Consider sailing on a lake. It is a great day, there is only a slight rolling swell to contend with. Because you are so relaxed, you slip below and start a game of billiards with your mate. Its not too hard to time the rocking, but nothing is perfect. Then, out of nowhere, a thunderstorm. Who knows where the cue ball will land?  How different is this example to any organizational transformation (or project or program) you have been involved in? The SPaMCAST 856 features an essay on delivery in an unstable environment and why it is like playing billiards on a boat. The outcome is unpredictable.

We also have a visit from Jon M Quigley! Mr Quigley brings his Alpha and Omega of Product Development column to the cast. In this installment, we talk about configuration management. 

Mastering Work Intake sponsors SPaMCAST!

From ad-hoc to optimized! Dive deep into work intake with this insightful book. Learn the “Gold Standard” and practical deviations, plus how to use flow metrics effectively. Understand the human element and align with Agile principles for better delivery. Perfect for executives, managers, and coaches.

Links to buy a copy…

JRoss Publishing: https://bit.ly/474ul6G

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4236013

Interested in continuing the conversation on work intake with peers in a safe space? Join the Mastering Work Intake Community on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14483957/ 

Re-read Saturday News

In our re-read of Development as Freedom this week, we tackled Chapter 8, Women’s Agency and Social Change. Paraphrasing Wikipedia (to make it a bit less technical), the definition of agency is a person’s ability to initiate and control their actions and the feeling they have of being in charge of their own actions. The concept of agency is important in all human endeavors, not just economic and social development. 

Previous installments of Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen:

Week 1: Context and Logistics

Week 2: Introduction and Preface

Week 3: The Perspective of Freedom

Week 4: The Ends and the Means of Development

Week 5: Freedom and the Foundations of Justice

Week 6: Poverty as Capability Deprivation

Week 7: Markets, State, and Social Opportunity

Week 8: The Importance of Democracy 

Week 9: Social Choice and Individual Behavior

Week 10: Famines and Other Crises

Week 11: Women’s Agency and Social Change

Next SPaMCAST 

The SPaMCAST 857 will feature our interview with Andy Hilliard, CEO of Accelerance and author of the book Synergea. We talk about the future of software development and how global teams fit into the current geopolitical perspective. Nothing light and frothy in this week’s discussion!