Why facilitation - Can't we use natural flow?

AI assisted facilitation, coaching and Scrum Mastering is not about welcoming our new overlords. What it is about, I learned during yesterdays' @scrumfacilitators Meetup with Chris Stone aka the Virtual Agile Coach. Using ChatGPT to easily generate facilitation ideas, ways to help teams improve Sprint Goals and other ideas. I wonder if you have used it and have anything to add to this episode? Or maybe questions or ideas to experiment with for the podcast? Let me know! Video of a similar previous session by Chris Stone: https://youtu.be/AWQZbrUluTs Next Meetup: A Cheeky Cocktail for Leading Yourselves: Four C's! with Lorraine Ho and Anne Wever from Mobilee. Music Tip #16: Guts - Hip Hop After All / @guts_puravida ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter ⁠@sjoerdly⁠, on Instagram ⁠@SjoerdlyTalks⁠, ⁠connect with me on LinkeIn⁠ (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at ⁠https://scrumfacilitators.com⁠ Other ways to collaborate and learn together: ⁠The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast⁠ where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. ⁠Scrum Facilitators Meetups⁠ (next one May 22, then once every month after that) ⁠Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel⁠ with webinars and videos

A personal reflection on the work I'm doing at the police and how focus and impact are a balance to keep an eye out for... Music Tip #15: D/Troit - Heavy (Orange vinyl LP) / @dtroit.dk ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter @sjoerdly, on Instagram @SjoerdlyTalks, connect with me on LinkeIn (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at https://scrumfacilitators.com Other ways to collaborate and learn together: The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. Scrum Facilitators Meetups (next one February 13, then once every month after that) Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel with webinars and videos

One of the teams I'm working with, wants to change their sprint length from three to four weeks. I discuss what factors I would consider when deciding on a Sprint length, and how I approached the idea from this team. We work in a multi-team environment, and we want to stay in the same rhythm for easier Sprint Review and joint Sprint Planning. So how did we start the conversation with the other teams and Scrum Masters? And how did I facilitate this idea? Listen and find out.  Let me know anything I should additionally consider, discuss or explore with the teams to make the best decision, or find a better solution. Also please ask me any Scrum, Agile or Product management related question. I'm happy to explore your suggestions! Music Tip #14; Stro Elliot - Black & Loud: James Brown Reimagined (Vinyl LP) ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter @sjoerdly, on Instagram @SjoerdlyTalks, connect with me on LinkeIn (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at https://scrumfacilitators.com Other ways to collaborate and learn together: The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. Scrum Facilitators Meetups (next one February 13, then once every month after that) Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel with webinars and videos

Why do we even need facilitation? We're professionals right? Not kindergarten children that need to be told how to have a proper conversation... Well, in this episode I discuss why using a 'natural flow' (no facilitation or process) can lead to suboptimal results and inequality (in this example between genders). I also add some additional tips to start creating a safe space, by inviting to contribute while having the right to pass, instead of pressuring people to participate. Backdrop to the video: Music Tip #13 - Sam Redmore - Universal Vibrations (LP) Links & Sources: https://www.sociocracyforall.org/myth-natural-flow/ https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-competencies/facilitation https://www.scrumfacilitators.com/course/Professional_Scrum_Facilitation_Skills https://www.liberatingstructures.com / https://www.liberatingstructures.com/17-conversation-cafe/ ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter @sjoerdly, on Instagram @SjoerdlyTalks, connect with me on LinkeIn (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at https://scrumfacilitators.com Other ways to collaborate and learn together: The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. Scrum Facilitators Meetups (next one February 13, then once every month after that) Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel with webinars and videos

We explore the duality of being a facilitator and a team member at the same time. As a Scrum Master, we are part of the team, while also being accountable for effective ways of working, including facilitation. I share insights based on a discussion we had in the Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills course. But first we start with the definition of facilitation, where the cambridge dictionary 'business english' version provides a clear definition. I hope this podcast episode is helpful to improve your facilitation insights for Scrum Team sessions you might want to participate in as well. And to better decide when to bring in some help so you can fully participate in the discussion as a team member, and when this is not needed. I hope you like this episode, and find it useful. As always ideas and feedback are welcome! Backdrop to the video: Music Tip #12 - Carrtoons - Homegrown (pink translucent LP) Links & Sources: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/facilitate https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-competencies/facilitation https://www.scrumfacilitators.com/course/Professional_Scrum_Facilitation_Skills ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter @sjoerdly, on Instagram @SjoerdlyTalks, connect with me on LinkeIn (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at https://scrumfacilitators.com Other ways to collaborate and learn together: The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. Scrum Facilitators Meetups (next one February 13, then once every month after that) Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel with webinars and videos

Today I attended the Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills (PSFS) course. It was very well facilitated by fellow Scrum Facilitator Ziryan, together with Xebia's Evelien Roos. What I really like about the course is that it gives an overview of facilitation (in the context of Scrum) and offers practical tips and insights that are simple to understand. Ziryan and Evelien tweaked the standard exercises of the course to be even more interactive and apply training from the back of the room concepts, as well as Liberating Structures to enhance and maximize learning. Great discussions, nice additions to the toolkit and a solid set of principles to guide facilitation design and practice. I will discuss the facilitation principles since this was a really new concept to me. I will also share my struggle with the way the principles are set up, because 'process' is not of the same kind as the other ones. Backdrop to the video: Music Tip #11 - Hiatus Kaiyote - Mood Valiant (red in black inkspot LP) Links & Sources: https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-competencies/facilitation Based on, and adapted from The principles of meeting excellence - Promeet https://www.scrumfacilitators.com/course/Professional_Scrum_Facilitation_Skills https://www.bowperson.com - Training from the Back of the Room https://www.liberatingstructures.com ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter @sjoerdly, on Instagram @SjoerdlyTalks, connect with me on LinkeIn (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at https://scrumfacilitators.com Other ways to collaborate and learn together: The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. Scrum Facilitators Meetups (next one February 13, then once every month after that) Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel with webinars and videos

I've been thinking a lot lately about the Fundamental Attribution Error (HBR Article). This is where you attribute someone else's behaviour to personality (often a bad one) and your own behavioural mistakes and errors to circumstance. This is explained easily because for our own mental world we have the complete picture of our needs, circumstances and emotional state. For other people, especially people we don't know (well) enough yet, we lack this insight. The way to mitigate this error is by increasing our empathy. In the podcast I discuss three facilitation techniques to help on this front; 1. Check-Ins, 2. Heard, Seen, Respected Liberating Structure, 3. Conversation Cafe Liberating Structure.  Which ways would you suggest to mitigate this error? Or do you have a nice example of it happening to you yourself? Let me know! Backdrop to the video: Music Tip #10 - Top albums of 2022: Ezra Collective - Where I'm Meant to Be (orange marbled vinyl 2LP) EU/UK Touring Schedule on Instagram (many UK shows already sold out) & Follow @ezracollective on Insta. Links: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/the-fundamental-attribution-error https://www.liberatingstructures.com https://www.liberatingstructures.com/19-heard-seen-respected-hsr/ https://www.liberatingstructures.com/17-conversation-cafe/ ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter @sjoerdly, on Instagram @SjoerdlyTalks, connect with me on LinkeIn (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at https://scrumfacilitators.com Other ways to collaborate and learn together: The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. Scrum Facilitators Meetups (next one February 13, then once every month after that) Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel with webinars and videos

When I started this podcast last week for the Open Up with Alice Podcast Challenge, Alice asked me this question. In this episode I attempt to answer it, discussing the core elements of Scrum and coming to the conclusion that the human side of Scrum is what fascinates me most. Another think I like is that there are so many topics related to Scrum that could be helpful (or essential) to support Teams and Organisations trying to leverage it, that there is always more to learn! Which Scrum challenge, question or related topic would you like to hear next? Please share! Music Tip - Top albums of 2022: Butcher Brown presents Triple Trey featuring Tennishu and R4nd4zzo Bigb4nd (blue vinyl LP + 7") ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter @sjoerdly, on Instagram @SjoerdlyTalks, connect with me on LinkeIn (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at https://scrumfacilitators.com Other ways to collaborate and learn together: The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. Scrum Facilitators Meetups (next one February 13, then once every month after that) Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel with webinars and videos

Why I am excited to book a trip to Paris in may. And what it has to do with Scrum. About learning, collaborating and imporving together. Also about reconnecting with friends and seeing people in real life who you've only met through chat online. Takeaway: do stuff even if you don't know exactly what it'll be like. Get out of your comfort zone! What are you excited for?  Please share! Music Tip - Top albums of 2022: Danger Mouse & Black Thought - Cheat Codes (red vinyl LP) Image:  'Paris by Nighttime' by Mikhail Nilov  ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter @sjoerdly, on Instagram @SjoerdlyTalks, connect with me on LinkeIn (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at https://scrumfacilitators.com Other ways to collaborate and learn together: The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. Scrum Facilitators Meetups (next one February 13, then once every month after that) Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel with webinars and videos

Today the Scrum Teams had our three-week Sprint Review and Planning sessions, with a twist. An all hands, in person day covering Scrum Events, as well as a look back and look ahead with regard to the New Year. And bonding, socialising as a group. Some people had not seen each other in person for years! In this podcast I talk about the program, what I would do different next time and a really simple approach to facilitate a lego session.  Have you experimented with brick based facilitation? What are your tips and insights? Have you tried other interesting Year review and look ahead approaches? Please share! Music Tip - Top albums of 2022: Bruut! - Zest (pink vinyl LP) ==== Sjoerdly Talks - A daily dose of experience with Scrum, plus a music tip! Follow me on Twitter @sjoerdly, on Instagram @SjoerdlyTalks, connect with me on LinkeIn (please write a message when connecting) or send me questions and suggestions at [email protected] Free tools, games and facilitation support at https://scrumfacilitators.com Other ways to collaborate and learn together: The Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast where we host you, the Scrum Facilitator Community to share your experiences and ideas. Scrum Facilitators Meetups (next one February 13, then once every month after that) Scrum Facilitators Youtube channel with webinars and videos