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July 24, 2017
The Truth About Leading Organizational Change
3 Lessons Every Leader & Manager Can Learn From
Organizational strategists help business leaders realize their strategy by framing the organization necessary to achieve it. They look at what the organization is today vs. the business leader’s vision for the future, and then develop the changes necessary to achieve the desired results.
Here's the problem...it's still up to the leader to implement that change and most leaders fail at doing so.
Why is that? The answer is not so obvious. In fact, the reason is often blamed on the...Continue reading
By Lisa WoodsPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on July 24, 2017
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December 15, 2016
Action Item List
How To Drive Your Team With One Simple Tool
Do your team or project meetings sound something like this… “Oh, was I supposed to do that? I thought someone else had that responsibility. Was that due already?” When you ask someone for an update on a task that was issued to him or her during the group’s previous meeting, how do you respond to excuses? It is frustrating for you and for those who are getting their tasks done. So how can you ensure your team does not find itself behind schedule or...Continue reading
By Lisa WoodsPosted in Professional Development on December 15, 2016
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March 5, 2014
Servant Leadership & The Agile Leadership Transformation
Do you Think Like a Servant Leader or Act Like The Smartest Guy in the Room?
Leaders in countless I.T. organizations see themselves as “the smartest person in the room.” They solve problems that exceed the grasp of their direct reports. They position themselves as decision-makers and information traffic cops. They established their reputations for brilliance early in their careers and were promoted quickly because so many I.T. organizations value subject matter expertise over “soft skills” and promote people accordingly.
So...Continue reading
By Ron MontgomeryPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on March 5, 2014
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February 5, 2014
5 Tips for Helping Agile Teams Avoid “Squirrel Moments”
Here’s some great advice for any team trying to maintain focus.
The “squirrel moment” arrives unexpectedly. The instant message pops up with a question about functionality in a recently deployed release. A new production support ticket arrives from the customer service team. The product owner stops by for an ad hoc brainstorming session about a new feature that might be added to the backlog. And the entire team stops what they are doing in order to meet the squirrel. The squirrel provides welcome relief from the drudgery...Continue reading
By Ron MontgomeryPosted in Project & Process Management on February 5, 2014
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December 4, 2013
Agile Transformation – Five Tips for Getting Team Members On Board
Like any change initiative, agile transformations take time.
The agile movement values collaboration among team members, self-organizing teams, and technical excellence. In theory, one would think that everyone would want to be part of an agile team. It just doesn’t work that way in practice and some team members will need additional support to become comfortable with this change. Following are five tips for getting team members on board with agile.
Tip #1 – Listen First
In the world of software development, most people have developed...Continue reading
By Ron MontgomeryPosted in Project & Process Management on December 4, 2013
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October 29, 2013
Ripple Effects of Agile at Scale-5 Potential Impacts to Your Business
Great advice for organizations preparing large-scale agile transformations.
As organizations get started with agile, the impacts are small – similar to dropping a pebble in a swimming pool. The effects are noticeable to the teams that are beginning to work on agile pilot projects, but imperceptible to the rest of the organization. As an organization attempts to scale agile to an enterprise level, the impacts are similar to tossing a boulder into the swimming pool. The ripples can be quite substantial and far-reaching. These ripples are strongest close...Continue reading
By Ron MontgomeryPosted in Project & Process Management on October 29, 2013
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September 17, 2013
PMO 2.0 - Positioning for Success in an Agile World
Questions every PMO should be asking.
The Program Management Office (PMO) function became common in the late 1990s as companies were launching projects to prepare for Y2K challenges. These PMOs had the mission of coordinating and sometimes controlling these myriad Y2K initiatives. These PMOs carried out their missions and moved on to additional challenges such as SOX, large-scale accounting, CRM, and ERP implementations. They have established themselves as the “go-to” source for project management information and...Continue reading
By Ron MontgomeryPosted in Project & Process Management on September 17, 2013
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August 1, 2013
User Stories – Simple, But Not Easy
Define your needs so that Agile Software Developers will act.
User stories are used in agile software development to provide concise descriptions of desired system functionality. They are written from the perspective of the person who will use the functionality and they utilize the following structure:
“As a (list the type of user), I want to (identify the desired outcome) so that (identify the user’s intent).” An example would be “As an investor, I want to see the unit value of my mutual fund so that I can see if I am...Continue reading
By Ron MontgomeryPosted in Project & Process Management on August 1, 2013
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May 14, 2013
Scrum Master: A New Career Path For Agile Processes & Organizations
Things to consider before becoming a Scrum Master or adding one to your organization.
By Ron Montgomery, Management Consultant & Owner, OnPoint, LLC
The role of Scrum Master is often misunderstood, and for good reason. According to the Scrum Alliance, “The ScrumMaster is a facilitative team leader who ensures that the team adheres to its chosen process and removes blocking issues.” In most organizations, particularly those just beginning their agile journey, there is no exemplar or precedent for such a role. How common is it for a leader to ensure...Continue reading
By Ron MontgomeryPosted in Project & Process Management on May 14, 2013
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May 5, 2013
Managing Risk Through Effective Project Management
The Service Industry’s Approach to Managing Risk
By David Shaffer, Business Advisor & Executive Coach, David Shaffer Consulting LLC
Over the past 20 plus years of working with clients in multiple industries, a common concern at the executive level repeatedly finds its way into discussions. How do we manage risk while striving to push our organization to maximize its performance and at the same time assure there is no significant impact in customer service and quality? Interestingly, this is a similar question that is addressed by the investment...Continue reading
By David ShafferPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on May 5, 2013
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