares her insights on the hurdles she’s experienced when driving change and how to transform resistance into support (6:01)3️⃣ How we communicate matters - Communication strategies that resonate with users, breaking down complex transformations into relatable and compelling narratives. (20:56)4️⃣ Learning from Past Challenges - how these challenges have shaped Max’s approach to delivering value to business users. (21:25)5️⃣ Top Tips for Driving Business User Engagement (34:33)#TheDeliverySpacePodcast #UserEngagement #ChangeManagement #Leadership #DigitalTransformationFollow Nisha here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishajoshi1/Follow Sharon here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-williams-pmo/Follow Max Dave here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-d-4a567/

Ways that PMO’s can support Organisational Maturity

Om this episode of the Delivery Space Podcast we are joined by Ken Burrell. He joins us from the PMO Professionals, a boutique PMO Consultancy. He has a background in Chemical Engineering and has worked in the brewing industry as well as manufacturing where he first starting working in Project Management. He now provides PMO services to various clients spanning a number of industries including retail, public sector and financial servicesKen Burrell’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenburrell/In this podcast we cover the following:00:00 Introduction01:45 How a PMO can bring benefits to an organisation03:43 Project Management Maturity06:48 How can PMO’s improve the organisation maturity14:01 When should an organisation start working on Project Management maturityFollow Nisha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishajoshi1/ Follow Sharon on https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-williams-pmo/

Agile Tour Vilnius Creating a Community Around a Conference

🔔New Podcast Alert. Brace Yourselves! The Community Builders behind Agile Tour Vilnius Have Landed! 🚀Our guests, Diana Borovik & Inga Keraityte, pull back the curtain to reveal the craftsmanship behind creating a vibrant community around Agile Tour Vilnius and other events hosted by Agile Lithuania (Agile Lietuva)Here’s what we discussed:1️⃣ The unique atmosphere at Agile Tour Vilnius - 1:262️⃣ Driving Community Engagement - Strategies for active participation. 18:283️⃣ Challenges & Triumphs - Overcoming obstacles while nurturing the community 19:304️⃣ Championing Diversity & Inclusion - Successful initiatives that made a difference 29:135️⃣ Networking Opportunities - The evolution of connections and collaborations 29:596️⃣ The genesis of the Agile Tour Vilnius community - What sparked the idea? 30:197️⃣ Future Vision - The roadmap for the community in the coming decade. 33:518️⃣ The essential Feedback Loop - Integrating community insights into conference planning 36:209️⃣ The ripple effect on the broader Agile community - Impact in the Baltics and beyond 37:41Diana Borovik is a board member at a non-profit association Agile Lithuania (Agile Lietuva) and is leading the organization of the biggest Agile conferences in the Baltics - Agile Tour Vilnius 2023. She is a data-driven professional with a strong commitment to tasks, teams, and quality. Diana is skilled in uncertainty reduction, stakeholders management, and effective communication. She possesses a keen eye for detail and a passion for improving things. Diana also is a PhD student at Vilnius University and is deep-diving into the interpersonal communication between managers and employees.Inga is a dedicated IT project manager with a profound passion for Agile methodologies. As a board member of Agile Lithuania, she is responsible for community and partner management. A true Agile enthusiast, Inga blends expertise with a heart for volunteering, making a meaningful impact in both realms.Take a few moments today to learn how this inspiring duo is making such a positive impact to the Agile Community in the Baltics.