Johanna Rothman, Management Consultant
Expert in Managing Product Development
Vasco and I had a wonderful discussion about the Modern Management Made Easy books on his Scrum Master podcast. Listen to BONUS: Modern Management trilogy by Johanna Rothman. We discussed why Scrum Masters and coaches might want to read these books. And how to use the information in the books. (Hint: to support and serve …
Continue reading “Explore Modern Management on a Bonus Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast with Vasco”
When you’re starting off as a consultant, you might take the first one or two engagements a client offers. However, at some point, you’ll see an engagement that is wrong. It’s wrong for the client. It’s wrong for you. No one will see the results either of you wants. What should you do? I see …
Continue reading “Consultants: Clarify Engagements You Will and Will Not Take”
I delivered a Modern Management Made Easy talk and ranted about 100% utilization. One of the questions in the chat was: “Don’t consultants want 100% utilization? If you’re not working, you’re not billing.” Here’s how consultants create utilization-based billing: By the hour. Even worse, in 15-minute increments. Time and materials. I don’t do that. Why …
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We all like to think we use our value-based integrity to decide and act. And I bet you’ve seen people who don’t appear to use that kind of integrity. If you talk to them, they say they intend to do the right thing. However, they don’t always act according to their intentions. Here’s an example …
Continue reading “Leadership Tip #2: Do the Right Thing, Even When it Feels Uncomfortable”
You’re a middle or senior manager in an organization trying to hold on in these crazy times. And you just discovered you’re shipping the wrong version of the product. (Or your product doesn’t work or it has some kind of horrible defect.) Your customers are angry. Your employees are running around, trying to fix the …
Continue reading “Leadership Tip #1: Always Tell the Truth, Even When You’re Embarrassed”
I had a great time with Jeff and Squirrel on their podcast, Troubleshooting Agile. They focus on what our conversations can tell us about ourselves. We spoke about the Modern Management Made Easy books in Johanna Rothman on Modern Management Part 1. Here’s a highlight idea from the podcast: a transition to management is a …
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You’re a busy product person, a Product Owner. You have information the team needs, and you want to meet. A lot. You see the need for these meetings: Standups Backlog refinement Iteration planning Strategic updates, so the team knows what’s going on. Sounds reasonable. Except, the team thinks you want to meet too often. What …
Continue reading “Decide When You Need to Meet, Workshop, or Write to Save Energy and Time”
Are you on “Paid Time Off” (PTO) this and/or next week? Several of my clients claim they’re on PTO. That’s what their “away” email says. Yet, they’ve sent me emails, direct messages, all kinds of interactions. What gives? Several possibilities. Too often, they feel they must: Finish some work before the end of the year. …
Steve, a software development manager, thought John was a “10x” developer. He explained that John could: Coded faster than anyone else. Write and release full applications over a weekend. “Mind-meld” with the users. No one else in Steve’s group could do this. Was I willing to support and coach the other people in Steve’s group …
Continue reading “Why Very Few (If Any) People Are “10x” Developers—Or Managers”
One of my reviewers for the Modern Management Made Easy books asked a fascinating question: I’ve never seen this many women in management or in senior leadership positions. Do these stories reflect your experience? Yes, the stories reflect my experience. Let me offer a little history. My History, Not Anyone Else’s History I started to …