Podcasts by Meta-Cast

The Power of Labels in Agile Teams from 2023-12-11T06:00

Does anyone read these? If so, post a comment on our YouTube page...

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Growing Agile Leaders from 2023-11-27T06:00

In this heartfelt episode of The Meta-Cast Podcast, Bob and Josh open up about the power of mentorship. Bob shares personal stories of mentoring Josh and the critical role mentorship plays in le...

Leading Agile Transformations: Unpacking the Leadership Circle from 2023-11-20T06:00

In this episode of The Meta-Cast, hosts Josh Anderson and Bob Galen are joined by guest Dorothy Aubut, an expert in change management and coaching. Dorothy shares her insights and experiences in...

Navigating Your Identity with Jeff Davis from 2023-11-13T06:00

Join us for an insightful conversation in this episode of The Meta-Ccast, where we delve into the world of identity, leadership, and personal branding with our special guest, Jeff Davis. Discove...

Inspiration vs. Motivation: The Leader's Dilemma from 2023-11-06T06:00

In this episode of The Meta-Cast, join hosts Bob Galen and Josh Anderson as they dive into the art of inspiring and motivating teams. As leaders, it's essential to understand the difference betw...

The Art of Effective Communication from 2023-10-30T06:00

In this episode of The Meta-Cast Podcast, hosts Bob Galen and Josh Anderson dive deep into the world of communication and its crucial role in leadership. They discuss the importance of clear and...

Building Trust: The Foundation of Great Leadership from 2023-10-23T06:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh explore the critical role of trust in leadership and share actionable insights on how to build, extend, and maintain trust within teams and organizations. Trust is ...

Meta-Cast Part Deux: The Leadership Era Begins from 2023-10-16T06:00

Welcome to the new and improved Meta-Cast, Part Deux! In this exciting episode, hosts Bob Galen and Josh Anderson unveil their revamped focus on leadership dynamics. They dive deep into the worl...

Reframing the Meta-Cast - Version 2.0 from 2023-10-02T06:00

In this episode of the Meta-Cast, Bob and Josh reflect on valuable feedback from their listeners. As they contemplate the future of the podcast, they grapple with questions about focus, format, ...

264 - Meta-Cast 2.0: Help Us Redefine Our Path! from 2023-09-18T06:00

Bob and Josh need your input! In this special episode, the hosts discuss the current state of the Meta-Cast podcast and the challenges they face, including declining listenership and changing co...

263 - The Road to Entrepreneurship: Part 4 - Making A Lasting Impression from 2023-09-11T06:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh continue their deep dive into the art of launching your consulting business and becoming a true leader in your field. Part Four of this series explores the crucial ...

262 - The Road to Entrepreneurship: Part 3 - Navigating the Launch Phase of Your Business from 2023-08-28T06:00

Ready to launch your business but unsure about pricing and contracts? Tune into Episode 262 of the Meta-Cast podcast as Josh and Robert delve into the complexities of setting your worth, pricing...

261 - The Road to Entrepreneurship: Part 2 - Crafting Your Personal and Company Brand from 2023-08-14T06:00

Join Josh Anderson and Bob Galen in Episode 261 of The Meta-Cast Podcast as they dive into the art of personal and company branding. Learn how to shape your brand intentionally, build your prese...

260 - The Road to Entrepreneurship: Part 1 - Starting Strong from 2023-08-01T06:00

Join Bob and Josh on this thrilling journey as they delve into the world of entrepreneurship in their latest episode! Learn the secrets to starting your own business, attracting customers, and b...

259 - Mastering the Art of Truthful Communication: From Teammates to Executives from 2023-07-24T06:00

Join the lively discussion on effective communication, where the hosts share personal anecdotes, insightful tips, and practical advice on navigating tricky conversations with team members and ev...

258 - The Death of Innovation: Uncovering the Missing Spark in Agile and Beyond from 2023-07-17T06:00

• Reflecting on the bygone era of innovation practices like Google's 20% time and its impact on driving creativity within teams.
• Examining the shift in focus from innovation to maximi...
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257 - The Power of Positivity in Software Engineering: Boosting Performance, Efficiency, and Well-being from 2023-06-26T06:00

Discover the profound impact of positivity in software engineering teams and how it can enhance their performance, efficiency, and overall well-being. Explore the role of positivity in overcomin...

256 - UnFUBAR Your Agile Journey: Exploring the Impact of Being Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition from 2023-06-19T06:00

In this Meta-cast podcast episode, Bob Galen and Josh Anderson delve into the concept of being "fubar" and its implications in an agile context. Discover how individuals and teams can identify w...

255 - Being the Change: Embracing Courage and Leading from the Front from 2023-06-12T06:00

In this episode, Bob Galen and Josh Anderson discuss the essence of being the change and how it requires courage, risk-taking, and leadership. Join them as they share personal experiences and in...

254 - The Agile Approach: Navigating Change with Leadership Coach Michelle Pauk from 2023-06-05T06:00

Join us as we dive deep into the theme of 'change' in this illuminating episode, featuring agile leadership coach, Listen

253 - Backlog Refinement: Unleashing Agile Potential and Cultivating a Healthy Culture from 2023-05-29T06:00

Join us as we dive deep into the world of backlog refinement, uncovering its true value and potential in fostering collaboration, enhancing product outcomes, and shaping organizational culture. ...

252 - Crushing Waterfall Bob - Unraveling the Art of Commitments from 2023-05-22T06:00

In this epic showdown, brace yourself for the ultimate battle of methodologies as Josh and Bob go head-to-head once again. This time, it's all about Waterfall versus Agile, and tensions are high...

251 - Exploring Generational Differences in AI Technology - How Do Bob and Josh View It? from 2023-05-15T06:00

Bob and Josh have a conversation about the power of AI technologies, and how they are impacting our lives. Bob is more hesitant in accepting the changes brought on by these technologies, while J...

250 - Mastering the Art of Onboarding: Boosting Employee Success and Retention from 2023-05-08T06:00

Discover the secrets to successful onboarding and learn how to create a welcoming, effective, and mutually beneficial environment for new hires. From setting expectations to providing the right ...

249 - Pay Up! The Importance of Paying People What They're Worth from 2023-05-04T06:00

Discover the value of paying employees what they're worth and learn why it's crucial for attracting and retaining top talent. Listen to this podcast as experts discuss the impact of compensation...

248 - The Role of Ethics in Agile Development from 2023-04-24T06:00

In this podcast episode, Bob Galen and Josh Anderson discuss the suggestion of adding a sixth value to the Agile Manifesto - ethics. They share their thoughts on whether ethics should be explici...

247 - IRL Self Advocacy: The Ballad of Richard Khor from 2023-04-17T06:00

Richard Khor knew what he was up against, a boss (AKA Josh) that didn't see value in Scrum Masters in the organizations he built. Richard proved Josh wrong, and this is his story.

...

246 - Eradicating Agile Nit-Pickers from 2023-04-11T06:00

In this episode, we delve into the world of Agile development and explore the common issue of nit-picking. Our experts discuss the negative impact nit-pickers can have on team productivity, and ...

245 - Self-Advocacy in Agile Coaching from 2023-04-03T06:00

Join us as we explore the transformative power of standing up for yourself and confidently expressing your thoughts, ideas, and expertise in the fast-paced Agile environment. We bring you inspir...

244 - Agile Fakes from 2023-03-20T06:00

In this episode, we explore the issue of "fakes" in the Agile world. There are many individuals and organizations that claim to be Agile but do not adhere to the values and principles of Agile. ...

243 - Executive Math from 2023-03-13T06:00

In this episode, we delve into the world of executive math - that nerve-wracking moment when a number slips out and the resulting calculations send shivers down your spine. As a leader, it's you...

242 - Agile Potpourri Part Quatre from 2023-03-06T06:00

We did it! More questions came in, so that means you have to listen to Bob speak French again. Sorry, not sorry!

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241 - Agile Potpourri Part Trois from 2023-02-27T06:00

Yep. Part 3 of our rapid-fire (as rapid as Bob can be) questions from our viewers and listeners. If we get enough questions, we'll record a part 4, so let us know what we can help with!!!

...

240 - Agile Potpourri Part Deux from 2023-02-20T06:00

Bob gets REALLY excited about our second straight episode of rapid-fire questions from listeners/viewers. We really enjoyed this recording session, and we expect the same for you, our audience....

239 - Agile Potpourri Returns! from 2023-02-13T06:00

After quite a few episodes of single-topic discussions, we decided to get back to our roots and give the listeners exactly what they were asking for. Their questions answered!

Now it is ...

238 - Calmness In Layoff Chaos from 2023-02-06T06:00

No one is immune these days. Layoffs are happening across the board, and sometimes to whole agile organizations. How can you prepare for something like this? What can you do if you are affected?...

236 - Star Wars tells the story of agile, a Solo-cast from 2023-01-23T06:00

Many folks in their 40s have a real problem with George Lucas. Outside of the original trilogy, the movies are tough to watch. However, it seems like the Flannel One foretold the story of agile ...

235 - How To Handle A Lowball Offer from 2023-01-09T06:00

In this podcast episode, the hosts discuss the topic of negotiating salary and knowing your worth in the job market. They advise listeners to assess their market worth and be aware of their own ...

234 - No Shit Sandwiches from 2023-01-02T06:00

In this podcast, the speakers discuss the concept of "shit sandwiches," a method of giving feedback that involves sandwiching constructive or negative feedback between two positive comments. The...

233 - Project Driven to Product Led Organizations from 2022-12-27T06:00

Traditional organizations quite often think in terms of projects. Agile organizations often want to move to product thinking. This episode will explore that and the why behind it.

• ...
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232 - Beefing up your resiliency from 2022-12-19T06:00

Resiliency will be key to your success as you travel through your career and life. Dig in with Bob and Josh as they help you become more resilient.

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We n...

231 - Elon&Deion, Debating Their Leadership from 2022-12-12T06:00

Elon Musk and Deion Sanders have taken over new organizations recently. Both moves, along with some of their first actions in the new role have drawn criticism. Listen in as Bob and Josh debat...

230 - Learn how to start a new agile team from 2022-12-05T06:00

Hopefully, your 2023 budget is locked in (Listen

229 - Is Quiet Quitting possible in an agile team? from 2022-11-21T06:00

Given agile's expectation of transparency, can a member "quietly quit"? As we dive into this topic, Bob and Josh debate the definition of a "high-performing agile team" as it pertains to this to...

228 - SAFe, The Definitive Answer from 2022-11-14T06:00

Should you use it? Should you not? Are parts of it good? Is it inherently evil?

No more second-guessing where we stand on SAFe. This is definitely a "no holds barred" episode. Buckle in a...

227 - Quiet Quitter Support from 2022-11-07T06:00

If you find yourself ready to quit, quietly or not, we're here to help you navigate that. Learn how you can transform your experience, no matter your background, into the agile world. You're not...

226 - Tactics Of Great Feedback from 2022-10-31T06:00

Feedback is a skill, and yet so few people have a chance to grow this skill. We help you find the tools and a few tactics that can kickstart your growth.

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225 - Feedback Is Your Friend from 2022-10-24T06:00

Feedback is a gift, right? We've all heard that. Heck, Josh has said it like 1,000 times. It sounds excellent and is quite catchy, but the reality of executing that phrase is REALLY, REALLY hard...

224 - Managing Expectations from 2022-10-17T06:00

You like when we deliver episodes every Monday morning, right? You'd probably be OK if we shared that we would miss a week for some reason, correct? What if you checked your podcast feed on Mon...

223 - Quiet Quitting from 2022-10-10T06:00

Shhhh. No one will notice us recording an episode on the popular topic of quiet quitting. Maybe if we don't tell anyone, no one will notice. 🤞 Also, if you are listening quietly enough, you mi...

222 - Change Fatigue from 2022-10-03T06:00

Yep. It's a real thing. Sadly, we often only recognize it when it's too late. That's why Bob and Josh are here! They give you tools to recognize and react both as a leader and a teammate. Do yo...

218 - The Value of Taking Breaks from 2022-04-04T06:00

Remember the https://www.meta-cast.com/episode/episode-182-dont-get-pickled (old"pickling"episode)? We do, and we realized that we are, in fact, pickled!!! Uh oh!!!! So what are we going to do ...

217 - Charting Your Own Path from 2022-03-14T06:00

You listen to podcasts and audiobooks like crazy. You read even more books and articles. There is SO much information out there. How do you use it all? Don't worry, we'll help you find your own...

216 - How To Handle This Crazy Job Market from 2022-02-21T06:00

Everywhere you look, you have dozens of friends or co-workers changing jobs. I'd bet that more than half of your connections that just switched jobs received a sizable jump in pay. Now what? Do y...

215 - Leaving a Company Like a Pro from 2022-02-14T06:00

In many industries, the concept of staying with a company for 30+ years and retiring doesn't exist anymore. Heck, many of the companies out there haven't even been around for 30 years. That means...

214 - Personal Performance Goals as a Scrum Master from 2022-01-18T06:00

How can I, as a scrum master, know I am doing well? We answer that question for Bridget Brown in today's episode. This is a tricky one, but we're pretty darn proud of what we landed on. Would you...

213 - The Relubrication Episode from 2022-01-10T06:00

Yep. You read that correctly. Old engines get rusty and often need some fresh oil. How can you oil your agile engine? We cover a handful of scenarios and ideas to fix each of them. Has your tea...

212 - A Refinement Resolution from 2021-12-22T06:00

It's that time of year again. Time for everyone to make a resolution, or five. On our podcast, we're going to walk you through the ONE THING that everyone can get better at, as we did into your r...

211 - How To Handle This Wild Job Market from 2021-12-13T06:00

You know what's happening out there in the job market, right? IT. IS. CUH-RAY-ZEEE!!! The supply and demand situation boiled over and average salaries for new jobs are leapfrogging previous norms....

210 - What We Wish We Knew from 2021-11-22T06:00

We're old. That means you should totally take advantage of all of our mistakes! Bob and Josh share a few things they sure wish they knew at earlier points in their career. Hopefully, one of thes...

Episode 209 - Working When You Hurt from 2021-11-09T06:00

We've been through a lot these past couple of years. There have likely been some personal struggles for you and/or your family that distracted you from work. How in the world can you wrestle with ...

Episode 208 - You Need A Coach Too! from 2021-10-18T06:00

We're always busy helping everyone else, but how often do we stop and ask for some help with our challenges? NOT ENOUGH is the answer! Bob and Josh talk through why this is important, yet challen...

Episode 207 - Leadership&Team Ethics During A Pandemic from 2021-09-27T06:00

Times are crazy. We all know that. Whether you consider this still a pandemic or post-pandemic, there are new challenges to traditional approaches almost all of us applied pre-pandemic.💪for usin...

Episode 206 - The Reciprocal Conundrum from 2021-09-20T06:00

Huh?! What in the world is a"Reciprocal Conundrum"? The Reciprocal Conundrum is what Bob calls the challenge teams face when they lean too heavily in one direction and never reciprocate the other s...

Episode 205 = The Tactics of Great Engineering Management from 2021-08-30T06:00

Engineering Managers are some of the most important players in successful product development. However, many agile transformations don't effectively address this role and how it sets organizations...

Episode 204 - The Tactics of Great Retrospectives from 2021-08-09T06:00

Retrospectives are a huge key to success in the world of agile? How willing, able, and aggressive is your team relentlessly pursuing improvement throughout their journey? If retros are feeling sta...

Episode 203 - How To Be A Great Teammate from 2021-08-02T06:00

Everyone talks about how other people SHOULD become better teammates, but does anyone really know what that means? Continuing our efforts covering key tactics, we dive into the actual tactics of b...

Episode 202 - The Tactics Of Chartering New Efforts from 2021-07-12T06:00

The"tactic train"keeps rolling as Bob and Josh discuss how you and your team can/should effectively charter a new effort. Notice that we didn't say"project chartering", because we believe you can/...

Episode 202 - The Tactics Of Chartering New Efforts from 2021-07-12T06:00

The "tactic train" keeps rolling as Bob and Josh discuss how you and your team can/should effectively charter a new effort. Notice that we didn't say "project chartering", because we believe you c...

Episode 201 - A Deep Dive Into The Tactics Of Planning from 2021-07-06T06:00

https://www.meta-cast.com/episode/episode-200-great-agile-planning (Episode 200) walked through the tactics of great agile planning. We knew that wasn't going to be enough to cover the whole topic...

Episode 200 - Great Agile Planning from 2021-06-28T06:00

Continuing our series of studying key tactical bits that drive real agile success, Bob and Josh dig into how you can make your planning great. If you wish your team's planning could be smoother, t...

Episode 199 - Running Great Standup Meetings from 2021-06-14T06:00

Every day you and your team hold a standup meeting. EVERY. DAY.We know these can get stale, but standups are the lifeblood of a high-performing agile team. Bob and Josh are here to help with all...

Episode 198 - Healthy User Stories&Backlog Refinement from 2021-06-07T06:00

Your user stories stink. Admit it. They do. It's OK. You're not alone, and we're here to help. Bob and Josh get tactical (including a song from Bob) and help you and our teams improve your st...

Episode 197 - Maximizing Influences from 2021-05-31T06:00

Influences are all around you. Sometimes they shape you positively, and sometimes we let them affect us negatively. Bob and Josh dig into what shaped them with an eye towards helping you find and...

Episode 196 - It's Over, Now What? from 2021-05-24T06:00

You decided it's time to leave your current gig because you've pushed them as far as they can go. The juice isn't worth the squeeze anymore! How do you leave gracefully and effectively? Listen i...

Episode 195 - When Do You Shut It Down? from 2021-05-17T06:00

You poured your heart and soul into getting agile rolling in your company, but you get this sinking feeling that no matter what else you do, it's just not going to get better. Now what? Bob and Jo...

Episode 194 - Is Scrum Really The Issue? from 2021-04-19T06:00

As a follow-up to https://www.meta-cast.com/episode/episode-192-bob-is-done-with-scrum (Episode 192), we adopt a similar stance to https://www.meta-cast.com/episode/episode-193-youre-a-scrum-master...

Episode 193 - You're A Scrum Master, Now What? from 2021-04-12T06:00

https://www.meta-cast.com/episode/episode-189-get-your-first-scrum-master-job (Episode 189 )covered how to get your first Scrum Master job. Quite a few of our listeners recently landed their first ...

Episode 192 - Bob Is Done With Scrum?! from 2021-03-22T06:00

Wow. Bob is fired up! Hear why Bob is fed up with Scrum (note the uppdercase"S", because it is intentional) and why he thinks it's doing more damage than good for the agile community (note the lo...

Episode 191 - Agile Game of Thrones from 2021-03-15T06:00

Love it, or hate it, The Game of Thrones sat at the head of the entertainment table for quite a long time. Bob https://www.agile-moose.com/blog/2020/7/17/the-agile-game-of-thrones (pulled out some ...

Episode 190 - Great Roadmaps from 2021-03-10T06:00

We bet you groan every time you hear the word"roadmap". Many of us have been through the scrummerfall approach of establishing a roadmap at the start of the year and then either ignoring it comple...

Episode 189 - Get Your First Scrum Master Job from 2021-03-01T06:00

There is no"normal"path to becoming a Scrum Master. So many of us come from different backgrounds, education, and careers, which makes it great. But how exactly do you break through that first ti...

Episode 188 - Be Authentic from 2021-02-08T06:00

Be you, all of you! That's the best version of you, and it's not even close. We recognize that can be a scary proposition for some folks, so we're here to help you and your team become more authen...

Episode 187 - Enabling All Voices from 2021-02-01T06:00

Sit back and listen to the next meeting of your working group. Count the number of people that speak up. You might find that only a couple of folks actually engage in the conversation. If so, yo...

Episode 186 - Agile Buzzwords from 2021-01-25T06:00

You can't escape them. Buzzwords are EVERYWHERE!!! Unfortunately, they crop up at the worst times because buzzwords are often called into action when the speaker isn't completely clear on what the...

Episode 185 - Your Privilege As A Leader from 2021-01-11T06:00

Whether you know it or not, your position carries privilege. If you're not aware of the privilege, you may be misusing that privilege. Let's dig in and see if you are maximizing the privilege you ...

Episode 184 - Stop Being A One Trick Pony from 2021-01-04T06:00

What's that one trick you always use to solve problems? Do you rely on it so much that it's now a crutch? Bob and Josh help you throw away that crutch and start adding other tools into your toolb...

Episode 183 - Charting Our Future from 2020-12-28T06:00

In Episode 182 Bob and Josh helped you stop the natural pickling that happens in everyday life. This episode turns the tables on our hosts as they investigate the pickling they see happening with ...

Episode 182 - Don't Get Pickled from 2020-12-14T06:00

Bob and Josh look forward to 2021 to help you kick off the new year with a renewed fire. A common theme of the discussion centers around the never-ending battle each of us must fight to prevent ou...

Episode 181 - An Evolved View of Product Owners From Eric Hannan from 2020-11-30T06:00

In https://www.meta-cast.com/episode/episode-180-product-owners-in-2020 (Episode 180), Josh attempted to explain how Eric Hannan, friend of the podcast, was evolving the role of product owners at h...

Episode 180 - Product Owners in 2020 from 2020-11-16T06:00

We've been podcasting for quite a while. In that time, we've learned and changed a ton. The agile landscape has shifted too. Bob and Josh bring you an updated view on the product owner role in 2...

Episode 179 - The Hard Stuff, Part 7 - Leading Through A Crisis from 2020-11-09T06:00

"It's 2020. What do you expect?"We hearthat a lot these days, and understandably so. 2020 presented each of us with a unique, and often brand new, set of challenges. Life is challenging in its ow...

Episode 178 - The Hard Stuff, Part 6 - Dealing With Big Egos from 2020-11-02T06:00

You know the type. The co-worker(s) with the over-inflated ego. It can be a challenge to deal with gracefully. Or maybe you're the one with the big ego. It's OK. Bob and Josh know that feeling....

Episode 177 - The Hard Stuff, Part 5 - Diversity from 2020-10-19T06:00

You've heard our new segments inserted into each episode covering what Bob and Josh are doing to turn the tide on diversity in our industry. Today's episode goes even further and digs into the top...

Episode 176 - The Hard Stuff, Part 4 - Self Awareness from 2020-10-06T06:00

When is the last time someone shared some feedback with you about a shortcoming of yours? Has it been so long that you can't remember the last time it happened? Uh oh. Time for some self awareness...

Episode 175 - The Hard Stuff, Part 3 - Leading Is Lonely from 2020-09-28T06:00

We're here to let you know that you aren't alone in the lonely land of leadership. When leading properly, you put yourself on an island in many ways. This episode will help you through those toug...

Episode 174 - The Hard Stuff, Part 2 - Tell Your Boss They Are Wrong from 2020-08-31T06:00

You know that moment. The one time you knew your boss was wrong, but you couldn't figure out how to convince them that they should listen to you now more than ever? Waiting for things to go sidew...

Episode 173 - The Hard Stuff, Part 1 from 2020-08-10T06:00

There will be moments in your career when a scary, new challenge presents itself. Difficulty is introduced simply because it is new, but the moment's rarity heightens the challenge. Our next seri...

Episode 172 - How Real Leaders Communicate from 2020-08-03T06:00

Were you handed a guidebook or manual when you became a leader? Did someone pull you aside and give you some tips just before you first real tough discussion/moment as a leader? I assume you're li...

Episode 171 - Evaluating The Nexus™ from 2020-07-27T06:00

One of our fantastic listeners sent in a request for us to dig into The Nexus™ from Scrum.org. We know the last episode was an unleashing of frustrations around the pros/cons we see when organizat...

Episode 170 - You Are The Problem from 2020-07-20T06:00

George Costanza: You're giving me the"it's not you, it's me"routine? I invented"it's not you, it's me!"Nobody tells me it's them, not me! If it's anybody, it's me.Gwen: All right, George, it's you....

Episode 169 - Discover Your Superpower from 2020-06-24T06:00

Everyone has a superpower. Everyone. Maybe you haven't discovered it yet. That's OK. We're here to help you figure out what amazingly talent you bring to life and then we want to help you maximize ...

Episode 168 - #BlackLivesMatter from 2020-06-17T06:00

Bob and Josh discuss their feelings, failures, learnings, and intentions regarding the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Episode 167 - Ask Us Anything, Round 2 from 2020-06-03T06:00

The AMA Train keeps rolling, as we cover a few questions from your peers centered on scaling agile teams, transformations, and practices. What scaling challenges/successes do you have to share? L...

Episode 166 - Ask Us Anything, Round 1 from 2020-05-25T06:00

You know our style. We're here to help you get better. To facilitate that, we're entrusting our listeners (that includes YOU) to drive our content in new directions. Ask us ANYTHING. Seriously. ...

Episode 165 - Never Stop Learning from 2020-05-19T06:00

Agile is built on continuous learning& improvement. Are you modeling this behavior every day? Listen as Bob shares his story about how he is investing in his current and future self through co...

Episode 164 - Difficult Conversations Role Play, Part 2 from 2020-05-04T06:00

It took one hundred twenty four episodes, but Josh finally gets the opportunity to erase the nightmare of"Waterfall Bob". In our second part of the Difficult Conversations Role Play series the tabl...

Episode 163 - Difficult Conversations Role Play, Part 1 from 2020-04-19T06:00

We've all been there. Someone in your organization is convinced that something must/can/should happen, but you have no idea how reality can deliver on that challenge. What do you do? How do you ...

Episode 162 - Gratitude from 2020-03-24T06:00

We discuss the individuals (yes, we use names!) that shaped us and our careers. We believe that if our listeners do the same, that each one of you walk away with fond memories and a few exciting ch...

Episode 161 - Don't Panic! from 2020-03-17T06:00

Life is going to throw you a few curve balls, and we're here to help you maintain a steady hand as you lead your family/organization/self through the inevitable tough times. In this episode, Bob a...

Episode 160 - What We Hate About Agile from 2020-02-25T06:00

You would think that recording an episode on Valentine's Day would encourage flowery metaphors and starry-eyed poems as we profess our love of agile. Quite the opposite happened. Bob and Josh deta...

Episode 159 - Handling Feedback Like a Champ from 2020-02-10T07:00

The initial plan was to discuss failure, but Bob and Josh wandered into a discussion centered on how to handle feedback. Without properly handing feedback, failure is just failure. When feedback i...

Episode 158 - 10 Years, Kindness,&New Hosting from 2020-01-27T06:00

This is a big one! Bob and Josh celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Meta-Cast with a couple of gifts, and they dig into the often overlooked value of kindness. Listen and learn what kindness is ...

Episode 157 - Continually Improving Ourselves from 2020-01-13T06:00

As we charge into a new decade, Bob and Josh discuss what they are working on personally and professionally. Do any of these areas of focus resonate with you? What are you working on this year?&nbs...

Episode 156 - Transforming Leadership with The Agile Wire from 2019-12-29T06:00

Bob and Josh join the hosts from https://www.theagilewire.com/ (The Agile Wire) podcast to discuss transformational (a word that created instant debate 😀) leadership. Big thanks to the Jeffs (Bubo...

Episode 155 - Become a Great Leader from 2019-12-16T18:58

Leadership is challenging, but we're here to help. There are too few examples of what truly great leadership looks like, so Bob and Josh provide a window into how a great leader operates. What othe...

Episode 154 - Keeping It Simple from 2019-12-03T02:38:56

How simple are your processes? How simple is your architecture?  Take a look around your organization, and you'll find that unnecessary complexity abounds.  This episode digs into ways in which you...

Episode 153 - The Lost Art of Curiosity from 2019-11-19T01:08:22

Bob and Josh get curious about curiosity. Yes, that was cheesy.  Deal with it...  :)  Anyways, we dig into the numerous ways that curiosity can benefit both you and your team.  We'd love to hear h...

Episode 152 - How To Join A Company from 2019-10-23T01:53:05

Coming off our recent"leave the nest&land safely series", a listener asked us to discuss the best way to join a new company.  Bob and Josh share some tips, along with a few mistakes they made as th...

Episode 151 - The Importance of Diversity from 2019-09-22T23:15:16

Coming out of our previous episodes, Bob and Josh realized we needed to discuss the importance of diversity. Take a listen as we cover the numerous types of diversity (both the kind you can and the...

Episode 150 - A Celebration from 2019-08-28T23:26:58

We made it!  Thanks to all of our listeners and supporters, from all corners of the globe.  Bob and Josh are excited to share our 150th episode with you.  We don't dig into too deep on any traditio...

Episode 149 - Make Big Decisions as a Team from 2019-08-05T02:43:55

We see so many organizations struggle to nail the key decisions that shape their future.  Why?  In this episode, Bob and Josh show you how to engage in healthy dialog across your entire organizatio...

Episode 148 - Landing Safely from 2019-07-22T00:52:25

We wrap up our three-part series that we're affectionately referring to as the"leave the nest and land safely"episodes.  In episodes 146&147, we aggressively kicked you out of the nest, and in this...

Episode 147 - Kicking You Out Of The Nest from 2019-07-08T14:56:11

Episode 146 provided everyone with insights about when it is time to"leave the nest"and find a new gig for yourself.  In this episode, we get more aggressive and provide tools, tips, and tricks to ...

Episode 146 - Leaving The Nest from 2019-06-17T14:20:53

There comes a time in most jobs where it's time to leave, but sometimes that departure is harder than it should be.  In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss ways for you to recognize when it's time t...

Episode 145 - Becoming an Agile Badass from 2019-06-03T13:47:42

Inspired by one of our Agile Podcast Network partners, Badass Agile, Bob and Josh review the attributes required to be an"agile badass".  What traits have you seen if your badass agile colleagues? ...

Episode 144 - Measuring Agile Leaders from 2019-05-20T13:36:54

So much content is written/discussed covering ways to measure agile teams. In fact, we discussed agile metrics in the past, but this episode turns the tables and we discuss how agile leaders should...

Episode 143 - The Cost of Quality from 2019-05-06T13:27:01

Many organizations continuously acquire technical debt. A common source of this growing problem is a lack of understanding of the true cost of quality.  If your organization can't seem to escape a ...

Episode 142 - Performance Management in an Agile Organization from 2019-03-05T02:35:57

In response to the following question from a listener, Bob and Josh discuss how to lead an agile team inside of an organization with traditional, individualized performance management. Can these tw...

Episode 141 - Storytelling in Agile, Part 2 from 2019-01-22T01:15:51

Our previous episode introduced the importance of storytelling in agile.  Towards the end of the episode, we threw out the idea of returning to this topic with some examples and role-playing to hel...

Episode 140 - Storytelling in Agile from 2019-01-08T14:00

Storytelling is an integral part of your success as a leader and/or coach.  Get some tips and tricks from Bob and Josh as they walk you through the reasons storytelling is so important and then pro...

Episode 139 - The Dynamics of New Teams from 2018-12-11T19:14:50

A big thanks to Meta-Cast listener and Twitch chat superstar"firessue"brings us a fantastic challenge for this episode. Standing up new teams is hard, but adding teams and engineers to an existing...

Episode 138 - The Agile Questions You Aren't Asking Yourself from 2018-11-27T14:24

What unknowns will sneak up and cost your team dearly?  If we knew those answers, life would be a lot easier!  Thanks to Laura (AKA laurieblue on our Twitch stream), we were challenged to answer th...

Episode 137 - Remote Agile Teams from 2018-11-07T19:10:19

Remote teams are everywhere.  Agile is everywhere.  Unfortunately, those two don't always mix well together.  We are here to fix that!  Thanks to our listener Ryan, from Virginia, for asking us to ...

Episode 136 - Fear as an Agile Leader from 2018-11-01T01:13:47

It's a special Halloween night episode!  Bob and Josh wrap up their series on fear in the agile world with a deep dive into common sources of fear for leaders in the agile world.  If you are an agi...

Episode 135 - Agile Coaches Are Scary from 2018-10-23T10:30

Episode 134 dug into common generators of fear that teams experience during an agile transition.  Sticking with our scary/spooky theme for October, we decided to turn the tables around and examine ...

Episode 134 - Fear In The Agile World from 2018-10-11T10:30

Halloween is near, so we decided (thanks to a tip from a listener on Twitter) to dig into the numerous ways fear presents itself in the agile world.  Aside from identifying common patterns and situ...

Episode 133 - Troublesome Team Members from 2018-09-19T15:36

No team is perfect.  At some point in your team's evolution a team member will have a string of bad days that cause a significant amount of strife and turmoil in your team.  Use this episode to pic...

Episode 132 - Just The Right Amount of Agile Process from 2018-07-31T13:44

How do you know when you have too little/too much process in place?  Use this episode to get an understanding of what a"good enough"process looks like for a team of 5 versus a team of 50 so that yo...

Episode 131 - Can an agile team plan too much? from 2018-05-24T10:30

This episode's topic comes from a listener via Twitter.  Big thanks to @Paul_V_Elia for the great question.  @bobgalen and @nosrednAhsoJ you mentioned the possibility of a follow up on #noestima...

Episode 130 - Customer Feedback from 2018-05-03T11:30

What should you do with customer feedback?  Ignore it?  Trust it completely?  Something in the middle?  Bob and Josh dig in and help you understand the best way to use customer feedback to support ...

Episode 129 - Agile FAQs, Part 2 from 2018-04-24T12:30

With 120+ podcast episodes, hundreds of speaking engagements, and hundreds of teams/companies coached, Bob and Josh have seen just about everything.  Using all of that experience, we continue our d...

Episode 128 - Agile FAQs from 2018-04-10T12:30

With 120+ podcast episodes, hundreds of speaking engagements, and hundreds of teams/companies coached, Bob and Josh have seen just about everything.  Using all of that experience, we narrowed down ...

Episode 127 - Agile Estimates or No Estimates? from 2018-03-26T12:30

The relationship between most agile practices, estimates, and the planning those estimates relate to is a tricky one.  Many agile practitioners subscribe to the #NoEstimates movement.  Bob and Josh...

Episode 126 - Speaking Truth To Power from 2018-03-08T04:43

Successful agile adoptions and transitions require truth, in all directions.  Unfortunately, many of us are ill-equipped to speak truth in the most challenging direction: towards power.  Use this e...

Episode 125 - Agile Architecture from 2018-02-13T14:05

Bob and Josh break down how architecture fits effectively into the agile process.  If your organization is struggling to mix appropriate architecture practices into your process and remain agile, t...

Episode 124 - Becoming a Conference Speaker from 2018-01-31T13:30

Continuing the discussion from our previous episode, Bob and Josh recall their journeys into conference speaking.  We also provide a few lessons learned in hopes of one of our listeners decide to t...

Episode 123 - Changing The Conference Landscape from 2018-01-11T13:30

Bob has a new role!  We cover the changes happening for Bob in his new role as the Program Chair for TechWell and the changes he aims to implement in future conferences.  We also dig in a bit to wh...

Episode 122 - Red Hat Agile Day Q&A Session from 2017-10-31T12:30

On October 12th, Bob and Josh hosted a live, unscripted podcast recording session answering the audience's questions in real time.  This episode is the recording of that session.  We hope you enjoy...

Episode 121 - Scrum Master Role Confusion from 2017-09-28T12:30

Many organizations overload the scrum master role, causing confusion for both the team(s) and the scrum master themselves.  We tackle this issue in response to a question from a listener's question...

Episode 120 - Management vs. Leadership from 2017-09-04T16:37

Bob and Josh revisit a topic from a recent panel they participated in covering the challenges many management roles face in a transition to agile.  We talk through the key differences between tradi...

Episode 119 - Stories vs. Tasks vs. Epics from 2017-08-15T02:15

In our previous episode, we detailed when it is appropriate to create tasks for each of your stories.  After listening to that episode, a listener requested some details on the differences between ...

Episode 118 - User Stories, Tasks,&Sprint Planning from 2017-07-28T13:22:25

When it comes to planning sprints and their associated user stories, should your team also create, assign, and size individual tasks?  Bob and Josh debate this topic and help you streamline your te...

Episode 117 - The Importance of Fun from 2017-07-05T13:00

Scrum can be a real drag.  After dozens and dozens of sprints, your team looks forward to yet another sprint with all of the same ceremonies.  Hooray... How can you make the endless sea ofsprints ...

Episode 116 - Is Kanban right for you? from 2017-06-20T13:00

We've all been there.  Scrum is getting old, and you want to try something new.  Here comes Kanban to save the day!  Maybe not.  Kanban sometimes just makes things worse.  We help you figure out if...

Episode 115 - Responsible Leadership from 2017-05-25T13:00

Great leadership is hard to find.  When you boil leadership down to its essence, all you need is a little responsibility.   In this episode, learn what great leadership looks likeso that you can e...

Episode 114 - Building an Agile Backlog From Scratch from 2017-05-09T13:03

Agile teams perform best when they have a well formed, and continuously refined, backlog.  That sounds great, but how do you get there if you don't have a backlog yet?!?  How in the world do you ge...

Episode 113 - Agile Questions and Answers from 2017-04-19T13:00

We collected dozens of audience questions from one of our recent speaking engagements.  In this episode, we answer them for you, in rapid fire mode.  Good luck finding a more answer-packed agile po...

Episode 112 - Radical Candor from 2017-03-29T14:45

Great teams, and leaders, build a safe environment where truths are told, even if they hurt a little.  How healthy is your team and their relationships?  Are truths told in a healthy manner?  If t...

Episode 111 - Middle Management&Agile from 2017-03-09T13:30

Agile adoption is difficult.  When you are in middle management during an agile transformation, so many questions are raised.  What is my role?  How do I effectively lead in this new paradigm?  Doe...

Episode 110 - Great Agile Backlogs from 2017-02-22T12:22:31

It all starts with a backlog.  The health of an agile team correlates directly with the state of its backlog.   That all sounds great.  How do we get our backlog to be"great"?  Listen to this podc...

Episode 109 - Building An Agile Brand from 2017-02-07T13:30

Learn the importance of treating yourself as a brand, especially in the agile community.  Bob and Josh share their experience, and a few tips, as they walk through their thought processes in buildi...

Episode 108 - Importance of Tempo from 2017-01-25T14:00

Why is cadence/temp so important to agile success?  It is amazing to see how something as simple as a well defined cadence reduces the"noise"of a process and provides focus for teams and individual...

Episode 107 - Bad Cop, Bad Cop: When Agile Isn't Right For You from 2017-01-17T14:00

Even though Bob and Josh believe agile is the right path, there are some situations when trying to"go agile"just might not be right.  We take a deep dive into uncovering common indicators that taki...

Episode 106 - Agile Roles and Responsiblities from 2016-12-19T14:00

How should you handle roles inside an agile team?  Can/should you share responsibilities or is it best to have a bunch of specialists?  Bob and Josh share their views on how highly effective agile ...

Episode 105 - Excellence as a Product Owner from 2016-11-30T17:50:48

What exactly does a rockstar product owner look like?  Would you know one when you see one?  After this podcast, that won't be a problem!  Bob and Josh dig into what it takes to really be a world c...

Episode 104 - Meta-Guest Richard Khor from 2016-11-09T14:00

Richard Khor joins Bob and Josh to discuss his agile journey.  As the first scrum master at Dude Solutions, Richard provides additional context into the daily like of a scrum master.  Learn from so...

Episode 103 - Agile Frameworks: when to hold'em and when to fold'em! from 2016-10-19T12:30

In response to a listener request, we dig deeper in to the approach Josh and the Dude Solutions team uses to select and tweak agile frameworks for their unique problem set.  Bob and Josh step throu...

Episode 102 - How To Give Back To The Agile Community from 2016-10-05T16:39:42

Everyone started with a base desire to learn agile.  Someone reached out, lent a hand, and helped you get up to speed.  Maybe it was a blog, a co-worker, or even a podcast, but someone offered you...

Episode 101 - Explaining Agile To Non-Software People from 2016-09-22T13:38:54

We spend most of our days focusing on agile, writing code, and everything else that goes into delivering world class software.  However, agile is applicable well beyond the realm of software engine...

Episode 100 - Six Years of Agile Learning from 2016-09-07T12:30

After six years (and 100 episodes!) of learning and growing, Bob and Josh take a look back at how they, and their agile opinions, changed over the years. A big thanks to Cory Bryan for the topic id...

Episode 99- Good Cop, Bad Cop on SAFe from 2016-08-15T13:30

Bob and Josh revisit their"good cop, bad cop"routine and apply it to SAFe.  In this episode, Josh takes the side of pro-SAFe, while Bob attempts to persuade Josh that adopting SAFe is not the best ...

Episode 98 - Career Paths for Scrum Masters&Product Owners from 2016-07-31T16:00

As organizations adopt agile, many employees evolve their career to adopt roles such as scrum master and product owner.  What do the career paths look like for someone in these roles?  Bob and Josh...

Episode 97 - Continuous Improvement from 2016-07-13T11:30

Continuous improvement is a foundation of agile, but generating a culture that fosters and even requires it can be a bit tricky.  Learn how to transform your culture with tips and tricks from Bob a...

Episode 96 - Frameworks as a Silver Bullet (FaaSB), The Fallacy... from 2016-06-28T12:00

Frameworks, frameworks, frameworks!  So many folks are selling one, and everyone else thinks they need one.  Bob and Josh rip into the idea that any one framework can be a silver bullet for your si...

Episode 95 - Building Self-Directed Teams from 2016-05-31T16:50:59

In response to this #meta-question on Twitter... @metahyphencast #meta-question I am reading Mike Cohn's take on coaching teams to be self organizing. Are there any Meta-Casts on this? — John Ka...

Episode 94 - Agile Is Dead from 2016-05-18T17:24:16

Is that title just clickbait? Give us a listen and find out...  ;) Just kidding!  Don't worry, we really do dig into a growing movement declaring that agile is dead.  Some of our more recent exper...

Episode 93 - Revisiting Agile Testing from 2016-04-19T16:47:10

We originally discussed agile testing over 5 years (and 80 episodes) ago.  Today we revisit the topic to learn how our views of testing in an agile world have evolved.  We cover topics ranging from...

Episode 92 - How to Hire a Scrum Master from 2016-04-12T14:44

Hiring a Scrum Master is one of those things that doesn't happen often, especially when you compare it to how often you hire an engineer to fill a role in your agile team.  Like anything in life, p...

Episode 91 - Revisiting Trust from 2016-03-29T16:55:39

http://traffic.libsyn.com/metahyphencast/2016.03.18_meta-cast.mp3 (Episode 90) set the stage for our"return to basics"approach.  The first step of that approach requires us to start at the beginnin...

Episode 90 - Revisiting The Basics, Part 1 from 2016-03-23T15:32:22

A big thanks goes out to our listeners that have either been with us from the beginning or those that went all the way back to episode #1 and binge-listened until they were caught up. We know not e...

Episode 89 - Coaching Up from 2016-03-17T15:32:52

In our last http://www.meta-cast.com/2016/03/episode-88-leading-agile-organization.html (episode) we discussed how to lead an organization into the world of agile.  Now we tackle supporting your ag...

Episode 88 - Leading An Agile Organization from 2016-03-02T15:30

So much talking, writing, debating, etc. is done around how to operate an agile team.  What about the rest of the organization?  If you are a leader, how does agile affect you and your daily effort...

Episode 87 - Introducing The Agile Donut from 2016-02-17T14:00

Josh introduces what The Dude team calls"The Agile Donut"to Bob.  This new model (some might even call it a framework) combines multiple agile approaches into a successful, unique recipe for scalin...

Episode 86 - Microservices&Agile from 2016-02-04T14:00

Like the word"agile", the"microservices"buzzword gets thrown around a lot.  Just like agile again, it often gets used by folks who don't fully understand what it means.  In fact, you may already ha...

Episode 85 - The Origin Story from 2016-01-22T20:05:23

Every band of superheroes has an origin story.  Learn how our dynamic duo of Bob and Josh came together.  This episode covers how we met, the struggles we worked through while helping Teradata adop...

Episode 84 - How far to push as a Scrum Master? from 2016-01-12T14:00

Bob and Josh tackle a listener request centered around how far/hard should a Scrum Master push the team when they aren't fully bought in to the agile process.  We share our experience in situations...

Episode 83 - Football and agile, how closely related are they? from 2015-12-28T15:35:59

It is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowl_game (bowl season) here in the US, so we decided to explore how closely related the game of football and all of its preparation are related to traditional a...

Episode 82 - Integrating UX into Agile from 2015-11-09T13:30

One of the more common questions we get centers around ways to integrate a UX team/process/approach into Agile.  Bob and Josh share their experiences and approaches that worked/didn't work in hopes...

Episode 81 - Chicken Rules from 2015-10-28T13:00

We identify a few rules of engagement for members of your organization that are not a part of the scrum team.  We discuss where the term"chicken"originated from and provide tips and tricks for anyo...

Episode 80 - Runaway Roles! from 2015-09-22T13:00

An agile team's struggles can often be attributed to one of the primary scrum roles (scrum master, product owner,&team) running amok.  Bob and Josh dig into common reasons causing each role to begi...

Episode 79 - Growing Great Scrum Masters from 2015-09-08T15:00

Where do great scrum masters come from and how can you groom them in your organization?  Bob and Josh dig into various ways to make that happen.  We also cover some of the most common anti-patterns...

Episode 78 - The Three Amigos from 2015-08-27T13:00

Sticking with our recent theme of threes (see the http://www.meta-cast.com/2015/08/episode-77-three-bears-of-agile-team.html (previous episode)), Bob intoduces us to http://www.velocitypartners.net...

Episode 77 - The Three Bears of Agile Team Sizing from 2015-08-17T13:30

Too big?  Too small?  Just right?  Where does your team fit in that paradigm? We share our experiences in building agile teams and describe what"just right"looks like.  How do you know when to sto...

Episode 76 - The Great Release Planning Debate from 2015-07-30T14:48:02

We revisit our often debated topic of release planning.  Josh slipped up in http://www.meta-cast.com/2015/07/episode-75-squads-chapters-tribes-oh-my.html (episode 75) and mentioned a new appreciati...

Episode 75 - Squads, Chapters,&Tribes... Oh My!!! from 2015-07-20T13:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh respond to a listener request around our views/implementations of Spotify's agile approach.  Vic (https://twitter.com/agilecoffee (@AgileCoffee)) asked specifically ab...

Episode 74 - Agile Collaboration Across Your Entire Organization from 2015-06-16T12:30

In this episode, Bob and Josh wrap up their three part series on collaboration.  In doing so we tackle the final step an organizaiton takes in becoming truly agile.  Learn how to enable your entire...

Episode 73 - Technical Product Ownership from 2015-06-08T15:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss the challenges presented to a product owner and team when stories classified as"non-product"work land in the backlog.  These stories typically include architec...

Episode 72 - Speedcast on Scrum Masters&Sound Quality from 2015-05-28T21:20:31

In this speedcast Bob and Josh help you recognize a good scrum master from a bad scrum master.  We also chat about our new audio setup and how we expect it to drastically improve our audio quality....

Episode 71 - Successfully Scale Collaboration Across Agile Teams from 2015-05-18T13:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh continue discussing the three levels of collaboration.  After tackling collaboration inside an agile team in our previous episode, we dig into how to scale collaborati...

Episode 70 - Maximize Collaboration Inside Your Agile Team from 2015-05-04T15:31:34

In this episode, Bob and Josh kick off a series discussing the three levels of collaboration in an agile organization.  Level one focuses on maximizing collaboration inside of each agile team.  Lea...

Episode 69 - Why are so many agile adoptions failing? from 2015-04-15T13:00

  In this episode, Bob and Josh talk through common agile transition failures.  We provide solutions to many of these problems so that you and your team can succeed in your implementation of Agile...

Episode 68 - Estimation Demystified! from 2015-03-12T12:00

As a continuation from Episode 67's goal of demystifying story points, Bob and Josh dig into estimations.  When should you do them?  How long should they take?  Who should do the estimations?   Ta...

Episode 67 - Story Points Demystified! from 2015-02-16T13:30

What are story points?   Why would we use them?How do we pick a unit? Can I make my teams all use the same numbers?How do we get started? We answer all of these and more as we dig into the hotly...

Episode 66 - The Future of Agile from 2015-01-16T13:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh respond to a listener request from https://twitter.com/sjoerddruiven (@sjoerddruiven) about the future of agile.  We dig into our hopes for agile's future and also som...

Episode 65 - Strategically Planning Sprints from 2014-12-23T17:09:43

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss various ways to plan, and execute, your sprints in a strategic manner.  Many teams suffer for a microscopic view of their current sprint and struggle to proper...

Episode 64 - Revisiting SAFe from 2014-12-02T13:30

In this episode, Bob and Josh revisit the Scaled Agile Framework (AKA SAFe).  Josh recently attended a"Leading SAFe"class and that generates some juicy discussion around what SAFe may, or may not, ...

Episode 63 - Managing Team Capacity from 2014-11-17T14:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss various ways to plan, understand, and manage your team's capacity.  We cover a few real-world examples of how to get a brand new team off and running without a...

Episode 62 - Hardening Sprints, Good or Bad? from 2014-11-03T14:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss the concept of hardening sprints and what, if any, value they add.  This has been a long standing debate for us, so it is good to finally get it out to our lis...

Episode 61 - Assembling An Agile Team from 2014-09-17T13:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss ways to assemble an optimal agile team.  We also get into an interesting debate over what candidates (including Bob and Josh) should wear to an interview.  We ...

Episode 60 - The Great Space Debate from 2014-09-02T12:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss various seating options for your agile teams.  The endless debate around open office layouts earns a large amount of our discussion.  Regardless of your stance...

Episode 59 - Tricia Broderick from 2014-07-31T13:00

In this episode Bob and Josh chat with Tricia Broderick about conflict resolution in agile teams.  We dig into the topics she covers in her session at Agile Development Practices/Better Software Co...

Episode 58 - Meta-Guest David Hussman from 2014-06-12T13:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh sit down with David Hussman (https://twitter.com/davidhussman (@davidhussman)), of DevJam Studios, at the Agile Development Practices and Better Softare Conference in ...

Episode 57 - Coaching Outside Your Agile Teams from 2014-05-09T19:30:29

In this episode Bob and Josh discuss who, how, when and why you should be coaching your organziation beyond the teams you lead/manage/are a part of.  We view this as a very important step in agile ...

Episode 56 - Developer Metrics&Agile Purists from 2014-04-22T13:00

In this episode Bob and Josh address two listener questions.  The first question covers developer metrics and understanding individual and team effectiveness.  Our second question centers on agile ...

Episode 55 - The Struggling Team Member Support Plan from 2014-04-07T13:03:41

In this episode, Bob and Josh respond to a listener question about what to do when a team member is not performing as well as the team needs them to.  What should the team do?  What should their ma...

Episode 54 - Agile Team Composition from 2014-03-26T14:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh respond to a listener question around assembling an agile team.  The primary question centers around inclusion of team members that prefer to be told what to do.  We d...

Episode 53 - To tool, or not to tool from 2014-03-10T13:00

In this episode Bob and Josh revisit their first debate (now over half a decade old now).  We cover the pros and cons of each side of the the debate and give a few tips on how to make the tools wor...

Episode 52 - Sprint Predictability Through Effective Packing from 2014-02-24T14:00

In this episode Bob and Josh discuss patterns and practices that can be used to inrease preditability in your sprints.  Nothing wears a team down faster than sporadic sprint planning and execution....

Episode 51 - Recruiting for an agile team from 2014-01-02T14:00

In this episode Bob and Josh divulge some tips and tricks we use when hiring for an agile team.  We walk through a few of our hiring practices and even talk through a few sample questions.  The str...

Episode 50 - The Essence of Agile from 2013-12-26T15:35:43

50 episodes!?!?  After 3 years and 50 episodes spanning all kinds of crazy topics, we get back to basics in this show.  In our last meta-cast we discussed how Agile has http://www.meta-cast.com/20...

Episode 49 - Has Agile Jumped The Shark? from 2013-12-03T14:30

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss whether or not Agile has https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark (jumped the shark).  After educating Bob on what that term means, we dig into the real...

Episode 48 - Discussing Open Allocation from 2013-11-25T15:00

In this episode Bob and Josh discuss the concept of Open Allocation and how it could be applied to a company.  As a primer, here are some links that augment the podcast as we repeatedly refer to Va...

Episode 47 - Saying No from 2013-09-12T13:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss the numerous times that saying no is required.  We discuss the issues preventing many folks from saying no when their gut is telling them that they have to spe...

Speed-Cast on Technical Debt from 2013-09-11T13:00

As you likley read on Twitter, we had a little issue with our new microphone that generated some feedback during our last recording.  Because of that static, we chose not to post the episode.  Howe...

Episode 46 - What's wrong with agile adoption? (AKA The Dope Slap Episode) from 2013-08-16T12:30

In this episode Bob and Josh discuss the issues we see in the lagging agile adoption dilemma that seems rather prevalent these days.  Is it poor teaching?  Is it teams that just don't listen?  What...

Episode 45 - How important is estimation? from 2013-08-05T13:00

In this episode Bob and Josh discuss the importance of estimation in the world of software development.  Can a project survive without estimation?  Is estimation a skill that can be honed and impro...

Episode 44 - What's Wrong With Retrospectives? from 2013-07-25T13:30

In this episode Bob and Josh discuss common misconceptions and missteps in retrospecitves.  You'll quickly learn how passionate we are on this subject as the discussion heats up.  We provide ideas ...

Episode 43 - Defining Culture from 2013-06-07T18:00

In this episode Bob and Josh tackle the ever-elusive concept of team culture.  We attempt to apply some form of definition for the concept and provide some tips on how to improve it within your tea...

Episode 42 - Defending Agile Against Waterfall Bob from 2013-04-25T12:53:57

In this episode, Bob transforms into a waterfall advocate. Josh fights to convince him that Agile is more than just a buzzword and that can help his projects.  While this debate was a fun execise f...

Episode 41 - Deep Dive Into The Product Owner Quadrants from 2013-04-18T12:33:20

In this episode, Bob and Josh begin defining the concept of the product owner quadrants.  It comes as a shock to no one that we only worked through the first quadrant in 36 minutes!  The first quad...

Episode 40 - A retrospective... from 2013-04-11T12:54:14

40th episode already!?!? Bob and Josh pause for the 40th episode to do a classic scrum retrospective of the Meta-Cast itself.  All three questions (what did we do well, what could we do better at,...

Episode 39 - The Certification Rant from 2013-03-19T12:30

Bob and Josh unleash some fury on the proliferation of agile-centric certificaitons over the past 12-18 months.  Are there any certifications really worth the skyrocketing expense to earn and maint...

Quick Diversion - An Outtake from 2013-03-05T21:49:40

Some of the best stuff happens before we even turn the microphone on, so I am trying to just hit the record button and see what happens.  Here is a quick look into what Bob and I do before you hear...

Episode 38 - Agile Starter Kit #4 from 2013-02-25T18:56

In this episode, Bob and Josh wrap-up their initial pass at what fits into the Agile Starter Kit.  They end with talking through some of the technical aspects of implementing Agile in your workplac...

Episode 37 - Halftime Rants from 2013-02-15T19:04:20

In this episode, Bob and Josh take a break from the Agile Starter Kit series to talk through some current events.  Bob unloads on Dean Leffingwell and his SAFe Certification Program.  After listeni...

Episode 36 - Agile Starter Kit, Part 3 from 2013-02-08T20:15:25

We are back! Bob and Josh dig into defining the actual team members required for your starter team.  What are the roles and responsiblities needed to make a Shu team grow into a Ha team?  Who do yo...

Episode 35 - Agile Starter Kit, Part 2 from 2013-01-19T15:00

In this episode, Bob and Josh continue the definition of their agile starter kit by defining what a sprint looks like.  How long is it and what are the ceremonies that drive the tempo? These items ...

Episode 34 - Agile Starter Kit, Part 1 from 2013-01-11T19:19

In this episode, Bob and Josh start digging into the starter kit.  We attack the basic setup needed for a team by covering things like team size, team members, working space, and whiteboard usage. ...

Episode 30 - Courage from 2012-10-05T21:09:58

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss the numerous areas requiring courage in our industry.  Why do so many people struggle to say"no"?  Where can I be more courageous?  We answer these questions a...

Episode 29 - Enabling Change from 2012-07-17T01:50:36

In this episode Bob and Josh discuss how you can enable change throughout your team.  We even discuss the idea of enabling too much change and the dangers that can be presented with that mistake.

Episode 28 - Discussing the Stoos Movement from 2012-07-04T02:35:29

Bob and Josh tackle the movement commonly referred to as Stoos.  We discuss our views of the movement, how it may affect you, and whether or not you should actually care or pay attention.

Episode 27 - Release Planning - Estimation from 2012-04-27T12:33:48

Bob and Josh come right back to the Release Planning topic to dig into some of its juicier bits.  In this episode, Bob and Josh tackle the ever challenging topic of estimation.  When should you do ...

Episode 26 - Release Planning from 2012-04-24T20:59:18

Bob and Josh return after a 5 month hiatus!!! In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss styles of release planning and some of the pitfalls we've run into in our travels.

Episode 25 - Innovation from 2011-11-21T21:00:50

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss various ways to drive innovation within your teams.  Ideas include 20% time, FedEx/Innovation days, and a couple of others.  Insight is also given into how to ...

Episode 24 - Reflections from 2011-10-10T12:45:17

In this episode Bob and Josh review lessons learned over the past year and discuss some of the improvements currently at the top of their personal backlog.

Episode 23 - Fireside Chats (A.K.A."The Un-Topic") from 2011-09-01T12:17:59

In this meta-cast Bob and Josh go topic-less and chat about challenges facing each of their current teams. Topics range from oscillating between Scrum and Kanban to getting that mystical, magical ...

Episode 22 - Patterns of Mature Agile Teams from 2011-07-12T18:12:56

In this episode, Bob and Josh discuss some common patterns displayed by truly mature agile teams. We cover a wide range of patters including teamwork, test infection, and automation.

Episode 20 - Starting Agile Projects from 2011-06-02T14:53:37

Bob and Josh discuss tips and tricks you can use when starting an agile project. We cover the concept of a Sprint 0, rolling wave planning, and the varying levels of planning needed for small and l...

Episode 19 - Methodology Mixology from 2011-05-20T15:14:51

Bob and Josh discuss the various methodologies in use across the agile community and how mixing them together can benefit your teams. We cover numerous use cases in which applying techniques from ...

Episode 18 - Conferences from 2011-05-06T13:27:52

Bob and Josh discuss technology conferences. With a goal of helping you get the most out of any technology conference you are attending, our topics of discussion include attendee etiquette, how to...

Episode 17 - Failed Sprints from 2011-04-21T14:54:27

Bob and Josh discuss common causes of failed sprints. We not only tackle the causes, but we also provide options for preventing future failures and identify early warning signals for sprint failures.

Episode 16 - Manager Anti-Patterns from 2011-02-28T14:12:32

Bob and Josh discuss some of the more common anti-patterns managers have been known to display (topics range from lack of trust all the way to disengagement). Hopefully, you've never been exposed ...

Episode 15 - Retrospectives from 2011-02-07T22:06:36

Bob and Josh tackle another listener-submitted question. This one centers around retrospectives. Topics in the discussion range from patterns and anti-patters we've seen out in the wild to tips an...

Episode 14 - Agile Adoption from 2011-01-27T18:00:43

Bob and Josh tackle their first listener-submitted question, which centers around agile adoption. How do you start an agile adoption? What are some of the pre-reqs for a successful adoption (tool...

Episode 13 - Agile Testing, Part 2 from 2011-01-02T22:46:17

Bob and Josh wrap up their two-part discussion of testing in an agile team. This second session covers various agile testing subjects, from continuous integration to automated test development.

Episode 12 - Agile Testing, Part 1 from 2010-11-08T06:06:08

Bob and Josh start their two-part discussion of testing in an agile team. This first session covers numerous agile testing subjects, from the role of testers in an agile team to test driven develo...

Episode 11 - Hiring For Agile Teams from 2010-10-19T02:24:51

Bob and Josh discuss ideas, tips, and tricks that can be used when hiring for an agile team.

Episode 10 - Tempo from 2010-09-09T06:00

Bob and Josh discuss various topics around a team's tempo. Items covered include sprint tempo, release tempo, and the effects that various tempos have on a team's productivity.

Episode 9 - What makes a good team? from 2010-08-25T06:00

Bob and Josh continue the discussion of classic scrum roles by tackling the role of the team.

Episode 8 - What makes a good product owner? from 2010-07-13T06:00

Bob and Josh continue the discussion of classic scrum roles by tackling the product owner role.

Episode 7 - What makes a good scrum master? from 2010-06-17T06:00

Bob and Josh discuss the traits required to be a top-flight scrum master and some of the common pitfalls teams have in identifying the right person(s) to serve as scrum master.

Episode 6 - Agile, In Real Life... from 2010-05-12T06:00

Bob and Josh discuss how Agile has changed their lives outside of Software Development.

Episode 5 - Stakeholder Engagement from 2010-03-24T06:00

Bob and Josh discuss tips and tricks for working with your stakeholders. Discussions range from dealing with disconnected stakeholders that need to engage to an over-engaged stakeholder that won't ...

Episode 4 - Self-Directed Teams from 2010-03-10T17:00

Bob and Josh discuss self-directed teams and how important they are to the success of any Agile adoption.

Episode 3 - Shu Ha Ri from 2010-02-24T17:00

Bob and Josh discuss the concept of Shu Ha Ri and how it applies to agile adoption.

Episode 2 - Agile Principles from 2010-01-28T17:00

Bob and Josh discuss some of the guiding principles that Agile is founded on. We cover the four key values identified in the Agile Manifesto. In doing so, we also highlight a handful of our favor...

Episode 1 - Trust from 2010-01-14T17:00

Bob and Josh discuss trust and how it affects software development teams.