“If you want to coach senior leaders, you need to start by understanding what’s important to them—even if it has nothing to do with Lean Portfolio Management.” - Mark Richards.

In this lively and thought-provoking episode of SPCs Unleashed, Nikolaos Kaintantzis, Mark Richards, and Stephan Neck explore the unique challenges and opportunities of coaching in the Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) space. With engaging stories and practical insights, the team highlights how coaching at this level requires stepping into "big shoes" and mastering new complexities.

Key Takeaways:

• The Role of Growth: Niko emphasizes that becoming a coach in the LPM space is not instantaneous—it's a journey of growth that requires learning the language and culture of portfolio leadership while staying grounded in Lean principles.
• Understanding the Portfolio Context: Stephan describes the portfolio as an orchestra, where strategic alignment is the conductor, ensuring all "instruments" play harmoniously. Mark notes the need for adaptability, highlighting how portfolios must pivot based on evolving market conditions.
• Coaching Senior Leaders: The discussion illuminates the challenges of coaching time-pressed senior leaders. Mark explains that effective coaching often occurs during unconventional moments, such as commutes, and success requires aligning with the leaders’ priorities.
• The Power of Alignment: All three hosts agree that achieving alignment—whether through strategic themes, value stream mapping, or effective communication—is critical for unlocking the true potential of LPM.
• Lessons from Experience: The episode is filled with real-world anecdotes, such as Niko's story of taking board-level classes to understand better leadership challenges and the necessity of empathy and political awareness when coaching at higher organizational levels.

This episode provides practical tips and thought-provoking ideas for SPCs looking to grow their impact in Lean Portfolio Management. It’s a must-listen for Agile leaders and coaches alike, covering topics from aligning strategy to navigating politics.

"PI Planning is where the framework meets reality—it’s a test of alignment, collaboration, and leadership." - Stephan Neck

In this episode of SPCs Unleashed, hosts Stephan Neck, Niko Kaintantzis, and Ali Hajou explore one of SAFe's cornerstone activities: PI Planning. The trio leads an engaging discussion about how SPCs can elevate their organizations’ PI Planning sessions from mere rituals to transformative events.

The conversation illuminates the evolving role of SPCs in guiding teams through successful PI Planning while balancing the need for structure, adaptability, and human connection.

Key Highlights:

• PI Planning as a Leadership Opportunity:
  • The hosts emphasize the critical role of SPCs in facilitating alignment, fostering collaboration, and addressing potential bottlenecks before they escalate.
  • Niko describes PI Planning as “a mirror for the organization,” reflecting its culture, communication, and leadership dynamics.
• Preparation is Key:
  • Stephan outlines best practices for pre-PI Planning preparation, such as ensuring backlog readiness, clarifying team goals, and engaging with stakeholders early.
• The Art of Collaboration:
  • Ali discusses how SPCs can act as mediators during the session, ensuring cross-team dependencies are identified and resolved while encouraging open dialogue.
• Adaptability in Action:
  • The trio highlights the importance of remaining flexible when things don’t go as planned, sharing real-world examples where improvisation saved the day.

Practical Advice for SPCs

• Start with Clear Objectives: Define what success looks like for the PI Planning session and align teams around shared goals.
• Focus on Dependencies: Encourage teams to identify and address cross-team dependencies during breakout sessions.
• Create Psychological Safety: Foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable voicing concerns or challenging assumptions.
• Leverage Metrics: Use relevant metrics to track progress and ensure alignment throughout the session.

Conclusion

PI Planning is more than a meeting—it’s a dynamic space where vision becomes actionable, alignment is tested, and SPCs have the opportunity to lead by example. This episode offers practical insights to help SPCs elevate PI Planning from a framework activity to a transformative event.

References

• "Team of Teams" by General Stanley McChrystal
• "The Phoenix Project" by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford

"A facilitator lights the spark of collaboration, then steps back to let the fire grow" - Stephan Neck

In this episode of SPCs Unleashed, hosts Mark Richards, Niko Kaintantzis, and Stephan Neck delve into the art and science of facilitation—a skill often confused with coaching yet distinct in its purpose and impact.

Mark kicks off with a surprise question, challenging Niko and Stephan to identify the greatest difference between coaching and facilitation. Stephan's response lays the foundation for a rich discussion: facilitation, he suggests, is about sparking action and empowering others to take the lead.

Key Highlights:

• Facilitation as a Catalyst: Stephan describes facilitation as a role that ignites movement and fosters collaboration without imposing control.
• Contrasting Coaching and Facilitation: Niko shares how facilitation emphasizes creating the space for others to solve problems, while coaching often involves guiding individuals to personal insights.
• Practical Techniques: The hosts explore tools and methods for effective facilitation, from structured workshops to adaptive approaches tailored to group dynamics.
• Challenges of Facilitation: Addressing common obstacles, such as resistance or lack of clarity, they offer strategies to maintain focus and drive outcomes.

Insights for SPCs

The episode provides actionable advice for SPCs (SAFe Program Consultants) and other leaders:

• Create Psychological Safety: A safe environment encourages participation and innovation.
• Embrace Neutrality: Effective facilitators prioritize the group's goals over personal opinions.
• Adapt to Context: Every team and challenge is unique; flexibility is key to success.

Conclusion

Facilitation is more than guiding discussions—it's about empowering teams to take ownership of their outcomes. The hosts highlight that the best facilitators enable others to shine, stepping back once momentum is achieved.

References

• Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making: Sam Kaner
• "The Art of Facilitation" by Dale Hunter
• "Facilitation at a Glance!" by Ingrid Bens