Clarence Galapon

CE, MBA, Lean Agile Coach, Trainer, Teacher, SPC, RTE, PSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, PMP, CC, ABNLP NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Practitioner, NLP Coach, NLP Trainer, Practical Psychologist, Life Coach, Software Executive, Entrepreneur, Author, Investor, and Innovator with a Creative, Lean, Agile, and Wander mindset. https://LeanAgileGuru.com
1134 Posts
Series (3 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Address Dread — Nip it in the Bud”

Series (3 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Address Dread — Nip it in the Bud”

Dread...that feeling of fear or great apprehension...it paralyzes most of us... we can't move ... can't execute... we procrastinate... it paralyzes your Agile teams and your team of Agile teams (ART). Productivity goes down; spirit of the team goes down. It is, therefore, wise to address dread -- sooner rather than later -- because it is contagious... it can affect the whole ART. Nip this in the bud if you want to build a high-performing ART! So... you might ask: 'What causes dread? How do we address it?" My collective observations from the field, top of the list, is this:…
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Series (2 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Thou Shalt Not Compare One to Others”

Series (2 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Thou Shalt Not Compare One to Others”

This "Thou Shalt Not Compare One to Others" sounds like a commandment. it's meant to sound like it because it is very important. It is neither a request nor a suggestion. I grew up NOT being compared by my parents to any kid...including to my siblings; I thank my parents for that. This "non-comparison" mindset gave me a sense of positive self-image, high confidence, and healthy self-esteem. I, in turn, did not compare myself to anyone ... I just 'ran my own race', so to speak. As far back as I can remember, I've always embraced 'Kaizen' -- the continuous…
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Series (1 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Be a Servant-Leader and Coach”

Series (1 of 7): Building High-Performing ART — “Be a Servant-Leader and Coach”

Agile Release Train (ART), per SAFe, "... is a long-lived team of Agile teams, which, along with other stakeholders, develops and delivers solutions incrementally, using a series of fixed-length Iterations within a Program Increment (PI) timebox. The ART aligns teams to a common business and technology mission." Join us as we explore "Building High-Performing ART" -- a 7-part series. These concepts are not just for the ART but are also applicable to Agile Teams, and at home as well. To build a high-performing ART, you have to be the servant-leader and coach to the ART. Apply a "servant-leader and coach"…
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Organize Teams Around Features, Components…and Most Importantly, Around Releasability

Organize Teams Around Features, Components…and Most Importantly, Around Releasability

In Sun Tzu's book, "Art of War", there is a section on "Waging War". I quote: "As for military operations, let us consider an army of 1000 attack chariots, 1000 heavy chariots and 100,000 armoured troop, all provisioned for a campaign of 1000 li". Tzu further added, "...Allow expenses for maintenance and manufacture of chariots and armour...". And, most of all, ensure victory. Tzu wrote about this in the section "Deployment". I quote, "Being prepared for all circumstances is what ensures certain victory..." Equating that to Lean-Agile teams, we should organize our teams around features (feature teams -- the "attacking…
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Baby Step Your Way to Successful Transformation

Baby Step Your Way to Successful Transformation

Babies got this 'baby steps' figured out: on their way to their first steps, they initially find themselves falling down... but they get up and try again... and again. Then, something clicks in their brains, they experience their first successful steps -- a series of steps without falling down going from dad's arms to mom's arms... smiling and happy! With that seemingly small win, encouraged, babies go on further with casual walking, then faster walking... then running. Toastmasters (TM) International have 'The Ice Breaker' speech category created for their first-time TM speakers. That is their (the first-time TM speakers') 'baby…
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The Ability to Pivot as Necessary, is a Characteristic  of an Effective Lean-Agile Team

The Ability to Pivot as Necessary, is a Characteristic of an Effective Lean-Agile Team

The huge ship Titanic can pivot -- like any other ship for that matter -- but in that ill-fated night, it was necessary for it to pivot ... fast! Too slow...It sank ... it was not Lean and Agile enough to pivot fast enough in order to avoid collision with a huge iceberg. Tragic. Apple Inc. long time ago was 90 days away from being insolvent; Steve Jobs returned to Apple... made pivotal moves, fast enough to avoid insolvency, and as a result, Apple Inc. was profitable again... and still is profitable today, and, in fact, on August 2, 2018, …
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Don’t Rush to a Decision…Keep your Options Open!

Don’t Rush to a Decision…Keep your Options Open!

Ah! Options...we all love options...am I right? Why rush to a decision when you have the pleasure of choosing the best option at your own leisure? There's a lot of variables in this world... and because of that, anything can happen...therefore, it is wise to assume variability! Because of variability, the option that you have chosen too early and in haste (Point-Based approach) might not be the right one overtime, and too late or too much to adjust/change! Preserve your options (Set-Based approach)...let these play out...some will drop off overtime...and one will remain at the end: the one true option!…
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I Trust My Train! It is Very Predictable!

I Trust My Train! It is Very Predictable!

I do not sweat my early morning commute and late afternoon commute. I take the train to and from work. I can sleep whilst in transit. My train is on time all the time...therefore I can plan ahead with the published train schedule. My train is predictable! They even solved the "long queue" problem. I can purchase my ticket with the train's mobile app via my mobile phone whilst in transit...I jump into the train (not moving train of course) ... no need to queue at the train ticket station anymore! I trust my train! It's cadence (schedule/routine) is predictable...…
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What Keeps You Up at Night?

What Keeps You Up at Night?

Seriously...what keeps you up at night? Is it related to "Pain"? Or is it related to "Pleasure"? In this day and age -- wherein applied creativity, innovation and imagination are highly valued in the marketplace -- I would surmise that most creative, innovative, imaginative and engaged people are motivated by "Pleasure" rather than "Pain" (i.e. threats, intimidation, or fear). How about "compensation/money" as a motivating factor? Sometimes, incentive-based compensation causes too much competition... as a result, people keep stuff to themselves (thinking it is to their advantage)...they do not share...they do not cooperate ... as a result, the larger aim…
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Don’t Let Your Work Be a Queue from Hell!  Go Small !!!

Don’t Let Your Work Be a Queue from Hell! Go Small !!!

Have you ever found yourself in a long queue? Long checkout line at the grocery store... long queue to the bank teller... long queue to the Ticketmaster booth... just recently, first day of school this Monday, I have experienced a long queue !!! Here is another visual: have you ever flushed a toilet that was draining slowly ...that the flushed water rushes in and then backs up and eventually overflows (yuck!)? The rate of draining is slower than the rate of water rushing in...as a result, forming a "queue" of water (and waste) backing out to a point that it…
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Ignore These at your Peril: Adaptability and Decentralized Decision-Making

Ignore These at your Peril: Adaptability and Decentralized Decision-Making

Adaptability:  In the Car Shop industry, work flows to them  -- from customers walking in with their car problems, everyday, 7 days a week -- without knowing in advance what is required. These folks have the ability to create an unknown output from an unpredictable input. They have a system that is designed for adaptability: a flow-based system. A system with prioritized work flow vis-à-vis resource capacity. Yes, I cannot just walk in and demand for my car to be fixed right away at that moment. They always have a work in process all the time, and, on top of…
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Thin,Vertical Slices: the Key to Success!

Thin,Vertical Slices: the Key to Success!

Happy Mother's Day to my wife and to all moms! It's a Sunday afternoon, 3PM EST, May 13, 2018, Mother's Day -- hot 92F, sunny and breezy, the cool breeze made it a very pleasant weather-- when my wife, son, daughter and I walked in to a restaurant to have a late lunch, after church, to celebrate mother's day. We had a great lunch...then the dessert came. All very delicious! One dessert caught my attention while we were eating it -- the strawberry short-cake. As we shared it amongst us, we each took turns cutting (with our spoons) slices of…
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Adapt to Any Situation…

Adapt to Any Situation…

April 29, Sunday afternoon. It was a very nice weather -- sunny, blue skies, breezy and a balmy 67F; my family and I were at the UNCC -- University of North Carolina, Charlotte --  Science Expo. Lots of university students showing their stuff; kids and families gathering around them. It was a very festive scene. As we walked around to check various exhibits/booths, we came across a robot doing a two-finger push up. I immediately took out my iPhone and started filming it. It was so awesome (check it out at https://vimeo.com/leanagileguru/bruce). This robot's act reminded me of a film on…
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To Pivot or to Persevere…that is the Question

To Pivot or to Persevere…that is the Question

  "Pivot is a change in strategy without a change in vision" -- unknown. On April 17, 2018, we made a key decision: change the name and web address of our Blog site ( referring to another Blog site of ours, the predecessor of this Blog site). Why?  The new name makes more sense in portraying what our Blog site is all about: Sharing knowledge and absorbing knowledge; providing enlightenment, guidance, coaching and encouragement; and being a Servant-Leader and a Guru.  There were other things — that were observed (as part of the learning process) and measured — that were…
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Failed and Half-Baked Transformation Lacks this, a…

Failed and Half-Baked Transformation Lacks this, a…

  If you want small changes in your life, work on your attitude. But if you want big and primary changes, work on your paradigm -- Stephen Covey. Paradigm Shift! One of the first steps to transformation. Lean-Agile requires a Paradigm Shift…it is not optional. Failure to work on or shift your paradigm means failure to transform! According to the Merriam-Webster.com website, 'Paradigm Shift is an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.'    To effectively change -- not a small but big and primary…
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Vision: All About Being ‘Lean and Agile’

Vision: All About Being ‘Lean and Agile’

  Efficiency is the foundation for survival. Effectiveness is the foundation of success. — John C. Maxwell. Lean is Efficiency. Efficiency — doing things right with zero to least waste — is the foundation for survival. Agile is Effectiveness. Effectiveness — doing the right things at the right time through prioritization --  is the foundation of  success. We have in our hands the best of both worlds: being 'Lean and Agile'! We have the ability to 'survive and succeed' in any endeavor that we may choose to undertake; this is applicable to an individual, a family, a team, a team…
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Lean Agile Software Factory Series

Lean Agile Software Factory Series

Welcome to the Lean Agile Software Factory series -- practical insights, tools, and techniques beyond SAFe Classes and SAFe Certifications. This Lean Agile Software Factory series is delivered in our Lean Agile Guru Elite Circle Live Sessions. Testimonials: click here to read what some of our participants think. Join Us! Be an Elite Circle Member Today for $495 and get the Lean Agile Software Factory -- Fundamentals!   Fundamentals: Price = $495.00 Session #1: Hands-On Workshop: Understand Vertical Slices and Horizontal Layers of Value. Invest in Good Stories. Split Stories and Features using the 10 Patterns. Estimate. Session #2: Hands-on…
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SAFe Classes

SAFe Classes

Upcoming Lean Agile Guru SAFe 6.0 Classes: SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM)  6.0 -- Mar 9-10, 2024. Click here for more information and registration. SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)  6.0 -- Mar 16-17, 2024. Click here for more information and registration. SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM)  6.0 -- Mar 23-24, 2024. Click here for more information and registration. SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)  6.0 -- Apr 6-7, 2024. Click here for more information and registration. SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM)  6.0 -- Apr 20-21, 2024. Click here for more information and registration. SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)  6.0 -- Apr 27-28, 2024. Click…
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Products

Products

Great news! My new book, "SAFe Is Like … ", is now published, and the Paperback Version is now available for purchase on Amazon.com. Kindle Version is also now available for purchase on Amazon.com What's inside? Check it out for yourself: please get the "Sampler eBook Version"  of this book; it has a lot of ideas from the full version of the book -- and it is a FREE download!    Abyss and Bridge -- Feature and Story Writing Workshop Intro, Part 2 Free Download    
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Free Membership You get unlimited access to our Free Member content Price: Free! You can register for a Free Membership or  pay for one of the following membership options: Option #1: Platinum Membership. Monthly access to our Premium content. Unlimited access to our Free Member content. Price: $1.95 / Month Option #2:  Elite Circle Membership.  Best Value! Unlimited access to our Elite Circle content. Unlimited access to our Premium content. Unlimited access to our Free Member content. One Ticket to the exclusive Lean Agile Guru Elite Circle Live Sessions Lean Agile Software Factory Fundamentals Only, 4 Live Sessions, 1 hour…
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