Maneuvering Monday

Send us a text In this final episode of Maneuvering Monday the podcast, AK and Ivanna wrap up everything and share the next steps for our book project. There is a bit of heavy breathing (sorry!) as we discuss Natalie and her trajectory, and how she ends up finally connecting with her purpose and passion after having suffered from 'The Peter Principle' throughout the story in her role as CEO at Zebra Apps.  We talk about Anne and how she started off a bit arrogant, but ended up with good self-reflections (and a bit of a depressing conclusion about the human inability to improve company culture, which we do not believe is true).  We investigate Carrie's mum's actual problem, and talk about the pressure and competition amongst parents with children in kindergarten and school - and not least society's expectations to us as mothers, when really the fathers of our children are Chief Playdate Officer and Head of Spare Kindergarten Outfits. We ask ourselves why the two most unlikeable and unpopular characters end up winning in the end, and whether a bit of friction might actually be necessary to progress. And suddenly, Ivanna quotes John Lennon for the first and last part on this show (and maybe in general?). Finally, we talk about how it all started vs. how it ended, how we got unexpected praise from a publisher for having a story with "a beginning, a middle part and an end", and then we share the most recurring questions and comments from our beta readers. We disclose the next steps for the book and what we wish we had known before we started to write. And will there be a Maneuvering Monday the movie?  Thanks a million to our beta readers, guest experts, voice talents, and listeners. Stay tuned for more maneuvers! What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a text The fate of Zebra Apps is finally decided, and all the characters' stories are wrapped up. What will be next for Marie? Tune in and listen to this final episode of the entire story to find out! What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a text Our very last guest on the podcast, Cecil 'Gary' Rupp, is an expert in leadership, business transformation, and Lean-Agile frameworks. With both executive management and management consulting experience, Gary brings a unique perspective to what our friends in Zebra Apps need to be doing to save their own future. Value stream mapping is the name of the game in this episode. Gary takes us through the concept, which is covered in his newest book, The Lean-Agile Way, co-authored by several other experts (Richard Knaster, Steve Pereira, Al Shalloway). As a proficient "herder of human cats", Gary shares advice on how to get large numbers of people to go in the same direction by applying a systemic perspective to improve flow. We talk about green Lamborghinis, project vs. product, and Lean vs. Agile. We talk about people, process, information, technology, and services as business enablers. And we discuss Eliyahu Goldratt's point about how it is waste to spend money on anything that is not an organizational constraint. But most importantly, we discuss value stream mapping from concept to delivery and how this continuous exercise will lift an organization's ability to reach its target. Gary also shares insights into the BLAST and BASE frameworks for team collaboration in a Lean-Agile setting. Curious? Check out The Lean-Agile Way, visit Gary's homepage and browse his learning site The Lean-Agile Accelerator Bundle. You can also find Cecil 'Gary' Rupp on LinkedIn. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a text Richard himself makes an appearance in the meeting, where a group of Zebra employees investigate scenarios for the company's survival. The tension builds as it becomes clear that Zebra Apps will not make it for much longer with its current setup. But then what? What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a text To kick off the final chapter of Marie's story, we are lucky to be accompanied by Sofie Henriksen, who is a leader within strategy in a digital innovation agency. Sofie brings her insightful perspectives to the table as we intersect how personalities, actions, and behaviors are understood and worked with in the context of Zebra Apps. As the end of the story is approaching, all things are escalating and new challenges are coming up. Marie is scrambling to fix the issues, both the visible and invisible ones. And suddenly, the co-founder Richard makes an appearance to provide his input to the future of Zebra Apps. How will his cultural weight and founding myth in the organization impact the tough decisions to be made? And who is even allowed to have intentions for a company? During the episode, we discuss the importance of guarding your internal brand as a senior leader, how to be a role model (and how not be!), and we touch upon the difficult topic of employee mental health and to what degree the employer is responsible for people's well being. We talk about how involved leaders should be in a self-organized team set-up, and how a clear organizational strategy as a company level is critical to succeed if the teams are given full autonomy. And finally, Sofie shares her perspectives on how she hopes Marie's story will end. Find Sofie on LinkedIn, where she often shares her inspiring thoughts and opinions on leadership topics. For example, you can check out this article (in Danish) about  rethinking traditional organizational structures for the future generations. Or listen to this podcast episode (in English) of Karriereklubben, where Sofie and two other panelists are debating work dilemmas. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a text Marie and the engineers talk to an advisory board of parents and teachers to get feedback on ASLO, and share the concerning results with Natalie and the leadership team, who finally seem to listen. Natalie, who used to be a teacher herself, decides to take things into her own hands. The engineers start setting shared objectives for each sprint based on a company value. Marie meets her HR contact Todd from competitor ConvoSystems, who shares a surprising truth about life with Richard as CTO. And finally, Shaine has a suggestion for what to do with the data centre, but is it enough to save Zebra Apps? What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a text In the final commentary episode of chapter 5, we are happy to welcome Katja Schipperheijn, internationally awarded author, learning influencer, futurist and keynote speaker on learning, innovation and being human in a digital world. With years of experience from the EdTech company, Katja is the perfect match to guide Zebra Apps at this chaotic point in the story. Katja sums up this story episode as "a mess". Zebra Apps is struggling to survive as a company, and Marie is managing everyone in separate groups, not seeming to understand the power of bringing people together. We discuss corporate rebels and how they are wonderful, but sometimes lack people skills. We talk about how an external moderator (and Marie does not count as one!) would be helpful to navigate the stakeholder landscape and facilitate the needed discussions. How shall the people of the Zebra Apps organization overcome imposter syndrome? And what does it mean - and what do you do -when your CFO *literally* takes a bite of your bun without asking? We learn about Katja's "future readiness approach", which is facilitated in two parts: Invite a diverse group of people from all across the organization to individually write down their biggest obstacle, then discuss Forget the problems around us and make the top management reflect over the purpose and values of the company and where they want to go. Then, have the people of the company work together to align on opportunities. Another practical trick from Katja is to implement three standard practices in Zebra Apps. The first one is to make "why" a standard question at the end of all meetings. Secondly, create an environment where people feel secure enough to say "I don't know". And finally, celebrate your fuck-ups! Towards the end of the episode, we learn from Katja about the status and trends in the EdTech industry (and yes, one of them is AI, and no, not many know what this means). If you want to learn much more about learning, innovation, and technology, check out Katja's website, where you can find a lot of great resources (like examples of keynotes, workshop formats and an inspirational blog). Katja recently launched another book - The Learning Mindset - which is about the people of organizations and how to combine human competencies with technologies to thrive. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a Text Message. In the final part of chapter 5, things start to get real when Marie learns from Willie that Natalie purchased spare parts from Russia for Zebra Apps' physical data center, and that she likely traveled there together with Frank and Andrea. She also learns that every time the engineers create new features for ASLO, they  increase their physical footprint in the data center. Jenni and Marie explains to Jaque why Zebra Apps is bleeding money, and suggest him to create a better way to charge their customers for the products. They collect feedback from the engineering department, and agree to investigate the options to either migrate away from the data center or keep it and provide hosting services to other companies. But could their product quality challenges be solved by simply talking more to each other? Could it be more about culture - and taking responsibility for the whole product as a team? What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a Text Message. In this commentary episode, we are pleased to talk to Paul Hargreaves, CEO of Cotswold Fayre & Flourish and renowned author of the books Forces For Good and The Fourth Bottom Line about purpose-driven and compassionate leadership. We wish Zebra Apps had a CEO like Paul. And not just as Chief Executive Officer, but Chief Empowerment Officer, who makes sure that everyone in the organization is working to their full potential. We discuss how Zebra Apps' customer-led strategy is out of control, and there is an absence of leadership and culture-setting across the whole business. A leader must be present - but how? Paul has several suggestions, including letting go of your individual office - and maybe even your desk! - to ensure that you spend time with your employees. While we do not talk detailed models and frameworks, Frederic Laloux (author of the book 'Reinventing Organizations' and one of the leading figures in the new ways of working movement) is brought up during the conversation. We learn that people who eat together generally stay together, and the true/literal meaning of the word "company" (from Late Latin companio, "bread fellow," com meaning "with, together" and panis meaning "bread"). We discuss the importance of rigorously reinforcing habits, and being your true self at work, even if it gets messy from time to time. And then we talk a bit about how global conflicts and pandemics impact businesses in ways we could never imagine 5 years ago. Curious to learn more from Paul? You can find him on LinkedIn or visit his website, where you can also find more information about his books. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a Text Message. In the first part of chapter 5, we have invited guest expert Michelle Leedy, who is an organization effectiveness, design and transformation business leader, passionate about creating value and positive impact through authentic leadership. Michelle brings more than 20 years experience in consulting and leadership roles across multiple business industries and functions to the table. As Marie makes a CLM (career limiting move) and decides to join the engineering department to help fix ASLO, she seems to be so caught up in her own orbit that she misses what's going on in the universe that surrounds her. Decisions are made reactively and without much analysis or rationale. We talk about to value of taking a step back and assessing the situation before jumping to conclusions. We debate whether engaging in scuttlebutt (thanks for teaching us a new word) can be helpful when building trust in a new group or is just problematic. We discuss integral parts of a business operating model, how to know which leaders to listen to, and how to do competency assessments. And finally, Michelle gives her take on whether Erik really has Marie's best interests in mind or if he's simply out for her job. Concepts and frameworks Stakeholder Analysis RACI SWOT Analysis Business Operating Models PESTLE Analysis 360 Assessments Would you like to learn more from Michelle? Please do not hesitate to contact her through LinkedIn. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a Text Message. In this first section of chapter 5, the UX Designer Jason makes a comeback at Zebra Apps. A mysterious meeting is taking place with attendance by the full leadership team and a white-bearded man. And Marie's colleague and employee Erik once again urges her to use her informal power and influence to help the engineers fix their dysfunctions and save Zebra's star product ASLO. Will she accept and join the hooded man-children in the engineering department? Thank you to Katie Christensen for reading this episode. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Send us a Text Message. Marie interviews the engineers to map out who work on the different aspects of ASLO. She learns that they belong to two teams, and uses an animal metaphor to convince Jenni to reorganize the engineering department to fix the quality issues, and to start funding the teams in a way that ensures continuous improvement. Marie meets up with Anne, and learns that she is secretly conspiring with Jason and Jaque to save Zebra Apps. Jaque shares that Zebra App’s financial situation is problematic due to the subscription structure, and that he suspects that Nathalie has been considering selling Zebra to a Russian company - which could explain why she did not want to offer ASLO for free to the children fleeing from Ukraine. Thank you to Katie Christensen for reading this episode. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

In this special edition episode, we talk to IT Service Management specialist and value stream thinker David Billouz about the fourth chapter of Marie's journey in Zebra Apps. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

In the last commentary episode of chapter 4, we talk to Mary Lemmer, who is not only the founder of the company Improve, but also a keynote speaker, conference session facilitator, longtime entrepreneur, writer/author, and improv comedian.   The story episode is full of attempts to solve the team communication and culture problems that have been identified earlier, and to disclose the key lessons from the commentary episode up front:  The way you approach a situation makes a difference You need to acknowledge the root of a problem before you can fix it Sugar will not solve your company's culture problem We discuss some of the possible reasons to trust a leader besides professional capability, and how cinnamon buns are nothing but #emptyperks, when Zebra Apps' management continuously leave out diabetics like Willie. And frankly, when is sugar really the right solution? We talk about the impact of information hoarding, communication gaps, and imposter syndromes.  The importance of people's tone of voice. And finally, a kind recommendation to everyone listening: "If it feels weird, do it." Frameworks and models Paradox of knowledge The Tiny Things Tuesdays ritual, where the team get together to surface tiny things that need to be paid attention to.  CliftonStrengths Online Talent Assessment to look at employee's strengths and potential to improve Thrive, tested, thanked: A framework for individuals to assess where they thrive, where they feel tested, and how they would like to be thanked. Kim Scott's Radical Candor  The acceptance principle: Saying “Yes, and” — A principle for improv, business & life | by Mary Lemmer | IMPROVE | Medium You can learn more about Mary on her website, or about the company Improve on their website. Also, check out Mary's TED Talk: “How improv can improve your leadership and life”. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Marie and Mark are interviewing for the CFO position, and Marie learns from the employees in the Finance department that they are not wishing for a specialist manager, but a leader to represent them in the management team. Natalie suggests the VP of Sales, Jaque, which disappoints Mark. Jason returns to Zebra Apps, and Paul bakes cinnamon buns for an extended HR breakfast. Joseph makes assumptions about Marie's health, and Erik suggests that Marie takes a break from her job in HR to become a full-time coach in the Engineering department. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

In the second part of chapter 4, we are lucky to get hands-on advice from queer millennial expat leader Laurence Paquette who works as Vice President of Marketing for the large renewable energy company Vestas. The story episode is full of drama, and the conflict avoidance reaches a new high when Zebra Apps' management fails at setting boundaries when it comes to physical aggression. And suddenly, everybody is calling everybody on a Sunday. We talk about how to be a female leader. How you can assert credibility and authority while being friendly and fun. And finding your own way to lead without trying to fit into a certain (navy suite and tie) mold. We do not apply theoretical frameworks, but discuss based on our own collective experiences how Marie can maneuver through the different layers of workplace dynamics, leadership issues, software development challenges and personal relationships. Laurence is authentic and inspiring, and we encourage you all to check out her website for more tips and tricks to navigate corporate life: Millennial neurodivergent leader and mother | LaurencePaquette.com. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Marie gets closer to Jenni and starts to understand the pressure she is facing from Natalie. Shaine accepts a pay cut to make up for the salary disparity, but it is too late to avoid mass mutiny. After a dramatic incident in the office, Marie is sent home on sick leave. During her time off, Marie is approached by the previous employee, UX Designer Jason, who wants to re-join Zebra Apps because he believes there is hope after Marie has started working on the retention issue. VP of Sales Jaque manages to get Marie back to the office to fix ASLO's quality issues and save Zebra Apps from financial demise. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

In the first commentary episode of chapter 4, we are lucky to have "post transformation dude" Joe Auslander in the studio to share his great perspectives from his work which he describes as 'physical therapy of the delivery world and organizational transformation'. We talk about how to avoid getting lost in trying to fix people problems, how holding people accountable is not about staring at them with a mean face, and the actual value of whiteboards compared to virtual tools.  If everything is doing as it should, does dysfunction exist? What should Jenni be doing in the virtual stand-up meetings? Which environment will promote self-organizing teams? Models & Frameworks "Give them rope"-model - learn to swing or hang we learn by swinging and hanging anybody who wants something bad enough that they are willing to cut you off in the middle of a sentence - let them have it. if someone wants to own something, let them!  Teams needing scrum masters - distributing scrum masters and agile coaches - Agile hotrocking. Put the coaches in the middle and they will radiate Agile. Doesn't work. They can help start up teams and acclimate teams. Coaching people emotionally. Basecamp: Philosophy on how to use written tool - "backlog literacy" - the ability to tell a story through your work + hear and interact based on this. Physically and virtually. Not just planning work, but communicating - save time on meetings. Tool: Virtual whiteboard Miro - visual and effective way of planning work Ivanna's Meditation App: Insight Timer Pssst: Would you love to learn more from Joe? Check out the podcast  Joe is a co-host at the podcast Joekub where Co-host at Joekub - podcast about agile, life and monkeys What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

Mark, Marie and Paul spend a full day offsite to share and celebrate failures, with the purpose of starting to solve their department’s dysfunctions. Marie and Paul learn that Mark has been fighting Natalie to focus on culture since he started in Zebra Apps. Mark also admits that he has not been doing his job as a leader and investing in the HR department as a team. Paul agrees to join Marie’s arranged HR breakfasts if he gets to bake cinnamon buns.  Marie joins the Engineering department’s stand up meeting only to learn that it is no longer a physical meeting with a whiteboard and post-its, but taking place virtually. Marie learns  that the Engineering department is having serious quality issues with their star product ASLO. What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna

In the last commentary episode of chapter 3, we talk to global business leader Vivek Menon about the challenges Marie faces as this chapter comes to an end. Based on many years of leadership experience, Vivek shares his thoughts on the topics of the episode, which all revolve around organizational dysfunction. We talk about equal pay for equal work, professionally educated versus self-taught employees, and intelligent jerks. We talk about lack of accountability, and what role the gender of the VP of Engineering plays (or doesn’t play). Models and frameworks Five dysfunctions of a team by Patrick Lencioni Silver spoons and scrappers  Levels of resistance Stages of conflict What do you think Marie should do? Join the conversation on our LinkedIn page Reach out to us: Anne Katrine & Ivanna