Definitely, Maybe Agile – Détails, épisodes et analyse

What happens when your greatest strength becomes your biggest blind spot? In this episode, Peter and Dave sit down with Jill Macauley, COO of Behavioral Essentials, to explore how self-awareness shapes better leadership. They dig into why even talented leaders struggle with identity shifts, how generational expectations are changing the workplace, and why the best coaches focus on small tweaks rather than complete overhauls. From the reluctant engineer-turned-manager to the chef who can't slow down, this conversation gets real about the grief of letting go of old identities and the messy work of looking in the mirror.

This week´s takeaway: 

1. Your gifts become your blind spots when overused. That strength that got you promoted? It might be working against you now. The key is recognizing when speed becomes recklessness, when confidence becomes rigidity, or when expertise becomes tunnel vision.
2. Identity shifts are a grieving process. Moving from individual contributor to leader to leader of leaders isn't just a promotion. It requires letting go of the identity you've built your career on, and that loss is real. Give yourself (and others) permission to struggle with it.
3. Skip the woo-woo, ask "why" instead. Self-reflection doesn't have to feel soft or abstract. Simple questions like "Why did I react that way?" or "What role am I playing in this?" are pragmatic tools that work in any meeting, with any team.

In this episode, Peter Maddison and Dave Sharrock sit down with Josh Hill, an HR innovator who's challenging the traditional transactional approach to people management. Josh shares his unconventional journey from the Australian military to progressive HR, where he's pioneering the concept of "work as a product" at marketing agency Tier 11 and through his recruiting venture, Super Hired.

Josh explains how HR teams can shift from rushing to solutions toward discovery-led approaches that treat employees as customers. He walks through real examples of iterative onboarding improvements, the importance of understanding jobs to be done in hiring, and why talent density matters more than filling seats quickly.

The conversation explores compensation dynamics, the value of matchmaking over recruiting, and how small experiments can build momentum for broader HR transformation. Whether you're leading people operations or navigating organizational change, this episode offers practical insights on making HR less transactional and more intentional.

Key Takeaways:

1. Start with discovery, not solutions – Before building HR processes or solutions, take time to interview employees, understand their stories and experiences, and map out what's actually obstructing outcomes. Even 10 minutes of discovery beats rushing to a result.
2. HR as a matching exercise, not a numbers game – Recruitment and people management generate real value when viewed as careful matchmaking between what work a company offers and what employees are looking for, rather than just transactional headcount filling.
3. Make HR less transactional – Slow down important conversations around hiring, onboarding, and employee experience. These decisions deserve the same rigor companies apply to external product development, not just checkbox processes.

Customer journey maps have been the standard for years. But what if they're built for a world that no longer exists?

Dave and Peter challenge the linear, step-by-step approach to understanding customer experience. From showers on Emirates flights to adaptive payment systems, they explore why our traditional mapping tools might be keeping us from seeing breakthrough opportunities.

What We Cover:

• Why traditional journey maps focus on the "critical path" and miss everything else
• The shift from cohorts and personas to individualized experiences
• The privacy paradox of hyper-personalization
• How decreasing costs make adaptive systems possible

Key Takeaways: 

✅ Traditional customer journey mapping optimizes a narrow, linear experience when customers want many different paths 

✅ Privacy and ethics matter more as experiences become hyper-personalized 

✅ What was too costly before is now feasible, changing the game for customer experience

Perfect for product managers, CX professionals, and digital transformation leaders.

Connect: definitelymaybeagile.com | feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com

Are you drowning in work? Learning to streamline your team's processes but can’t find the time? Don't panic; Peter Maddison and David Sharrock have covered you with simplistic yet powerful strategies! In this episode, they talk through the 'two-out, one-in process. It's a methodology that ensures the focus is on finishing tasks rather than continually adding to the work pipeline. Expect discussion of work-in-progress limits and empowering your teams to take control of their work.

 This week's takeaways:

•  Try “two-out, one-in," as it can be a valuable technique for teams overwhelmed with too much work in progress.
• Make sure everything is captured as work. Visibility is a key first step.
• Sharing the visibility of the team's workload and its capacity with stakeholders can lead to a better understanding of the team's constraints and workload.

Resources: Video Lucy and the Chocolate Factory: https://youtu.be/NkQ58I53mjk

Join the conversation by contacting us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Don't forget to subscribe to stay updated on our latest releases. So, brace yourself for an insightful conversation as Peter and David showcase how to navigate the complexities of adopting new working methods while managing work overload.

Tune in to the newest episode of Definitely Maybe Agile as Peter Maddison and Dave Sharrock challenge the notion of using a single solution for all problems. They explain the importance of having a diverse, agile methods and practices toolkit. Peter and Dave highlight the need to consider the context of each problem before deciding on a solution. They stress the value of tailoring the approach to fit the unique circumstances, emphasizing the necessity of fully understanding the problem.

This week's takeaways:

• Have a toolkit of different frameworks and models.
• Measure the right thing.
• Context is King.

Contact us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Hit subscribe to stay updated on our latest releases. Don't miss out on this insightful discussion on effective problem-solving strategies in the agile world. Expand your toolkit and enhance your problem-solving skills with the expert advice featured in this episode.

In this episode of the Definitely, Maybe Agile podcast, we'll discuss how to make the most of your time at conferences. Discover the power of tribe-finding, uncover a range of learning opportunities, and unlock the potential for networking with like-minded individuals. From informal exchanges to roundtable discussions with industry experts, there's something for everyone.

This week's takeaways: 

• Find your tribe.
• Prepare in advance.
• Embrace informal networking opportunities.
• Don't be afraid to leave if it's not serving your goals.

 Join the conversation by contacting us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Don't forget to subscribe to stay updated on our latest releases. And remember, conferences can be an absolute blast and an enriching learning experience rolled into one!

 Are you ready to challenge conventional wisdom about traditional architecture and Agile practices? This week, Peter Maddison and Dave Sharrock steer us through the labyrinth of Agile Architecture, revealing how it can become a strategic partner rather than just a service function. We examine the potential barriers old-school architecture can pose, and how Agile principles can reshape the layers of your organization's system architecture.

This week's takeaways:

• Ensure architects are actively involved in specific business domains or architecture, rather than being temporary consultants.
• Remember that architecture is not solely the responsibility of a select few; it permeates all levels of the organization.
• Avoid relying too heavily on Architectural Review Boards (ARBs) as they can impede decision-making and hinder innovation. Instead, prioritize empowering architects to make informed decisions and collaborate regularly with relevant stakeholders.

Join the conversation by contacting us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Don't forget to subscribe to stay updated on our latest releases. Let us uncover the potential of Agile Architecture together! 

Are you ready to shatter the glass ceiling of traditional management methods? We promise this episode will equip you with the tools to achieve just that! Join us, Peter Madison and David Sharrock, as we journey into the realm of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). Learn about their power in fueling organizational alignment and goal-setting and how they stand apart from other management frameworks like MBOs, balanced scorecards, and KPIs. Discover why they are indispensable in setting long-term objectives and milestones that can pivot with the ever-changing landscapes of your business operations.

This week's takeaways:

•  OKRs are a goal-setting framework are effective at creating alignment and, though simple on the surface, they take practice to get right.
• They are not meant to be static but rather should be updated and adjusted as new information becomes available.
• It should not be tied to performance reviews or bonuses. Instead, they should be used as a tool for setting ambitious goals and tracking progress.

To join the discussion, email us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Remember to hit that subscribe button to stay updated on our latest releases.   Tune in, and let us help you revolutionize the way your organization marches towards achieving its goals. 

 Join Peter Maddison and David Sharrock on the latest episode of Definitely, Maybe Agile as they sit down with Pia Wendelbo, change agent and CEO of Scandinavian Change Agents. Together, they delve into the crucial topic of holistic thinking in change management. Pia highlights the often overlooked impact on people during a transformation, emphasizing the importance of considering culture, staff happiness, and the structures and processes affected by the change. This insightful conversation highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to change management that fully embraces human aspects of organizational transformation.
 
This week's takeaways:

• Recognize that individuals are at the core of any transformation effort.
• Incorporating "slack" into work life can bring balance and productivity.
• Continuous learning and improvement are crucial in transformation.

To join the discussion, email us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Remember to hit that subscribe button to stay updated on our latest releases. 

Erin Leslie, a leadership coach, and career strategist, joins the Definitely Maybe Agile podcast to discuss the importance of vulnerable leadership and emotional intelligence in agile transformations.

Erin shares her experience leading agile teams in the public sector, and discusses the challenges and opportunities of working in this environment. She emphasizes the importance of creating a safe space for creativity and risk-taking and of being able to relate to team members on a human level.

This week's takeaways:

• Allow space for emotions and feelings to be expressed in conversations and listen for the answer rather than coming in with preconceived ideas.
• New roles in government. The public sector is increasingly adopting new roles, such as product owner. These roles allow public servants to take on more responsibility and ownership of their work.
• Compassion is essential in both public and private sector leadership.

To join the discussion, email us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Remember to hit that subscribe button to stay updated on our latest releases.