Author name: Johanna

I help you identify and solve the problems that prevent you from releasing systems, hiring the right people, deciding which project to work on next. I take a pragmatic approach: what will work best for you, now? Some people call me a focuser. Some call me an accelerator. When I work with people, first we define our goal together. Typically, it's to get a better product out the door faster. I work with my clients to help managers figure out how to do the managing better, and how the technical contributors can contribute better, not to create a by-the-book system. I work with you, your staff, and your current product development practices. Together, we learn what works well for you and what doesn't. I believe in changing only what needs to be changed at the current time, to maximize your success. We work together to develop a blueprint for the future, and to build in capacity to recognize and implement change.

MPD

Webinar Series for Orasi

  If you’ve wanted to catch some of my presentations but were unable to make it to a conference or one of my speaking engagements, you have three opportunities this fall that don’t require you to leave your desk. I’ll be doing a series of webinars for Orasi, about the impact of people and relationships

HTP, network

Networking for Candidates at Conferences

Too often, people think of conferences as boondoggles. As a frequent conference speaker, I can tell you that it’s possible you’d encounter a marketing presentation devoid of technical content at a conference–once. I doubt that speaker would be allowed to return. As a result, conferences are a great place to start learning about new things,

MPD, risk

Managers and (Disaster) Planning

  I’ve been watching, reading, and listening to the Katrina coverage over the past week. And the one thing that stands out for me is my perception that there was a lack of disaster planning. I’m not going to play the blame game–there’s plenty to go around. But here are the questions I would have

Books, MPD

Behind Closed Doors Available for Pre-Order

  Behind Closed Doors is available for preorder. The book is at the printer, and we expect hardcopies to start shipping late September. In the meantime, if you can’t wait (and I hope you can’t :-), you can buy the combo-pack of the PDF (now) and the book (later in September).

HTP, network

Networking for Candidates at Technical Societies

I’ve received at least a half-dozen requests for help finding people in the last week. So it’s certainly time to think about ways to find candidates. (I have a whole chapter on sourcing strategy and examples in Hiring the Best Knowledge Workers, Techies & Nerds). In the meantime, if you just want to consider technical

MPD, thinking

Interventions

If you haven’t read the classic Places to Intervene in a System, take a little time and do so. My colleague Don Gray has written an afterword that relates the article to software product development. I’m realizing that the way I do assessments uses these interventions. I have to think more about how to write

MPD, personal

Change is in the Air

My ISP is not allowing emails to my domain name address (again!), so I will be changing ISPs this week. And, I’m chauffering Daughter#1 to colleges, so don’t expect anything from me this week.

HTP, interview

Structuring Interview Time

When I teach interviewing, many people want to know how to shorten their interviews. They think they spend too much time interviewing candidates. When I probe a little more, here’s what I find. Many people spend 30 minutes or less in the interview. They try to “sell” the organization in the interview. They ask only

MPD, podcast

Podcast of "The Rising Young Manager"

If you’d like to hear some of what’s in Behind Closed Doors, Andy has recorded an mp3 of one of our sidebars, “The Fable of the Rising Young Manager.” BTW, I thought it was thrilling the first time I saw my name in print as an author. Now that I hear our words, it’s just

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