I hope that you are well rested after the festive period and your return to work has been a smooth one, with the snow and school closures not impacting you too much.

Luckily for me the majority of the snow fell overnight Saturday into Sunday, providing me the opportunity to go sledding with my children, build snowmen and throw the odd snowball without impacting work.

In this newsletter I take a look at where an agile appeared for me during the festive period, alongside details of an upcoming webinar and training sessions in January.

Are you ‘ready’?

For those of you that know me, you will know that I am a little bit obsessed with LEGO®. For those that didn’t, you now know! Of course, this meant the I received one or two LEGO® related items as Christmas presents, as did my son.

I managed to resist the urge to open and start building my gifts straight away on Christmas morning as I wasn’t ‘ready’. But what did it mean to be ‘ready’? And how did my readiness differ to the readiness of my son?

In order for me to be ready, I needed to have the time and space to focus on the build, minimising any distractions (and little helping hands - I wanted to build it). However, for my son, his definition of readiness changed depending on the complexity of the task he faced.

For the smaller builds he dived straight in and before you knew it a new LEGO® model had been created. But for the larger builds he needed a little bit more preparation and refinement time before he started, laying out all of the parts so that they were easily accessible.

In agile ways of working the concept of 'being ready' is often linked to product backlog items, commonly known as user stories. It's the moment when a team agrees they have enough clarity, context, and confidence to begin work. Team dynamics and maturity may also be key factors in what readiness looks like.

For some, being ‘ready’ might mean having a well-defined user story with clear acceptance criteria. For others, it could mean having identified potential risks or dependencies. For teams with high agile maturity, 'ready' may also include shared alignment and trust that uncertainty will be navigated collaboratively.

As teams grow in experience and maturity, they may find themselves naturally moving away from a formal definition of ready. This shift often occurs when the team develops a shared understanding of the work being undertaken and collaboration levels are high. Instead of relying on a checklist, seasoned teams lean on strong communication, trust, and a culture of continuous improvement.

The reason for this evolution is agility itself. Over time, rigid definitions are likely to become less effective in dynamic environments where discovery and adaptability are critical.

Moving away from a definition of ready does not mean abandoning discipline, but instead reflects the team's ability to internalise and embody readiness principles. Such a transition should be intentional. Teams need to ensure they’ve reached a point where their knowledge, shared understanding, and adaptive practices maintain quality and alignment. Without these, skipping readiness steps can lead to miscommunication or rework.

As exemplified by my sons LEGO® building, readiness is not a universal standard, it varies based on an understanding of, and the complexity of, the task being faced. As met son’s experience grows I expect that his definition of ready will also evolve.

What does it mean for you and your team to be ‘ready’? And, how has their ‘readiness’ evolved over time?

The Pathway to Mastery: One Micro Step at a Time 👣

In my last newsletter I mentioned that I, along with other Licensed Guides from the Agile Mastery Institute, would be delivering a series of workshops based upon Geoff Watts RETRAINED model from the Scrum Mastery Pathway™.

At 13:00 (GMT) on 17th January, we will be holding a free webinar where we will be discussing how, given the changeable Scrum Master and Agile Coaching landscape, becoming a great leader is more important than ever.

The webinar will showcase how bite-sized online workshops, can help you develop key leadership skills in a focused, manageable, and impactful way.

You can book your place at the webinar here. Keep it under your hat, but there may be a discount code provided to attendees. 🤫

Why Servant Leadership Still Matters

In a world of rapid change and complex challenges, effective leadership isn't about wielding power, it's about empowering others.

Servant leadership, a concept popularised by Robert Greenleaf, remains a cornerstone of modern, people-centered leadership. But why is it still so relevant in today's organisations?

Servant leaders focus on the growth and well-being of their teams and those that they serve. They listen actively, build trust, and foster an environment where innovation thrives. In doing so, they create a culture that not only drives results but also sustains long-term success.

In 'A Respected Exploration: Understanding Servant Leadership,' we will;

• Explore Greenleaf’s Vision: Discover three key aspects of Servant Leadership that define impactful, purpose-driven leaders.

• Appreciate Respect’s Role in Leadership: Uncover the importance of respect in your leadership role and how it can enhance your influence and effectiveness.

• Earn Greater Respect: Identify tangible ways to increase the respect others have for you, building credibility and trust in your role.

• Delve into Co-Creative Relationships: Understand the value of co-creating relationships that adapt and grow, leading to meaningful and supportive connections.

• Reflect on Your Own Leadership: Bring the concept to life with an example from your experience of acting as a servant leader, inspiring further growth on your journey.

This workshop is designed for leaders who want to inspire their teams, create stronger connections, and navigate the complexities of modern organisations with confidence, care and respect.

You can find out more and book your place here. And don't forget to look at our other upcoming workshops and our discounted multi-workshop tickets.

And finally…

Remember, done is better than perfect. But don’t say that to your product owner, they might start approving ‘done-ish’.

Thank you for taking the time to read my second newsletter. Should you have any feedback, or content ideas, feel free to contact me at [email protected]

All the best,

Robin

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