Explore every episode of the podcast Collaborwocky

In this episode of Collaborwocky, Diana Larsen, a renowned expert in leadership and organizational development, shared her insights on the concept of "Learning Leaders." This paradigm shift in leadership thinking is particularly relevant in today's evolving work environments, especially in the software industry.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

In this thought-provoking discussion on Collaborwocky, the panelists explore a paradigm shift in leadership, moving away from traditional notions of charisma and authority vested in a few individuals. Instead, they advocate for a more inclusive and collaborative approach, where leadership is viewed as a collective endeavor. 

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

Join the Collaborwocky team and special guest Diana Larsen as they discuss Diana's new book, "Agile Retrospectives, Second Edition." Dive into the updates, challenges, and differences in the latest edition of this classic work on retrospectives. Diana also shares insights from her book "Lead Without Blame" and her experiences facilitating leader circles.

Show Notes:

• Introduction to Diana Larsen and her books
• What's new in the second edition of "Agile Retrospectives"
• Importance of the five stages of retrospectives
• Impact of the pandemic on the writing process
• Comparison with writing "Lead Without Blame"
• Remote and hybrid retrospectives
• Connect with Diana Larsen

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

In the latest episode of the Collaborwocky podcast, the hosts delve into the intricate relationship between structure, understanding, and work effectiveness.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

In the world of continuous improvement, A3 thinking is a powerful tool that transcends its traditional application in operational problem-solving. Originating at Toyota, the A3 process involves using a single sheet of paper (typically A3 size or 11 by 17 inches) to define a problem, analyze its root causes, propose solutions, and conduct experiments. While it’s commonly used for operational issues, we often overlook its potential for strategic alignment.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

In this episode of Collaborwocky, Jim Benson, Thushyanthan A., and Mark Kilby delve into the complexities of toxic work environments caused by individuals. They explore two distinct patterns: self-hostility and self-overload.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

Collaborwocky 006 - Meetings & Collaboration

In this episode, we delve into the world of meetings and collaboration.. Our hosts, Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby discuss the nuances of meetings, their purpose, and how to navigate them effectively.

What You'll Learn:

• When meetings are valuable
• Building rapport and trust - Even if not directly collaborative, meetings allow colleagues to share personal stories, build rapport, and understand each other better.
• Detoxifying work environments - Jim emphasizes that detoxifying work environments requires systematic change. Instead of blaming individuals, focus on altering systems.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

Collaborwocky 005 - Victory Conditions

In this episode, we set the context in homeschooling and explore the concept of victory conditions. Our hosts, Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby share personal experiences and insights on how to create a successful learning environment. Initially set for children but broadened within the conversations to teams that can lead to better outcomes.

What You'll Learn:

• Victory conditions are essential for any endeavor, including homeschooling. Explicitly define what success looks like.
• Building rapport and trust within the team enhances collaboration and communication.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

Collaborwocky 004 - Realms of "Done"

In this special one-on-one episode of Collaborwocky, host Jim Benson sits down with Andrew Sanyal, a Modus Institute student with a rich background in semiconductor projects and applied physics. They delve into the nuanced concept of "done" within Agile methodologies, exploring its implications beyond software development into the realms of quantum computing and product management. Drawing from Andrew's experience, the conversation illuminates how definitions of completion evolve through different project stages and the significance of interdisciplinary system thinking.

What You'll Learn:

• Insights into systems thinking across various disciplines and its impact on project management.
• The complexity of defining "done" in Agile and how it extends to broader organizational contexts.
• The challenges and strategies of implementing Agile methodologies in hardware and software integration.
• Reflections on collaborative work and the dynamic nature of project completion.

Featured Guest: Andrew Sanyal, Student at Modus Institute with expertise in semiconductor projects, quantum computing, and applied physics.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

Collaborwocky 003 (aka 001x) - Building an Obeya

This episode is best watched as a video episode. View it here: https://youtu.be/m8Y2OIN-9Uo.

In this episode of Collaborwocky, Dave Prior and Jeffrey White explore the integration of personal Kanban and Obeya within team environments, emphasizing collaboration and efficiency in career and life design at Hollins University. They discuss the significance of visual management tools in fostering a cohesive and productive team dynamic, sharing insights on utilizing these methodologies to prioritize and manage work effectively. The conversation also touches on career development, the importance of connections over resume submissions, and the innovative application of these methods in educational settings.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

Collaborwocky 002 - From "MIT" to "MIM"

Productivity strategies vary daily, influenced by personal priorities and external demands. Achieving your MIT (Most Important Thing) requires breaking down daunting tasks into manageable parts and using momentum and motivation techniques like the Pomodoro method. The episode underscores personal growth through self-awareness and the continuous refinement of productivity techniques to balance work, creativity (MIM aka "Most Important Moment"), and personal life.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby.

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring you interviews, conversations and new ideas... often.

Collaborwocky 001 - Your Energy.

How to manage your energy while working. The Collaborwocky team tackles the problem of not just being productive, but being effective. Knowing when you can invest the most, provide the best service, and really think and grow. Beyond Personal Kanban or Getting Things Done... this is how do you as a person work in the best way possible.

The Collaborwocky Team:

Jim Benson, Dave Prior, Tonianne DeMaria, Thushyanthan Amirthalingam and Mark Kilby

The Collaborwocky Mother Ship:

Collaborwocky is produced by the faculty at Modus Institute and brings fresh perspectives on making work more enjoyable, effective, and humane. Come join the community.

The Collaborwocky Promise:

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and we will bring your interviews, conversations, and new ideas... often.

Nathan Kaiser, owner and founder of 2 Bar Spirits in Seattle, Washington talks about collaborating with family, suppliers, the distilling community, and his chief distiller in his journey from knowing nothing at all about making Bourbon to creating some decidedly delicious and popular product. Nathan talks about the challenges and hard work of building a business, learning every day, improving relentlessly, and fitting family into every part of the experience.