Radical Candor Archives - Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Hassan Butt: Leading Change with Radical Candor, Building Organizational Openness

Hassan shares his experience leading a change initiative through Radical Candor workshops. He noticed that people in the organization were hesitant to share ideas with leadership. By using the Radical Candor framework, Hassan encouraged openness and honest feedback. He shares practical tips, such as role-playing, embedding accountability, and using structured formats like Liberating Structures, to create a safe space for feedback and collaboration. Hassan emphasizes the importance of follow-ups and self-accountability to ensure lasting change.

Self-reflection Question: How can you foster a culture of Radical Candor in your organization?

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🔥 In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching! 🔥

Shift: From Product to People Cover

Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people.

🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.

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About Hassan Butt
Hassan builds high-performing teams and unlocks their full potential in his current role as a Scrum Master for a UK FTSE100 Telco. He also serves as an Agile Coach and mentor, supporting others in their professional growth. Hassan is well-known on LinkedIn for sharing valuable content and insights with the Agile community.

You can link with Hassan Butt on LinkedIn.

CTO Series: From Team Lead to CEO, Leadership Challenges and Growth with Alex Schladebeck

In this CTO-Series interview, we hear from Alex Schladebeck, CEO and Quality Advocate at BREDEX GmbH. Alex shares her journey from testing and consultancy to becoming a CEO, offering valuable insights into agile leadership, the importance of communication, and the evolving landscape of technology and quality in software development.

The Power of Communication in Leadership

“Communication isn’t just part of the work; it is the work.”

Alex reflects on her career, emphasizing that her approach to leadership isn’t defined by a single moment but by recurring patterns where communication played a crucial role. She shares how continuous conversation is vital for navigating changes and resolving conflicts, underscoring the importance of keeping communication channels open to manage the evolving demands of the tech industry.

“Effective leadership hinges on continuous conversations. Make communication the core of your leadership practice.”

Aligning Tech Strategy with Business Goals

Continue reading CTO Series: From Team Lead to CEO, Leadership Challenges and Growth with Alex Schladebeck

Lucia Alarcon: Lean Coffee, the swiss army knife of Agile Retrospectives

When it comes to assessing her own success as a Scrum Master, Lucia uses the “health” metaphor to identify and measure critical aspects of a healthy team. In this episode, we talk about The Squad Health Check. The Squad Health Check was also described in these episodes. We also mention Radical Candor, as a feedback framework as well as Clean Language.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Lean Coffee, the swiss army knife of Agile Retrospectives

Lucia likes to try many formats, but there’s one format she often comes back to thanks to its power to spark creative, and insightful conversations. That format is the Lean Coffee Retrospective format, which focuses the team’s conversations instead of trying to cover too many things in a retrospective. In this segment, we also refer to the game Cards Against Humanity, which you can learn more about (and download) by listening to this episode with Ellen Santamaria.

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About Lucia Alarcon

Lucia is a Delivery Lead and a coach working in Wellington NZ, leading an amazing development squad to achieve the delivery of multiple digital initiatives using Agile, creating a culture of empowerment, collaboration and communication. With 15+ years of experience, her professional (and personal!) journey has taken her through a variety of organizations and halfway around the world from Argentina. Lucia loves all things Agile, facilitation and coaching.

You can link with Lucia Alarcon on LinkedIn and connect with Lucia Alarcon on Instagram.