S1 E035: Understanding SAFe: Myths and Realities with Danielle Gerber

11/15/24 • 47 min

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In this episode Temi speaks with Danielle Gerber, an SPCT and expert in agile transformations. They discuss Danielle's journey from traditional project management to agile coaching, her experiences with various frameworks like SAFe, Scrum, and Kanban, and the importance of mindset in agile practices. Danielle shares her insights on the challenges and misconceptions surrounding agile methodologies, particularly the SAFe framework, and emphasizes the need for continuous learning and adaptation in agile environments.
The conversation highlights the significance of cultural transformation in organizations and the role of coaches in guiding teams towards effective agile practices.

Takeaways

Agility is about delivering value, not just checking boxes.
The mindset is crucial for successful agile transformations.
SAFe is a toolkit that can be adapted to fit organizational needs.
Cultural transformation is essential for agile success.
Learning from mistakes is a key part of the agile journey.
Teams should be persistent unless change is necessary for value delivery.
The economic view is vital in assessing agile practices.
Frameworks should be seen as starting points, not prescriptions.
Continuous improvement is necessary for high-performing teams.
Coaching is essential for guiding teams through agile practices.

Sound Bites

"I don't want to do anything but this again."
"The whole reason we would say keep teams persistent."
"Agility isn't about the book."
"You need to keep refining your tools to get better."
"You have to know the goal."
"SAFe is a toolkit, not a prescription."
"It's about how does it all work together holistically."
"It's a cultural transformation."
"You have to change over time."

Where to Find Danielle:
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/daniellegerber1
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://agilerising.com/
Danielle's Training Schedule: https://www.agilerising.com/agile-training-calendar/
Lean Machine: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lean-Machine-Harley-Davidson-Profitability-Revolutionary/dp/0814432883

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What do you think about today's podcast?

Takeaways

Agility is about delivering value, not just checking boxes.
The mindset is crucial for successful agile transformations.
SAFe is a toolkit that can be adapted to fit organizational needs.
Cultural transformation is essential for agile success.
Learning from mistakes is a key part of the agile journey.
Teams should be persistent unless change is necessary for value delivery.
The economic view is vital in assessing agile practices.
Frameworks should be seen as starting points, not prescriptions.
Continuous improvement is necessary for high-performing teams.
Coaching is essential for guiding teams through agile practices.

Sound Bites

"I don't want to do anything but this again."
"The whole reason we would say keep teams persistent."
"Agility isn't about the book."
"You need to keep refining your tools to get better."
"You have to know the goal."
"SAFe is a toolkit, not a prescription."
"It's about how does it all work together holistically."
"It's a cultural transformation."
"You have to change over time."

Support the show

Previous Episode

S1 E034: Fixing your Daily Scrum

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In this episode of the Agile Matrix podcast, host Temi dives deep into the Daily Scrum, a crucial agile event.
Temi discusses the common pitfalls teams face during their daily scrums, such as turning it into a status meeting, going off-topic, and ignoring blockers. The episode emphasizes the importance of synchronizing efforts towards the sprint goal and provides practical strategies to improve the effectiveness of daily scrums.
Temi encourages teams to focus on collaboration, maintain a time box, and address blockers promptly to transform their daily scrums into energizing and productive meetings.

Takeaways

The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for team synchronization.
Avoid turning the Daily Scrum into a status meeting.
Focus on the sprint goal during discussions.
Use strategies like the parking lot method to stay on topic.
Address blockers immediately to maintain team momentum.
Daily scrums should be energizing and empowering for the team.
Encourage collaboration rather than reporting.
Time box the Daily Scrum to keep it effective.
Elevate the importance of the sprint goal in conversations.
The Scrum Master should facilitate, not dominate, the meeting.

Support the show

Next Episode

S1 E036: Optimising your Sprint Review with Temi

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In this episode of the Agile Matrix podcast, host Temi dives deep into the Sprint Review, a crucial Scrum event that goes beyond mere demonstration. Temi outlines the importance of stakeholder engagement, the common pitfalls teams face during Sprint Reviews, and provides actionable strategies to enhance the effectiveness of these meetings. By focusing on collaboration, preparation, and feedback, teams can transform their Sprint Reviews into powerful opportunities for alignment and trust-building with stakeholders.

Takeaways