Thankful - not just today - but every day!

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As we approach this holiday season (and despite the fact that my personal backlog keeps getting longer instead of shorter) I feel compelled to take a moment and share a list of things for which I'm most thankful.   (Cliché', I know - but deal with it... when it comes to Coach Dan, you take the corny with the good!)  So without farther preamble, I present to you - 

 

Coach Dan's Top Five (agile-related) Things I'm Thankful For

(in no particular order!)

 

1

 Shared Values, Principles and Customer Focus - I'm thankful to be able to partner with a group of people who share the same values and principles.  Working with people who are equally focused on our customer and share our agile values and principles means that even when we disagree, we know where each other is coming from, and that our intent is to get to the same place.  Seeing people live those shared values and principles every day makes me feel like I'm part of a community and that truly keeps me grounded (Yes, this is me grounded.)  How amazing! 


 

Courageous Leaders2 - I am blessed to have the opportunity to work with Mangers and Leaders as they take steps forward on their agile journeys.  I can honestly say - I've never seen a group of more passionate, creative, courageous, customer focused, team member protective, ready to be agile minded people in my life.  Hearing and feeling how much these people value our customers and our teams, and how willing they are to open their minds and take steps forward together - I leave those sessions feeling exhilarated, exhausted and inspired all at the same time!

 

3

Agile Teammates - Every. Single. Day.  That's how often I'm thankful for our agile team members.  These folks are living and breathing the agile values and principles (being agile) while they challenge themselves to be Effective, Efficient and Engaged in their pursuit of delivering value to our customers.  No matter if they are using Scrum, Kanban (doing agile) or simply applying the values and principles no matter how they are working - our agile marketers inspire me every day with their creativity, their passion and their dedication to the customer and each other.  You all truly inspire me to be a better coach and team member myself.

 

4

My Partner Coaches, Scrum Masters and Transformation Partners - I have worked at a lot of different places, and with a lot of different people - but I can say that you all are, quite literally, the bee's knees when it comes to transformation partners.  There isn't a day that goes by where one of you doesn't challenge me to think about things differently...  or teach me something new... or give me pause to think and reflect.  I feel truly blessed and thankful that I am surrounded and supported by such an amazing array of smart and talented individuals (within the Marketing Transformation Team, on the Enterprise Agile Transformation team, or with one of the truly amazing LOB Coaching Teams.)  I'm truly humbled (yes, I used the word humble) to be a part of this community, and I'm thankful every day (regardless of how grouchy I might be at huddle - who schedules these for the end of the day anyway???)

 

5

The larger Agile Community - Every so often, I'll encounter a random, "not connected to any agile team I'm working with" person who has agile questions, observations, curiosities or challenges.  These moments are so rewarding for me because a) I get to help spread the mindset (values and principles) and b) I get to meet some pretty amazing, caring, passionate people.  I am thankful for each and every one of you because you are helping to champion the agile mindset across our company, and it truly takes each and every one of us to help us transform!


 

I could go on and on - but I did limit myself to five things, so I'll stop here.  Instead I will turn the attention to you. 

What (agile related) things are you thankful for? 

Do you work with a great team?  Do you have an awesome partner?  Have a great boss?  Mentor?  Break room acquaintance?  When was the last time that you told them you're thankful for what they do, for how they impact your life?  I read somewhere once that valuing Individuals and Interactions was a good thing to do.  Why not take a moment and share with your team?  I bet they would love to hear your list!  

Have a wonderful holiday season, and go out there and be agile today!

We all win together.

Coach Dan



 

Photo Credits

  1. Photo by Eddy Lackmann on Unsplash
  2. Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
  3. Photo by Mike Szczepanski on Unsplash
  4. Photo by Makarios Tang on Unsplash
  5. Photo by youssef naddam on Unsplash

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