Susan McIntosh Archives - Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Susan McIntosh describes on recurring pattern that can help you pinpoint system conditions

System conditions are patterns that happen over and over again in organizations but the teams can’t solve on their own. With Susan, we explore an approach that can help us detect those anti-patterns that can be traced back to the system, the policies, and rules set up in that organization. In this episode, we discuss a pattern of behavior in teams that can help us pinpoint the system conditions they struggle with.

About Susan McIntosh

Susan McIntosh is an agile coach and scrum master, especially interested in training and agile transformations – both fast and slow. She finds analogies to improving workplace culture in her experience in theater, teaching, cooking, and parenting. Susan is an active participant in the agile community in Denver, Colorado.

You can link with Susan McIntosh on LinkedIn and connect with Susan McIntosh on Twitter.

Susan McIntosh on how to develop high-performing teams

Our role as Scrum Masters is to help teams develop. Specifically, we need to help them become high-performing. Accomplish their mission in a way that they can be proud of. But how do we get there? How do we help teams develop that level of competence and action? In this episode we review how we can help teams grow and develop. We also discuss the tools we can use to help teams reach a high-level of performance.

Featured Retrospective format: The Starfish Exercise

For those moments when Start/Stop/Continue is not enough. The Starfish exercise can also think about what you want to do more of (amplify) and the things you need to continue to do, but may need to reduce (dampen). Check this episode for the detailed facilitation ideas.

About Susan McIntosh

You can link with Susan McIntosh on LinkedIn and connect with Susan McIntosh on Twitter.

Susan McIntosh on conversations as a change tool

When we have a huge change in front of us. The organization is growing. It can’t be stopped. How do we handle the change that is inevitable? How do we help the organization evolve and change?

In this episode, we review how conversations can help us in our role as change agent. Where to use conversations, what they are good for, and how to spark the right kind of conversations.

About Susan McIntosh

You can link with Susan McIntosh on LinkedIn and connect with Susan McIntosh on Twitter.

Susan McIntosh on how the best people can destroy a team

Sometimes we don’t need a super-smart, get things done person. Sometimes we just need a person in the team that can help the team grow. But what happens when we don’t have that kind of person? How do we handle those super smart people that want to direct the whole team? Listen in to learn what happened in Susan’s story, and what she learned from those events.

Featured book: Jurgen Appelo’s How to Change the World

Jurgen Appelo’s How to Change the World is featured this week. It explains how we can talk about in change in practice. Hands-on. It also describes how you can track the change in practice.

About Susan McIntosh

You can link with Susan McIntosh on LinkedIn and connect with Susan McIntosh on Twitter.

Susan McIntosh on what psychological safety means IN PRACTICE, no buzzwords

The story that Susan has to share with us starts off, as usual, a team, struggling. What happened next? Susan acted in a way that made her understand what psychological safety means in practice. No mumbo jumbo, no buzzwords. What it means for you! Listen in and share the journey with Susan. You’ll learn a lot!

About Susan McIntosh

You can link with Susan McIntosh on LinkedIn and connect with Susan McIntosh on Twitter.