The Cynefin framework has had a huge impact on being able to talk about complexity in systems thinking, and its widespread use facilitates many of us situationally finding which approach might suit our current problems. However, as simple as it looks, it can be difficult to learn and use.

Sure, there are alternative ways of exploring Cynefin. I've used the corridor game, designed a 3D printed model (see below), and even scripted a Lego stop-animation movie for it -- but recently got a lightbulb over the head moment -- maybe it would be easier to learn as a board game?

I've had some initial thoughts, but thought it would be fun to collaborate with others on this, to co-design what it could look like. Dave Snowden is already on board and keen to see what could be developed (he's also keen on the Lego movie, but that's for another day).

Whether it’s lack of alignment between team members, or friction between areas within an organisation, conflict leads to unhappiness and poor flow of work. Learn how to run a workshop to surface the antidote to conflict – empathy and common ground.

This workshop is designed to support teams or organisations who are eager to find a functional way beyond either silent, or outspoken conflict. It uses several tools from systems coaching (Relationship Myth, Lands Work and Third Entity), but no special skills are required to adapt it to your own team or workplace.

You can use this workshop in contexts such as team or organisational reset activities, or as a standalone conflict resolution intervention.

This is a learning by doing workshop, so expect to jump in and have a go!

Learn how to run a workshop to build a collective vision of a team's dream workplace and then reveal their current state and collective agency to create their dream. This workshop was designed to help teams in their early forming stages, but can be used at any time that they are missing the spark and energy to work better together. 

The workshop uses a tool from Organization Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC)  called Informal Constellation. This tool is one of my favorite tools that I often design into various coaching situations. ORSC works with teams as a whole and seeks to improve the intelligence of the collective or system by revealing what is not seen.

This workshop works well as a precursor to creating a social contract, team agreement, team charter, or designed team alliance DTA (an ORSC tool ).

You will learn how to run the workshop by doing it. This workshop is a cut down version of the actual workshop that I use with teams.

Coaching is one of the biggest drivers of performance improvement.  This workshop will help everyone, in particular Team Leaders,  Technical Leads and Managers understand and practice the basics of coaching which will enable you to to be a more effective leader and coach.

International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.

LAST (Lean Agile & Systems Thinking) involves many changes in mindset, process, practice and ways of working.  We often get stuck as we try to figure out how to incorporate LAST into our daily work.  Coaching is an approach for helping people to get unstuck and trying to accelerate their transition to a different way of thinking and working.  In this workshop we will also move away from Agile and Agile Coaching and explore Professional Coaching as described by ICF and how it can help people's personal and work lives in general.  

In this workshop we will explore two parts of coaching.  The first part consists of supportive behaviours and the second part the coaching-specific skills.  We will then have the opportunity to practice coaching skills in pairs.

As software system leaders and practitioners, we work and deal with systems consisting of humans, machines and relationships among them. These relationship are often complex and complicated. Many project and product initiatives fail because the people involved do not understand the vastness of these systems and only focus on a part of that.

We can be more successful if we understand these complex stems holistically. The study of systems in a holistic manner is called systems thinking.

So what can teach us best about systems thinking?

The nature.

There are plenty of examples in nature that we can use to learn about systems and apply those learning for delivering our finest work.

In this talk we will go on a discovery of a few real life scenarios of systems thinking. We will discuss, analyse and interpret their impact.

What's even better is a that there will not be any slides. I will tell the story while drawing live.

Ever been spellbound when someone spun you a great yarn? Storytelling connects folks with your message and makes them care about it. In Agile contexts, where we care deeply about effective communication, story-telling is a super power for aligning folks on a vision, and bringing them on the change journey. Lean how to use this skill in all sorts of contexts, from being heard in meetings, to job interviews or presenting at events.

This learning by doing workshop guides you through how to get started – from devising your message, crafting your first line, to engaging your audience.

The workshop uses a fun step-by-step approach, that does not require any skill whatsoever as a writer, just the openness to give it a go!

If you are up for some laughter and to push your boundaries trying something new, come along and learn how to tell your story with impact.